Fired....

[CHEESE2009]

I'm so friggen angry right now. Just got off the phone with a client, calling to receive payment. This customer was one of my favorites, always paid on time, good people. When he hired me, he said that the PREVIOUS guy he hired trimmed his hedges & weeded his garden for free, without ever really asking. So I said, if I ever have the time I'll see what I can do. So the pay from him was great, so I figured I can whiz by every now & then & clean out his garden (4 times now). The last time, I did 3/4 of the garden because I didn't have the time. ON THE PHONE he basically bashed my service & hung up. I called him back & yelled at him for 30 minutes, explaining that I did the jobs from the goodness of my heart, & he shouldn't expect free EVER!!! He didn't understand because he was of a certain religion.. you know... ANYWAY, he owes me $15.00 for a small job I did for him. And he said if I'm willing to go for a lousy $15.00 to go pick it up. I don't care for $15.00, but I'm gonna go there right now & take what's mine. LESSON LEARNED, customers are bipolar. I'm so pissed. I'm getting rid of 4 clients already that suck, & this guy was one of my good ones... -5 clients. B.S........!!!!!!!!!! I told him to go back to the guy he hired before me, if he's still in business that is! Can't be that good if he got canned too. I need a new method of payment, but every option sucks. And contracts won't do jack all for the people here. Worst month ever, haven't received ANY payments, just silly complaints. Customer: You haven't even cut my grass for 2 months! Scott: Don't f'ing say that sh*t, I've been there every friggen week. Customer: Well the grass didn't need to be cut, it's not growing. Scott: So don't mix your grass not growing with ME NOT SHOWING UP YOU PRICK! ... I'm going to get my $15.00, I'll post back when I get home! I feel like an angry Mr. T right now...

[Steve]

Lawn care business tips

I am sorry about all that happening. It makes me think of the saying, no good deed goes unpunished. I wonder if ultimately it's just a flat out bad idea to do anything for free. The customer will get used to it and expect it. What's your view on all this? Is there a lesson to be learned?

__________________
- Subscribe to my Lawn Care Marketing Blog Feed and get daily tips sent to you. Free!
Download your Free trial of Gopher Lawn Care Software.

[picframer]

When you took over this job did you and the client talk about their expectations? Personally I think this is something we should all do, how else can we be measured......

[Steve]

When you took over this job did you and the client talk about their expectations? Personally I think this is something we should all do, how else can we be measured......

How would you suggest bringing something like this up and what should be focused on? How is it best to handle such a situation?

[picframer]

Originally Posted by Steve

How would you suggest bringing something like this up and what should be focused on? How is it best to handle such a situation?

I dunno and I am not preaching to anyone, I know how I have handled situations like this, generally it works out, I don't like to burn bridges and I never loose my cool in front of a client, that has taken years to get here.

I would simply say Mr. Jones, we seem to have an issue, could I trouble you to come over and come to a resolve? Emails and telephone are not the way to do this, it's a way for clients to hide and you can tell from body language how things are going.

In person I would simply state, I really appreciate your business and you are one of my best paying customers. Perhaps we mis understood each other and what your expectations are, I am a small company and as such need to be paid, you are a valued customer and you have expectations as you what you want done. Let's take a walk around your property and talk about what I can do for what I charge and what you feel should be done so that we can agree and move on.

I would bet 70% of the time, I will spy something we can do and say, for example, those gutters look like they could use a cleaning, if you are ever interested I would be hapy to give you a quote. You see clients are looking for value, we offer value added services, some more than others.

The worst thing we can do is loose it, no one wins and I like to think the majority of people out there are reasonable.

[lawncrafter56]

I feel Andy nails it down hard and on only one occasion I have fielded a complaint the same way, the customer took several months to come back and was eager.

Scott, I really think this guy could still be your best client and perhaps even better. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[All Terrian landscaping]

I know it aint the same scenairo... then agian it kinda is, Last year I plowed for my old mans bowling alley using THERE truck.... remeber that theres, not mine, wel when we got a big storm of the year i got a call from a buddy of mine who was stuck in his drive,

So after i got most of the bowling alley done i went to my friends house to plow the 14 inches off of his driveway, after taking a hour there he said thanks an left.. no handshake... no pay.

I wasnt that upset about the pay seeing that i was using works truck, and works gas but what he did next really made me upset


Everytime it would snow he would call me hey come plow my drive, hey come plow my drive, and i would tell him im at work ill come when im done, or hey im with my girl, ill come when im done, but he would continue to text and call me untill i would finnaly show up, and drop my blade the most i counted was 15 calls and 30 meassgaes in one hour...


Point of story- doing something nice once, ok.....something nice twice, good for you..... but over and over agian, gona end up being priceless

Originally Posted by picframer

I dunno and I am not preaching to anyone, I know how I have handled situations like this, generally it works out, I don't like to burn bridges and I never loose my cool in front of a client, that has taken years to get here.

I would simply say Mr. Jones, we seem to have an issue, could I trouble you to come over and come to a resolve? Emails and telephone are not the way to do this, it's a way for clients to hide and you can tell from body language how things are going.

In person I would simply state, I really appreciate your business and you are one of my best paying customers. Perhaps we mis understood each other and what your expectations are, I am a small company and as such need to be paid, you are a valued customer and you have expectations as you what you want done. Let's take a walk around your property and talk about what I can do for what I charge and what you feel should be done so that we can agree and move on.

I would bet 70% of the time, I will spy something we can do and say, for example, those gutters look like they could use a cleaning, if you are ever interested I would be hapy to give you a quote. You see clients are looking for value, we offer value added services, some more than others.

The worst thing we can do is loose it, no one wins and I like to think the majority of people out there are reasonable.

I agree completely....

Working in law enforcement taught me to not loose my cool just because someone was being stupid.... Stay in control and you are on control....

[CHEESE2009]

I didn't necessarily lose my control, yes & no perhaps.

The guy didn't let me speak while we were on the phone. He just kept shouting & saying all sorts of crap. So all I could do was say LISTEN LISTEN LISTEN LISTEN. So after he trashed my company, accusing me of making promises to him to do all sorts of things for him & not keeping my promise. I NEVER PROMISED.

So whatever, he can get his neighbor to cut his grass for all I care.

I went to his house yesterday & his wife gave me the money.

______

GOOD NEWS.

Got in touch with my other customer who sells homes, turns out he has TONS of work for me. Many properties to maintenance.

He's building a team of guys in all sorts of trades & I'll be the lawn guy LOL.

I got another customer of mine a job, he does floors & all sorts of stuff, so WOOO!

Now I gotta make flyers to give to my customer so he can advertise my service to his customers.

Next summer man... OUCH! I'll be booked baby!

I'm gonna get a F150 with an enclosed trailer, makes my life a lot easier!

[CHEESE2009]

OH AND!!!

The customer who's getting me more work, I was going around collecting payment.

I stopped by his place, & he asked me to come in for a beer.

Now that's a customer I like!

I told him next time I'll bring the beer, LOL!


Life is good!