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BLACK BEAR
08-10-2008, 07:19 PM
what has everyones last month been like in Melbourne? Normally the phone rings and I pick up clients and xtra work about this time of the year. This is my 1st year it has gone in reverse :( 3 houses just sold in the last week, 1 old dear has moved on and larger body corp. has decided to go with a cheaper price apperently :( Thats equivalent all up to approx 10+ regular clients in 2 weeks :(
The quotes I have been doing look like they are over priced as have not picked up many (2 from 10) Maybe I have just got all tight ar*** or they have very big home loans :i dunno:
Is it just me or is it the same with other guys?

geoff
08-10-2008, 07:32 PM
its certainly different year from our experience , although we have heaps of quotes many people only want 3 to 4 weekly visits so obviously u have to quote higher....our long time customers are really gold those that are two weeks all year long so we go out of our way to make sure they get the best of the best service plus.....
i dont think u are alone as i have heard similar at the tip from guys worrying about losing customers..hang in there mate a ride the rough time cause the low ballers will go under before us

lifestyle
08-10-2008, 07:37 PM
I had a customer say to me today...

"You've been here for a while now (about 18 months), must be nearly time for a price increase..."

Now, I can't say i've had that before, but i wouldn't mind having it again :)

I have only "lost" one customer since i started and that was this past week. Mind you, they were at the bottom of my work list each week... It took too long to mow the dog s.hit before i could get to the grass. Nothing lost as far as i'm concerned.

Born To Mow
08-10-2008, 08:16 PM
Old customers are gold and all priced right. I went though the same thing last year, customers selling and moving on.

This spring I have had a lot more one off jobs. Most of the new customers that have come a board are from word of mouth. Looking forward to see how this year pans out

BLACK BEAR
11-10-2008, 07:35 AM
:frightene after 2 more days mowing i find another 3 clients selling up before xmas :( Mow 2 wkly till then but all moving to suburbs i do not service

lifestyle
11-10-2008, 08:31 AM
I must say its catching...

I had to do a pre-sale (prior to photo) garden and lawn on thursday for a regular... moving interstate.

I've been mowing at a church for the past couple of years. It was put on the market a couple of months ago and i got word thursday night it had sold - new owners want to turn it into a house.

Thats 3 in 2 weeks.

I'm not worried though, the grass will keep growing and a lawnie will quit or someone new will move into the area or someone will find they can't handle their yards any more...

Life has a way of sorting itself out..

A wise person once said... "Don't sweat the small stuff!"

lifestyle
11-10-2008, 08:33 AM
P.S. I'd be watching the house for the new owners to move in... tell them you'd been maintaining the lawn and garden for the old owners and offer your services to the new owners...

One one person moves out, its usually because a new person is moving in - Find the potential in all situations.

BLACK BEAR
11-10-2008, 08:41 AM
i just prefer to go forward full throttle, not 3 steps forward then 2 steps back :rolleyes: It all sorts itself out usually just a little :Rain: rain would help :)

lifestyle
11-10-2008, 08:50 AM
i just prefer to go forward full throttle, not 3 steps forward then 2 steps back :rolleyes: It all sorts itself out usually just a little :Rain: rain would help :)

Thats just Business.

Better to be 3 steps forward and 2 back than 2 steps forward 3 back. If your a step ahead at the end of each day, you'll be 365 steps ahead by the end of the year

Born To Mow
12-10-2008, 07:52 AM
I must say its catching...

I'm not worried though, the grass will keep growing and a lawnie will quit or someone new will move into the area or someone will find they can't handle their yards any more...



In our local rag we have had 3 big lawn mowing rounds up for sale ranging from $30k to $50k a lot of $ for good will customers

lifestyle
12-10-2008, 08:19 AM
In our local rag we have had 3 big lawn mowing rounds up for sale ranging from $30k to $50k a lot of $ for good will customers

Some people just build rounds up for the sake of selling them a year or 2 later. They will move on to something new.

I had an interview with a Franchisor for one of the "J" franchises (Jims/James) once and he said the area i lived in had 3 neighbouring suburbs without any franchisees. He said if i built one area up i could buy into the next, expand and/or sell a round as i went.

A business can be as big of an investment as a home or a car. Some people would look at an unstable economy and be concerned about their investment and sell up too early.

Medical reasons (bad backs etc) are often a reason to sell up.

I'd never recommend to anyone to buy a round to start a business... but if its a legitimate sale (profitable round), it can be a good idea to expand a business.