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Thread: Freebies for Customers

  1. #16
    Senior Member happymowin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Freebies for Customers

    lol, i got two answers for ya

    whether or not they pay you is irrelevant imo, you should do the job the same, and they have a right to expect a good job out of you.

    BUT cos they arent paying you, you have the right to suggest that they are being a pita, and you will stop doing it for free, or they could be less fussy about the "few leaves"

    moral of the story? communication.

  2. #17
    Senior Member Bluey's Avatar
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    Default Re: Freebies for Customers

    The other thing I would suggest is that a 45 min job is a bit long for a freebie especially hedging. If I do freebie it is quick and easy and doesn't take much of my time or money. Like a quick weed spray on a few weeds or maybe a quick trim on a shrub or something. Time is money in this game and doing a job like that as a freebie affect you time you have to spend on other paying jobs
    Cheers

    Bluey
    Adelaide Home & Garden Solutions
    http://www.ahgs.com.au


    "Success occurs when no one is looking, failure occurs when everyone is watching."

  3. #18
    Member Tender Lovin Lawn&Garden's Avatar
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    Default Re: Freebies for Customers

    I would say we where doing it for you as a free thing as you are a regular customer and stop doing it and if she asks again for you to do it say to her we used to do it for free as your a regular customer but you complained so if you want a professional job it will cost this.

    If you put a tarp or two underneath they will catch what falls just fold the tarp up and tip the rubbish in the trailer.
    Tender Lovin Lawn and Garden Care
    We do everything for your lawn and garden with tender loving care
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  4. #19
    Senior Member BeetleJuice's Avatar
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    Default Re: Freebies for Customers

    After being self employed for 30 years i don’t do anything for free anymore.
    If i could go back and collect freebies and bad debt i’d probably have a extra 15 grand in the bank.

  5. #20
    Senior Member Scooby Steve's Avatar
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    Default Re: Freebies for Customers

    I wouldn't throw such a job in for nothing myself it invites trouble and a level of expectation that will be expected forever down the track.

    If you do a good job and are reliable that should be enough to keep them if not were they worth keeping in the first place.

  6. #21
    Senior Member happymowin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Freebies for Customers

    sorry i didnt see the time thing.

    the only way i'd do a 45 minute free hedging job is . . . seriously, i wouldnt.

    a freebie is using the hedger for 3 minutes to get the greenery away from her washing line, or the car driving up the drive, or the front door etc.

    or picking up a few palm leaves or a branch, or a bit of litter that others would mow over etc.


    i do an excellent job for what they pay me, no way am i doing 45 minutes free, except if . . . you know, lol

  7. #22
    Member Tender Lovin Lawn&Garden's Avatar
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    Default Re: Freebies for Customers

    I would give some chick a free headjob for 45 minutes. I once told a client i would rim this tree for free for her she had been my client for two years never a problem with money. The tree was hanging over the fence from the neighbour with out looking at it properly i thought oh yeah knock that and that branch off ten minutes. any way when i started on it i kept finding more and more branches ended up taking an hour. she put an extra fifty in my account so i suppose thats not too bad. But yeah as a general rule i don do much for free cause once you start they keep adding on when i first started i would do some free things here and there when it got busy people whinged cause i wasnt doing the thing i did for free for them and eventually i lost all those customers now i dont do anything for free for someone unless i make sure they understand that its a free once off.
    Tender Lovin Lawn and Garden Care
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    find us on facebook under Tender Lovin Lawn and Garden Care

  8. #23
    Senior Member BeetleJuice's Avatar
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    Default Re: Freebies for Customers

    Quote Originally Posted by Tender Lovin Lawn&Garden View Post
    I would give some chick a free headjob for 45 minutes. I once told a client i would rim this tree for free for her she had been my client for two years never a problem with money. The tree was hanging over the fence from the neighbour with out looking at it properly i thought oh yeah knock that and that branch off ten minutes. any way when i started on it i kept finding more and more branches ended up taking an hour. she put an extra fifty in my account so i suppose thats not too bad. But yeah as a general rule i don do much for free cause once you start they keep adding on when i first started i would do some free things here and there when it got busy people whinged cause i wasnt doing the thing i did for free for them and eventually i lost all those customers now i dont do anything for free for someone unless i make sure they understand that its a free once off.
    I would give some chick a free headjob
    That sounds interesting..please explain...>>>> = Ladyboy

  9. #24
    Senior Member RSM-Gazza's Avatar
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    Default Re: Freebies for Customers

    Got caught in the same trap last Easter.
    Doing lots of garden maintenance, ie; trimmig for free for a lady in her early seventies who was one of my employees in my earlier life.
    Was also one my of first customers when I started and she was getting a cheap rate to start with.

    One day I turned for a lawn mow at $40 (should have been a $50 job) and she wanted a fair wack of high tree growth removed from her house roof 1.5-2 stories high and tip it for her for free. Also her large elevated concrete patio and step structure leading to her elevated front all pressured cleaned for a $40 lawn mow fee by dropping the next scheduled mow and doing the pressure cleaning.

    I walked, rang her back and terminated my services immediately and was spoken to very very badly for dumping her, whilst I remained professional in conversation. Got a phone call 2 months later of apology and was asking me back. To which I bluntly refused and felt so good for letting her know.

    You learn from such, well I did from that and I release Pita's rather quickly now and only two weeks ago I sent a Vic Gov Health job a see you later once notice after all my grossly overdue accounts were paid after some Grrr to them to pay. They paid $55 an hr and it was a great job, but not worth the constant unreplied follow ups on each inv after the first mth, then at 6wks and then the second month. I will not work for insurance, W/cover, Gov etc
    Cheers Garry

  10. #25
    Senior Member BeetleJuice's Avatar
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    Default Re: Freebies for Customers

    Another way at looking at this situation..ask a plumber or electrician if they would do an extra 45 mins of work for fee.
    What do you think the reply would be ??? Aren't they in business just like you.

  11. #26
    Member Tender Lovin Lawn&Garden's Avatar
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    Default Re: Freebies for Customers

    Quote Originally Posted by BeetleJuice View Post
    Another way at looking at this situation..ask a plumber or electrician if they would do an extra 45 mins of work for fee.
    What do you think the reply would be ??? Aren't they in business just like you.
    ask woolworths or coles if they will give you something for free or allow you to pay next week or at the end of the month.
    Tender Lovin Lawn and Garden Care
    We do everything for your lawn and garden with tender loving care
    find us on facebook under Tender Lovin Lawn and Garden Care

  12. #27
    Senior Member Scooby Steve's Avatar
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    Default Re: Freebies for Customers

    Quote Originally Posted by RSM-Gazza View Post
    You learn from such, well I did from that and I release Pita's rather quickly now and only two weeks ago I sent a Vic Gov Health job a see you later once notice after all my grossly overdue accounts were paid after some Grrr to them to pay. They paid $55 an hr and it was a great job, but not worth the constant unreplied follow ups on each inv after the first mth, then at 6wks and then the second month. I will not work for insurance, W/cover, Gov etc
    Gary have you ever done your sums on how much is left when charging $55 an hour? Seems unders to me but that may be your market rate up there down here that would be considered cowboy money. Not trying to pick just making an observation.

  13. #28
    Senior Member happymowin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Freebies for Customers

    i worked out my expenses this last tax return to about $45 an hour.

    $55 an hour, thats 10 an hour profit for me, i'd be better of WORKING in woolies.

    i refuse to work for less than $65 an hour (estimated time/fixed price quote), figuring i'm worth more than 20 an hour for me.

    bugger em

  14. #29
    Senior Member Wyadra's Avatar
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    Default Re: Freebies for Customers

    Freebies are only given to customers who pay for extras. Extras is where a lot of profit is, good to encourage them by being very helpful. If I do a freebie here or there it kind of gets added on to a tab. They are also very good for the customer because there are lots of annoying little things that they don't want to pay someone to do specially. If customers don't realise this then they are a selfish and I will increase prices or drop service level. That 45 min hedge is at least $90 down the drain, and you get a complaint!

  15. #30
    Member Andy B's Avatar
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    Default Re: Freebies for Customers

    Quote Originally Posted by grasshopping View Post
    Hi Guys and Girls, We have a regular customer that we do lawn maintenance for and every few mows Mark cuts a small front buxus hedge for free as a sign of good will. The last time mark cut the hedge the wife complained that a few leaves had fallen onto the white pebbles under the hedge. As they don't pay for it to be cut do they have grounds on which to complain. Or should he charge them as it takes about 45mins to cut including blowing the cuttings onto the lawn before he mows.

    Mark and Kathryn
    Grasshopper Mowing Services
    A few leaves, even if it was several she probably needs to get a grip, it may not be the attitude of a perfectionist but a few leaves c'mon, I'd probably clean them up and make a very large mental note, no freebies, price increase and no favours. A few leaves, a few leaves could fall out after your gone or blow in from a neighbours property it's not something I'd complain about if the roles were reversed! Sorry but that would sh!t me.

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