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Thread: Winter Blues

  1. #31
    Member courty's Avatar
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    Default Re: Winter Blues

    Quote Originally Posted by geoff View Post
    correct..upsell to existing customers,give quotes for potential work even if they didnt ask.......did one the other day for a customer who accepted a 4k clean up....thought this places needs sprucing up and bingo they loved it.....even if its for 100 bucks or whatever work on your customer base....as jims say we do more than mowing
    Winter time is a great time to earn good money on other than mowing...better hourly rates and good profit
    X3
    Don't just leave this until winter either,I try to get every client on lawn & garden maintenance,you will find that those who accept do not bump you through winter and stay consistent(none of mine go beyond 3 weeks).
    The difference these customers can make to your bottom line is quite substantial. I was running the numbers the other day comparing regular lawns only with regular lawns/gardens(not including clean-ups/one offs) and the difference in return for hours worked was pretty astounding.
    "I'm not alone cause the tv's on yeah,I'm not crazy cause I take the right pills.... everyday" Jimmy Eat World

    http://www.dreamlawnsandlandscapes.com

  2. #32
    Member of forum Benny1's Avatar
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    Default Re: Winter Blues

    Yep quote for jobs that you wearnt asked to quote for.

    i contacted a casual client of mine who i havnt heard from in 5 weeks just to say hello and make sure she is ok ( she is 68yrs old ). She said yeah she is ok and she was thinking about me and that she needs
    to get her gutters done as well as a full garden tidy up and some things taken away. Im going over late next week to quote the job.

    contact all your previous casuals and one offs for the past 12 months, i like sending them text messages along the lines of '

    Hello Mr Jones, hope all is well with yourself and family, we will be in your area next week for a few days, if you would like your lawns done or any work done around your property please call me regards Benjamen ( name of business ).

    This can at times be a good $$$ earner.

    People often forget that we do more then just mowing, even if its says on your cards what you do people still forget.

    Another thing i do is when i get to a clients house i will say to them ' Hello Mr jones sorry im a little late but i got caught up at my last job as they asked me to clean the gutters '

    its a simple non direct way of putting back into there head that i do more then just mowing.
    bns lawn & garden care

  3. #33
    Member Back to Basics's Avatar
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    Default Re: Winter Blues

    I have a weekly premium client with a tropic couch yard. I have battled with this place to get it looking the goods and provide a premium service. My package includes weeding, hedging, spot spraying, pruning, up to 3 x frets a year and up to 2 x grub treatments a year.

    The grass is slowing and wanting to make sure I justify my time spent weekly there as I do not want my monthly charge to change.

    Is anyone else in a similar position. I am about to fertilise the lawn heading into winter so it can have some food in the colder months and there is still plenty of pruning etc to be done. Does anyone else have a weekly agreement during winter? Is there any benefits weekly during winter aside from the continued money collect?

    I have also just fully mulched to place before winter. This as agreed was quoted on top of current agreement. They are and have a top class place, they expect quality service also so it is hard work!

    I spend approx 2.5 - 3 hours here a week.
    Life's a garden, dig it! Life's a garden, dig it!

  4. #34
    Senior Member happymowin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Winter Blues

    nope i mow it when they want it mown, as long as its not longer than a "regular mow"

    one of the complaints i hear when i take on new clients in winter is that the last guy expected to still come fortnightly etc, and the customer didnt agree.

    i believe letting them help decide the period helps me get and keep more clients, making winter easier, cos i can take on heaps more clients over late summer/ autumn to help defray winter blues.

    cheers

  5. #35
    Member Back to Basics's Avatar
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    Default Re: Winter Blues

    Here are some pics of the place in question
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Life's a garden, dig it! Life's a garden, dig it!

  6. #36
    Member Back to Basics's Avatar
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    Default Re: Winter Blues

    And again some more
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Life's a garden, dig it! Life's a garden, dig it!

  7. #37
    Senior Member bb1's Avatar
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    Default Re: Winter Blues

    Quote Originally Posted by Back to Basics View Post
    I have a weekly premium client with a tropic couch yard. I have battled with this place to get it looking the goods and provide a premium service. My package includes weeding, hedging, spot spraying, pruning, up to 3 x frets a year and up to 2 x grub treatments a year.

    The grass is slowing and wanting to make sure I justify my time spent weekly there as I do not want my monthly charge to change.

    Is anyone else in a similar position. I am about to fertilise the lawn heading into winter so it can have some food in the colder months and there is still plenty of pruning etc to be done. Does anyone else have a weekly agreement during winter? Is there any benefits weekly during winter aside from the continued money collect?

    I have also just fully mulched to place before winter. This as agreed was quoted on top of current agreement. They are and have a top class place, they expect quality service also so it is hard work!

    I spend approx 2.5 - 3 hours here a week.
    All depends on what your orignal agreement was really. Some i drop back a bit in winter. Others just keep going. And in the case like this where you appear to have a fixed price for the work on a regular basis, I work it that yes I do a little less in winter, but the odd other visit they get a little more, so over all it balances out. This really shows up with some body corps, where in winter you may run around in 4 hours, but in spring its 6 hours, but I still charge the same fee per visit. They are all costed on the assumption of the longest visit duration.

  8. #38
    Senior Member m287j's Avatar
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    Default Re: Winter Blues

    95% of my clients are 2 weekly year round, when i quote i tell them there is a fixed price per visit and that in winter i will spend a bit less time at the property each visit, whereas in spring it will probably be a bit longer each visit. All are happy with this arrangement, they much prefer the consistency of pricing, knowing they are not in for any nasty surprises.
    The only extras are mulching.

  9. #39
    Member courty's Avatar
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    Default Re: Winter Blues

    Quote Originally Posted by bb1 View Post
    All depends on what your orignal agreement was really. Some i drop back a bit in winter. Others just keep going. And in the case like this where you appear to have a fixed price for the work on a regular basis, I work it that yes I do a little less in winter, but the odd other visit they get a little more, so over all it balances out. This really shows up with some body corps, where in winter you may run around in 4 hours, but in spring its 6 hours, but I still charge the same fee per visit. They are all costed on the assumption of the longest visit duration.
    Quote Originally Posted by m287j View Post
    95% of my clients are 2 weekly year round, when i quote i tell them there is a fixed price per visit and that in winter i will spend a bit less time at the property each visit, whereas in spring it will probably be a bit longer each visit. All are happy with this arrangement, they much prefer the consistency of pricing, knowing they are not in for any nasty surprises.
    The only extras are mulching.
    This is how my fixed price clients work as well.
    "I'm not alone cause the tv's on yeah,I'm not crazy cause I take the right pills.... everyday" Jimmy Eat World

    http://www.dreamlawnsandlandscapes.com

  10. #40
    Senior Member imoww's Avatar
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    Default Re: Winter Blues

    I too have allot of customers like this.
    I have 2 that agreed years ago for me to visit weekly. DO what ever needs doing for an hour. Lawn mowing, Hedging, gardening, clean up and blowing the areas.
    Its allways the same rate for the 1 hour. If they want a big extra job done, its more...
    Quote Originally Posted by courty View Post
    This is how my fixed price clients work as well.
    Everything looks good with a haircut.... ɐuıɥɔ ɯoɹɟ pɹɐoqʎǝʞ ɐ ʎnq ı ǝɯıʇ ʇsɐl ǝɥʇ sʇɐɥʇ

  11. #41
    Senior Member imoww's Avatar
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    Default Re: Winter Blues

    Ive found that over the years, this is a better way of survival during the winter months. I also do garden rejuvenations in winter.
    Lots of money doing them.
    Everything looks good with a haircut.... ɐuıɥɔ ɯoɹɟ pɹɐoqʎǝʞ ɐ ʎnq ı ǝɯıʇ ʇsɐl ǝɥʇ sʇɐɥʇ

  12. #42
    Senior Member BSD's Avatar
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    Default Re: Winter Blues

    Yep, like this no nonsense approach,
    Quote Originally Posted by imoww View Post
    I too have allot of customers like this.
    I have 2 that agreed years ago for me to visit weekly. DO what ever needs doing for an hour. Lawn mowing, Hedging, gardening, clean up and blowing the areas.
    Its allways the same rate for the 1 hour. If they want a big extra job done, its more...

  13. #43
    Member yard mates's Avatar
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    Default Re: Winter Blues

    As this is our first winter we've been trying not to get too many 2 week mows during summer. Rather searching out 3-4 week clients, thought process being that we'll stay in a similar position during winter. So far so good.

    That said we also find the garden work more profitable than just mowing, the bonus is that you tend to get a full days work to get some of these places back in to manageable shape in the first instance.

  14. #44
    Senior Member AJD Mowing's Avatar
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    Default Re: Winter Blues

    Quote Originally Posted by Back to Basics View Post
    I have a weekly premium client with a tropic couch yard. I have battled with this place to get it looking the goods and provide a premium service. My package includes weeding, hedging, spot spraying, pruning, up to 3 x frets a year and up to 2 x grub treatments a year.

    The grass is slowing and wanting to make sure I justify my time spent weekly there as I do not want my monthly charge to change.

    Is anyone else in a similar position. I am about to fertilise the lawn heading into winter so it can have some food in the colder months and there is still plenty of pruning etc to be done. Does anyone else have a weekly agreement during winter? Is there any benefits weekly during winter aside from the continued money collect?

    I have also just fully mulched to place before winter. This as agreed was quoted on top of current agreement. They are and have a top class place, they expect quality service also so it is hard work!

    I spend approx 2.5 - 3 hours here a week.
    Yes its hard when its a householder compared to a commercial property to justify the work in winter. I have a couple like this and spend the time talking explaining that although the bill is split evenly over a year the majority of the work is done between Sep to May.

    Hey great work
    AJD Mowing Giving Back Your Life

    http://www.ajdmowing.com.au/

  15. #45
    MEMBER Fred's mowing's Avatar
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    Default Re: Winter Blues

    Quote Originally Posted by Back to Basics View Post
    I have a weekly premium client with a tropic couch yard. I have battled with this place to get it looking the goods and provide a premium service. My package includes weeding, hedging, spot spraying, pruning, up to 3 x frets a year and up to 2 x grub treatments a year.

    The grass is slowing and wanting to make sure I justify my time spent weekly there as I do not want my monthly charge to change.

    Is anyone else in a similar position. I am about to fertilise the lawn heading into winter so it can have some food in the colder months and there is still plenty of pruning etc to be done. Does anyone else have a weekly agreement during winter? Is there any benefits weekly during winter aside from the continued money collect?

    I have also just fully mulched to place before winter. This as agreed was quoted on top of current agreement. They are and have a top class place, they expect quality service also so it is hard work!

    I spend approx 2.5 - 3 hours here a week.
    Nice work B2B, looks like u have whipped that one into shape.
    As u said, from a couple of the pics there's plenty of pruning to be done if they want a more formal garden?
    Even if they did'nt want that formal look, tip pruning would be good to keep the plants dense & not too straggly looking.
    Down here in the south, we certainly would'nt be fertilizing coming into winter.
    The soil is too cold & uptake of nutrients would be very limited if at all.
    The fert would be leeched away b4 spring so for us, basically a waste.
    Even if the fert was beneficial, the new growth may be burnt off with frost (maybe not in Brissy?).

    Most of our maintenance work is gardening work which includes the lawns.
    In winter we will mow the lawns every second visit, concerntrating more on pruning & weeds.
    Particuarly any higher stuff that does'nt get that much attention throughout other times of the year.
    Just be carefull not to prune spring flowering shrubs to any great extent.
    Also u may wish to take the chainsaw to that stump at the end of the lawn?

    2.5 to 3hrs per week is considerable though & although you maynot wish to reduce that, you may have to.
    If its still profitable even at a reduced frequency , its still profitable!
    Yes, things are tighter in the winter, but thats just the game we play!
    Cheers Fred.

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