No such thing as a loyal customer!!!!!!

[Bluey]

I reckon there are a number of different types of customers.

• On offs
• Semi regular - once every couple of months when they need you
• Regular but non loyal
• Regular and loyal

The other day I was explaining to one of my customers how I was thinking of branching out doing a different type of work building agricultural tanks with a new crew. She thought I was going to be leaving the gardening game all together and was begging me not to. Obviously one of my regular and loyal customers

[gjs]

do a google Grey Army see their web site based in Victoria. Gold Coast has a couple of grey army franchises running around, none in Brizzy
gjs

[Lockie]

I class them as loyal when they've been with me for 3+ years and accepted all price increases i have done. I have 20 odd clients who have been with me for the 9 years i've been doing lawns and gardens. They have all had 7 price increases to date and not a complaint or whinge from them.

[Tender Lovin Lawn&Garden]

I class them as loyal when they've been with me for 3+ years and accepted all price increases i have done. I have 20 odd clients who have been with me for the 9 years i've been doing lawns and gardens. They have all had 7 price increases to date and not a complaint or whinge from them.

Your doing well then mate You must look after them very well

[redbackmowing]

do a google Grey Army see their web site based in Victoria. Gold Coast has a couple of grey army franchises running around, none in Brizzy
gjs

goldie must be head office. in my local north-west news in brissie they advertise for carpentry & plumbing work. i misquoted before i thought grey army advertised in handyman section but it was hire-a-hubby franchise. pink shirt guys.

[Scooby Steve]

For those of you who believe in loyal customers, think again... I have many "loyal customers" which now I call them my "regulars".

There is no such thing as a loyal customer in my book. Check this out.....

A woman, nice as pie. payment up front, chocolate and a stubbie each and every visit. Small talk about life etc etc..!!!!!

Conversations over the phone talking shop, courtesy calls, the whole customer service thing.... 3 years, consistent work, did a lot a minor small favours, very polite, she luuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuved me...

$40 cut for 3 years. Well, it was time to put the price up by 5.. lol.... she text me, can you fkn believe it, to tell me I am no longer required....

and that was that.....so typical... my service was absolute pristine quality and I never said "boo". she looked after me with cold drinks and she was good like that......

I have many "loyal" clients, until that day comes again where some fk stick does things for milk money!!!! and my "loyal" clients fk me off.. I bust my ass with the customer service and I will keep busting my ass.... can't please everyone...

that's me done....

This happened to me a couple of years back. Price hadn't moved for three years with these regular customers that i had , so i put the price up 10% $36 went to $39.60.

Sent letter stating cost of running business was up etc etc. Within a couple of weeks i had a letter saying thanks for my hard work but i was no longer required.

I was shocked because i had these customers for almost twenty years. Two of them invited me to there 50th Birthday parties so i thought i was in for as long as i wanted.

The prices were average prices so they weren't being ripped off.

When i asked them the reason i was given the sack each was the same. They had spoken to family/friends who were getting there lawns done for cheaper ($10 cheaper in some cases) so when there price went up they thought stuff him we can get it done cheaper.
A couple of them were quite dirty on me because they saw me as a friend and i guess believed they deserved a cheaper rate so when the price went up they thought stuff him.

One said we stuck with you as long as we could but the cheaper price in the end was too good to ignore. The cheaper bloke has managed to match my quality but better my price.

So i feel your pain. Dollars speak much louder than friendship as i now know. Stings a bit when you consider them friends, but you can see there side too i guess.

[Tender Lovin Lawn&Garden]

This happened to me a couple of years back. Price hadn't moved for three years with these regular customers that i had , so i put the price up 10% $36 went to $39.60.

Sent letter stating cost of running business was up etc etc. Within a couple of weeks i had a letter saying thanks for my hard work but i was no longer required.

I was shocked because i had these customers for almost twenty years. Two of them invited me to there 50th Birthday parties so i thought i was in for as long as i wanted.

The prices were average prices so they weren't being ripped off.

When i asked them the reason i was given the sack each was the same. They had spoken to family/friends who were getting there lawns done for cheaper ($10 cheaper in some cases) so when there price went up they thought stuff him we can get it done cheaper.
A couple of them were quite dirty on me because they saw me as a friend and i guess believed they deserved a cheaper rate so when the price went up they thought stuff him.

One said we stuck with you as long as we could but the cheaper price in the end was too good to ignore. The cheaper bloke has managed to match my quality but better my price.

So i feel your pain. Dollars speak much louder than friendship as i now know. Stings a bit when you consider them friends, but you can see there side too i guess.

this is why you shouldnt have customers as friends i suppose you could refer to the thread http://www.indmowing.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=7358

[Lockie]

Its more about not considering your clients as friends. I get a long really well with all my clients as we all do, but this is business and nothing surprises me with what clients will try and pull sometimes. I have clients that have taken my wife and i to the Hawthorn best and fairest twice at their expense, received many presents for our wedding ($50 Myer and DJ vouchers plus cash) and numerous Xmas and easter pressies over the years. I still dont consider these ppl friends, i dont invite them to my place or give them pressies, they are a source of income, some with perks, but basically i try and get as much out of them (money wise) as i can while keeping them happy. As most of us know they'll dump us quick smart if they need to or want to, so get what what u can while you can (fairly, nothing wrong with pushing for the best possible price for top quality work)
Be hard but fair and keep em at arms reach.

[Scooby Steve]

this is why you shouldnt have customers as friends i suppose you could refer to the thread http://www.indmowing.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=7358

Tender lovin they weren't friends at the start but after tending to there garden for that long you do acquire a friendship of sorts. Hard not to have some connection after that long i guess. In some cases this sort of friendship can work in your favour, just not in this case.

[Sandgroper]

Well i lost my biggest commercial job today after 3 + years, a lady on the answering machine said they were making "changes",,not sure if they are ripping out the lawns or what

Go for a year or so with no cancellations then 2 best ones in a week,i dunno

[Tender Lovin Lawn&Garden]

Well i lost my biggest commercial job today after 3 + years, a lady on the answering machine said they were making "changes",,not sure if they are ripping out the lawns or what

Go for a year or so with no cancellations then 2 best ones in a week,i dunno

Sounds like you have a cowboy going around under cutting you. Did you say to them thats no worries if you ever need me again feel free to contact me.

[Christine Wharton]

Well i lost my biggest commercial job today after 3 + years, a lady on the answering machine said they were making "changes",,not sure if they are ripping out the lawns or what

Sandgroper
It might be worth you making a call and discuss with them what "changes" they are making, so you appear interested in keeping their custom in future if possible.
If they have given the work to someone else for some reason (possibly $s), let them know you are willing to go back if it doesn't work out with the newbie.

[Tender Lovin Lawn&Garden]

Sandgroper
It might be worth you making a call and discuss with them what "changes" they are making, so you appear interested in keeping their custom in future if possible.
If they have given the work to someone else for some reason (possibly $s), let them know you are willing to go back if it doesn't work out with the newbie.

Yeah i agree i think thats a good idea as lots of these cheap people seem to fade out very quickly especially when there is no rain. Talking about rain wish townsville would get some.

[Christine Wharton]

Talking about rain wish townsville would get some.

Rain? ... I hardly remember what that looks like

[Scooby Steve]

Rain? ... I hardly remember what that looks like

Christine it seems we down here in Melbourne have swapped with you lot up north. We have had stacks after a very long dry spell.