This is so worth a Bump!
Blueboy, nice share mate
I probably only go out to quote 1 in 5 phone calls after I have asked a few questions. You can "weed' out the bad jobs if you know what to look for.
* When someone wants you to use your ride-on on a normal house block.
This means we have let our lawn grow so long you cannot do it with a push mower.
* When someone describes their acreage as "more of a paddock" than a lawn.
Don't touch it unless you want to mow over fallen branches.
* If a customer mentioned their ride-on is broken down.
Means there ride-on broke down 6 months ago and they want you to put your machine through hell before they get their
mower back.
* I just lost my Gardener after 15 years.
I want to pay 15 year old prices.
* We have a real problem keeping gardeners.
We don't want to pay much or expect miracles.
* If a customer asks how much do you charge per hour.
This means I want to pay 16 year old wages without considering fuel, equipment, tipping fees or insurance costs etc.
I had a lady approach me the other day and said she had just lost her gardener after 10 years. She wanted her whole garden maintained............2 hours a month. I said I would not touch it at less than 2 hours (2 staff) a fortnight. Settled on 2 staff, 1 hour per fortnight. When we finished our first visit she said " See you in 6 weeks"..............we won't be back!
Look after your good customers. They are hard to find.