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Thread: Things that make me grumpy

  1. #1606
    Member Greenie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Things that make me grumpy

    Iam very upset, yesterday I did a hedge, and a tree to trim, no one was home and I was told what to do so I thought I did a good job only to get a phone call tonight saying " we are very disappointed in the hedge you did yesterday" I'm like "why what's wrong with it" he is like " you didnt go down enough, we thought you would of taken it right down" I'm like " you asked me to trim your hedges not cut them back" he is like " well we both have different opinions on what hedge trimming is " the conversation started to get a bit irrate I just said to him I'll take it back for you next time I'm down, but it pisses me off because his wife organized me to trim them and told me what to do and I followed her instructions now the husband not happy with me, I feel like telling them to get someone else, but they have been with me for a while, I'm sorta stuck not sure what to do

  2. #1607
    Member geoff1969's Avatar
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    Default Re: Things that make me grumpy

    Quote Originally Posted by Greenie View Post
    Iam very upset, yesterday I did a hedge, and a tree to trim, no one was home and I was told what to do so I thought I did a good job only to get a phone call tonight saying " we are very disappointed in the hedge you did yesterday" I'm like "why what's wrong with it" he is like " you didnt go down enough, we thought you would of taken it right down" I'm like " you asked me to trim your hedges not cut them back" he is like " well we both have different opinions on what hedge trimming is " the conversation started to get a bit irrate I just said to him I'll take it back for you next time I'm down, but it pisses me off because his wife organized me to trim them and told me what to do and I followed her instructions now the husband not happy with me, I feel like telling them to get someone else, but they have been with me for a while, I'm sorta stuck not sure what to do


    then tell them you got what your wife requested to redo it as you are now requesting will attrac a basic fee of xamount ..

  3. #1608

    Default Re: Things that make me grumpy

    Quote Originally Posted by Greenie View Post
    Iam very upset, yesterday I did a hedge, and a tree to trim, no one was home and I was told what to do so I thought I did a good job only to get a phone call tonight saying " we are very disappointed in the hedge you did yesterday" I'm like "why what's wrong with it" he is like " you didnt go down enough, we thought you would of taken it right down" I'm like " you asked me to trim your hedges not cut them back" he is like " well we both have different opinions on what hedge trimming is " the conversation started to get a bit irrate I just said to him I'll take it back for you next time I'm down, but it pisses me off because his wife organized me to trim them and told me what to do and I followed her instructions now the husband not happy with me, I feel like telling them to get someone else, but they have been with me for a while, I'm sorta stuck not sure what to do
    Tell em a trim usually means exactly that!

    Cut it back hard or take it down hard would have been what he was requesting - but did not.

    Also unless clients request hard cut backs I tell em I can alsways take more off but putting it back on just is not possible.

    This is 1 client you will now have to make sure you are very specific with job details!

  4. #1609
    Senior Member Mrs HMS's Avatar
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    Default Re: Things that make me grumpy

    Use the hairdresser analogy...if you go in and ask for a trim what do you expect...a number 1 all over or a little off the top?
    ~ Joanne ~

  5. #1610
    MEMBER Fred's mowing's Avatar
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    Default Re: Things that make me grumpy

    Quote Originally Posted by Greenie View Post
    Iam very upset, yesterday I did a hedge, and a tree to trim, no one was home and I was told what to do so I thought I did a good job only to get a phone call tonight saying " we are very disappointed in the hedge you did yesterday" I'm like "why what's wrong with it" he is like " you didnt go down enough, we thought you would of taken it right down" I'm like " you asked me to trim your hedges not cut them back" he is like " well we both have different opinions on what hedge trimming is " the conversation started to get a bit irrate I just said to him I'll take it back for you next time I'm down, but it pisses me off because his wife organized me to trim them and told me what to do and I followed her instructions now the husband not happy with me, I feel like telling them to get someone else, but they have been with me for a while, I'm sorta stuck not sure what to do
    Indeed, when it comes to hedge trimming, communication is vital.
    Not saying u did'nt have good communication, but its not good enough for him to complain when u dealt with her.
    He's just trying to take advantage. Tell him u have'nt charged him 4 anything u have'nt done.
    U can do more but he will need to pay more.
    There is hedgeTRIMMING, & there is hedge REDUCTION.
    If u cant do it with a hedgecutter, its hedge REDUCTION!(Im generally talking the top of the hedge).
    The diff is HUGE.
    Im finishing some conifer hedges tomorrow on a large rural property that will have taken over 60hrs to complete.
    I was told to reduce the main hedge by 1.2-1.5m
    Just about all of it had to be reduced with secateurs & loppers.
    A chainsaw was too short to spam the 2m width & with the pole chainsaw it made a terrible mess.
    Then u would need to put the polechainsaw down & lift the individual branches from the top of the hedge whilst standing 10' on a ladder.
    Easier (believe it or not) with loppers & secateurs, also a much neater finish.
    Last time I did this job it was a trim only.
    This time took almost double the time & will cost them almost double the cost.
    It was pointed out b4 I started that it would be a much larger job this time.
    When I present them with the bill of nearly 4G, I hope they are understanding.
    Enough waffle.
    My point being, communication on hedge cutting is vital.
    Stand your ground, it seems like they're trying one on.
    Cheers Fred.

  6. #1611
    Member Greenie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Things that make me grumpy

    Thanks guys, never in 9 months had anyone whinged about my work, I pride myself in my work, just a bit hard to take, I was there yesterday for ages picking up little bits of hedge in all those hard to get spaces to make my job better, just a punch to the head

  7. #1612
    MEMBER Fred's mowing's Avatar
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    Default Re: Things that make me grumpy

    Quote Originally Posted by Greenie View Post
    Iam very upset, yesterday I did a hedge, and a tree to trim, no one was home and I was told what to do so I thought I did a good job only to get a phone call tonight saying " we are very disappointed in the hedge you did yesterday" I'm like "why what's wrong with it" he is like " you didnt go down enough, we thought you would of taken it right down" I'm like " you asked me to trim your hedges not cut them back" he is like " well we both have different opinions on what hedge trimming is " the conversation started to get a bit irrate I just said to him I'll take it back for you next time I'm down, but it pisses me off because his wife organized me to trim them and told me what to do and I followed her instructions now the husband not happy with me, I feel like telling them to get someone else, but they have been with me for a while, I'm sorta stuck not sure what to do
    Indeed, when it comes to hedge trimming, communication is vital.
    Not saying u did'nt have good communication, but its not good enough for him to complain when u dealt with her.
    He's just trying to take advantage. Tell him u have'nt charged him 4 anything u have'nt done.
    U can do more but he will need to pay more.
    There is hedgeTRIMMING, & there is hedge REDUCTION.
    If u cant do it with a hedgecutter, its hedge REDUCTION!(Im generally talking the top of the hedge).
    The diff is HUGE.
    Im finishing some conifer hedges tomorrow on a large rural property that will have taken over 60hrs to complete.
    I was told to reduce the main hedge by 1.2-1.5m
    Just about all of it had to be reduced with secateurs & loppers.
    A chainsaw was too short to spam the 2m width & with the pole chainsaw it made a terrible mess.
    Then u would need to put the polechainsaw down & lift the individual branches from the top of the hedge whilst standing 10' on a ladder.
    Easier (believe it or not) with loppers & secateurs, also a much neater finish.
    Last time I did this job it was a trim only.
    This time took almost double the time & will cost them almost double the cost.
    It was pointed out b4 I started that it would be a much larger job this time.
    When I present them with the bill of nearly 4G, I hope they are understanding.
    Enough waffle.
    My point being, communication on hedge cutting is vital.
    Stand your ground, it seems like they're trying one on.
    Cheers Fred.

  8. #1613
    Senior Member happymowin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Things that make me grumpy

    Quote Originally Posted by Greenie View Post
    Iam very upset, yesterday I did a hedge, and a tree to trim, no one was home and I was told what to do so I thought I did a good job only to get a phone call tonight saying " we are very disappointed in the hedge you did yesterday" I'm like "why what's wrong with it" he is like " you didnt go down enough, we thought you would of taken it right down" I'm like " you asked me to trim your hedges not cut them back" he is like " well we both have different opinions on what hedge trimming is " the conversation started to get a bit irrate I just said to him I'll take it back for you next time I'm down, but it pisses me off because his wife organized me to trim them and told me what to do and I followed her instructions now the husband not happy with me, I feel like telling them to get someone else, but they have been with me for a while, I'm sorta stuck not sure what to do

    i always quote hedges as "A LIGHT TRIM of hedge"

    which to me means cutting off the leaves to make it square again

    if i have to cut into "the wood" thats wore work, more waste and more expensive.

    id just explain that, and re quote it,

    always being nice to the idiot (customer) - you only win when you get paid

  9. #1614
    Senior Member LGGF's Avatar
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    Default Re: Things that make me grumpy

    Have another beer Greenie, It's amazing how easy it is to please some customers and so hard to please others, look after the good customers and hopefully one day you won't need to deal with the bad ones.

  10. #1615
    Senior Member geoff's Avatar
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    Default Re: Things that make me grumpy

    we get the point fred///// twice a post of that size geezzzzzzz lol

  11. #1616
    MEMBER Fred's mowing's Avatar
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    Default Re: Things that make me grumpy

    Quote Originally Posted by Fred's mowing View Post
    Indeed, when it comes to hedge trimming, communication is vital.
    Not saying u did'nt have good communication, but its not good enough for him to complain when u dealt with her.
    He's just trying to take advantage. Tell him u have'nt charged him 4 anything u have'nt done.
    U can do more but he will need to pay more.
    There is hedgeTRIMMING, & there is hedge REDUCTION.
    If u cant do it with a hedgecutter, its hedge REDUCTION!(Im generally talking the top of the hedge).
    The diff is HUGE.
    Im finishing some conifer hedges tomorrow on a large rural property that will have taken over 60hrs to complete.
    I was told to reduce the main hedge by 1.2-1.5m
    Just about all of it had to be reduced with secateurs & loppers.
    A chainsaw was too short to spam the 2m width & with the pole chainsaw it made a terrible mess.
    Then u would need to put the polechainsaw down & lift the individual branches from the top of the hedge whilst standing 10' on a ladder.
    Easier (believe it or not) with loppers & secateurs, also a much neater finish.
    Last time I did this job it was a trim only.
    This time took almost double the time & will cost them almost double the cost.
    It was pointed out b4 I started that it would be a much larger job this time.
    When I present them with the bill of nearly 4G, I hope they are understanding.
    Enough waffle.
    My point being, communication on hedge cutting is vital.
    Stand your ground, it seems like they're trying one on.
    Cheers Fred.
    Sorry, dont know what happened there?
    Cheers Fred.

  12. #1617
    Member Greenie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Things that make me grumpy

    Quote Originally Posted by LGGF View Post
    Have another beer Greenie, It's amazing how easy it is to please some customers and so hard to please others, look after the good customers and hopefully one day you won't need to deal with the bad ones.
    Cheers mate I have been mowing her lawn for 5 months, never a problem, I guess it was bad communication on both parts, for that I will help her out, it's not about the money it's about what right and wrong, but if I feel like being taken advantage of I will tell her to call someone else,

  13. #1618
    Senior Member happymowin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Things that make me grumpy

    Quote Originally Posted by Greenie View Post
    Cheers mate I have been mowing her lawn for 5 months, never a problem, I guess it was bad communication on both parts, for that I will help her out, it's not about the money it's about what right and wrong, but if I feel like being taken advantage of I will tell her to call someone else,
    greenie dont tell her to use someone else,

    go back and requote it

    LIGHT TRIM (take leaves off and square up to old wood level) $ XXX (what MRS wanted)

    HEAVY CUT BACK (Remove wood - down to BLA BLA metres high) $YYY (what MR wants)

    maybe you could be generous and take $xxx off $yyy so theyre not paying double THIS time, but in future your quote is set up, and with definitions


    then let them pay you or TELL YOU theyll get someone else,

    you DID DO what you originally quoted on to do (its THEIR fault they didnt understand or both got different ideas)

    you win when you get the money

    dont give the money away

    ask for more to do more work

    its BUSINESS mate, be business like

    (sorry to harp on this point, hope youre taking it the right way)

    cheers

  14. #1619
    Senior Member happymowin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Things that make me grumpy

    where i said - " maybe you could be generous and take $xxx off $yyy so theyre not paying double THIS time, but in future your quote is set up, and with definitions"

    sorry i mean dont charge for what you did the other day, just charge the new price for the heavy cut back (thats generous, seeing THEY stuffed YOU about)

  15. #1620
    Member of forum ASTRO's Avatar
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    Default Re: Things that make me grumpy

    When discussing hedge work with customers i check height and width required which is confirmed and noted.
    This will provide an accurate estimate of green waste + and time required to complete the job.
    Saves any hassles.

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