Michael Smiley
OPE Member
- Local time
- 3:58 AM
- User ID
- 5328
- Joined
- Feb 12, 2018
- Messages
- 7
- Reaction score
- 3
- Location
- huntsville al. 35824
Hey all lawn care pros,
I have been in business a few years now, and read many things relating to this topic of "weekly or biweekly" lawn mowing service.
I live in a fairly wealthy part of Alabama, which means Bermuda grass is basically all I cut. In the growing season for me, which is late April through mid September, all irrigated lawns basically need cut weekly, or else I would have to double or triple cut them every time I mowed. Obviously not all clients have/use irrigation on their lawns, so some properties can stand to be cut only once every 2 weeks.
How do you decide with the customer what schedule they should be put on? Many of my clients want to be on a 2 week schedule because they don't want to spend the money of a weekly service interval. Even if their grass is overgrown after 2 weeks of growth, they still want the 2 week option.
So then the other question becomes: when the lawn is overgrown after 2 weeks, or possibly even 1 week, and double cutting becomes necessary, do you bill it to the client?
If so, how do you convince the customer that double cutting is necessary on certain occasions? Many customers have this misunderstanding that, "Well the grass is a little taller than usual. But it should be fine just being single cut." And the truth is, that when you have a really dense irrigated lawn, that grows almost 1.5 inches every week and you usually mow at around 2.5 inches, it is going to need double cut even on a weekly schedule.
MOST of the properties I maintain DON'T require double cutting. But there are a few that from time to time need it, especially after lots of rain.
Just would like to hear your thoughts on this subject. I'm not out there to nickel and dime my customers to death, but I do want to be paid for all the work I do. As im sure most of you would agree, doing extra work for free is not the most enjoyable thing, especially when it is 110 degrees outside...
-Michael
I have been in business a few years now, and read many things relating to this topic of "weekly or biweekly" lawn mowing service.
I live in a fairly wealthy part of Alabama, which means Bermuda grass is basically all I cut. In the growing season for me, which is late April through mid September, all irrigated lawns basically need cut weekly, or else I would have to double or triple cut them every time I mowed. Obviously not all clients have/use irrigation on their lawns, so some properties can stand to be cut only once every 2 weeks.
How do you decide with the customer what schedule they should be put on? Many of my clients want to be on a 2 week schedule because they don't want to spend the money of a weekly service interval. Even if their grass is overgrown after 2 weeks of growth, they still want the 2 week option.
So then the other question becomes: when the lawn is overgrown after 2 weeks, or possibly even 1 week, and double cutting becomes necessary, do you bill it to the client?
If so, how do you convince the customer that double cutting is necessary on certain occasions? Many customers have this misunderstanding that, "Well the grass is a little taller than usual. But it should be fine just being single cut." And the truth is, that when you have a really dense irrigated lawn, that grows almost 1.5 inches every week and you usually mow at around 2.5 inches, it is going to need double cut even on a weekly schedule.
MOST of the properties I maintain DON'T require double cutting. But there are a few that from time to time need it, especially after lots of rain.
Just would like to hear your thoughts on this subject. I'm not out there to nickel and dime my customers to death, but I do want to be paid for all the work I do. As im sure most of you would agree, doing extra work for free is not the most enjoyable thing, especially when it is 110 degrees outside...
-Michael
