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Old 04-08-2009, 06:09 PM
 
Location: Wiesbaden, Germany
13,815 posts, read 29,395,601 times
Reputation: 4025

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I don't have anyone do work for me, but I have friends that do and their number one complaint is reliability. Be there when you say you will or contact the person and let them know what's up. I would give a person one or two chances and then I'd dump them. For some reason my friends just accept it and ***** about it at work..
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Old 04-08-2009, 06:14 PM
 
3,468 posts, read 8,556,142 times
Reputation: 1621
Default WAAAAAAAAAAIT a minute.....

...... weren't you the one who kept hawking the same landscape company that is now listed as YOUR "homepage"???
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Old 04-08-2009, 06:25 PM
 
Location: NW San Antonio
214 posts, read 502,058 times
Reputation: 128
Quote:
Originally Posted by jules07 View Post
...... weren't you the one who kept hawking the same landscape company that is now listed as YOUR "homepage"???
Yeah? That makes sense doesn't it?

I figured recommending my company would be an obvious choice. The mods let me know that wasn't cool, so I don't do that any more. Those were my first two posts. If you check out my post history you will see that I am now talking about all sorts of things on this board, and that when people do have questions about landscape I answer them thoughtfully without plugging my company.

Nice catch.
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Old 04-08-2009, 06:27 PM
 
Location: NW San Antonio
214 posts, read 502,058 times
Reputation: 128
Quote:
Originally Posted by rd2007 View Post
I don't have anyone do work for me, but I have friends that do and their number one complaint is reliability. Be there when you say you will or contact the person and let them know what's up. I would give a person one or two chances and then I'd dump them. For some reason my friends just accept it and ***** about it at work..

It's so odd that reliability is the issue. The way I see it, if I don't show I don't get paid. I realize things happen, but come on?

I'm wondering if this has to do with the low ballers. A lot of people will agree to do the work for too cheap, then they have no money when their equipment needs a repair. Sometimes the cheapest guys are not the best idea. Fair market is fair market.
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Old 04-09-2009, 09:26 PM
 
Location: 281 north of 1604 - otherwise known as traffic hell
450 posts, read 1,599,386 times
Reputation: 181
I think that often times people will start out reliable and then get too busy and be forced to be unreliable because they simply can't make all of their appointments. That happened with our current guy and I told him that I was understanding and that I would be okay with it if I got a call letting me know when he would come - provided it wasn't on my regular thursday round. Since the talk - he has lived up to it. Misses regular schedule about 1 out of 10 times and calls to let me know.

Just get your foot in the door in a few neighborhoods and do good work and the business will come. I know you have a desire to do more - bigger - better.....but the best way to get more business is to take care of the business you have.

You could also "bid" on HOA jobs. Some HOA's will pay a guy 40k per year to maintain the neighborhood common areas. I have seen income tax returns for guys who were grass cutters (not full service landscapers) who had two HOAs and were making 60k annually. Just a thought.
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Old 04-09-2009, 09:40 PM
 
4,796 posts, read 15,369,172 times
Reputation: 2736
Location, location, location! You need to do some criss/cross research of areas that might be able to afford your services. $28 bucks to someone who owns their own mower for a small yard could be a lot of money in certain areas.

Find upscale areas with busy two incomes or retired residents that may not have the energy or time to keep up with yard work. Anyone who is in business for themselves has to start from the ground up and work to bigger and more jobs. This is true for realtors, plumbers, painters, electricians, designers etc etc etc...... Get your foot in the door. I agree word of mouth is the best resource. You might offer one week free to any customer who refers your co to a new client. Good luck!
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Old 04-09-2009, 10:19 PM
 
Location: NW San Antonio
214 posts, read 502,058 times
Reputation: 128
Quote:
Originally Posted by wCat View Post
Location, location, location! You need to do some criss/cross research of areas that might be able to afford your services. $28 bucks to someone who owns their own mower for a small yard could be a lot of money in certain areas.

Find upscale areas with busy two incomes or retired residents that may not have the energy or time to keep up with yard work. Anyone who is in business for themselves has to start from the ground up and work to bigger and more jobs. This is true for realtors, plumbers, painters, electricians, designers etc etc etc...... Get your foot in the door. I agree word of mouth is the best resource. You might offer one week free to any customer who refers your co to a new client. Good luck!
We do actually have a referral program now, based on the recommendations of users here. 2 referrals = free mow. I'm adding the update to the website as soon as I get the chance - not at the main computer right now. That's why it's not listed on the site yet. I'm also going with the idea to provide a full service (bushes, aeration, cleanup + regular mow, edge, blow) at a flat monthly rate. That was a great idea.

Keep em coming!
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Old 04-10-2009, 08:38 AM
 
4,796 posts, read 15,369,172 times
Reputation: 2736
Just one other point that I learned from one unreliable contractor. It may be hard to turn down business, but try to keep your clients within a certain area. We had a wonderful company a few years ago, but he had clients all over town.
He wasn't ready to spread the wealth and hire crews to work other areas, so he often didn't show on time. With gated yards and pets to deal with, this is a huge inconvenience when there is a no show. Others pointed this out above as being a huge deal...and it is. Keeping your work area tight might prevent this from happening.
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