anyone having problems with customers getting cheap after years of service just because we finally have had a somewhat descent winter storm wise. Were in ct and have had customers even commercial after years of service going out and getting bids for next year already and are being undercut by one man operatiions who are probably not insured with no safety or reliability record. Weve had crap shoot winters for years and lost money, now we get a good month and they go and crap their pants and try and get somebody else even though were fairly priced just to save a few bucks. guess thats business
Yes. With the combination of emotional worry about the economy and a decent start to the winter we are seeing alot of slow payers and customers calling wanting to get out of paying there invoices. Its been very cold and active here. Stick to your original plan, lose the bad ones keep the good ones. There will always be someone out there to undercut you and those clients that choose to go that way might come running back.. let them figure it out but do your best to explain the difference between your company and a fly by night.
I had one customer come out while salting his driveway, chat with me for a bit, thank us for salting his driveway and then call a week after recieving the invoice stating he didnt know he would be charged for it. Haha. I told him the price was right on the agreement he had signed with us. He then tried to say hes been with us for a few years and if i dropped the salting charge and one plow charge he would stay with us. It was the first time in four years we had to salt this particular driveway. I explained to him that we would not drop either charge and that he now also had a late payment fee added to the account. He then cancelled our services. I was relieved.. cant keep a client that winds up costing you money.
It's just going to get worst. Everyone and their mother and brother will be offering their services for next to nothing to get work if the recession continues to put food on the table. I have seen 4 guys pull up to a house in a car, get out get the shovels out of the trunk and hand shovel the driveway and drive off, every snowfall. I always see trucks without city permits plowing (no city license and commercial insurance).
Most new customers are not loyal they are looking for the cheapest price. I have customer more than 15 years with me and they don't look at the price, they know my service.
Last time I was out was 1/29. We have had a couple warm rainy days here and the majority of ice and snow has disappeared from the walks and drives.
So in reality..... all the un-shoveled ice covered death traps are now as clean as the well maintained walks!
"I could have saved a lot of money if I only had you shovel half as often" Ya... I know! Same as mowing every two weeks when the grass is ten inches. Can't tell the difference today can you.
So I have been using all this spare time typing up letters to send out for lawn work this season. May be a bit early, but better than being too late. Hope we have as good a weather as we had last season.... it was a pretty full year for mowing.
Guess point I'm trying to make is..... WE ALL must be working smarter... target our market.... show value in what we are offering. Get to the right clients... drop the whiners... that's the ticket I think.
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