[FitzRightMowingService]

Hey everyone, my name is Fitz and I live in Nebraska. I asked a question on the Lawnsite and got sent here.

Let me start off by saying this is my first year doing snow removal so I'm not sure how to handle this issue.

Some of my clients are getting their driveways cleaned by neighbors which are unwanted by my clients and myself. They do half ass clean up jobs and are costing me money.

BTW- I do snow blowing and shoveling!

How do I fix this issue in the future?

 

[Mudly]

Excuse me kind sir youre trespassing, have a nice day. Stay warm.

 

[Charles]

I have had this happening in the grass cutting business. You would handle this the same way. Get the owner to contact the neighbor. That is what I do. One of mine told the neighbor: I appreciate you trying to help me, but I have hired someone to take care of my property. Really not your responsibility to talk to the neighbors

 

[Mr.Markus]

I tick the box on my daysheet and send the bill...

 

[cwren2472]

Damn, I wish I had neighbors cleaning my driveway for free. I'll take a free half-assed job any day. The best I manage myself is quarter-assed.

 

[tpendagast]

Hey everyone, my name is Fitz and I live in Nebraska. I asked a question on the Lawnsite and got sent here.

Let me start off by saying this is my first year doing snow removal so I'm not sure how to handle this issue.

Some of my clients are getting their driveways cleaned by neighbors which are unwanted by my clients and myself. They do half ass clean up jobs and are costing me money.

BTW- I do snow blowing and shoveling!

How do I fix this issue in the future?

So random Good Samaritan neighbors?
That's not a problem

They did something "nice"
You show up the job is half assed
You still do it
You still charge

Think about it like a lawn
You know what the lawn is supposed to look like and what it looks like when you're done.
That's what the customer pays for.

Doesn't matter if the neighbor cut the lawn
Never trimmed or blew it off and left mow muffins everywhere
You do your thing and finish it correctly

Same thing with the driveway
It's partially done
So what

You've consulted with your customer and they want you to do it right.
It's up the the neighbors to tell eachother to stop whatever they're doing
Not you
Keep running your route like normal until you're told otherwise

 

[Randall Ave]

Ya didn't drive there for a hobbie. Finish up the job right, send them a bill.

 

[EWSplow]

Damn, I wish I had neighbors cleaning my driveway for free. I'll take a free half-assed job any day. The best I manage myself is quarter-assed.

Video?

 

[cwren2472]

Video?

Search the toyota forum for some jerk in a 4runner.

 

[Mark Oomkes]

Our driveways are all on a seasonal, some with a maximum number of trips. If I drop the plow, it's a "trip" and counts towards their maximum. If they paid for unlimited and I drop the plow (even to clean the approach or a drift), it's a "trip" and counts to their unlimited. Unlimited vs maximum don't get treated any differently.

As everyone else said, clean it up and bill them. In full.

 

[FitzRightMowingService]

I had to clean up twice but only charged for half the work I find it hard to charge someone full for a half job.

Like I said I'm new to this so I gotta work out the kinks. Thanks for all the input.

 

[Mudly]

Dont feel bad, its food off your table. You expect me to show up and i do, youre getting billed regardless of the circumstances. Hell if anybodys gonna take away from my time and not pay for it.

 

[Hydromaster]

I had to clean up twice but only charged for half the work I find it hard to charge someone full for a half job.

Like I said I'm new to this so I gotta work out the kinks. Thanks for all the input.

When Are you showing up to clearthis drive?
Maybe you need to show up earlier to service this account.
Get there early in the morning before the neighbor gets a chance.

Then if it's done by them again, get there even earlier, never let them have a chance to clear this driveway.

Another way to remedy this is ,all residential driveways are on a seasonal basis.

First payment due November 1st second payment due on the first of the year.
this way you have the money regardless of what somebody else chooses to do.

 

[EWSplow]

I had to clean up twice but only charged for half the work I find it hard to charge someone full for a half job.

Like I said I'm new to this so I gotta work out the kinks. Thanks for all the input.

As far as customer relations, you probably did the right thing.
When you say you only did 1/2 the job and charged for 1/2 the job, did you take into consideration your travel time, etc? You didn't drive 1/2 way there.

 

[Randall Ave]

Is your insurance company only going to charge you half?

 

[FitzRightMowingService]

When Are you showing up to clearthis drive?
Maybe you need to show up earlier to service this account.
Get there early in the morning before the neighbor gets a chance.

Then if it's done by them again, get there even earlier, never let them have a chance to clear this driveway.

Another way to remedy this is ,all residential driveways are on a seasonal basis.

First payment due November 1st second payment due on the first of the year.
this way you have the money regardless of what somebody else chooses to do.

Not showing up late I'm guessing its the neighborhood kids, I have a lot of elderly clients. The clients have no clue who does it before I get there.

 

[FitzRightMowingService]

As far as customer relations, you probably did the right thing.
When you say you only did 1/2 the job and charged for 1/2 the job, did you take into consideration your travel time, etc? You didn't drive 1/2 way there.

Just looked at the job that was left and came up with a price .

 

[FitzRightMowingService]

Is your insurance company only going to charge you half?

Hell no!

 

[Hydromaster]

Not showing up late I'm guessing its the neighborhood kids, I have a lot of elderly clients. The clients have no clue who does it before I get there.

Ok,
Here is what you do.
Get there earlier to clear the drive.
If When you get there and the "kid" has already shoveled it you just need to get there even earlier next time.

The neighborhood kid is just helping the old folks next-door because he doesn't see anybody else clearing the driveway before he has to go to school.

If the kid next-door is doing it then you're not getting there that early?

 

[EWSplow]

Ok,
Here is what you do.
Get there earlier to clear the drive.
If When you get there and the "kid" has already shoveled it you just need to get there even earlier next time.

The neighborhood kid is just helping the old folks next-door because he doesn't see anybody else clearing the driveway before he has to go to school.

If the kid next-door is doing it then you're not getting there that early?

Or you could just back over the neighbor kid's snowblower making it hard for him to do his job?