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Dump or keep client

#1

Lawnboy18

Lawnboy18

I got this client. Mowing the lawns for his appartment complexes I make good money. They are all in the same vicinity and easy to do. I also mow the lawn at his house. Problem is he doesn't want to pay my hourly rate for extra work (leaf cleanups, etc.). He sometimes wants to knock 15$ off my hourly rate and says that I charged that before. It's not true and I have the invoices to prove it. I am debating on dumping him or not. I just think it is a sign of disrescpect to not want to pay for my labour. On the flip side, doing the appartment complexes brings me more clients around there and his house is on my street and I do many other on my street. I am worried that if people see that I stopped mowing his lawn, they will think bad things about me. Even worse, he could give me a bad reputation, etc. I am stuck in this situation. I am on the verge of dumping him.


#2

M

mowerman05

If he owns a apartment complex he knows the cost of doing business. Explain your insurance and equipment cost continue to rise and that you have not raised your rates on him because of the work that he provides. He keeps complaining let him know your not happy and may have to move on, then decide to dump or not.


#3

BlazNT

BlazNT

Hell that is not disrespect that is just a cheap skate. Don't bid by the hour bid by the job. tack on a few extra dollars and then say you are such a good customer Im going to give you this off on the job.


#4

Lawnboy18

Lawnboy18

Thanks guys. For extra work he wants to be billed hourly. Not by the job. He knows how things work. I think he is just trying to take advantage of me for this.
I did explain him that the hourly rate he wants to pay me would cause me to close my doors (I wouldn't make any money). I still haven't heard back. I hate clients like this.


#5

Carscw

Carscw

You trapped your self. By doing by the hour to start with.
Sometimes you have to take a loss or break even in one job to keep the other work he gives you.
I say suk it up for now. Down the road when losing him will not hurt you dump him.


#6

Lawnboy18

Lawnboy18

Yeah I did trap myself. But, he didn't want to pay by the job to begin with.
Honestly, I could drop him and be ok. It's more my reputation that worries me. Neighbors talk.


#7

B

bigmacks

ya bid by the job. On anything extra tell him what it is and make him pay first. suck it up and make him pay first for the extra and you will then be fine.


#8

Ric

Ric

Lawnboy18 said:
I got this client. Mowing the lawns for his apartment complexes I make good money. They are all in the same vicinity and easy to do. I also mow the lawn at his house. Problem is he doesn't want to pay my hourly rate for extra work (leaf cleanups, etc.). He sometimes wants to knock 15$ off my hourly rate and says that I charged that before. It's not true and I have the invoices to prove it. I am debating on dumping him or not. I just think it is a sign of disrespect to not want to pay for my labor. On the flip side, doing the apartment complexes brings me more clients around there and his house is on my street and I do many other on my street. I am worried that if people see that I stopped mowing his lawn, they will think bad things about me. Even worse, he could give me a bad reputation, etc. I am stuck in this situation. I am on the verge of dumping him.
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Personally I'd tell the guy he needs to find someone else and I wouldn't hesitate. You may be surprised how fast he changes his mind when he finds out what some others would quote him for prices. I wouldn't worry about the other people if your doing a good job for them and there happy. Sounds to me like the guy is taking advantage of your mistake of charging by the hour instead of the job.


#9

jekjr

jekjr

Lawnboy18 said:
I got this client. Mowing the lawns for his appartment complexes I make good money. They are all in the same vicinity and easy to do. I also mow the lawn at his house. Problem is he doesn't want to pay my hourly rate for extra work (leaf cleanups, etc.). He sometimes wants to knock 15$ off my hourly rate and says that I charged that before. It's not true and I have the invoices to prove it. I am debating on dumping him or not. I just think it is a sign of disrescpect to not want to pay for my labour. On the flip side, doing the appartment complexes brings me more clients around there and his house is on my street and I do many other on my street. I am worried that if people see that I stopped mowing his lawn, they will think bad things about me. Even worse, he could give me a bad reputation, etc. I am stuck in this situation. I am on the verge of dumping him.
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If you are not making money you can sit at home and be broke without wearing out your equipment.

If you having competition underbidding you that much let them run. Their equipment will be worn out and they will not have anything to show for it.


#10

Lawnboy18

Lawnboy18

I am far from being broke mowing his lawns. I make very good money with them. The problem is with the extra work. I am still waiting for an answer from him. I will let him know those are my prices and if he is not happy with them, someone else can take the job.


#11

jekjr

jekjr

Lawnboy18 said:
I am far from being broke mowing his lawns. I make very good money with them. The problem is with the extra work. I am still waiting for an answer from him. I will let him know those are my prices and if he is not happy with them, someone else can take the job.
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My point. If you start working for unreasonably cheap prices you will be.


#12

Lawnboy18

Lawnboy18

It's the only one... But, you are right. I will take care of this when he answers me back.


#13

Ric

Ric

jekjr said:
My point. If you start working for unreasonably cheap prices you will be.
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Define unreasonably cheap prices ? What is unreasonably cheap prices for some may not be unreasonably cheap prices for someone else. If your pricing is to high or too low you can price your self out of business. I couldn't do 10 or 12$ cuts and stay in business nor could I do 30 or 35$ cuts because the area can't stand that pricing but down the road a couple of hundred miles there getting up to 100$ a cut easily and maybe more. You just need to find the going rate for your area and charge accordingly.


#14

John R

John R

If he wants the work done he has to pay the price, tell him to take it or leave it.


#15

Lawnboy18

Lawnboy18

I'll keep you guys posted once I get some news from this clown.


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