# Anyone ever drop a customer mid season?



## snowplower1 (Jan 15, 2014)

I have a customer who I was already hesitant to re-sign. Now I know i shouldn't have. They have been completely unreasonable. They aren't paying any high premium and all of a sudden they are raising there standards well beyond ever discussed. I thought about stating points of the contract out but that will just become a worthless arguing match.
I want to try to make it through the season but with his unreasonable pickiness i can't imagine there isnt going to be more issues. I am just wondering if anyone has ever dropped a difficult customer. This is a bigger complex and I don't want to ruin reputation and I want to know how you have gone about this in a way that may be less damaging. I have in my contract that either party may terminate the contract with a weeks notice and the payments are to be paid for up until termination date.


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## snowplower1 (Jan 15, 2014)

I should say, I plan on making it work but in the event that it can't I just want to know what you've done


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## JMHConstruction (Aug 22, 2011)

Did you give them a new contract with the new work they want performed, with a higher price? I would tell them that you originally discussed "x" and that was what they are priced at. If they want service "y" they need to sign a new contracting stating the new scope of work, and new price.

If they don't sign it, just tell them you can and will only do the original agreed apon work.

I would do this before I cancelled them.


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## ktfbgb (Jan 31, 2016)

JMHConstruction said:


> Did you give them a new contract with the new work they want performed, with a higher price? I would tell them that you originally discussed "x" and that was what they are priced at. If they want service "y" they need to sign a new contracting stating the new scope of work, and new price.
> 
> If they don't sign it, just tell them you can and will only do the original agreed apon work.
> 
> I would do this before I cancelled them.


Agree


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## wishfull (Nov 22, 2017)

Do what is only in the contract. If they want extra work done over and above what is stated in the contract you would issue a change order with any additional costs clearly stated. When signed by both parties this change order would then become part of the original contract. Should your customer refuse to sign this change order then you would have a better idea as to how you would proceed such as dropping him from your to do list. We use this system all the time and it works great and cuts out all the arguments.


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## seville009 (Sep 9, 2002)

Try talking over the issues with him first; he simply may not realize what he’s asking is unreasonable. You never know.....


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## fhafer (Jan 31, 2014)

They may have someone offering a low-ball service and they are trying to get you to quit to relieve them of liability. Talk to them and see if you can resolve the issue or come to an agreed upon termination.


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

Don't sweat it, Just do what scope of work you been doing before they started complaining, It's a thorn in your side now. With any luck they will fire you. Hopefully when they see that they can't muscle you around they will keep there lips shut. 

If you don't have any good results tell them you will service them till they find someone else. Let me guess this has to be a seasonal. I would be very cautious with anybody looking for snow service this time of year as a contractor. If they got a low baler sniffen around good for them. They are only jumping out of the frying pan into the fire, They will soon learn this.


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## snowplower1 (Jan 15, 2014)

yeah, I know a couple guys who bid on this site this year. They wanted to get someone to dedicate a loader to the site and I know one guys proposal was double my proposal for doing it with a one truck. That is part of the problem. He wants someone that can get there the second the snow starts flying and stay til its over but they cant afford that. I guess I am part of my problem. I have never not been able to satisfy a customer and I take it personally when someone has a complaint. I just don't want to be talked bad about by them. He used to do plowing so he knows it all which makes it difficult to discuss things with him.


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

snowplower1 said:


> He used to do plowing so he knows it all which makes it difficult to discuss things with him.


I really would not sweat it now, You didn't mention you had to deal with a snow wizard. Your name will not get trashed because you ran into a unreasonable snow wizard trying to get over. If he is so educated on snow he should plow it himself or let you do your job and butt out.

Please over the years I had a lot of situations with these wizards, Just because he plowed snow means squat, What the contract states is what counts.

You say you had second thoughts of resigning them. Sometime your first gut feeling is the best. Forget about it. You want out you tell him you will service him till he finds somebody you will feel much better. No shame in trying to get away from a unreasonable snow wizard. Your a young guy if you let stuff like this bother you, you could be a FOG before your time lol.


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## Randall Ave (Oct 29, 2014)

Have a sitdown with him, go over what is stated in YOUR contract. If you can not come to terms, you either gotta walk away, or put up with him. Basically, is the money worth it.


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## Jacobmb (Dec 3, 2013)

I did have a client this winter trip out after the first service. She wasn't happy because she was unrealistic and perhaps didn't understand what our contract states. Her driveway is a single driveway on a corner and pinched on an angle between a neighbors fence and her neighbors single driveway. There are 3 roofs which drift snow all over her front porch and she expected me to come back and clean off her stairs for her. If she would have reacted normally I probably would have gone and done it! Instead, she told me she was already unhappy with the service that we never came and she didnt want any excuses. I told her we came to service at 1:45am and removed 8cm and if 2inches accumulates again then we will be back to remove it before 8pm. She said coming at 1:45am and removing 8cm of snow did nothing for her and that she is living in snow. I immediately offered her a full refund and she took it. Good riddence! I am not trying to work for ungrateful people!

Last winter I had a client nearly bring me to tears. She told me my service was useless and horrible and that in 35 years of living there I was the worst snow removal company she ever used and I took it personally. She also told me all her neighbors agreed with her. She expected her snow removed at 7am sharp every snowfall though this wasn't part of our contract. I tried my absolute best to satisfy but she was just impossible to please. She didnt sign up for salting but wanted her driveway spotless. I offered her a full refund on the spot just to get away but she declined saying that it was too late to find someone else. Anyways, this winter I get a call from her neighbors on both sides of her asking why I never reached out. I told them what happened and they said she lied and that THEY were VERY happy with my service. Neighbors on both sides signed up with me again this season. 

I guess the bottomline is, you can still be professional and let picky clients go without leaving a sour taste in anyones mouth.

gl!


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## snowplower1 (Jan 15, 2014)

Jacobmb said:


> I did have a client this winter trip out after the first service. She wasn't happy because she was unrealistic and perhaps didn't understand what our contract states. Her driveway is a single driveway on a corner and pinched on an angle between a neighbors fence and her neighbors single driveway. There are 3 roofs which drift snow all over her front porch and she expected me to come back and clean off her stairs for her. If she would have reacted normally I probably would have gone and done it! Instead, she told me she was already unhappy with the service that we never came and she didnt want any excuses. I told her we came to service at 1:45am and removed 8cm and if 2inches accumulates again then we will be back to remove it before 8pm. She said coming at 1:45am and removing 8cm of snow did nothing for her and that she is living in snow. I immediately offered her a full refund and she took it. Good riddence! I am not trying to work for ungrateful people!
> 
> Last winter I had a client nearly bring me to tears. She told me my service was useless and horrible and that in 35 years of living there I was the worst snow removal company she ever used and I took it personally. She also told me all her neighbors agreed with her. She expected her snow removed at 7am sharp every snowfall though this wasn't part of our contract. I tried my absolute best to satisfy but she was just impossible to please. She didnt sign up for salting but wanted her driveway spotless. I offered her a full refund on the spot just to get away but she declined saying that it was too late to find someone else. Anyways, this winter I get a call from her neighbors on both sides of her asking why I never reached out. I told them what happened and they said she lied and that THEY were VERY happy with my service. Neighbors on both sides signed up with me again this season.
> 
> ...


Prime example of why I never do residential. In commercial you'll run into a crazy every once in a while. Residentially, you'll run into a couple a year


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## MSsnowplowing (Nov 1, 2012)

snowplower1 said:


> I thought about stating points of the contract out but that will just become a worthless arguing match.


That is what your contract is for, point them out and stand firm.

Only do the work in the contract and if they want more, charge them extra.

Stick to your guns.

I have only cancelled one contract mid season.

One property I plowed it out at 3", left to do another property,

while gone it stopped snowing,

returned to said property to finish the sidewalks and had the president of the condos come out and start screaming at me because I didn't do the sidewalks while I was there.

I pointed out it was still snowing when I left and the contract stated sidewalks were not done till storm end.

That pissed her off even more and she screamed at me even more loudly making people come out to see what was going on.

I drafted a letter that night cancelling the contract.

In it I stated it was because of her unreasonable demands and the fact she caused a scene.

I sent it to every single board member.

Funny thing she got voted out the following month and never got on the board again.

Following year they asked me back -(everyone else loved the job I did) but I declined, it was truly a pita site.


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## Brettny (Jul 12, 2017)

Your the boss and you made the rules of the contract. Stick to them and if they dont like it give them the 1 week notice.

I quit a customer mid storm once. I only do residential. 2ft storm i plowed 1ft and had to go to work as all my customers know. I get a very angry phone call hours later that they cant get up there driveway and "i need to come right now!", "why do we pay you" and "why would i plow before the storm is over?". This was the 35yr old going on 14yrs old. The mother calls me to say sorry, "he worked 13hrs today" and i hear the "kid" still yelling in the background. Told her i was at work and would be by before i went to bed that night. She didnt like it and started to get mad her self. I never went back and never awnsered there phone calls again. Long story short...dont piss off the plow guy in the middle if a 2ft storm as he works more than 13hrs.
I still plow the tennants on there property, there wonderfull people. Always outside with the check!


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## Broncslefty7 (Jul 14, 2014)

I told one to get lost last night after I charged his CC for the first two storms like the contract says I could. Then.... he has the balls to tell me I didn’t have permission to run the card and my pricing was too high....... then he called me a criminal, it was one of those minority churches, I figured it would be a good account considering the pastor drives a Mercedes S class, but looks like they just like to pocket all of the donations.


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

Broncslefty7 said:


> I told one to get lost last night after I charged his CC for the first two storms like the contract says I could. Then.... he has the balls to tell me I didn't have permission to run the card and my pricing was too high....... then he called me a criminal, it was one of those minority churches, I figured it would be a good account considering the pastor drives a Mercedes S class, but looks like they just like to pocket all of the donations.


I was called by one of them churches for catch basin repairs in his parking lot. The guy in charge of maintenance said the pastor said I was to high.

He comes pulling up in a brand new Range Rover. Never heard from me again. I refused to drop a dime and the work has still not been performed.


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## plow4beer (Nov 16, 2016)

Broncslefty7 said:


> I told one to get lost last night after I charged his CC for the first two storms like the contract says I could. Then.... he has the balls to tell me I didn't have permission to run the card and my pricing was too high....... then he called me a criminal, it was one of those minority churches, I figured it would be a good account considering the pastor drives a* Mercedes S class*, but looks like they just like to pocket all of the donations.


As far as churches go, That's the first sign it's not a good account.



FredG said:


> . The guy in charge of maintenance said the pastor said I was* to high*.


I don't think that's possible...


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

plow4beer said:


> As far as churches go, That's the first sign it's not a good account.
> 
> I don't think that's possible...


Ya it is I got some special stuff for the holidays, I forgot I had it in my pocket some women said I smell skunk lol.


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## MSsnowplowing (Nov 1, 2012)

Brettny said:


> I only do residential. 2ft storm i plowed 1ft and had to go to work as all my customers know.
> 
> The mother calls me to say sorry, "he worked 13hrs today"
> 
> ...


I would be yelling at you too.

You plowed half the storm and left to go to work?

If you can't stay and finish the work, you have no business plowing.


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## Brettny (Jul 12, 2017)

Yea excpt it was still snow for another 4 hrs after they called. It stipped at midnight and i was plowing the tennants by 2am. If they wanted comercial service they should have asked...then i would inform them that i dont do comercial.
I also inform all my customers that this is not my primary job and i work full time. First one i had to quit in 15yrs.


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## M&M (Sep 8, 2008)

snowplower1 said:


> Prime example of why I never do residential. In commercial you'll run into a crazy every once in a while. Residentially, you'll run into a couple a year


I tend to disagree with this statement. If you outline your service and set expectations at the beginning of a relationship with a new client then you won't have problems with residential customers. 15 years of plowing residential (75 driveways) and I have never had to drop anyone mid season.


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## sluggish (Aug 15, 2010)

Heck I dropped one last week. This guy wants his driveway done by 7:00 am no matter what. I told him from the start that we will not guarantee that, as we don't know when the snow will come and we don't come out until at least 2 inches has fallen. The way the routes are planned puts his house consistently at one hour into the route. He says that's fine and he can live with that. Last week we get a snowfall and my driver heads out, and as planned he is one hour into the route and my driver clears him at 7:05am. He loses his mind in an email sent to me at 7:06 telling me I need to alter my route to service his driveway before 7:00 as promised. This was on Christmas Day. I immediately drove to his house, wished him a Merry Christmas, handed him a refund and told him to find someone else. Boy did the apologies start coming out then.. I'm sorry I overreacted, who will I get now that the season is already well underway. Simple reply, "I'm sorry that my level of service doesn't meet your expectations. I wish you all the best and thank you for your past business". 

Funny thing is he was a great customer last year and recommended me to a few of his new neighbours this year. They are all happy, along with the other 50 customers in his subdivision. He has been a royal pain this year and that was the last straw for me so he had to go. I have 2 competitors in that neighbourhood, both of whom are much smaller with smaller equipment, and both of whom are buddies of mine. When any of us get a customer that is a pain, we share that info and let each other decide whether they want to take him on or not. It's sometimes pretty funny to hear the things that customers will say to us about each other, not realizing that it will get back to us.

Anyway, I digress. I have dropped customers mid season, have been dropped by customers mid season, and I'm sure it won't e the last time. At first I took it personally, but now I don't let it bother me and I'm much happier. It's just business and once you realize that you cannot please everyone, all of the time, you will be much more relaxed. The business can be stressful enough, don't add to your stress y dealing with unreasonable people.

My 2 cents.


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## snowplower1 (Jan 15, 2014)

M&M said:


> I tend to disagree with this statement. If you outline your service and set expectations at the beginning of a relationship with a new client then you won't have problems with residential customers. 15 years of plowing residential (75 driveways) and I have never had to drop anyone mid season.


I see your point with that. I just feel that everyone has different expectations regardless of the contract and eventually the crazies come out. I also don't enjoy plowing a driveway like I do a parking lot


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## Mr.Markus (Jan 7, 2010)

Some people go through unreasonable patches.. For the most part a little time is warranted for them to stew about it. In today's society everyone wants a reply\service/retribution right now.
I had a board member at an apartment complex I do hire me to due some power sweeping at his residence not the complex. several years in a row I just did it in the spring and billed him. One year he lost it, the bill went out the same day it was done, I waited till that evening to phone him and explain the bill was in the mail, when it gets there to just rip it up if he wasn't happy with the service. My tone (inference) clearly let him know that it would be the last service he got our of me. He paid the invoice with an apology note about having a bad day... I actually don't hate the complainers, they help me refine my services. Its the quiet ones that just never pay, never respond, never complain that you lose to the next guy charging $1 less.


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## Richh56 (Dec 31, 2017)

I hate the seasonal guys at factory's that paid x amount of money for the four month season. Then as it's winding down they are calling at less then 1/2 an inch of snow fall because they feel they got ripped off. I am sorry you signed a 2 inch contract and it only did 2 or more events 5 times on the season... you just know if it had been a record snow fall you you had to plow them 100 times, they would be laughing at you because they feel they pulled one over on you. 

The other ppl I don't like is residential's. 30% of residential's do not want plowed unless it's more than 5 inch of snow. You explain how you have a route you run at 2 inch snow fall. 90% of the people in a residential Market don't understand how you have to make a route like a mailman and milkman in order to make any money and if they're at the start of the route and another 1/2 inch falls they are calling. Getting paid from the residential people is a constant fight. The handful of residential's that I do have I write up a service record with date time of service and at the bottom how much that cost , a driveway 20 bucks. The service receipt has an individual number at the top. I leave it in the mail box, So at the end of each month I bill the residential people referencing the date, the amount of money per plow and all the receipt records that I left in their mailbox. They'll get a bill that might have four to six individual receipt numbers, dates, and times corresponding with that receipt number and then the total amount of money owed at the bottom with a please pay within 30 days. I send them a bill January 1st and I expect them to pay me by February 1st. meanwhile I've continued plowing them all through January which they will not owe me till the 1st of March. More than half of the customers I have to cut off and quit plowing until they pay me. They start calling me around the 45-day Mark of their unpaid bill, hey did you forget to plow out my driveway last night ? I'll say no but you forgot to pay me. your bill amount of ??? And now is ??? days past due.

I think alot of ppl try to low ball the plower. I just had the following incident happened this week. 

There's a small little antique store a block from my business. I was contacted on Facebook Messenger by woman's profile, asking if I could swing by and give them a quote for snow plowing out their driveway and small sidewalk. 20 minutes later I go there and walk-in to talk to her. There's a twenty something year old girl at the counter and I say to her, hi I'm rich the plow guy are you the lady who contacted me about plowing your driveway and side walk.
She says oh no that was my dad pretending to be my mom who contacted you , but he left already.

This guy said to me while using his wife's profile that " she would have to contact her husband after I gave the quote to see if he wanted me to plow it or not. Then 5 minutes later a message came through that the husband had taken care of it himself and that I didn't need to plow today but they did want a quote" 

so I see right out of the bat the husband likes to play games. Anyway back to the young girl I said to her so you need the front sidewalk area plowed and then you have a driveway in the back she said yes plus the 30 car parking lot on the west side of the building. I said well all that's going to cost a little bit more than a $20 driveway as talked about on instant the messenger conversation. 

She tells me at that time they have a plow guy currently doing it for like $25. A friend of hers from high school. I look at her and said you guys already have a great deal have a nice day and I started headed for the door. 

She then Falls me to the door trying to reel me back in to give them a price. we get to the front sidewalk area and I swear to you it might have only had 1/4 of a dusting of snow on it. She starts complaining about their current plow driver saying that he claims he already plowed there lot today but that there was no way he could have because there is snow on the sidewalk. 

It's currently 11:30 a.m. the 3 to 4 in of snow had fallen between 10 p.m. the night before and it stopped around 6 a.m. I pointed to a snow pile beside their dumpster and ask her where she thought all that came from. then I tried to explain to her that he had probably had been there between 3 and 5 in the morning and a little bit more of snow flurries had fallen since then which had giving her the dusting of snow. she said well my father feels that's unacceptable. I said yeah have a nice day then continue to walk towards my truck. she says hey, what about a qoute. I turned and said $100.00 per 2 inch or more event with a maximum of two plowing per 24 hours at 100.00 each time... this should be a 40.00 lot. 

Sometimes you gotta realize you are money ahead do not take a job


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## ktfbgb (Jan 31, 2016)

Richh56 said:


> I hate the seasonal guys at factory's that paid x amount of money for the four month season. Then as it's winding down they are calling at less then 1/2 an inch of snow fall because they feel they got ripped off. I am sorry you signed a 2 inch contract and it only did 2 or more events 5 times on the season... you just know if it had been a record snow fall you you had to plow them 100 times, they would be laughing at you because they feel they pulled one over on you.
> 
> The other ppl I don't like is residential's. 30% of residential's do not want plowed unless it's more than 5 inch of snow. You explain how you have a route you run at 2 inch snow fall. 90% of the people in a residential Market don't understand how you have to make a route like a mailman and milkman in order to make any money and if they're at the start of the route and another 1/2 inch falls they are calling. Getting paid from the residential people is a constant fight. The handful of residential's that I do have I write up a service record with date time of service and at the bottom how much that cost , a driveway 20 bucks. The service receipt has an individual number at the top. I leave it in the mail box, So at the end of each month I bill the residential people referencing the date, the amount of money per plow and all the receipt records that I left in their mailbox. They'll get a bill that might have four to six individual receipt numbers, dates, and times corresponding with that receipt number and then the total amount of money owed at the bottom with a please pay within 30 days. I send them a bill January 1st and I expect them to pay me by February 1st. meanwhile I've continued plowing them all through January which they will not owe me till the 1st of March. More than half of the customers I have to cut off and quit plowing until they pay me. They start calling me around the 45-day Mark of their unpaid bill, hey did you forget to plow out my driveway last night ? I'll say no but you forgot to pay me. your bill amount of ??? And now is ??? days past due.
> 
> ...


$40 Dollar lot? I dont drop my blade for less than $85 per service be it residential or commercial.


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## Richh56 (Dec 31, 2017)

ktfbgb said:


> $40 Dollar lot? I dont drop my blade for less than $85 per service be it residential or commercial.


85 dollars for 30 minutes of work ? Your would not get alot of business around here then...


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## ktfbgb (Jan 31, 2016)

Richh56 said:


> 85 dollars for 30 minutes of work ? Your would not get alot of business around here then...


Yep or 5 min. It's all location I guess. I have as much as I can handle. I dropped customers this season because m route was out of control. I need more trucks. At my pricing I could easily run 1 - 2 more full routes without any advertising.


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## Richh56 (Dec 31, 2017)

ktfbgb said:


> Yep or 5 min. It's all location I guess. I have as much as I can handle. I dropped customers this season because m route was out of control. I need more trucks. At my pricing I could easily run 1 - 2 more full routes without any advertising.


Dam that is awesome... I need that


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## crazyboy (Feb 3, 2009)

ktfbgb said:


> $40 Dollar lot? I dont drop my blade for less than $85 per service be it residential or commercial.


Agreed!!!!! Not worth the risk of a slip and fall claim over for $40


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