# New guy from The Lawnsite



## FitzRightMowingService (Feb 22, 2019)

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?


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## Mudly (Feb 6, 2019)

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


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## Charles (Dec 21, 1999)

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


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## Mr.Markus (Jan 7, 2010)

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


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## cwren2472 (Aug 15, 2014)

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.


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## tpendagast (Oct 27, 2012)

FitzRightMowingService said:


> 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.
> 
> ...


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


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## Randall Ave (Oct 29, 2014)

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


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## EWSplow (Dec 4, 2012)

cwren2472 said:


> 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?


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## cwren2472 (Aug 15, 2014)

EWSplow said:


> Video?


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


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

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.


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## FitzRightMowingService (Feb 22, 2019)

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.


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## Mudly (Feb 6, 2019)

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.


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## Hydromaster (Jun 11, 2018)

FitzRightMowingService said:


> 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.


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## EWSplow (Dec 4, 2012)

FitzRightMowingService said:


> 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.


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## Randall Ave (Oct 29, 2014)

Is your insurance company only going to charge you half?


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## FitzRightMowingService (Feb 22, 2019)

Hydromaster said:


> 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.
> 
> ...


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.


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## FitzRightMowingService (Feb 22, 2019)

EWSplow said:


> 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 .


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## FitzRightMowingService (Feb 22, 2019)

Randall Ave said:


> Is your insurance company only going to charge you half?


Hell no!


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## Hydromaster (Jun 11, 2018)

FitzRightMowingService said:


> 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?


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## EWSplow (Dec 4, 2012)

Hydromaster said:


> 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.
> ...


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


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## Hydromaster (Jun 11, 2018)

EWSplow said:


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


I know a guy that said to toss a couple of tightly folded newspapers onto the drive just before the next snowstorm....

I heard that "from a guy I known".
That it Can slow down a kid with a snow blower.


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## tpendagast (Oct 27, 2012)

A route is a route is a route 

If you plan an 8 hour route
How do you get to a soecfuc driveway earlier 

There’s no way you’re going to beat the “neighbor”
No point in trying 

This whole thing is being over thought 
There isn’t a problem 
Proceed as normal


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## PLOWMAN45 (Jul 2, 2003)

yeah you gotta figure your gas or diesel your insurance and your time


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## Hydromaster (Jun 11, 2018)

@ tpendagastWhere do you get this 8hr route from?
He never mentioned it.

A route is a route Is it, is it really set in stone?
I Bet, it can be easily rearranged.

You can easily beat the neighbor, to
Your job if you choose.

or you can go knocking on all the neighbors door and ask them to cease-and-desist .


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

I would just tell the kid please don't shovel or blow my job as I'm responsible for damage. As you stated the old people have no idea who is doing it. If you know who the kid is you can always tell the Father, Mother they will be responsible for damage or injury.

I certainly would bill your client anyways regardless if the kid does half or whole drive. Your still driving over there and paying your overhead. Not good business practice to let a kid beat you out of your earnings. There is nothing to feel bad about, it is your job bill if it's done or not. Good Luck.


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## Randall Ave (Oct 29, 2014)

I drove 66 miles Thursday to fix lights on a trailer. No trailer there. They are still getting a bill.


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## tpendagast (Oct 27, 2012)

Hydromaster said:


> @ tpendagastWhere do you get this 8hr route from?
> He never mentioned it.
> 
> A route is a route Is it, is it really set in stone?
> ...


Do you assume he does one driveway?
Or that he's going to go out of his way to go to this one driveway, inefficiently passing other jobs in a frantic race to beat the neighbor??
As if that makes any business sense?

Because I'm assuming he's got multiple jobs and he does them in some kind of organized order that works for him and maximizes his profitability... not randomly driving around to compete with neighbors


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## Hydromaster (Jun 11, 2018)

tpendagast said:


> Do you assume he does one driveway?
> Or that he's going to go out of his way to go to this one driveway, inefficiently passing other jobs in a frantic race to beat the neighbor??
> As if that makes any business sense?
> 
> Because I'm assuming he's got multiple jobs and he does them in some kind of organized order that works for him and maximizes his profitability... not randomly driving around to compete with neighbors


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## Hydromaster (Jun 11, 2018)

You assumed,
I didn’t assume anything about his route how many clients he may or may not have.
I’m talking about retaining this client making them happy while touching base with the neighborhood kids,to let them know that the driveway is taken care of.

I assumed, he wanted to get to the bottom
Of it and be done.

Regardless, of anything else that he has going on.
showing up to this account earlier& plowing it a couple times, I didn’t say to disrupt a tight 8hr route, forever .
Plowing it earlier may send a message to the kid or he will see the kid . then he can go back to His tight route.


I don’t know about you, but I go out plowing long before the kids get up, so I don’t see the issue with getting there earlier.
what’s the issue?
Enlighten me.


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## leigh (Jan 2, 2009)

tpendagast said:


> Do you assume he does one driveway?
> Or that he's going to go out of his way to go to this one driveway, inefficiently passing other jobs in a frantic race to beat the neighbor??
> As if that makes any business sense?
> 
> Because I'm assuming he's got multiple jobs and he does them in some kind of organized order that works for him and maximizes his profitability... not randomly driving around to compete with neighbors


 Sometimes you've just got to throw efficiency and business sense out the window. This is a challenge, a quest ,its an opportunity to have some fun.:redbounce: Its not like anyone is making money plowing anyways!


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## JMHConstruction (Aug 22, 2011)

Hell, just spend the night at the customers home. Then you can just give the kid the finger while he gets his shovel out of the garage


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## tpendagast (Oct 27, 2012)

leigh said:


> Sometimes you've just got to throw efficiency and business sense out the window. This is a challenge, a quest ,its an opportunity to have some fun.:redbounce: Its not like anyone is making money plowing anyways!


That's the type of thing that always gets me in trouble

I prefer to avoid those things, lest I end up hiding behind a snowman all night long only to tackle a 12 year old from my hidden ambush position...


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## JMHConstruction (Aug 22, 2011)

Just send the bill.

This year I have been on both sides of the fence. Out for a really long time and went to hit a property after another contractor broke down. I've been there once to salt, but never plow. I'm in zombie mode just trying to finish up this last property so I can get home, and I get about halfway done before looking up and seeing an Arbys sign where I'm stacking snow... my lot was next door and I turned too soon. I finished their drive lanes and went next door. I've also had contractors on 2 occasions salt my lots instead of their own. I salted where they missed and billed for the whole property. I also guarantee that the contractor that plows Arbys didn't only charge half after they pulled in and the lot was half plowed.

Finish the job as it should and bill for the whole amount. Consider it a freebie. If the customer makes a big deal about it either drop them, charge seasonally next year, or give a small discount. Remember, your costs and drive time don't go down just because a random driveway was half shoveled.


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## leigh (Jan 2, 2009)

tpendagast said:


> That's the type of thing that always gets me in trouble
> 
> I prefer to avoid those things, lest I end up hiding behind a snowman all night long only to tackle a 12 year old from my hidden ambush position...


 That would be an interesting read in the local "police wrap up" on page 2 of the local paper !


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## tpendagast (Oct 27, 2012)

leigh said:


> That would be an interesting read in the local "police wrap up" on page 2 of the local paper !


In my younger days there were more interesting police blotters than that...

I'd like to think I've refined with maturity 
But it doesn't keep me from trying to force choke people from a distance!


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## FitzRightMowingService (Feb 22, 2019)

tpendagast said:


> Do you assume he does one driveway?
> Or that he's going to go out of his way to go to this one driveway, inefficiently passing other jobs in a frantic race to beat the neighbor??
> As if that makes any business sense?
> 
> Because I'm assuming he's got multiple jobs and he does them in some kind of organized order that works for him and maximizes his profitability... not randomly driving around to compete with neighbors


I have 15 clients and a route they are actually second in line . I have an update that I will post later.


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## Brndnstffrd (Mar 8, 2013)

leigh said:


> That would be an interesting read in the local "police wrap up" on page 2 of the local paper !


If thats the most interesting thing in your paper you need to start reading The Patch


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## FitzRightMowingService (Feb 22, 2019)

The customer who this thread is about FIRED ME. We had a blizzard that dropped 7" of snow so I showed up extra early, he came out and told me that my service is not needed anymore cause he hired someone else.

Apparently, the last time I worked I left behind to much snow for his liking. I always do a clean up if I feel it is needed it was not needed at the time. My wife contacted him and his story changed not only did I leave so our price was too high for him. Again this is our first year with the business so lesson learned. Draw up a contract and have clients sign it.


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