Aren't you the lucky one(s)

[Farmwithjunk]

Someone has to listen to my rant, so why not you guys?


As many of you know, I own a mowing business. We bush hog large acreage for a number of regular clients, along with a few "one timers". MOST of my customers are happy with the job we do and the price we charge.

But on occasion.

I gave a quote last fall to mow 65+ acres of relatively clean ground not far from my home. It's a quickie job that is located such that I can drive a tractor/mower there without involving a truck and trailer. Convenient. So I give 'em a good rate. First thing, they start trying to beat me down on the price. Not happenin'. So I mow it once. They pay (reluctantly). I never hear from them again. Seems they found a low baller who'll do it for essentially gas money. Fine with me, I have plenty to do. OK... Since I quoted the price last fall, fuel prices have gone nuts. Seems "gas money boy" can't do it as cheap anymore. He gives them a NEW price, apparently higher than my old price. They balk. I get a call this morning wanting my services AGAIN, but just as thelast time, they're trying to beat my price down LOWER than last falls rate. At this point I inform them last years price is no longer good. My NEW price is 20% higher. They dropped me, so I feel no obligation to them as an existing customer.

And the words I heard then! I sure can't post what I was called at that point.

So, why is it the more obvious it is that a price change is in order, the more people squawk? Why is it people feel they can do whatever THEY want, but you're obligated to do whatever THEY want?

Rant over! I feel so much better now!

 

[JoeinTX]

Why? This old adage....."the customer is always right".....


One of the worst phrases in the history of Western Civilization. Some people are reasonable, sensible, and fair in dealings. Many "customers" are unreasonable, dishonest, confused, and down right miserable people to have any dealing with.

This applies to all businesses, of course, as well as non-business relationships too but nowhere does it get more abused and misused than when trading a commodity for a service.

I was shocked this past winter when, after doing all I could, I had to call a local plumbing service in to figure out our sewer system. The bill was much more than I ever imagined it would be and I was a little taken aback at first. But, then, after considering how much time they spent working, all the different types of equipment they brought out working on the problem, and all the materials they used.......it was after all reasonable enough considering then their overhead on top of all of this.

I paid without issue and if I have anymore problems I'll be calling the same people back out again in the future.

 

[RobJ]

That's to low, fuel prices have gone up over 25%, plus inflation.

 

[Ford850]

Why? Because of the sense of entitlement so many people have these days.

 

[AlanB]

Yeah, never on the scale of 65 acres, but we have it constantly in the mowing business.

The call goes "my xxxxxxxx neighbor, son, brother, church member, stray dog down the street, has decided to start a mowing business so we are going to switch to him" (usually $5 cheaper)

Then a month or two later they call us back, usually we just raise our price another $5, it is kind of a take it or leave it for us at that point. Yep, we get called all sorts of names at times. Would like to say it just rolls off, but some of it stings.

Just had a lady this year quit us after 15 years mowing. I think it was a son of a co-worker that go round.

Bet she calls us back in about a month when he quits through this lean season.

 

[N80]

I don't see what you did or what they* did as a problem. You're in business to make money, its a customer's job to spend as little as possible of his. When I do a job I want a good price for my services, when I want a job done I want to keep as much of my money as I can.

* The problem came when they cussed you out. Then they showed their true colors. That would rub me the wrong way but would soon be forgotten. In fact, I've been cussed out by 'customers' a number of times. Oddly enough, I usually feel good afterwards because at that point I know for a fact that I will never have to deal with them again. Those types aren't worth any amount of money.

 

[slewisma]

I don't see what you did or what they* did as a problem. You're in business to make money, its a customer's job to spend as little as possible of his. When I do a job I want a good price for my services, when I want a job done I want to keep as much of my money as I can.

* The problem came when they cussed you out. Then they showed their true colors. That would rub me the wrong way but would soon be forgotten. In fact, I've been cussed out by 'customers' a number of times. Oddly enough, I usually feel good afterwards because at that point I know for a fact that I will never have to deal with them again. Those types aren't worth any amount of money.

Agree. And the rising costs also affect their ability to pay. What has happened to fuel and other prices is not good for the buyer or the seller.

Happy to say I was very friendly and polite when I let my mowing service go. And I won't be calling them back in a month. Buying the BX24 and MMM pretty much committed me to self-service for a whole lot of years.

 

[daTeacha]

Why? Because of the sense of entitlement so many people have these days.

AMEN!
There are simply too many folks who figure the world owes them anything and everything they want simply because they happen to want it.

The idea of working toward a goal over a period of time seems to have gotten lost, replaced by instant gratification and moving on to the next new thing as soon as possible.

 

[RollingsFarms]

Someone has to listen to my rant, so why not you guys?


As many of you know, I own a mowing business. We bush hog large acreage for a number of regular clients, along with a few "one timers". MOST of my customers are happy with the job we do and the price we charge.

But on occasion.

I gave a quote last fall to mow 65+ acres of relatively clean ground not far from my home. It's a quickie job that is located such that I can drive a tractor/mower there without involving a truck and trailer. Convenient. So I give 'em a good rate. First thing, they start trying to beat me down on the price. Not happenin'. So I mow it once. They pay (reluctantly). I never hear from them again. Seems they found a low baller who'll do it for essentially gas money. Fine with me, I have plenty to do. OK... Since I quoted the price last fall, fuel prices have gone nuts. Seems "gas money boy" can't do it as cheap anymore. He gives them a NEW price, apparently higher than my old price. They balk. I get a call this morning wanting my services AGAIN, but just as thelast time, they're trying to beat my price down LOWER than last falls rate. At this point I inform them last years price is no longer good. My NEW price is 20% higher. They dropped me, so I feel no obligation to them as an existing customer.

And the words I heard then! I sure can't post what I was called at that point.

So, why is it the more obvious it is that a price change is in order, the more people squawk? Why is it people feel they can do whatever THEY want, but you're obligated to do whatever THEY want?

Rant over! I feel so much better now!

Good friend of mine owns, well OWNED, a residential/commercial mowing business. they did it all, and did it with high quality work. the machines they used were the best on the market for commercial work, so in turn gave better service to the customer AND to them since they didnt spend every other day in the shop. he was one of the first people to go into the 'yard business' around these parts. for years he made money hand over fist. then as time went on, more and more people thought they could buy any old equipment and get a few people and do the same thing.....at half the price. customers were dropping him like a bad habit due to him being undercut, and then when the work was shoddy at best, or the prices were raised, the list goes on... and those same people came back a runnin' to him. he didn't take ANY of them back, but instead makes his new customers sign a MINIMUM of a one year contract. he doesnt mess with 'one timers'. he recently sold all of his equipment and got out of that part of the business because of fuel costs and maintinance costs. now he does spraying and he is making just as much if not more then he ever was.

I know how you feel and what you had to go through and let me just reassure you that quality of work will 99.999% of the time BEAT a cheap price. not saying your prices were out of this world, but usually when people cut throat substantially, their work doesn't follow up to suit. if i didn't do my own bushogging, and you lived closer, I would deffinatley sign a contract with you to mowe some acerage for me.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

I don't see what you did or what they* did as a problem. You're in business to make money, its a customer's job to spend as little as possible of his. When I do a job I want a good price for my services, when I want a job done I want to keep as much of my money as I can.

* The problem came when they cussed you out. Then they showed their true colors. That would rub me the wrong way but would soon be forgotten. In fact, I've been cussed out by 'customers' a number of times. Oddly enough, I usually feel good afterwards because at that point I know for a fact that I will never have to deal with them again. Those types aren't worth any amount of money.

* The problem came when they tried to browbeat the lowest price they'd recieved (round 1), then unceremoniously dumped me, came back with a sense of entitlement and tried to beat down the lowest price they had (round 2). While they DO have the right to attempt to get the lowest price possible, there's a RIGHT WAY and a WRONG WAY to go about anything. Their insulting method of operation not only washed out any chance of me doing their job for last years price, they effectively eliminated any possibility of me doing it for the updated price, which was apparently the lowest price they had THIS TIME.

Long story short, their poor negotiating skills killed any chance of getting the job done at a price anywhere near what they are willing to pay.

I've worked with a few of my regular customers who simply couldn't afford to pay "the going rate". They approached me with a little class and dignity. We worked out a deal.

This guy straight up shot himself in BOTH feet.