OK...my buddy and I have been interested in landscaping for the last three years. We spent all last summer on it, and decided to incorporate this winter. Anyways, we are 20 years old, in college, and just starting to get a real hold on ins and outs of business. Up until this past week, everything has gone very well for us. We have never had a dissatisfied customer. For those deciding to read this, I have a situation that I would like comment/advice on.
We have a landscaping supply company here called Patio Town. We have been working with them for two years now. They have our business cards and everything, and a lady came in looking for work to be done and was given our card. It was last Sunday evening that we get a call. Same day, we go out and give her an estimate. She tells us she wants a solid retaining wall with caps to finish the look and stairs leading up to her faucet. We write up an estimate telling exactly what we are going to do, what bricks we will use, and the cost. She looks at it and approves it. We show up Monday morning to commence work and the real fun began.
In order to do the stairs, a huge amount of land needed to be taken out. We removed about 2.5 yards of dirt there and another .5 yards for the trenches (retaining wall base). This is a full day, as we do all by hand with Bobcats costing $20K easily. She calls both our cell phones Tuesday morning at 7:30AM telling us that the stairs are all wrong and that she never agreed to this. She wanted some sort of steppers on the flat area between retaining walls. (Hard to envision I assume, but certainly not the "stairs" we agreed on in the estimate.) So, we decide to comply with her wishes without questioning much, since this request cheapened the project for us. Tuesday consisted of buying and laying the dirt to fill in where the stairs should have been and laying 3/4 of the wall.
Wednesday morning, we receive a call at 4:30AM. Yes, you read correctly. She tells us that the entire retaining wall is incorrect. She wants smaller brick, smaller caps, and wants it to be low to the ground. (All very contrary statements/requests to the retaining wall we agreed to.)
Needless to say, we didn't work there on Wednesday. We called her trying to get a grip on what the hell she wants done. Changes like this are not cheap, and yet she seems to be oblivious to this fact. Not to mention, using her bricks would be a very poor choice in the long run with the amount of water she has. We leave one message Wednesday at about 11AM and another Thursday at 1PM. We hear nothing from her, even though she requested out immediate contact at 4:30 the morning before. Finally, at 9PM on Thursday, we called and she answered. We agreed to meet Saturday morning at 10AM to resolve everything.
For those of you seeing that this is being writing at 3AM, there is obviously no more meeting. We just received a phone call about an hour ago telling us that we would not be meeting tomorrow, that we are to pick up all our brick/materials from the house, and that we are to meet with her next Saturday at 8AM. (All this was in a message, as we decided to let her speak her peace and not answer.) What would happen if we comply, your guess is as good as mine.
So this is where it stands. We are dealing with a complete nutjob, and I am rather confused as to where to go from here. I know we are being yanked around because of our age, which is bullshit considering the professional manner in which we conduct our business. I would like to see this woman pull this stunt in front of an established company. She would be laughed at to her face. We have been nothing but polite to her and try to work with her, but nothing works.
For anyone who decided to read this novel, I really do appreciate it and will take any comments seriously. Thanks guys.
ALWAYS have a written contract and get half the money up front, when u have big labor intensive and expensive (materials) jobs!.....If U were just mowing lawns, and a 1-2 hour job , thats another story!....your age has NOTHING to do with this, people are funny ...and miscommunication and fruitcakes are everywhere...this will NOT be your last encounter like this!
Meet with her, NEGOTIATE the best resolution U can to this, and bite the bullet, if u have to...But get out of there and RUN as fast as U can...this is a NO WIN situation, unless u have already collected money for your materials and some of the labor..
Welcome to the REAL world!...things are not always peachy creamy in BUSINESS....U need to seperate Business from your heart...remember business is for 1 purpose, TO MAKE A PROFIT!...U must be honest, BUT also detailed and firm, once a true "meeting of the minds" and a written agreement/contract is in effect....by law, a verbal contract is as good as a written one, BUT he said/she said is not easy to prove either way..and small claims courts all vary based on judges who usually will side with business owners, but not always..as a customer I have been screwed a few times in court, and as a private consultant business owner I have lost in court too..remember "without a meeting of the minds" there is no legal binding contract..
Cut your losses and run!...grab what u can for your work... lessons learned are ever lasting..
I agree you might want to take one on the chin here as she will obviously continue to change her mind, causing only an even greater loss to your business. 1/2 up front is always a good safe practice accepted most everywhere. She can be the sweetest lady you'd want to meet when she's a POTENTIAL customer, but if she has an agenda, you've already lost.
I work for a truss company and we see this alot. Salesmen bring in the prints for a customer looking for a quote. As a designer I spend up to a week inputting the information into the computer and generating truss drawings and layouts. Time is valuable. We submit the drawings and our quoted price to said client. Client says thank you and we never hear from them again. Why? Because then they take our drawings and bid to truss company B who quickly knocks 20% off our bid because the design work has already been done. Happens all the time. It's not personal, only business. We as a vendor however, have to treat every potential customer as if it's a done deal.
Business can be frustrating and disheartening, yet rewarding in the end.
We did collect 50% up front, so we are not really in trouble financially. We are a new business and don't want to walk away from a job with an irrate customer who is bound to spread things about our businss...something we don't need. We want to make it right, but it seems to me this lady is bent on not allowing that to happen.
that sucks, i used to have a small lawn care business too.
i would try to talk to her and meet and get to to tell you exactly what she wants and that once you start you cant change it and get her to sign a contract. and try to work with her so she wont ruin your rep.
And as a new business you can't afford to take this loss. I suggest you get anything agreed upon in writing from this point on and get her involved on a daily basis. Hopefully this job squeeks by and you guys can pull something from it. "The customer is always right" isn't always a fair statement but one that you have to get used to.
Salvage whatever U can, but I guarantee U will never make this woman happy..attempt to come to a quick resolution and closure of this situation...and don't worry about your rep...there will be more jobs and in time u will DEVELOP a good rep..and again, U will encounter similar situations in the future, so CYA and learn to negotiate..
shes obviously a nut if shes calling you that late lol. And you said she agreed on the bricks and everything? Is she taking medication?
Me and my friend were gonna start a lawn care business but we decided not to lol its too hot over here today is supposed to be 110 and sometimes it gets up to 118 here f^ck that. But i am thinking of starting a car wash and detailing business any tips ben on keeping a good business?
Find something you enjoy. I hate having to deal with all this BS from this lady, but regaurdless I will love seeing the final product. That is what drew me to landscape. I can turn a plot of grass into something that looks awesome.
Also, make contacts. Last year we really messed up. There was too much guessing involved in our estimates and everything. Talk to people in the profession. Most are not opposed to helping you out. After all, at the beginning stages, you are not much of a threat to them. If you are not making money, it is hard to stay motivated.
Put simply, do something you enjoy while still being profitable. You will not be happy if either of those are lacking.
And, about your comments regaurding her, I have NO IDEA what her deal is. I wish I did.
ya think I should be a psychologist counseling teenagers, or unwed teenage girls?....I do have that "finesse" about me...LMAO
My sons (27-29) turned out Very well, and "the back of me hand" was a GREAT motivational tool...AND THE "GO GET MY BELT" worked well too on a few rare ocassions..LOL
BTW...Happy Fathers Day to all U swinging dik male studs...have great one...enjoy yourself and kids today...this day is only once a year, its a FREE PASS day, so take advantage of it!
