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  David Cox May 8, 2014 at 11:07pm

  I am a bit confused by the rather scattered communications on both sides of this?

  And surely if the grass is a foot long - the customer really should have having it done fortnightly as an Absolute minimum or that sort of "Ad-hoc" arangement is really not worth dealing with.

  Having just done a 1ft long lawn today - surely you would have started with a strim first and rake/blow, to get the worst of it up before even atempting to mow?
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  David Cox May 8, 2014 at 11:34pm

  fair enough - I dont know enough about the job to pass comment, To be fair Id of rung her and gone round, explained first, especially If I knew she had odd/unrealistic expectations - If a pro51k was struggling though, god help any mower a member of the public buys to cut it!!!
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  Gary Hedges May 9, 2014 at 6:57am

  How come it was left to get that long? Once I have a customer I tell them when the last cut and first cut is, I also have regular days so the customer knows when I'm coming, surely if you are offering regular maintenance it is your fault the grass was so long resulting in a lost customer.
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  Colin Hunt May 9, 2014 at 6:57am

  Communicating with customer by Facebook? Not good - a phone call would have cut the chase.
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  David Cox May 9, 2014 at 9:33am

  Yes, the more I think on ity the stranger this sounmds - First and last cut dates are weather dependany, if the customer cancels last cut and the grass is 6 inch long, well yes charge more, but if it was your visiting schedule that caused its length, then its ball in your court.
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  Dan Frazer Gardening May 10, 2014 at 8:32am

  Sorry, but that whole communication above is very unprofessional sounding. Very confusing, delayed, questions not being answered, jovial. Nothing personal, but if I were that client I'd not continue the services either. Clients need to to know facts, what day, and for that to be firm. I still can't believe gardeners tiptoing around rainy days, can't you just get in with it regardless? I live in the west of scotland and manage to maintain a consistent lawn cut contract for all of my clients (currently 50 sites fortnightly) all season long
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  Gary Hedges May 10, 2014 at 9:11am

  Dan is correct.
  I work in Central Scotland and if I stopped work due to rain I wouldn't get much work done.
  It is quite simple, you are asked by the customer to maintain a lawn to an agreed standard. If I was the customer I wouldn't be happy and would look for someone else if I had to pester you to come round and cut the grass.
  I would also agree with the customer about not being happy having to rake a bin full of grass after you have visited.
  Surely it makes your job easier if you keep the grass short and then every one is a winner.
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  Dan Frazer Gardening May 10, 2014 at 9:15am

  Also, as you've put this on the open forum there is a good chance she will see this if she googles your business name. Just one to think about.
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  Neil Petrie BSc Landscape Mgt May 10, 2014 at 9:42am

  It all seems pretty unprofessional and scatty to me rob. I'd take the bull by the horns and act like a professional. Personally, I would not deal with a customer that communicated in this way, but most certainly would not respond in like manner.
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  Ray McIntosh May 10, 2014 at 10:27am

  Reading this I understand why gardener a can be considered unreliable. We quote fixed costs and give clients a schedule of dates and undertakings (lawn, hedge, borders treatments etc) with a few days built into out t&c's for weather. I wouldn't engage any tradesman who let me down more than once, nor expect pensioners to remove much more that pet feceas in advance of our attendance. With the poor communication, uncommitted approach and customer prepung lawn and removing clippings its little wonder she waited so long to get the mower!