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Each season I give my clients a suggested list of improvements, with costs. I almost always get them to a good proportion of the projects each year.
Geoff Norfolk said:
I know you don't want to go down the employment route, I was in the same position myself but it really makes a big differance in you profits.
You don't have to go down the full time employment route there are a few other options to employing people.
I belive that for maint jobs customers find paying by the hour the best option where as offs or tidy ups by the job is far better.
Some interesting ideas, especially the 'added extra's such as compost, bedding plants etc.
If you were to employ someone you would need to increase your daily turn over X 2.5 to make it worth while.
I think you have made a mistake about advising clients of no increases. Most would be expecting an increase even if it is .50p per hour on your rate. Next year you would be forced to increase them and when you hit them with a £2 - £3 per hour hike would they remember that you didn't increase the previopus year?
As suggested, on selective jobs go for a fixed price if you have a good idea as to who long it will take and other assoicated costs.
Have a peep at one of my old blogs http://www.landscapejuicenetwork.com/profiles/blogs/finding-that-ni...
I usually send out a questionaiire at the start of each year, pre-ticking the services that they currently have and highlighting other services that would be suitable for them. This way you can uplift your client spend with little effort.
For example if you mow lawns, suggest treatments (feeds, Weeds, Moss, Top dressing, etc. for Garden Maint - mulching, hanging baskets, adding a veg plot - etc., etc.
I noted that in this discussion, it has been said that a number of people in this business are "office" workers who left the rat race, well as business people, a little presales discussion with the customer to discover what they want and how you can exceed their expectations by adding extra value through your skills and experience all presented in a fix price package can make a very mutually satisfying arrangement.
Return regular visits can then be set as a fixed price with the option to discuss extra improvements to enhance and develop the garden, with customers feeling more engaged and appreciative of the potential to be discovered in their own garden.
Sorry if i sound like a sales man, but i have found many customers love to see gardens transformed over time when otherwise they may be resistant to large changes with large costs, but broken down into fixed price and regular visits over time, everybody is happy.
Whenever I need to meet a new client, which is very rare now, I give them a per week cost to maintain the garden. I list what is included & more importantly what is excluded. I also offer them the little bonus that I will improve the garden over time & I stress that I will help them with advice, extra work etc. I stress trust & reliability as clients rate these way above knowledge.
I would typically charge about £30 per week for a small/medium garden so £60 per fortnight. Initially & especially if they are in, I put in a little extra work so that they believe that the visit will take say 3.5 hours. But I stress that the time will be very variable & will depend on the season. I also stress that this is for 52 weeks per year.
Once the garden is sorted I can usually schedule the maintenance for when they are out. The typical garden above will often be done in 2 hours - so the rate is now £30 per hour !. If the client is in - school breaks are a pain, then I will do a bit longer. I have 17 clients & most have been with me for many years. Once you get a good client & never be afraid to replace a bad one, make the effort to occasionally go the extra mile. One of mine has a wedding next week so I will reschedule their visit & do a bit extra to ensure that the garden looks perfect. I will even offer to help with flowers for the church.
By doing this & extra things like changing lightbulbs, letting the dogs out etc you become much more than just the gardener. If you are maintaining a garden well then there will be plenty of days when you can fly around it. Save some jobs for when they are in & for the winter. I always make it clear that they judge my performance on how the garden looks not on how long it takes.
You can then add extra profit centres. Up until recently I have refused to pressure wash. After getting virtually begged to by three clients I invested a staggering £89 on a Lidl Power washer !. I made it clear that Power washing was a separate service & within two week I had paid for the washer four times over !.
Just as you can add profit you can even more easily lose it. The classic is when a client want you to get a few plants. This will take fuel & a chunk of you time which it is virtually impossible to charge enough for & there won't be enough plants to make it worthwhile. The same applies to potting composts & garden sundries. I always encourage my clients to go to the garden centre. I explain that there is so much to see & that plants are a very personal choice. The clients buy plants & usually leave them where they want them planted - simples !. Obviously if enough is required that I can make a profit then I will get the stuff.
Your big problem is that you cannot now convert price per hour into price per visit. You need to make a point of never offering per hour again. Gradually you should be able to replace your per hours with per visits. Also be mercenary with travelling. I have modified my client list so that I never drive for more than 25 mins - you are not paid for driving. Over time I dropped the further away clients & the one's that were a pain or not cost effective & focussed on the good ones.
One of my clients has a weekend cottage & a villa in Portugal. She also has 5 little dogs. Before I came along she had not had a holiday in 7 years. During January I earned £400 extra for letting her dogs out (I am driving by anyway) & then putting them in & feeding them on my way home. The key is trust. If a client trusts you then the rest becomes much easier.
If you are covering all your bases with current clients and work & you get an approach for new work, quote them a higher price...say #225 per day.
If they don't bite, you've lost nothing, if they do............
I do have a day rate of £150 for one offs although nearly all my customers are regular either weekly or fortnightly.
I find the highest turnover is in grass cutting and edging, I have a lot customers with small lawns that I cut grass for once a fortnight I do all of these in one day and earn over £200 for that day, the rest of the days are for my bigger clients where I charge £60 a half day and £120 per full day.
Thanks again.