Ok, first of all, you want to bring fresh clippings from the last 3 lawns you have done and begin spreading them over their entire lawn…ok, may not, but I’ll bet as a lawn care professional you have thought of this at least once or twice!

The fact is, while many of your customers may be more than happy to see you and pay on time and even tip in some cases, other ones, well, let’s just say things don’t go so well. Dealing with a lawn care customer that doesn’t pay is a difficult issue and one that must be handled with care. Let’s look at few tips to help you work through the situation the next time you are starting it in the face (and if your business is busy enough, chances are it will happen at some point in the future…)

1. Start by looking INWARD- It is human nature to not want to be at fault. We would all love to believe we are perfect. I mean, hey, it is THEIR fault, right? Not always. Sometimes, as a lawn care professional, a mistake or a misunderstanding can cause the customer distress and because of it, they may refuse to pay. It is POSSIBLE that you work has something to do with the situation…I know, it’s hard to swallow, but it might be true. Start by talking with the customer to find out EXACTLY why they are unhappy. Oftentimes, you can get to the real issue of why they are upset and by resolving a simple issue, the customer releases payment and you are both happy again. Communication is key, try it FIRST.

2. Try to negotiate or offer terms- Sometimes, people are just broke. Maybe they thought they would have the money, maybe they just lost their job, or any number of situations arose where they find themselves cash poor. If you feel that lack of funds is the real issue, try to negotiate. Let them know that their lack of payment causes a hardship for you and your business and that perhaps there is a way to work out a deal that would be sufficient for BOTH parties. Maybe you can postpone payment for 30 days…maybe you can give a large discount to the client, letting them know for future services you would expect a deposit on work completed or even payment in full before the job is completed, or maybe you simply offer them to pay inexpensive weekly or monthly payments until the balance is complete. Oftentimes, your customer will appreciate your trying to work with them and you will come to an agreement. SOME money is better than no money.

3. Write it off and put the issue behind you- Now, I’ll be some of you just went “WHAT? Is he crazy?” It might seem crazy to only take two steps before you simply let the client slide, BUT, at what cost do you pursue the issue? Do you take the time to continue calling and mailing them? Do you pay regular visits to their house? Do you hire a lawyer and sue? Not only are there intrinsic costs involved with these methods of action, but while you are performing them, you are NOT working  or marketing  your business. You often end up losing MUCH more money simply by choosing to pursue the issue way past the point of being reasonable. As a business owner, it is sometimes a wiser approach to let the issue go, make note of the customer and that you will never perform services for them again, and get back to marketing your business and completing jobs. NOW…if you are owed $20,000 for a huge landscaping job, you still may want to pursue, certainly. You might even spend as much as $5000 or more trying to recoup something from the client. But even then, you MUST establish a STOPPING POINT or you very

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