Open Association of Landscape Industries
How do you turn down business ?
When an opportunity presents itself to your business and for various reasons you do not want to proceed BUT need to let the client down gently so as not to burn your bridges, how do you handle it ?
We've used :
- the 'project book' / diary full
- lack of resources
- pricing
- straight 'No'
Anyone care to share any other sensible / professional ways to decline an opportunity ?
(p.s. in my book, "not" returning their calls is an unacceptable strategy ;-)
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Geoffrey King North Yorkshire on -
We regret to inform you that at this time we will be unable to attend to your garden, we hope this does not cause any inconvienence.
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Permalink Reply by Nic Johnson on -
I've just turned someone down that wanted me to look at a whole garden design i just havent got the time to do it and its further away from home which would mean travelling everyday. I said I wouldnt be able to do anything untill october, which the client obviously wanted it doing in the next few weeks like normal
what bugs me is I know for a fact that i'll be slack over the winter but clients always want it for the summer but then why dont they plan things sooner i've got loads of work now but i wasnt busy at all in the spring. Although during all the rain i was busy which was like working in the winter anyway landscaping can be carried out all year round. I just wish clients would call in the winter and spring as well i suppose the christmas spend is a big factor but not for everyone... I spoke to one client and the gardening work such as annual pruning that could be done in the autumn winter he didnt get me to do it because he thought i wouldnt work in the conditions??? I said im a gardener thats what i do its part of my job hes a new client and it seems he needs educating but how do we educate potential clients that are looking on the internet for gardeners do blogs attached to websites work to promote yourself available in the winter for work?
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PRO MemberPermalink Reply by Chris Auld on -
" the dog ate my lawnmower"
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Permalink Reply by duncan ross on -
Speaking from experience, a customer can smell a fob off as well as anyone. Be polite to everyone, you never know where it will lead. I nearly chucked a great job out of the pram because of pre-conceived opinions. Be dead staright withthe person. if you are busy, tell them. Have your diary in front of you, if they insist on trying to make an appointment which you cannot realistically do, tell them, do not bow to pressure. Time wasters will quickly become apparent when they ask you to come out on a Sunday, or other daft time. Anyone who has been around a few years will know that being booked up for months used to be the norm. If you are in that situation, well done. It is paramount that you use your time effectively to manage what you have on as primary importance. If you keep people informed on start times, which is easy today, you can generate a good work back log. I regularly send out emails with info, eg start date delayed because of the weather & good customers are understanding. Its all about planning, providing info to the customer & being realistic. The fob off to customers to you dont want however is easy, & so simple "we would need a budget when we come to look at your proposal", but do you want to be working off 6 weeks work when it could be 6 months, with customers willing to wait. Being busy can create pressure. Manage pressure with technology, eg emails at times to suit you, make it work for you, instead of feeling your work is over taking you.
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PRO MemberPermalink Reply by andy@ Doughty Garden Maintenance on -
The beauty of being successfully self employed is being able to choose which jobs to take on and which jobs not too.
I've turned down a few this year due to not enough time or just basically not wanting the job.
I'm always polite and pass on a number of another gardener I know in the village and leave it at that.
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Permalink Reply by Richard Boyd on -
As Andy we always try to find an alternative supplier for clients. That said we pass on £00000 of work and rarely get a thanks for doing so, so we never bother referring to suppliers that don't say ta, it's only courtesy!
But sometimes there is a compromise and often clients take that option, different from the line of work the majority of you LJN are into - a sale is a sale.
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Permalink Reply by Roy Robbins on -
We only do lawnmowing and I must turn down at least two new enquiries every week - "sorry we are fully booked for the remainder of the season". Indeed we are very busy but there are certain people we refuse to deal with as forty years experience has taught me those who don't pay !
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Permalink Reply by Sue/Bayleaf's Traditional on -
Hi, If I need to tell a customer that I can't do their garden, I just say at the moment I can't fit them in, especially at the moment when we're all behind and can't catch up due to the weather.
Or you'll get back to them if you get a slot and can do it
Or you have a waiting list of customers wanting your services and you'll get back to them
If you just don't answer their calls it makes you look unreliable.
Sue
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Permalink Reply by steve lowe on -
Why not double your hourly rate and see if they are still interested?
If so, squeeze them in....
Steve
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PRO MemberPermalink Reply by Brian www.mibservices.co.uk on -
Personally, we would never take this approach. We also dont barter on price either. Its simple, if your booked out, your booked out. Just politely pass on the job
steve lowe said:Why not double your hourly rate and see if they are still interested?
If so, squeeze them in....
Steve
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Permalink Reply by HM GARDENS on -
Say 'I will be open for enquiry this coming sep,oct, nov,dec' contact them nearer the time and seem interested. They may wait!
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Permalink Reply by Ayegardening Ltd - Aye and Susan on -
Went to a quote this week to see a front and back garden. After seeing the back garden I walked back through the house to find a gardener starting to trim the hedge! I couldn't believe it! The customer told me to still quote for the garden!! I then later sent a polite email informing the customer that on this occasion we will not be providing a quote due to the fact that she already has someone to do the work.
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