[Stonehenge]

When you or your crew are working at a client's home, are you influenced by their kindness?

Put another way, if they offer you and your crew lemonade, sandwiches, etc, are you more likely to put some extra effort into their project?

I'm writing an article and would be interested in hearing opinions.

[trees]

We're really lucky to have a foreman who's a perfectionist, so I think the initial work will turn out exceptional regardless.

The major difference I see is in the follow-up care. Our crews are always happier to go back, turn-around times on replacements, detail work, etc. are faster and THAT work gets a lot more attention to detail. Also, when the crew reports a positive experience, the whole office knows that the client is a keeper, so everyone makes sure phone messages get where they need to go. Additionally, a client that is a pleasure can often have minor add-ons overlooked, no change orders, no "surprise" billing changes.

Hope that's helpfull...

[GLAN]

We certainly appreciate kindness.

It's human instinct I think, or perhaps human awareness......

What one projects is reflected back at you...

Also..........do onto others as you would have others do onto you.

[NC Lawnscapes]

The customers who gout of there way to accomdate you and your crew by doing something as simple as offering a drink is the customers you always remember and enjoy working for.

Not because of how nice they are but because they dont just look at you as a servent which we are but as a person

Now there is a time when it can go over board and by that i mean we had a lil ole lady who would come out ever 10 mins and stop us and check to see if we needed anything..

Yes that was nice of her but we had to stop working and say no thank you and start back and that was time lost.

A situation like that is one that has good intentions but wasnt a good thing

[agla]

... and then there are the guys that begin to think that it means Mr. Jones is all happy about them taking breaks and will go into R&R mode.

[NCSULandscaper]

Alot of it has to be with the way you present yourself. I have worked for several people who i was told are a real PITA to work for, but after getting to know them and talking friendly, they are some of the best people in the world. If you treat them right, then they will treat you right. I have several customers who treat me just like family, and i try to treat and respect them as much in return. But if they have the courtesy to treat me right, then i will look out for them and help with small tasks. Sure it may be 10 minutes of free time on my part, but i get alot more work from it in the long run, so its a type of advertising.

[jwholden]

I agree 100% that there is a correlation between people who give drinks and people who pay bills on time and don't bust my stones.

Do I or my crew take it a little easier, probably. Do I or my crew do a better job, I'd like to think we do them all the same. Do I or my crew appreciate the gesture and give a little more to the customer (moving furniture, returning calls promptly, replacing borderline plant, being nice and smiley as opposed to rude contractors), I'd like to think so again.

Funny story, we were working at one of those clients houses last fall and I was in a bit of a funk one afternoon. My client came out and asked how I was doing? I let my guard down and said I was in a bit of a funk. She said that I could take tommorow off if I wanted (I didn't), but I appreciated the gesture from her.

Same house, we are told there is a fridge in the garage and may help ourselves. It was a big job so by the second week I was feeling more comfortable and helped myself to a Mike's hard lemonade (or two). I swear this was the first time in my life I had every had an alchohaulic beverage at work, I know it is a bad example to set.

Next MORNING, one of my guys comes out of the garage at about 11:00 with a Mikes Hard Lemonade. I'm not sure if he knew it was alchohaulic or not (he must have). He only had one and I could breathe a sigh of relief that my crew wasn't about to go on a drinking binge. I'll never drink in front of the crew again unless it is after hours. Shame on me!

Jeff, if you use either of the above scenarios in your article please make it very anonymous!!!

[bigviclbi]

I try my hardest to never have a beer till the day is done, but when its August and we're on an oceanfront and they offer me and my guys a corona.........

[cutntrim]

Short answer? Yes.

You catch more flies with honey than you do vinegar.

[Stonehenge]

JW - Don't worry - The article will be written from my perspective, but I wanted to see if others felt the way I do - looks like for the most part you do. If I feel good about a client, I'm more likely to take that extra little step to make the project just a wee bit better.

[Bill Schwab]

We have people offer the guys drinks all the time. Two jobs running now, and along with the coolers we bring, the homeowners have a cooler out for the guys filled with goodies.

San Diegans tend to be very standoffish initially, (hard to get to know) but once you are on, they roll out the goodie boxes.

[Stonehenge]

Bill - do you find that affects performance? In other words, do the guys give it a little extra when they know the people they're working for are being generous with them?

[dan deutekom]

I know that any crew I am out with will go the extra mile when the client brings out coffee on the cold days or cold drinks on the hot ones and they get really appreciative when access to the washroom is offered.(even though they don't use that much because they don't want to track a mess in with them) When a client treats you well, you tend to do a little bit more than you really have to. I to o have noticed that the people that bring out the coolers and cookies tend to pay you right away at the end of the job. They are also the customers you like to go back too for that second or third landscape project.

[Bill Schwab]

Jeff:

I have never put it under the microscope, but, you raise an interesting question. When I study that, I am going to keep the results under wraps, because lets say they do, then they expect it from everyone, when in fact, all a client is obligated to pay is the contract.