7-Steps to Avoid a Lawn Care Service that gets Hired, Fired & Left More Desired

Discover how to easily avoid the common mistakes customers make when hiring a lawn care service. 

But first, a quick background on why I was inspired to write this lawn care service hiring guide to aid consumers in their search to hire the right lawn maintenance company the first time around.

This hiring guide is based off of well over a decade of experience and personal interaction with thousands of lawn care clients.  I was inspired to write this hiring guide to help consumers avoid the common mistakes and pitfalls I hear about on a regular basis in the lawn maintenance industry

My desire with this hiring guide is to help you avoid the frustration of ending up as another poorly treated lawn care client that well, unfortunately, happens all too often in the lawn maintenance industry. 

Main Objective:

To ensure you are armed and well-informed in your hiring decision.  This will allow you to easily avoid wasting your valuable time and hard-earned money which is the likely result from a bad hire.

The 8 Most Common Complaints

Here are the top 8 complaints I hear from new clients venting their frustration with a previous lawn care service:

  1. Lack of consistency
  2. Lack of communication
  3. Nightmare billing process
  4. Lack of adequate business systems in place to automate invoicing & payment process to save time
  5. Does not offer convenient payment options (usually only cash or check)
  6. Have to remember to leave the money under the mat and pay every service (inconvenient!)
  7. Random price fluctuations due to a lack of flat-rate monthly pricing built in to service plan
  8. And finally, what I call “Ghosting”
    (Lawn care service stops showing up & leaves the client high and dry not even having the moral fortitude to communicate with the client to provide a reason — not cool, Casper!

Many times there were 2-3 lawn maintenance companies that did not work out for one reason or another — OUCH!  My aim is to help you avoid this same fate with the checklist that follows.

Let the hiring insight begin!

Step 1 – Check Company Reviews (At Least 5-10)

Check the lawn care business’ reviews first and foremost.  If this step fails, move on to the next company in your search.  Do not waste your time on a company that doesn’t sit right with you from the start.  Trust your gut here.

Tips while navigating company reviews:

• Where to find the most legitimate reviews? Google is King here.  Next, check Facebook & other social media outlets the company may or may not use.  Almost all will use Google so start there.

• Simply do a Google search for “Lawn Care Service” and scroll down a bit just past the sponsored ads and you will see the business listings, reviews and ratings of some of the top companies in your area.

• Take some time to review what previous customers have to say about how they were treated, the level of service they received, fairness of pricing, consistency over time (a big complaint from clients in the lawn care industry!) and just to get an overall feel of the lawn care service and how they conduct business overall.

• If a particular company does not have any reviews or very few — steer clear.  It is better to go with a company that has at least a small established track record than one that has no documented proof they can provide consistent quality landscape services for their clients.

• When reading reviews, keep in mind that a company, no matter how much they try, cannot please 100% of the people 100% of the time.  If a company has a bad review, check to see how quickly the customer was responded to and how the situation was handled. Did the company stand behind their work and make what was wrong right, or at least do everything in their power to establish a positive outcome for the client?

Step 2 – Visit the Lawn Care Company Website to Assess the Following:

• Do they have a professional website that shows it was well thoughtout with the client’s needs in mind?

• Does the website provide infomation such as a blog to help you make a more informed decision?

• How easy is it to request a free lawn care quote or order lawn care services?  Does the site provide a way to order services online or do you have to be inconvenienced with calling their office every time you need services or consulting regarding your landscape?

• Does their website affirm your decision overall, that this business is professional and competent in its ability to adequately meet your service needs or did you already hit the back button?

There’s a saying and it goes like this: “How you do one thing, is how you do everything.”

If a website is confusing to navigate, looks like a 3rd grader built it, etc. — you can only assume the service you will receive would be in a similar fashion

Step 3 – Hire a Company that Stands Behind their Work.

Let’s face it — no human being or business on planet earth is perfect.  We all know this, but when and if an issue does arise, will the company take ownership of it, stand behind their work and make it right by you, the lawn care customer?  

• Are their systems and regular company training in place to eliminate the majority of unnecessary issues?  Routine company training is vital to successful field operations in any business.

• To determine if a company will stand behind their work and do the right thing in times where others take the check and run for the hills, you can read additional reviews as mentioned in step 1.

If the company is reluctant to provide 2-3 references of past clients, don’t waste any more time with that company, move on in your quest to find a landscaping company who views you as a long-term win/win relationship and is focused on building trust over the long-haul.

• Another method is to ask for traditional references. 

The company you select should view your relationship as a marriage — a commitment to always do right by both parties — think win/win and not a fly-by-night.

A win/win relationship where the lawn care business has your best interest at heart means that in the unlikely event an incident does occur on your property, they will already have an insurance plan in place to handle any issues that may arise.  

A business that does not carry liability insurance is short-sighted and does have the best interest of their client in mind, period.  

Would you neglect to protect your family with adequate health insurance, life insurance, automobile insurance coverage, etc?  Of course you wouldn’t neglect such important safety measures for your family and neither should you hire a landscape contractor that does not have a general liability insurance policy in place to protect you and your property.  

Simply ask: “Do you carry General Liability Insurance to protect my property while work is being performed?”

For your reference, here at Five Star Lawn Care, we carry over $1,000,000 in general liability coverage to ensure our client’s properties are always protected, no matter what.  

That leads us into Step #4 which is, drum roll please…

Step 4 – Hire a Company with Proper Licenses & Liability Insurance Coverage

Did you know that to even apply basic granular fertilizer on a customer’s property for compensation, the state of North Carolina requires a valid Turf & Ornamental Pesticide License?  

Most lawn care companies we have spoken to over the years DO NOT have a Pesticide license at all, much less a valid one which requires an annual renewal fee and continuing education of up-to-date best horticultural practices.

To keep our pesticide license valid with the North Carolina Dept of Agriculture, we are required to take continuing education classes each year to keep up with the ever-changing landscape (pun intended) of the lawn & landscape industry and best horticultural practices for effective management of client’s properties. 

Would you rather hire a company that is constantly growing in their knowledge, sharpening their proverbial saw and knowledge of best horticultural practices, has training their employees as a regular to do item with their team OR a company who only mows or provides a small array of services since they do not have the knowledge or confidence to provide additional services and in turn, additional value for you, the client?  

One way to ensure the company you hire is operating legally and is continually educating their staff to provide quality services is to ensure they have a valid Turf & Ornamental Pesticide License in place.

One of our most received compliments is the fact that we provide our clients added value of providing a one-stop shop if you will, and saving our clients time, effort and headaches from having to hire, set up and develop another relationship with a separate service company. 

We also have developed great business to business relationships with other small business owners over the past couple of decades that we are always happy to share and recommend to our clients, if there is a service that is requested but is outside of our scope of services.  

One recent example that comes to mind is when a client asked if we could grind a stump of a tree took down for her the year prior.  Although we do not offer stump removal, we were able to provide her with a qualified recommendation and she got her stump taken care of the very next day with our recommendation of Southern Stump Removal which can be found @ www.SouthernStumpRemoval.com 

One of our missions is to provide ever-increasing value to our clients whether that be through clear communication, quality, consistent & timely service, value-added business referalls, personal time savings by providing a vast array of services under one roof, automated business systems that make the accounting and billing processes streamlined which in turn leads to time and cost savings for the client & our lawn service company.  

We believe if it can’t be a win/win then it shouldn’t be done!!  Speaking of win/win, that leads me to Step 5, the written service agreement…dun dun DUNNN!

Step 5 – Ensure the Company Provides Terms of Service in Writing via a Service Agreement

Okay, let me go ahead and start by addressing the elephant in the room — CONTRACTS. 

It seems there are two types of clients I have discovered over the past decade — those who never question a basic written service agreement (because they seem to just know from experience why they are so very important) and those that seem absolutely terrified to sign anything more than their credit card receipt at the grocery store.  

This fear is unwarranted and usually based off the false belief that a written agreement is there to take advantage of them — this is far from true from a legitimate lawn care service company.  

Allow me to show you exactly why…

Let me ask you this: 

Will your cable company, cell phone company, life insurance company, home insurance company or even your mortgage company do business with you as a client without a written agreement (contract) in place?

Absolutely not!  But why? The main reason is thus:  Without a written service agreement in place, read and signed (approved) there cannot be, what is vital for effective business to customer interaction — clear direction and instruction to each party which is designed to eliminate unnecessary misunderstandings and make as clear as humanly possible the obligations and conditions of conducting business between business and client.

A word of caution:

Be wary of any lawn service company (contractor) who does not utilize a service agreement (terms of service in writing — that is all a contract really is anyway) due to the fact that without having the terms of service in writing exposes both the lawn care business and the client to unnecessary risks, problems and  frustration (usually due to miscommunication) that could have easily been avoided with a simple one or two page service agreement.

A basic lawn care service agreement that has both the client and the business’ best interest at heart (win/win) will benefit both parties in the following ways:

  • What is expected of the business to perform services is in writing which eliminates confusion.
     
  • Written explanation of how to terminate the agreement (should be simple, hassle free and with no termination fee).  A quality lawn care service agreement’s main intention is not to “lock you in” but rather to eliminate unnecessary confusion for both parties, in turn making conducting business as effective as possible by saving both time and frustration by both the client and the service business.
     
  • Holds the lawn care company to a set standard of precisely what service(s) are to be performed and when, like how many times per year the service(s) will be performed (giving both the client and business a standard of measure to judge service-based execution and performance on), exact price to be paid each month for service, when payments are due, how to handle a dispute, etc.
     
  • When a lawn or landscaping business does not outline the way they are, in affect, “giving their word” to do business with you in writing, via a basic service agreement you can bet on two things happening just like rain coming when the sky grows dark and cloudy:
  1. The company is directly or indirectly allowing themselves a way to wiggle their way out of a bad situation when something adverse happens because hey, after all, if it’s not in writing in the business world — it doesn’t exist.  Remember this.
     
    Case in point: Don’t be fearful of a service agreement — be fearful of the lack thereof.
     
  2. There will be undefined expectations that go unmet because both parties are not on the same page (literally, because there is no page without a written service agreement — think about that).It’s like I kindly remind my wife from time to time, I say “babe, I cannot read your mind, you have to tell me what it is you need.”  A thriving marriage is a relationship that takes ongoing, clear and precise communication to work long-term, there is no way around it and if proper communication is left unchecked or ignored it will lead inevitably to problems in any relationship.

    Written terms is the best way to ensure communication is as clear as it can be for both parties, to “communicate” exactly what is expected of both parties so effective business can be conducted which will eliminate unnecessary stress, anxiety and broken trust from what I like to call, “death by assuming” that is most certainly to follow a relationship without well-defined, clear communication which we have learned at this point is a written service agreement.
     

  3. I mean think about it, you didn’t even marry your spouse without a contractual agreement — that’s right, a marriage certificate signed by, you guessed it — both parties.  Always remember, if it is not in writing it does not exist.  So protect yourself and only do business with a legitimate company that is willing to do what they are being contracted to do and have it clearly outlined in writing.
     
  4. Honestly, the list of benefits to both the business and client goes on and on but just know that any lawn care company that has a win/win mindset is going to want to protect both themselves and their customers.  This protection afforded to both parties simply cannot be accomplished without a basic lawn care service agreement in place.

Step 6 – Has a Payment System that Allows for Auto-Pay

I will never forget what a new client said to me when I was explaining to him that we handle payments a little differently than most other companies.  We do not charge per cut like most lawn care companies, which causes a fluctuation in price every third month due to an extra cut in that month leading to unnecessary price fluctuations, confusion, the client having to check the invoice each month to make sure the amount they are paying is correct and tying them to having to remember to make a manual payment each month which can and should be avoided, because there is a better way!

When I explained that to make our billing process streamlined, we simply add up the total number of services to be performed and divide by the total number of months service will be performed allowing us to arrive at a flat-rate monthly price and extends the luxury of auto-pay service to our clients, a set it and forget it approach to the entire billing process, I will never forget his words.  He said, “Riley, you are a pioneer!”

Honestly, this compliment caught me a little off-guard.  A pioneer?… Really? I guess to him and so many other clients who are used to dealing with the hassle of paying previous lawn care guy, maybe I was.  However, I simply explained to him that I appreciated his kind words, but all I really have done with Five Star Lawn Care is to place myself in my clients shoes, ask good questions and implement changes to avoid common complaints I hear from clients time and time again. 

In doing so, I would create another win/win for the business and our clients by eliminating common problems I see in the industry making our client’s lives easier while providing additional value to our customers in turn making our company stand out even further.  I love win/wins scenarios! 

My main goal is to make our client’s lives easier (and ours too!) by providing value and implementing automated systems wherever possible that other lawn care companies simply fail to provide.  We will never be perfect, but we continually strive to improve and get better. 

Flat-rate monthly pricing with automatic payments has been such a huge success for our business and our clients (win/win) that our business now offers automatic payments as the sole method of payment for our clients. 

With auto-pay, here are a few great benefits:

  • No more wasted time writing manual checks.
     
  • No more lost checks in the mail not arriving on time which can lead to unnecessary late fees.
     
  • No more having to spend the mental energy having to remember to pay another dreaded bill.
     
  • Time is your most valuable asset and therefore, we think it should never be wasted.  Auto-pay prevents wasted time doing mundane tasks like writing manual checks, licking stamps and even walking to the mailbox. 
     
  • Don’t hire a company that only gives you the option to lick stamps!  Seriously, the chemicals in that glue cannot be good for you.   

Do yourself a huge favor and make certain that the next lawn care company you hire has an advanced automated payment processing system in place for your convenience and peace of mind.

Step 7 – Lawn Care Company MUST have a Win/Win Approach to Business

Does the company give you the overall impression from your research that they will treat you like family or a free lunch to be taken advantage of?  Will you be treated like just another quick buck to be made or valued as a long-term relationship? You should have a better idea of how to answer these questions from completing Steps 1-6. 

Another pitfall I have seen time and time again of unhappy clients that hired wrong company the first time or three is that they got what I like to call, “low price tunnel vision” one too many times.  

Remember, think win/win.  The company you hire should give you a fair price, yes, but to effectively run a legitimate company with adequate licensing, proper insurance coverage to protect you and your property, pay taxes, provide quality commercial equipment to do the job right, etc. — the lawn service company needs to be able to provide all of these things to ensure top level service that you would expect and also still be able to turn a profit at the end of the day.

It’s been said forty two million times but it bears repeating because it is especially true in the lawn care industry — You truly do get what you pay for.  Think about what your time is worth to you.  Do you want to spend it trying to get someone on the phone, wondering when the due date is, how much you owe, and all the stress and personal time consumption that goes along with the “cheapest bid”?  

I have said it many times and I will say it again: 

“Be sure that what you save in money paid will not lead to having to pay with something more costly later — your time and frustration.  You can only spend time, you cannot save it so make certain that you spend it wisely and make decisions today that allow you time to be spent wisely tomorrow as well.”  

Do not make the common mistake of looking at the price tag as the only factor to consider when hiring a lawn care service company.  Doing so is the equivalent of marrying someone because they have a job. Let’s get real! There are more variables to consider than just price alone. 

Think value per dollar spent, not ONLY the amount of dollars spent. Value per dollar is what being smart with your money (frugal) is all about. Being cheap is only focusing on the dollar amount spent.  BIG difference in mindset and the quality of results that follow.  

You want peace of mind and confidence knowing that the company you higher has advanced systems in place so once your account is set up, you’re done!  Payments will be handled automatically on your behalf and so will the maintenance services each week. My recommendation is to not focus so much on the dollar spent but rather on the value you will receive for what you will pay.  

A win/win mindset is the key to long-term relationships between a business and its clients.  Think win/win for long-term effectiveness for all interdependent relationships. I will leave you with a quote from Mr. Stephen Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, which is one of my favorite books and one that I recommend often:

“When one side benefits more than the other, that’s a win-lose situation. To the winner it might look like success for a while, but in the long run, it breeds resentment and distrust.  In the long run, if it isn’t a win for both of us, we both lose. That’s why win-win is the only real alternative in interdependent realities.”

-Dr. Stephen R. Covey | Source: www.franklincovey.com/the-7-habits/habit-4.html

Follow the 7 steps outlined above so you don’t end up, as I have heard so many describe, with a company that was hired, fired and left more desired.

In Summary:

Step 1 – Check the Reviews of Current and Previous Clients 

  • The proof is in the pudding – check the history of service provided and what other clients have had to say about working with the company.

Step 2 – Visit the lawn care company website

  • To get a better overall feel for the professionalism of the company and remember: How they do one thing is how they do everything.  Does the company portray excellence or not so much?

Step 3 – Hire a Company that Stands Behind their Work.

  • Rainy days happen but no need to get soaked if the proper umbrellas are in place (General Liability Insurance held by the lawn care business).

Step 4 – Hire a Company with Proper Licenses & Liability Insurance Coverage

  • Ask: “Do you have a valid Turf & Ornamental Pesticide license to operate your business?  How about General Liability Insurance?” If they answer yes to both, you can even go one step further and ask how much their GL insurance policy covers per incident.  Ours is over $1,000,000 for your reference.

Step 5 – Get Terms of Service in Writing via Lawn Care Service Agreement 

  • To avoid unnecessary risks, problems and frustration (usually due to miscommunication) that can AND should be avoided with a simple one or two page service agreement.  This agreement protects the business and you, the client. Think win/win.

Step 6 – Has a Payment System that Allows for Auto-Pay

  • Avoid wasted time manually writing checks.  Avoid lost checks in the mail and late fees that result from missed due dates.  Avoid the dread of the mundane tasks of paying yet another bill. Seriously, my head hurts just thinking about not having all of my finances automated.  Only work with a lawn care company that makes the billing process as easy as possible. Don’t hire a company that makes you lick stamps to pay your bills.

Step 7 – Lawn Care Company MUST have a Win/Win Approach to Business 

  • Avoid “low price tunnel vision”.  Don’t focus solely on the amount of dollars spent but rather the value you will receive for the dollars spent.  Think about what your personal time is worth and remember you get what you pay for. This is especially true in the lawn care service industry.  A win/win mindset is the key to long-term relationships between a business and client. Think win/win for long-term effectiveness for all interdependent relationships.

I sincerely hope this 7 Step Checklist to Hiring the RIGHT Lawn Care Company the First Time has been of value to you in some way.

Got Feedback?

We’d love to hear from you!

What problems have you faced working with lawn care companies in the past?

What insights would you want added to this guide or that you could share to help others in their search for a rock-solid lawn care company?

Please take a moment to contribute and share your thoughts to help others in their search for a qualified lawn care service company in the comments section below.

Thank you for sharing!

Warm Regards,
Riley Adkins, President
Five Star Lawn Care, LLC
US Marine Veteran 

20 thoughts on “7-Steps to Avoid a Lawn Care Service that gets Hired, Fired & Left More Desired”

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  16. Brother this some great advice when looking for a lawn care service. I couldn’t agree more with all the above as I have had lawn care services in the past. But what stood out to me in this blog was word of caution agreement. I had a lawn care service that destroyed my lawn but without that written agreement I didn’t have a chance to battle them. Lesson learned for sure, thanks for sharing this is some great advice for sure. TY

    • Jeff, thanks so much for your comment and for sharing your experience. I am glad to hear you found some value in this blog post. Yes, you are totally correct. If it isn’t in writing, it doesn’t exist. Without the work to be performed in writing, there is no solid, concrete foundation for the customer/company to stand on in which to build long-lasting, win/win relationships that are best for the consumer and business providing the work. Thanks again, Jeff. If you like my content, you can also subscribe here to the Five Star Lawn Care Youtube channel where I give away a lot of pro tips, DIY videos, exclusive offers, giveaways, and more. Let me know if I can help with anything.

      Tame the wild,
      Riley Adkins, President
      US Marine Veteran

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