One of the great things about mowing and maintenance is that it generates recurring revenue week after week. The lawn mowing business does have its challenges, though. One of the big ones is the number of competitors in your service area, which can make it harder to differentiate your company and attract new clients.
One of the best ways to make your company stand out is to provide additional services customers need.
“Adding services allows mowing contractors to become more of a one-stop shop for customers, which makes their lives a lot easier,” says Gavin Dobson, product specialist at Grasshopper. “We’ve also seen that contractors who go out of their way to provide unique services will often get more positive online reviews, which helps grab the attention of potential new customers.”
Contractors can also offer package deals when customers bundle different services.
“All of this provides more value to the customer, which helps attract new customers and retain the customers you already have,” Dobson says.
Which services should a mowing contractor provide?
If crews are already mowing and maintaining properties, many customers will also opt for add-ons like mulching, pruning, hedging, and bed maintenance. But there are many additional services a property owner may need. The best approach is to simply ask them.
“Reach out to your existing customers to see if they are buying any other services from other contractors,” Dobson advises. “If they aren’t, you can still ask if they’ve ever thought about any other services. This is a great way to not only identify new services you could begin offering, but also strengthen relationships with your current customers.”
Grasshopper users tell us that the following add-on services have been seamless additions to their businesses.
1. Dethatching and spring cleanup. A lot of yard work needs to be done at the start of the season before crews even think about mowing grass. With the right Grasshopper Implements, Grasshopper mowers will make the laborious, but necessary “spring cleanup” visit a lot easier.
Tine-Rake™ Dethatchers will spruce up lawns by dislodging excessive thatch, sticks, and leaves. Then, a Grasshopper PowerVac™ Collection System, available for both FrontMount™ and MidMount™ mowers, provides an easy way to vacuum up all of that debris. This is an essential step to creating a healthy lawn that can breathe, absorb nutrients, and look its best all season long.
2. Weed control. Every customer who wants a gorgeous lawn is probably concerned about weeds. To help solve that problem, Step 1 is obtaining the necessary license to apply herbicides in your area. Step 2 is getting a Grasshopper Shielded Sprayer. They are engineered to provide precise coverage, making weed control more effective while reducing chemical use. The sprayer can also be used for fertilizer applications, which expands its usefulness for chemical applicators.
3. Paved surface cleaning. Some of your clients may have parking lots, patios, driveways, and other paved surfaces they want cleaned up at different times of the year, such as prior to special events or after storms. Thanks to Grasshopper’s CleanSweep™ Rotary Broom, mowing crews can efficiently handle these types of requests.
“Our broom also does a great job of removing pesky weeds that sometimes grow between pavers or in cracks in sidewalks and driveways,” Dobson points out.
Grasshopper also offers its powerful Turbine Blower which is great for moving litter, leaves, and other debris across expansive areas like parking lots.
4. Aerating. Once you’re through the height of the growing season, it’s nice to have some additional services to offer when mowing crews aren’t so frantically busy. Aerating is a great one for late summer and early fall, as it relieves soil compaction and allows air, water, and nutrients to better penetrate the soil. The AERA-vator™ Coreless Aerator, available in both a 40- and 60-inch widths, is a versatile solution that enables maximum productivity on larger lawns, but still allows mower operators to maneuver into tighter spaces.
5. Fall cleanups. Leaf cleanup is a common fall service for lawn maintenance contractors. That said, the equipment you use and overall approach is what can help set you apart from your competitors.
Grasshopper PowerVac Collection Systems quickly remove leaves by vacuuming them up as crews mow. For customers who want leaves removed from their property, this is the way to go.
For customers who prefer to have their leaves chopped up and left on the lawn for the agronomic benefits, Grasshopper offers its Down Discharge™ mulching package. It incorporates unique mulching baffles and specially designed High-Low Mulching Blades that chop leaves into small bits that disappear into the lawn and decompose better.
Grasshopper’s Turbine Blower can also come in handy during the fall, as it’s ideal for moving large volumes of leaves across not only paved surfaces, but also lawns. This is a more productive and operator-friendly alternative to the typical walk-behind debris blower many maintenance crews use.
6. Snow removal. If a customer is hiring someone to take care of their lawn, it’s probably safe to assume they also want somebody to take care of their snow removal. Grasshopper offers several attachments to help manage sidewalks, driveways, and small- to medium-size parking lots.
DriftBuster™ Snowthrowers are far more productive than walk-behind snowblowers, particularly when handling deep, heavy snow. V-Plows are very useful for clearing sidewalks, pushing snow to either side, and breaking through drifts and snowbanks. Little Bully™ Dozer Blades are also an effective option for plowing snow. The CleanSweep Rotary Brooms mentioned earlier can also be useful for snow removal, particularly when crews need to quickly clean off lighter snowfalls right down to the surface, like on sidewalks.
As you can see, there are many services lawn maintenance companies can provide that won’t disrupt their core mowing operation. Most importantly, customers will see a lot of value in those services–which is always the biggest key to attracting and retaining more clients.
