The Free Lawn Survey for Lawn Care Services - My Thoughts
However, I believe that free surveys are not a fair exchange of value from a genuine lawn care specialist. This article explains why.
We’ve all heard of the saying ‘time is money’. If free consultations are a unique selling point of a given service then I would personally question how they value their time. Is it fair that someone who is yet to become a customer is provided a service for free while a current customer is paying for a visit?
I’ve always believed in fairness and I don’t think that free estimates are fair on:
- The technician and their time – maybe away from their family to fit in a free survey at the end of the day
- Current, paying customers who are not gaining complementary visits
- The office team who will need to be following up the quotation and often the new enquiry being difficult to reach following their free visit
What Constitutes a Lawn Survey?
Of course, before I go in too hard on this one, a survey could mean different things in itself. If a lawn care service who is quickly measuring up the lawns next door to a current customer, then I personally wouldn’t be charging them for the privilege! For some, it could be the case of a quick measure with a wheel and a scribbled quotation pushed through the door.
Within our lawn surveys we take readings for:
- Lawn size and number of lawns
- Access requirements
- Soil structure and compaction (via samples)
- A soil pH and moisture reading
- Thatch depth
- Moss and weed coverage
- Lawn age and mowing regime
- Persistent weeds, grass types and meadow grasses
- Pests and other issues
- Risks – such as ponds, steps and cables
- Additional general notes
We also get to know a bit about our new customer and what it is that they are looking to achieve from having a lawn care service. We consider their needs, along with the needs of the lawn to mutually agree on the best value lawn care programme which is going to gain a return on investment. We work with the customer on how they can adjust their maintenance to get the very best from the lawn.
Why We Don't Offer Free Lawn Surveys
All year around, we are very busy serving our current customers. Last year, demand was outstripping supply for our ‘Complementary Survey with First Treatment’, with future customers waiting for up to 4 weeks to see myself or a member of the team. Even with expanding our team, since Easter this year has been the same.
We can only imagine the time that could have been taken away from young families if we had worked later and across weekends to carry out free work for customers who weren’t already invested in having a lawn care service, or in us as a company. It may be a privileged position that we are in and a start-up lawn care service may have time on their hands, but to offer free visits would be a detriment to all of the fantastic customers that we have successfully built partnerships with over the past couple of years – we would have needed even longer to reach the good ones!
The Kingsbury Lawn Care Way!
With the benefit of 21st century technology (See: Google Maps!) our Instant Estimate System can measure the approximate size of your lawn, or we can complete this over the phone with you. We learn as much as we can about you and your lawn over the phone, fuelling our technician on the day for him/her to give their very best!
With that lawn size, we generate an estimated costing for that first treatment. There are no contracts with our service – we ask for no ongoing commitment – just for you to give us a fair trial with a single paid-for lawn treatment, and a complementary lawn survey to go with it. If for any reason you didn’t wish to proceed with us in the long run (we would be gutted to see you go so soon!) we would understand.
Sometimes, a lawn needs a lot of work. Even over the phone we can often gauge if this is a likely lawn renovation situation! These lawns still require a preparation treatment or two to strengthen the grass roots, dehydrate moss and to treat for weeds. It is of vital importance that in this situation weeds are treated as soon as possible. Weeds cannot be treated for 1-2 months either side of renovation work. We have to politely insist on a weed treatment before a renovation as we know how bad weeds can get after scarifying if the problem isn’t dealt with first.
Due to our popularity (we often have common wait time times of 2-4 weeks before new customers can see one of our technicians), the other big advantage to our process is that we can create a difference to your lawn as soon as possible. If we came to visit you for a survey, had to follow up a quotation and then return for the first treatment, it’s possible that 6-8 weeks could have passed. Why mess around?
Disease and dry patch are certainly things that we would be recording within one of our lawn surveys and then producing our recommendations for what maintenance practices that you the homeowner may be able to change, and customising the best possible lawn care programme to meet your ambitions for the lawn. It's amazing that from this new lawn care enquiry in Stafford, these two soil cores were taken just a foot apart!
The Exception...
For exceptionally large lawns where scheduling a same-day treatment could be problematic, or where a second opinion is desired, we offer a dedicated lawn survey at £97 inclusive of VAT. This can include an emailed report of our findings if you wish, and is refundable against future booked calls – so it is still a sizable giveaway, however does mean there is a delay to us gaining those all important results.
The Next Step in Trying Lawn Care Service
I’m sorry that we can’t come to you without any commitment at all, but with this article you can see why with hundreds of enquiries per year there simply aren't the hours in the day... With no contract or minimum term to our service we are only requesting you try us for a single treatment.
If you’re still a little unsure, it may be best to speak with us over the phone on 01827 826123 where we can learn as much about your requirements as possible. If you’re keen to gain an idea on cost for our standard lawn care service then it may be that our Instant Estimate Feature is for you. Getting a quotation sent to your inbox is as easy as 1-2-3.
2) Use the mapping tool to set a pin on your house
3) Use the mapping tool to trace your lawns for approximate measurement. Then hit submit!