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No matter how successful your business is, you’re going to encounter angry lawn care clients from time to time.
Sometimes, it’s not your fault. After all, accidents happen, and we all know about those clients who just like to complain.
Other times, you or your company might be blamed for a situation that could damage the relationship with your clients.
While we all know some lawn care clients simply can’t be pleased, if there’s a chance you can make an angry client happy again… then you should try.
Remember, it's much cheaper to keep existing clients than it is to go out and get new ones. All it takes is a little extra effort on your part and it can definitely benefit your company in the long run.
Before we get started, you have to consider whether or not this angry lawn care client is worth saving.
We know what you’re thinking… “Isn’t the goal to get lawn care clients - not to fire them?”
Simple answer: No.
Your goal as a business owner is to make the most profitable business you can. (Read that again.)
Clients come with a variety of opportunities that will range greatly. They will have different properties and varying needs. They may even pay you different amounts.
So, before you start working on a solution you need to ask yourself the following questions about your angry lawn care clients:
If you decide this angry lawn care client is worth saving, and you want to make them happy, here are some steps you can take right now!
If at all possible, make sure to personally respond to your angry lawn care clients. Don’t send someone else to do it, or even worse, a canned response.
Leaving the situation in the hands of an assistant or crew member can make the client feel like you don’t really care about the complaint—especially if the client believes the assistant or crew member is at fault.
When you respond personally, you’re showing the client their complaint matters to YOU, and you’re willing to listen to their concerns. Sometimes, people just want to be heard and understood and that alone can solve a TON of issues.
This might seem self-explanatory, but for many business owners, it’s a reflex to defend your lawn care business and crew. Which is typically a good thing because you care about your team and your business.
But before you can take any action to solve the issue, you need to first, listen to what the client has to say.
Chances are, you’ve heard your team’s side of the story, but it’s important to also hear from the client—and let them know that you hear them.
Ask the client to explain exactly what is going on, and give them time and space to express themselves.
Do not get angry or accuse the client of being wrong. Stay calm, focused, and attentive to their comments and concerns.
You’re talking to your client to show them you care, so it’s important you don’t lose your temper.
Even if you disagree, hear them out and listen to what they have to say. Getting angry isn’t going to fix the situation, and will almost always make the situation worse.
There is a style of communication called “active listening” in which you let the other person know you hear and understand them by repeating back what they are saying in your own words. It isn’t hard, and with a little practice, it can be a great way to build rapport and streamline communications.
In situations like this, repeating back the concerns of a client lets them know that you hear them and can very quickly de-escalate the situation.
Plus, when you repeat the complaint back to the client, they’re more likely to empathize with you as well.
Do your best to see things from the client’s point of view.
Something didn’t quite go as they expected. Now, they are trying to figure out a way past that, in addition to whatever may be going on in their personal and professional lives.
Reiterate to the client that you hear what they are saying, and that you understand they are upset.
Remind your lawn care clients that their input matters to you.
While it can be tempting, the goal isn’t to win an argument with a client. Ultimately, your goal is to win their continued business.
Validate their concerns, and let them know you take them seriously.
Tell them this sort of thing doesn’t usually happen, you are concerned it happened, and you will address it immediately.
You may not always want to apologize—especially when it isn't your company's fault.
Regardless, you should show good faith by sharing your client's disappointment in the situation.
A simple, "I'm sorry to hear this happened," has the same effect as an apology, without actually admitting any guilt.
That said, if your company was at fault, don't hesitate to apologize.
Your goal here is to let the client know you are taking the problem seriously.
After you’ve listened to their concerns and apologized for the situation, thank the client for bringing it to your attention.
This will tell the client you aren’t trying to avoid their concerns. You appreciate the opportunity to improve your customer service or otherwise fix a problem within your company.
Some complaints have more merit than others. However, your angry lawn care clients might be doing you a favor by alerting you to a problem or situation within your business that you might not have been aware of.
Review the incident with your team. Then, use this feedback as a learning opportunity to raise your company’s game and prevent similar situations from happening in the future.
Even if you were to blame for the incident, don’t take it personally. We all make mistakes and have bad days. Business is business, and you are not your business.
You might be concerned about how a business problem can reflect poorly on your personal reputation. Ultimately, the client is not really upset with you. They are upset with the quality of service your company has provided.
So, take a deep breath and cut yourself some slack—no matter the severity of the situation.
Take some time to reflect on the incident.
Ask yourself what you or your company could have done differently to prevent it from happening.
Consider holding a team meeting to review the incident and:
Once the incident has been thoroughly discussed, press the reset button, put the incident behind you, and get back to providing your valuable services.
It can be a lot easier and cheaper to keep an existing client—even an angry one—than it can be to land a new one.
And while, technically, the customer isn’t always right, you still need to do what you can to make things right.
Consider these options:
Maybe you do all of the above.
Use the expert insight in this article to repair any damaged relationships with angry lawn care clients.
When you have the ability to make angry lawn care clients happy again, you can:
Now, you can use these insider strategies to make angry lawn care clients happy again and keep them for many years to come!
Related: How to Delete Google Reviews and Win Lawn Care Clients
Originally published Aug 29, 2017 6:00 AM, updated Feb 1, 2023 4:49 PM
Tags: Business Operation
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