
4 Signs That It's Time to Hire a New Lawn Care Company in Oxford, MS
Over the years, we’ve received numerous calls from homeowners who were ready to hire a lawn care service after being dissatisfied with their existing one. We’ve gotten a good sense of their gripes and reasons for wanting to switch, and we’ve truly built our company around being different.
In this article, we’ll dive into some of the signs that it’s time to switch lawn care companies. These are based on the actual lawn care problems we’ve witnessed firsthand and heard about from customers.
Jump to Section
- What Are the Signs of Bad Lawn Care?
- Can I Hire a New Lawn Care Company in the Summer?
- What Do I Do if My Lawn Care Company Misses Visits?
- How to Choose the Best Lawn Care Company in Oxford, MS?
- Your Wise Choice for Lawn Care in Oxford, MS
We know that hiring a lawn service can feel stressful…as can switching companies. We want to make the process as easy as possible for you by helping you understand what poor service looks like and why these are valid reasons to make a change.
We will also answer some of your common questions about what’s involved in hiring a lawn service in Oxford, MS.
What Are the Signs of Bad Lawn Care?
Poor results can be frustrating if you’re paying for lawn care. However, we have observed that people often become more frustrated with their lawn care experience than with the results themselves.
Things like no-shows or not being able to get a call back on the phone can be incredibly frustrating.
We’ve rounded up some of the main reasons why homeowners get frustrated with their lawn care and choose to hire a new lawn care service.
#1: A Revolving Door of Technicians
One of the key concerns we hear from customers who have switched to us from another company is that they have never had the same technician working on their property. In the lawn care world, this is unfortunately fairly common (especially with really big companies).
Some of these large national companies employ a significant number of people. They can also have a “revolving door of technicians,” meaning they attract people who work for them for only a short time and then move on.
The trouble with this is that you never really get to know your lawn care technician…and for a lot of homeowners, that’s important. They would like to see the same friendly face or, at the very least, get to know the name of the person working on their property on a regular basis.
But even more important than the personal interaction factor is getting to know the property itself. When the same technician visits a property repeatedly, they truly come to know and understand the nuances of that property. This means they can more easily spot problems and recognize when something is off.
They can learn about the specific lawn care problems the property is prone to and what works.
All of this gets lost when it’s a new person every time. That may be a sign it’s time to hire a lawn service in Oxford, MS that gives its technicians dedicated routes.
#2: Lack of Communication
Another common complaint we hear from homeowners who switch lawn care companies is a lack of communication from their previous service.
Aside from receiving the bill, they tell us they never really heard from their lawn care company! They don’t communicate about any specific issues they’re seeing or even what they’re doing on the lawn. This lack of communication can be frustrating when you’re paying for a service.
At Lawn & Pest Solutions, we send post-service text messages to all our customers, keeping them informed about the work that was done. We also make helpful recommendations about things they can do on their own to ensure optimal results. Often, steps you’re taking on your own (like mowing and watering) can contribute to your lawn care results. We truly care that you’re seeing success and want to help!
Homeowners sometimes tell us it’s not something they’re accustomed to, especially if they’ve worked with other companies that come in, do their work as quickly as possible, and then move on with little to no communication.
#3: Diminished Trust
Obviously, a lack of communication (as discussed above) can quickly lead to a decline in trust. However, homeowners have also shared with us other experiences that are even more trust-destroying. These would be things like no-shows and unresponsiveness.
If you’ve ever had a service provider simply not show up or fail to return your call, then you know it can negatively impact your level of trust.
Other things that lead to a lack of trust are issues with mixed messaging (different techs relaying different information) or even the inability to answer questions or at least get answers to questions.
If you lack confidence in your lawn service, it might be time to hire a lawn care company that you trust.
#4: Subpar Lawn Care Results
Poor results could be a reason to hire a new company, but keep in mind that any lawn care program will take time. Unfortunately, there is no magic bullet here. Lawn care results won’t happen overnight, and you do need to trust the process.
But if you’ve been working with the same lawn care service for a while and aren’t seeing the results you desire, there could be an issue.
Some lawn care companies rush through the job, just trying to get to their next one as fast as possible. They might cut corners and skip steps. Some of this can be attributed to a lack of training.
Some lawn care companies also have very cookie-cutter programs with no adjustments made. This could be a reason for your poor results.
Sometimes, this also stems from working with a technician who truly gets to know your lawn and its specific needs. You want to make sure that you’re getting the most out of the lawn care program you’re paying for. You don’t want to work with a company that’s just looking to get the service done as quickly as possible and move on.
Can I Hire a New Lawn Care Company in the Summer?
Many people are reluctant to start the process of hiring a lawn service when they’ve already been using one. But the truth is, contracts are not a big thing in lawn care anymore, and you probably are not locked into anything.
We have also found that a common reason people hesitate to switch lawn care companies mid-season is that they believe it’s too late to make a change. They might think they’ve already made it to the summer, maybe they should just wait until next year.
But it’s never too late to switch! It’s never too late to start making a positive change.
If you're unhappy with your experience or results, now is the time to make a change for the better. Come this time next year, you’ll be happy that you did.
What Do I Do if My Lawn Care Company Misses Visits?
If you’re working with a lawn care company and they don’t show up for a scheduled service, this could very easily be a valid reason to call and cancel.
Now, mistakes do happen and we believe in second chances. But if this occurred more than once or is coupled with other lawn care problems, the writing is probably on the wall that it’s time to hire a lawn service that you can trust.
In addition to ghosting clients, lawn care companies have received a bad reputation for claiming they showed up when they never did. We wish this hadn’t happened in our industry, but unfortunately, we’ve heard these horror stories from time to time.
If this has happened to you, check the security cameras and speak with your neighbors. And make sure you’re getting the service you paid for. A lawn care technician showing up and spraying water or visibly skipping sections of the yard is not providing what you paid for.
How to Choose the Best Lawn Care Company in Oxford, MS?
So, you’re having lawn care problems and you know you want to make a change. How do you ensure you’re choosing the best lawn care company to prevent this from happening again?
For one, having been through a bad experience, you probably now do have a better sense of what you’re looking for. Be transparent and ask questions. And do your research. Learn more about the company that you want to hire.
These days you can learn a lot about a company just from looking at their website. A website should provide a strong sense of what the company is all about. If you’re looking for a local service (vs. a larger national chain), you can also find out what type of company you’re getting.
The About Us page is an excellent starting point for your research.
When you’re on the website, look at what kind of resources the company offers in terms of education and advice. Helpful tools, such as blog articles and videos, can set you up for success.
Online reviews are another way to research before hiring a lawn service. Third-party review sites like Google Reviews give you an inside look into how other people would rate the company that you’re considering.
Look for companies that have a rating of 4.5 stars or higher, with a larger number of reviewers. Maintaining a high rating becomes increasingly challenging as the number of reviews increases.
Putting in this effort ahead of time will help ensure that you’re happy with the results.
Your Wise Choice for Lawn Care in Oxford, MS
Hiring a lawn service really can feel like a stressful decision. Particularly if you have had lawn care problems in the past.
But you must make the choice that’s right for you. By taking the time to conduct your research, you’ll feel well-equipped to narrow down your options and make a wise selection.
There are lots of companies that can fertilize your lawn or treat your weeds, but you also want a company that is going to treat you right. You don’t want to have to make phone calls that go unanswered or work with a revolving door of technicians. You simply want to find a lawn care partner that you can trust. You deserve this much when you are paying for their services.
At Lawn & Pest Solutions, we’re here to help. We understand the reasons why people end up canceling lawn care or looking for a new company. But we’ve built our company to be different.
When you make a smart, well-researched choice, you build a long-term relationship with a lawn care provider in North Mississippi and finally get the lawn…and the relaxation…that you deserve.
Want to improve your lawn’s health and create a thicker, greener lawn? Lawn & Pest Solutions can help you with lawn care in North Mississippi. Get started today with a free quote. Together, we’ll customize a plan that gives you the most attractive lawn on the block.