The Cost of Callbacks

Few things can throw a wrench in a lawn care applicator’s day quite like an annoyed call from a customer complaining about a herbicide not working or a swath of the lawn being missed during an initial application.

But, according to a recent survey about the impact of callbacks conducted by Landscape Management in partnership with Nufarm, the overall effects of those annoyances can be mitigated through good planning, strong customer service and attention to detail by business owners and applicators alike. Nearly three-quarters of respondents say a premium herbicide must achieve quick and complete control delivering green, weed-free lawns.

Lawn care applicators who say they rely on premium herbicides to achieve quick and complete control

Although the majority of survey respondents (68 percent) say they receive fewer than 10 callbacks for every round of applications during the season, results also indicate that callbacks can have real-world impacts on businesses in terms of costs, labor challenges and potential customer losses.

Most business owners report that the annual financial impact of callbacks is less than $5,000, but some larger companies reported that requests for reapplications or repeat visits by applicators could cost upwards of $80,000 annually. And over 20 percent of respondents said those callbacks result in at least a moderate decrease in their company’s overall productivity and customer retention rates.

The survey did reveal some good news, however. Companies that regularly tracked callbacks and implemented proactive efforts to reduce their numbers saw a decrease in the number of calls they received, and were able to mitigate the effect they had on their bottom line.