http://lawnlove.com (YC S14) has been doing this for over a year now, and are in 21 cities across the US. This is certainly an industry that can benefit from some tech-enabled ease. :D
@jak1192 I think we can all agree that the industry is ready for some changes. However, I would argue that our approach and tech is different from what LawnLove is offering.
@andrewjb44 We do snow plowing as well! After marking their service area for lawn mowing, we give users the option of marking their service area for plowing as well. As it's the middle of summer, we're still focusing on pushing the lawn care side of things, but we're ready to transition to SnowGuru as soon as the snow is ready to fall.
We've seen a couple similar products to ours, but firmly believe our platform to be one of the most competitive.
Pretty cool! how does this compete with my current situation, which is for $50 I have someone come in and mow the lawn twice a month. Would you be competing on the price point or on services. Or would it be totally a different market - which is people who mow the lawn themselves and wants to transition into someone else doing it.
@ajoythomas It depends on the size of your lawn, and of course the deal you get from your current provider. One of the major problems in the industry for providers is that they have to nickel and dime themselves on pricing in order to retain accounts. They also base their pricing entirely on eyeball estimates. Sometimes, that means they over charge. Sometimes, that means they operate at a loss, even if they don't realize it.
LawnGuru provides a transparent pricing model based on the size of your service area, which you mark out yourself inside the app. We eliminate bidding to simplify the equation for both customers and providers.
It looks like a $25 cut would come out to about 3000 square feet.
Our app is perfect for regular use throughout the season as opposed to signing a contract that requires you to get more cuts than your lawn really needs, for people who cut their own lawn but are going out of town or have a special event they're hosting need a cut that isn't on their scheduled day. It's often difficult to find a provider for a one off cut or to swap days with your current provider. We also see a lot of benefit for realtors, who will be able to get properties looking fresh for showings on short notice.
@ajoythomas Hey Ajoy! We have found that a lot of customers are looking for more flexibility in their lawn service. For instance, you may have a guy come out every other week to cut your lawn, but you probably don't have the option to choose what day or time he comes out. With LawnGuru, you have complete control over your service.
We compete on several levels;
1. More control of when you get service. You can make same day service requests or schedule up four days in advance.
2. Better transparency through out the entire experience. After a provider has accepted your job you will be updated on their progress every step of the way.
3. Simple payment options. Your card is charged after the work in complete.
4. Better customer service.
Currently the industry is built around weekly or bi-weekly service. The truth is, every lawn grows at different rates. If you sign up for a weekly service, chances are you will be paying for cuts you don't necessarily need at some point of the season. It's a waste of money, time and energy. We have built a platform that lowers the barrier to purchase for everyone, so now getting the service you need, when your lawn needs it, is just a few taps of your phone screen away.
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