A great thread.
There are many different approaches but if they are calling for new work, my go-to is tell them we are too busy now, it will be weeks before we could look at any new work.
This winter I did 'fire' one custy, and another is in the pipeline, both for same reason- small jobs, could have been done 5x's over already, I drive by them with the convoy 2x's/ week, but everytime I call/text to do the job, they would put it off- 'we have the flu', or 'do it after holidays', or just not this week, we won't be home, etc'. Finally I said I pass on this one. Then, lol, I drive by 2 weeks later and see they have let's just say a really unsatisfactory tree service looking at it, hahahaha.
The other one insists on scheduling 7-10 days out for a small job. Um, no. When things were real slow I tried to put up with it but now, nah.
Hey, while we are taking about suck-ass custys, how bout this- a couple Noreasters ago I give a guy a price of 400 to clean up fallen storm damage and 600 to climb a big spruce and thin it to "help the storm winds pass thru it easier' cuz it was 80' tall and too full, never been pruned. He says do both. I come over quickly (2-3 days later) so I can get all the fallen stuff out of there sooner than later, and I climbed and thinned the spruce very carefully and thoroughly just cuz it was a nice tree and nice climb and wanted it to come out nicely. Took out just enough but not too much, no lion tailing etc, etc. Job comes out superb, he emails after says 'good job, looks good, I'll put a check in the mail"
3 days later we get another Noreaster with heavy wet snow and lots of wind, there is damage in basically every yard in town. He emails- Well the thinning didn't work, the spruce tree lost some limbs, what is your policy on follow up?
My policy is if you have fallen limbs following a bad storm that damaged tens of thousands of area trees from snow loading, I'll come back and chip them for a fair, reasonable price. He then sends half payment, says he'll send rest next month.
Hey buddy, how bout if I strangle your ugly ass??