The mowing is slowing down. For the first time since spring, you've got a little time to think. You know there are a few customers who always pay late, a yard that takes twice as long as it should, and a stop way out past everyone else. You put up with them all season because you were too busy to deal with it. What do you do with that list before spring?

Sit down with your whole customer list and look at each one. Do they pay on time? Does the yard take the time you priced it for, or more? Are they on your route, or are you driving across town for one stop? Write down what you find.

You probably already know most of the answers. The point is to look at every customer, not just the ones that come to mind.

The slow season is the best time to fix next year. Go through your book, one customer at a time.

Every account gets one of three answers. If it's working, keep it. If the work is fine but the price is wrong, raise it. If no reasonable price makes it worth your time, let it go.

One owner we talked to said cutting his bad accounts last winter was the change that helped his business the most. Dropping the stops that cost you money leaves room for ones that pay.

If you're raising prices, tell customers now, not on the first mow in spring. Put the new price in writing with the date it starts. Customers take a raise better when they have time to think about it and know exactly what it is. A surprise at the door is what makes them upset.

Ask the same question about your own costs. Does the software you pay for all year still make sense when you're barely mowing in January? If you're paying for features you don't use, it's worth reviewing too.

Run My Lawn Biz shows who owes you in one list, oldest first, so late payers are easy to spot. Property notes keep track of the rough yard, the gate, and the dog. When you raise a price, you send a quote with the new price that holds through a date you set, and you can see when they open it. You pay for Run My Lawn Biz only for the properties you actually serviced that month, so a quiet winter means a smaller bill, and crew seats are free.

Use the slow season to make sure every customer on your list is worth having next year.