The Garden Work category is one of Taskrabbit’s most versatile task categories—and a great way for Taskers to connect with clients for the long term.
We chatted with Tasker Patrick H., who had some fantastic tips not just about how to make the most out of the Garden Work category, but also about how it can be a smooth inroad toward building lasting, mutually beneficial relationships with clients.
1. Take a consultative approach
Patrick takes a consultative approach to every Garden Work task, because his clients often come to him with varying degrees of certainty about what they want done and how it should be completed. While it might seem counterintuitive, he aims with every task to put his clients in the position of not needing him again. Oddly enough, this often helps him grow his business.
For example, if a client has constant weeds popping up in the flower garden, he might suggest turning over the soil, laying down mesh, and throwing some pretty rocks or wood chips down so the fix lasts years, not weeks. Not only can this transform the initial task into a full day of work, but clients often appreciate his candour and invite him back for recurring tasks like lawn mowing, shrub pruning, gutter cleaning, and even tasks in other categories.
2. Focus on the larger, longer tasks
Patrick always asks himself: What is a better use of time—helping clients with one long project or commuting between shorter tasks? Almost always, his answer is longer projects. If he can start a Garden Work task at 10:00am and end at 5:00 or 6:00pm, it’s always more effective from a financial and logistical perspective.
3. Leave time for follow-up tasks
Which brings us to Patrick’s third tip: leave enough time for follow-up tasks! Garden work can be time consuming even on a good day—making it one of the reasons Patrick’s clients hire him—but it’s also a category that can have many tangential tasks sprout up during the process.
Not only does Patrick always try to leave extra time on his calendar after confirming Garden Work & Removal tasks, but he often aims to schedule only one task in this category per day, usually starting in the morning hours. Given that his tasks often expand in scope, dedicating an entire day usually benefits both him and his clients. Since great customer service depends on being able to help clients in whatever ways they need, Patrick likes to make sure he never has to say “no” to a project he knows how to handle.
4. Consider the potential of suburbia
Patrick tasks in the New York City metro area, which includes a wide range of suburbs where people often like their properties to look nice. Sometimes, they even strive for their houses and gardens to be the best looking ones on the street. This trend only grew during the Covid-19 pandemic, when people began putting more time into home improvements.
That’s where Taskrabbit comes in. Patrick has found that, when tasking in suburbia, it’s not about having a wide pool of clients all within a few streets. It’s about having hundreds of possible gardens that need ongoing help—a great source of business.
5. Ask detailed scoping questions, and be honest about your abilities
While chatting with potential clients ahead of their tasks, Patrick recommends asking for photos of the areas they want him to focus on. This helps him gauge if he’s the right Tasker for the job while also establishing expectations. Patrick also likes to ask clients which tools will be required. He’s always straightforward about the skills and tools he has or doesn’t have and which tools will and won’t fit into his car.
Sometimes, clients will go and buy larger tools (like lawnmowers) ahead of their tasks, but other times, they’ll ask Patrick to pick the tools up from the shop beforehand. Since it’s easy to submit expenses on Taskrabbit, this can be a great way to extend a task’s duration.
Interested in hearing more about how to communicate with your client? Get some tips firsthand from Tasker, Ace M.
6. Always take ‘before’ and ‘after’ pictures, and don’t forget to share ‘after’ photos in your profile!
Apart from asking for photos during an initial scoping chat with a client, Patrick also recommends taking ‘before’ and ‘after’ photos during every task.
The reason is simple: Not only are photos a great way to communicate clearly with his clients about a task’s progress, but they also provide a record of what exactly he completed during a task. This can come in handy if there’s ever a dispute.
Finally, it also helps to include ‘after’ photos of your tasks in your profile! Clients are 40% more likely to hire Taskers who have business photos, and you can add up to 50 for every category you opt into.
7. Notice potential improvement areas that might help your client
Taking a consultative approach with clients requires a watchful eye. Patrick suggests that, when you notice potential areas where their properties could be improved, communicate clearly about it without the expectation of gaining more work. In his experience, most clients appreciate the helpful attitude, and they typically extend the task or rehire him so he can make the suggested improvements.
Sometimes, extending a task can result in doing tasks outside the category clients booked you for. For example, if you’re putting tools away in the garage and notice your client currently has ongoing projects that could benefit from organisation or cleaning, it can be an opportunity to offer help—and get creative with how you want to structure task billing.
8. Be the Tasker who is willing to help
What better way to create your brand as a Tasker than to be the one who always steps up to help? While Patrick enjoys Garden Work tasking in general, he’s also found a special niche for himself in rose bush removal.
Many people don’t like (or want) to deal with thorny plants, but for Patrick, it’s not a problem. He advertises that he’s the Tasker who will remove rose bushes, which has resulted in many task invitations. He recommends being open to the more difficult tasks, because they can help bolster your reputation with clients—and your business.
9. Focus on the relationship with your client
Ultimately, Patrick’s goal is to become the person clients turn to whenever they need help. Not only does this help his client relationships grow organically, but it sets him up for long-term success. Even so, he wants to remind Taskers that the ball is always in the client’s court, and making an effort to understand exactly what they want to accomplish goes a long way. Feel out the situation, give suggestions when appropriate, and make sure you are there to help turn their vision into reality.
We hope Patrick’s tips have inspired some excitement about the Garden Work category. As a year-round source of work, it can be a great way to grow your Taskrabbit business!
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