What is the best way to stay competitive?

Stay consistent in your quality of work. Pricing always becomes an issue however when they see that the value that comes with your service versus others with both following through on what was promised as well as actually showing up. Stay away from the cliff of cutting service or responsibilities one week because you are either tired or short a crew member. Put in the extra time make sure the job is done the way it should be. I see a lot of properties that we take where the services were supposed to be done weekly and it is done every other week or they mow one week and do not edge and grass grows over. Homeowners do not necessarily realize it until they get a letter from their HOA. Those of the simple things that I have found make the difference in overall pricing and both retaining clients and earning new ones via word of mouth.  

I also recommend studying up on your trade. Not only knowing your equipment but knowing the plants and the grass that you cut/ manage and how they respond with your environment where they are. Cutting too short vs too long depending on the type of grass.