Raising Rates for Commercial Lawn Maintenance Contracts, How Do You Handle the Pushback?

Been running my landscaping outfit out in rural Ohio for 10 years now, mostly commercial stuff like office parks and strip malls. With fuel costs up and the price of Roundup and Scotts fertilizer through the roof, I'm bumping my weekly mowing rates from $150 to $175 per acre starting next season. Clients are already whining about it, saying they've got budgets locked in from last year. I watched a Mike Andes video on TikTok where he talks about framing it as value-add with better edging and debris removal using my Toro Z Master. Anyone else dealing with this pushback on maintenance contracts? Saw mixed advice on r/lawncare about adding clauses for material surcharges.

just tell em it's inflation or they can mow it themselves, works 80% of the time.

pushback sucks but hold firm, i raised 20% last year and only lost one account to a cheaper competitor who botched the job.

frustrated too, but i bundle in weed control upsells and they don't notice the rate hike as much.