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Business Planner 2019

Compete by measuring your team’s stability

May 29, 2019By and
Measuring tape (Photo: iStock.com/Alexander Bedrin)

Every week we hear the same issue from our clients: “We can’t find team members.” Some questions come to mind when we hear this comment. Why can’t you find them? How can you be competitive if you can’t find them? How much time have you spent looking, or haven’t you? Where are you looking? Is this your top issue at... read more

Compete by delivering superior service consistently

May 28, 2019By
Five stars (Photo: iStock.com/D3Damon)

How do I compete with these guys? This is a common question I hear from our clients. The concern behind the question is real. It’s mostly expressed in terms of competing with contractors who may lowball their prices or when going head-to-head in bids with regional or national companies. The simple answer is deliver a superior service experience consistently. It... read more

Compete by building a committed team

April 17, 2019By
Rugby huddle (Photo: iStock.com/jacoblund)

Most people think of golf when they think of a sport in Scotland. As a kid growing up in Edinburgh, it was the grass rugby pitch that defined my lifelong appreciation for resilience. Over years of debate about which football game is tougher, runs faster or plays harder, I’m here to tell you, rugby is totally hard core. From Sunday... read more

Compete by knowing your strengths

February 11, 2019By
Scale (illustration: istock.com/skegbydave)

If you’re trying to compete with the big boys in commercial or residential, the following guidelines will help you. Commercial For commercial work, you need to be sensitive to how the large commercial management firms operate. They have a sophisticated approach to decision making. It’s different from an owner/operator of a strip mall. You need to find out: At what level... read more

Compete by engaging your employees

November 2, 2018By
Engagement dial (illustration: iStock.com/boygovideo)

They say competition brings out the best in people. Is that true? In my experience, it’s not. There are other factors at play. If you want to compete to win, you should understand these factors. First and foremost, it’s important to recognize that people who are highly engaged in their employment situations are more likely to be interested or motivated... read more

Compete by connecting with clients

October 24, 2018By
Handshake (Photo: iStock.com/PeopleImages)

When we talk about sales in the commercial landscape world we use the term business to business (B2B), which implies that we are businesses selling to businesses. B2B sales is a bit of a misnomer or sterile way to describe this category of sales. Over my years in the landscape industry, I have learned that businesses don’t make decisions. People... read more