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
Why is it that so many business owners and sales professionals put forth focus and effort toward obtaining the business of small, low-margin clientele, while completely ignoring the high-dollar “big-fish” opportunities? Much could be said on this topic (and rightfully so) from a philosophical perspective. Shoot for the stars. Be all that you can be. Dream big. You know the... read more
An Austin, Texas-area firm grows by putting the customer first—and marketing, marketing, marketing. In 2006, Luke Hawthorne was fed up with the corporate lawn care scene. He’d entered the industry in 1993, grateful for a $10-an-hour gig. After a few months as a technician at a local company, he joined TruGreen. For the next decade, he served as technician, salesman... read more
If you work long enough in customer service you can end up hating people, but that’s if you lose sight of realities of human nature. Ending up a “hater” is not a healthy career path if your job is account manager (AM). You will not have fun and you will burn out quickly. So it might be worthwhile understanding “human... read more
Excellent customer service starts with culture but depends on effective procedures. Customer service is what differentiates one provider from another in the landscape maintenance arena. Great service, which is typically the responsibility of account managers, is more important than quality, expertise or salesmanship. These things matter immensely, but poor service results in the loss of accounts despite top-notch performance in... read more
Dave Murray, customer experience consultant for The DiJulius Group, explains how a company’s internal culture directly impacts customer service. LM Editor Marisa Palmieri covered Murray’s Lawn Care Forum workshop on the same topic in her December 2015 Editor’s Note. Read it here. read more
