Smooth operator

Ameriscape doesn't mess around when it comes to tools. All of the company's repairs are done in-house by the company’s eight mechanics. Fleet Manager Tony Canorro says it’s a much more efficient process than when the company put employees in charge of repairs. “We used to have to go back and fix a lot,” he says.

With their asset management system, Tenna, employees can flag a piece of equipment for repairs or maintenance. With a simple QR code scan, anyone can also see the equipment’s entire history from purchase to present day, including which employee used it last. Canorro calls it a sort of “patient chart.”

“It provides a real-time inventory of where everything is. It’s all that data we want to find but we never really find the time,” he says, adding that it helps them locate where bad habits and behavior are.

For example, if a mower deck is constantly coming in with damage from contact with concrete, he knows that someone is starting the mower on the sidewalk, rather than the grass.

The technology costs about $1,000 per month to track 1,000 assets by QR code.

The company is now looking at integrating information like oil analysis into the process to see if there is possibly too much maintenance or not enough.

Ameriscape uses the PMCS program to help employees know what to look for, what it means and how to communicate that to management.

Staying safe.

Crews at Ameriscape start the day off with a 5:30 a.m. truck and trailer safety inspection every day. Then, at 6:30, the entire company meets for a morning safety huddle.

“We’ll talk about a topic, especially if there was an incident the day before,” says Will Ortiz.

The company rewards safety with cash bonuses. Last year, an employee got a $500 bonus for finishing the entire year with no incidents.

The company focuses on in-field training and demonstrations rather than simply telling employees what to do or how to do it.

“You never say you don’t have time for the customer,” Ortiz says, adding that training includes teaching crew members how to talk to clients.

Ameriscape’s GPS tracking system is helping drivers stay safe. Each month, foremen are eligible for $50 to $100 bonuses for obeying the law, including driving at or under the speed limit. This year, 90 percent of employees are getting the safety incentive vs. 50 percent a few years ago.