BUSINESS OPERATIONS: Spring into Spring

The sap is rising and so are the clients’ expectations. Are you ready? This is the time when we need to get off on the right foot and set the stage to provide clients the optimum in quality and customer service Here are a couple of tips:

1. Think about last year. Did you accomplish what you wanted in 2005? Do you need to reposition your company or departments to take advantage of the future? If changes are needed, develop a game plan with specific completion dates.

2. Aggressively seek improvements. Think efficiency and lower costs. Solicit ideas from your employees. Developing a simple form that enables them to give their opinion in two areas: list the things we did well last year; provide suggestions on how to improve  efficiencies and lower costs.

For best results, these responses should remain anonymous. Then, gather your key people and share the information. As a group, determine the action to take. Make a person responsible for each improvement, determine a completion date and hold that individual accountable.

3. Solicit qualified referrals from existing clients. Supervisors and managers should give each client a call, or preferably, stop by and see him or her. The call might sound like this: “We’re planning for the spring and have a couple of openings for one of our crews. Would you know of anyone who would be interested in our services?” Your objective is to increase business and sign new agreements before spring.

Further, track your sales efforts with a wall chart listing the clients, who makes  contact, results/comments and the date. This will hold the managers accountable.

As the owner or the account manager, you must develop a schedule to visit each client. Shake their hand and look them in the eye. If they are a maintenance client, ask if they would like to walk the site with you and discuss the service menu. What a great time to fully understand their expectations for this season. And please, do not go away without a proposal for “extra work”.

4. Set expectations for selling extras. Every client can be provided with an unsolicited proposal to enhance their landscaping once a month. Remember, the client hired you because you’re the expert. They expect you to recommend how to improve the appearance of their lawns and landscapes. Be pro-active. Add-ons also should be your highest margin work.

You should also track and display your upselling efforts by posting the number of proposals made by each individual, each month. A little peer pressure never hurts. 

Someone from your company – the owner, account manager or supervisor – should visit the client each month. If not practical, at least call the client monthly to check in and ask if there is anything else you can do for them. Understand that this client is receiving calls from your competitors regularly. You need to be No. 1 in their minds. Remember, out of sight-out of mind.

5. Quash Overtime. With the spring rush, it’s easy to get trapped in the cycle of working overtime. Don’t let this become a habit. You know how many hours of overtime are acceptable and you’re responsible for keeping employees within those hours. Create a policy to have all overtime for the previous week reported to you by Tuesday mornings to help you keep on top of it.

Your primary focus should be labor hours and quality. These areas will get you in trouble with either the client (quality) or the owner (hours). This tool is absolutely necessary if you are to manage the labor.

6. Fasten your seat belts. Spring will kick your butt if you’re not prepared. Make this the year that you make a few changes, increase your sales, find a mentor, and make more money than last year.