Chemical Lawn Care Tech of the Year: Feb. 1999

Last year, Tom Strand was running the best route at the north Seattle branch of TruGreen-ChemLawn, Redmond, Wash. His territory’s customer cancellation rate hovered just above 25 percent, the lowest in the company since 1995, said Jon Stein, branch manager.

“His territory’s customer retention rate has always been 5 percent or more better than the next highest rate,” Stein enthused. “That’s saying a lot since the spray business always has a high customer turnover. Since I’ve been here, our revenues have jumped from $2 million to $6 million, and Tom Strand had a lot to do with that. If I had 25 Tom Strands, my business would be out of control.”

But about five months ago, Strand, a senior lawn care specialist, decided to leave his cushy position and take on a new challenge: He asked to manage the most northern territory of the branch – the territory with the worst customer cancellation rate in the company (approximately 40 percent).

“I needed a change,” Strand said. “I want to be the best in the branch. I want to be No. 1 in everything I do. And a challenge is always a good motivator.”

It is this kind of positive, aggressive, go-getter attitude that led Stein to nominate Strand for T&O Service Tech’s Technician of the Year Awards and that led the Judges to select Strand as the 1998 chemical lawn care winner.

AN EARLY START. Strand began his career in landscape maintenance when he took a part-time job in high school as a favor to a friend who owned a company in Arizona, Strand’s home state.

“I love working outside,” Strand said.

Interested in learning more about lawn care, Strand traveled to Washington 10 years ago and got a job at TruGreen-ChemLawn. His do-whatever-it-takes work ethic kept him moving up in the company and has earned him a host of awards, including “Employee of the Year” three years in a row and a safety award competition. But because of his love for the outdoors, Strand continually challenges himself in his current position instead of moving up to a more managerial position.

“I love what I do,” Strand said. “And I wouldn’t give it up for anything. Besides, I also have a wife and six kids to support.”

THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS RIGHT. “I do the best job I can the first time I’m there,” Strand said, revealing one of the secrets to his high customer retention rate. “My job is to keep all 700 to 1,000 of my customers happy. If I’m not answering their questions promptly by phone, I’m on their property. I see all of my customers eight to 12 times a year.”

Strand keeps tabs on his customers by making sure his employees take detailed notes about the customer and what care has been given to their lawn.

“It’s all about good communication,” he advised. “That’s the first thing I’m going to do to improve the customer cancellation rate in my new territory – make sure better notes are taken. In 1999, I want to reduce the can-cellation rate from 40 percent to 25 percent. It will help the company achieve its goal of a 30 percent cancellation rate overall.”

Strand will most likely accomplish this ambitious goal, Stein pointed out.

“He treats every property like it’s his own,” he said. “And he’s a great listener. He has a genuine, caring attitude. He understands that if he satisfies their needs now it will become a benefit later instead of just doing today and forgetting about how that will affect tomorrow. Customers just love him.”

Stein is quick to point out that Strand is also a good, quiet leader, which is why he sells more services than anyone in the branch every year. His dedication has been proven, Stein said, through his five years in a row of perfect attendance and high sales.

“Some leaders motivate by ranting and raving,” Stein explained, “but not Tom Strand. He is an unbelievably quiet leader. He motivates by consistently doing everyday what needs to be done and setting an example for others to follow.”

The author is Assistant Editor of Lawn & Landscape magazine.

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