DEVIL'S ADVOCATE: One Guy, Two Points of View

I work mainly from home writing and yapping on the phone with folks from around the green industry, thinking up ways to help companies in the market sell you stuff more effectively. It’s a great life. But it can be a solitary existence. 
The dog will come hang out with me. My wife, a gourmet baker, will stop by to have me taste her latest cupcake or candy recipe. (I’ve gained 15 pounds since she started her business.) But other than that, I mostly sit, think and talk to myself.

A lot.

I’m not schizophrenic (Yes you are!) but these arguments have gotten more frequent and can sometimes even be entertaining (Says you!). So, in the interest of my own mental health, I’ve decided to play Devil’s Advocate. With myself.
Just don’t tell him that.

Self: I’m mainly involved in the golf market, and that segment of the industry is flat. Seems like the landscape market at least has been growing during the past few years. Why all the pessimism?

Devil’s Advocate: Because the real estate market has tanked, you moron. Lawn care and design/build are tied closely to new home sales and commercial construction. No new properties means no growth.

Self: Yeah, but isn’t it pretty much understood that down markets are the best time for smart businesses to get aggressive and take clients from others who get too conservative and hunker down? My motto is, ‘When the going gets tough, the tough steal market share.’

DA: In my book, being conservative is smart business. You’ve got to manage back costs, trim overtime to the bone and work to keep the accounts you have instead of throwing money at a bunch of expensive advertising and pie-in-the-sky stuff that will never pay off. Batten down the hatches and ride out the storm until things turn around.

Self: That might take a couple of years and, at best, you’ll be right where you are right now. Why wouldn’t you take the time to identify weak competitors in your area and cherry-pick their best clients? Why wouldn’t you invest in training so that you can start offering higher-margin services like irrigation and design/build? Why not be the predator instead of the prey?

DA: If someone comes after your clients, you should just lower the price. People want to save money right now. You’ve got to do what it takes to compete – and if that means taking less margin, so be it.

Self: No one wins in a price war. I’ve seen it in the golf business – courses discounting green fees down to nothing – and all it leads to is commoditization. Pretty soon, the quality and value of your business just comes down to dollar signs instead of a brand.

DA: Fine, but the high bid never wins. This is all about money, and we have to compete with some idiot who throws a push mower and a couple of bags of Big Box fertilizer into his pickup and calls himself a contractor. They’ll undercut you every time.

Self: So what? Let them have that business. People who only want the low bid are usually the worst customers to service. They’ll nickel-and-dime you to death. You have to take a hard look at your business and figure out what’s most profitable and rewarding for you. Go find more accounts like that and get rid of deadwood clients who probably cost you money to serve.

DA: I’d never walk away from an active account.

Self: Then you’re a bonehead.

DA: I’m a bonehead? You’re the one sitting alone arguing with yourself. You should seriously consider seeking professional help.

Self: Hmmm…maybe you’re right. You know, Einstein once said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

DA: So, talk to you again next month?

Self: Oh, alright. Call me crazy, but what the heck.