Robotic mowing company changes business model

DALLAS – Robotic mowing company Robin Autopilot is shifting its focus. Instead of selling its services as a franchise, the company will turn to a Robotics as a Service (RaaS) subscription-based model.

The change, according to CEO Logan Fahey, will give landscapers and other lawn care operators full access to all of Robin’s offerings, providing them the opportunity to scale up faster in the growing robotic mower market without having to make a large initial investment.

Cleveland-based The Fahey Group acquired Robin late last year. Fahey, who is also managing partner of the Fahey Group, said he spoke to contractors interested in adding robotic mowing and received feedback that the franchising model is difficult and overly complex for an existing business.

“With the Robotics as a Service model, we can now put robotic technology into the hands of more lawn-care service providers, operating under their own businesses and brands, to bring robotics to a growing segment of the marketplace,” he said

Under this new model, subscribers will pay a fixed fee starting at $250 per month for a maximum of 50 mowers. The subscription will provide access to the entire Robin playbook, including:

• Aviator software, which was custom-built for RaaS, and includes managing customers, robots, payments, financing and more.
• Equipment Financing from Robin’s sister company, Coralview Finance.
• Robin’s patented robotic door for navigating robots through fences.
• A proven marketing playbook for marketing the business and converting customers.
• Digital and print assets across all platforms, including a white-label website with custom quoting functionality.
• Robin’s proprietary operating manual and custom training and support programs.
• Wholesale pricing on robotic mowers from multiple manufacturers.
• Installation materials, parts and accessories from all major manufacturers in the robotic mowing market.
  

Robin currently works mainly with four mower manufacturers – Husqvarna, Echo, Worx and MTD’s Robomow, but does not have exclusive agreements with them and is free to sell any brand.

Fahey said Robin currently has 12 companies signed up on the subscription platform and is confident most of the 15 franchisees will convert to the subscription-based model. He expects to have more than 100 service providers participating in 2020.

“Everything we’ve offered under the franchise model will be available to a subscriber under the new model,” he said. “The difference will be the ability to offer robotic services under the subscriber’s own brand, with the backing of ‘powered by Robin Autopilot,’ along with lower up-front costs.”