Jeremy and Heather Dirksen have been working to overhaul their client list, shedding $100,000 in unprofitable accounts from last year and replacing them with customers who actually make them money. And it hasn’t been easy.
“It is kind of scary at first, because you’re like, ‘Why would I get rid of work that I have?’ It does take you out of your comfort zone, but once you do it, you feel better,” says Heather Dirksen, CEO. “But you were losing money on those jobs ... and the clients need someone else to meet their needs, not you.”
Heather says Freedom has dumped accounts that hired the company only for maintenance, and added customers that fit its full-service estate management model: mowing, lawn care, holiday lighting and irrigation. In all, they’ve added on about $75,000 in new, more profitable work.
As part of their marketing update, the Dirksens have replaced a twice-totaled Toyota pick-up, right, with a new Ford E-350 van, left.
“It’s a huge relief for us and now we can say that we specialize in something,” she says. “We have our value proposition. It sets us apart from other companies that only do weed control or tree work, and we’re offering better service.”
Freedom also has been updating its fleet. Jeremy Dirksen, director of operations, says they replaced an old Toyota truck (that had been totaled twice) with a new Ford E-350 utility van that can tow and can be used for irrigation work. He also added a 48-inch Walker mower to use on residential accounts. The company’s older 61-inch Ferris was more suited to commercial properties, and using a pair of 21-inch walk-behinds took too long.
