Tru Geen sales strategy shift

[TiedemanLLC]

Tru Green is beginning to start to switch their sales strategy from neighborhood selling to more of an emphasize on digital marketing, such as search engines, websites, mobile and social. Do you think this is a good strategy?

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[Hedgemaster]

Lawn care business tips

No. That interweb thing is just a fad. Next month everyone will be like, "Huh - what's an internet?"

[TiedemanLLC]

Originally Posted by Hedgemaster

No. That interweb thing is just a fad.
Next month everyone will be like, "Huh - what's an internet?"

So you are saying them canceling direct mail approach in neighborhoods they already service is a good idea then?

[Hedgemaster]

No idea. I just know that if you aren't utilizing the web these days in some form, you're missing out.

[Steve]

That company amazes me in ways because I do wonder how much more bigger they can get. They do seem to constantly be on the look out for ways to make more money. Whether it is a new marketing technique or in the way they bill/upsell their customers.

The down side to their size is they still have to compete with smaller operations that can be more personable to their customers. It seems very difficult for these larger companies to handle their customers like anything other than numbers or 'who's next.'

What's your view on it though? How do you feel their internet marketing will effect things?

[TiedemanLLC]

Originally Posted by Steve

That company amazes me in ways because I do wonder how much more bigger they can get. They do seem to constantly be on the look out for ways to make more money. Whether it is a new marketing technique or in the way they bill/upsell their customers.

The down side to their size is they still have to compete with smaller operations that can be more personable to their customers. It seems very difficult for these larger companies to handle their customers like anything other than numbers or 'who's next.'

What's your view on it though? How do you feel their internet marketing will effect things?

I personally feel them moving over to the internet is a horrible mistake, and they are just trying to get more and more clients, while not fixing the problem of their cancellation rate.

They need to still concentrate on the neighborhood marketing technique. The internet is just too broad of a stroke for them. The two biggest things that I have seen they need to fix is 1) too many applications (or trying to sell the client too many services). I hear all the time some of the reasons the clients cancel is because they are sick of all the phone calls, 2) when a client contacts them for a site visit or site problem, don't take two weeks to come look at it.

[Steve]

What is your view on why these problems are not being addressed? They seem to have the size and resources to address them. Do you feel they just don't care as long as they hit certain dollar figure benchmarks? Or what do you feel is the case?

[TiedemanLLC]

Originally Posted by Steve

What is your view on why these problems are not being addressed? They seem to have the size and resources to address them. Do you feel they just don't care as long as they hit certain dollar figure benchmarks? Or what do you feel is the case?

I actually think the opposite, I don't think they have as many employees as they should. They should almost have dedicated quality control managers that can do site visits.

The other thing is that the techs are not properly trained in customer service, poorly paid, and over worked. The turnover with their techs is horrible. More or less the techs are just paid to spray and go.

I have heard from other industry suppliers that have dealed with them directly that TruGreen figures every year they are going to have a certain turnover rate with their clients, and that doesn't bother them. They think it's just part of "doing business".

If they just got back to customer service and quality control measures then they would be great. Don't get me wrong, they do a pretty descent job with spraying, just their customer service needs improving

[SECTLANDSCAPING]

They most likely did a study and found there is more money in new customers then retaining old ones. Its probable cheaper for them to advertise then service existing customers too.

[mark123]

Originally Posted by SECTLANDSCAPING

They most likely did a study and found there is more money in new customers then retaining old ones. Its probable cheaper for them to advertise then service existing customers too.

That must be true. I don't mind seeing them in my neighborhoods because I get their customers. I don't target their customers, I target their customer's neighbors.