New lawn care business consulting group

[Steve]

New lawn care business consulting group. Can you imagine how much you could learn from these guys? How many lawn care business owners do you know who were able to build their business to a $7 million dollar a year operation. Industry Veterans Form Bicoastal Consulting Firm - This fall, Bill Arman and Ed Laflamme formed The Harvest Group, a consultancy specializing in on-going coaching and support for landscaping businesses. Ed Laflamme, head harvester, East, founded his own landscaping company in Connecticut, grew it to a $7-million corporation, and then sold it in 1999. This fall he published a book, Green Side Up, a how-to guide about the process. http://harvestlandscapeconsulting.com/

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Originally Posted by [b Quote[/b] (Team Gopher @ Dec. 29 2007,5:33)]How many lawn care business owners do you know who were able to build their business to a $7 million dollar a year operation. Ummmm let me think on that.....um NONE! I do know some LARGE ops out there and I know the owners personally but I don't think they are at that kind of revenue, just cutting grass. There is some of the older landscape CO's that are I'm sure. They do millions of dollar jobs every year they have large 6 and 8 men crews with 8 or 10 trucks out all year long even during the winter months so total they probly have total of about 20+ employees. But I don't think that was the point was it?

[Steve]

When you reflect on most lawn care businesses, what is the main reason they never get that big?

Is it, they don't know how?
They don't want to?
Or they simply can't?

[FourSeasons]

I think you would have to step out of the residential market to get closer to acomplishing this.
And get into commercial maitenance.

Rob, I don't necessarily agree with you... I think you could grow your business BIG with residential clients, but I think it would take a little longer... as long as you treat your customers right and they stay with you, you can grow as big as you want... to the point that you have to hire multiple crews and such... Like I said, though, it would take longer...

If you wanted to get big FAST, then surely you could leave behind the residentil market and focus strictly on the commercial side of things.

[FourSeasons]

Patrick I don't have any commercial accounts except for a small apartment complex. Real small.
But I think that doing certain commercial is a little more carefree in the work that is done and little less nit picked by the customer.
Residential they notice every little thing most of the time. and there is nothing wrong with this but some customers are extreme about it.
I guess my point is if you could do it a little faster and less stressful wouldn't you rather go down that road.
I guess thats not really related to the topic.

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]I think that doing certain commercial is a little more carefree in the work that is done and little less nit picked by the customer.
Residential they notice every little thing most of the time. and there is nothing wrong with this but some customers are extreme about it.

You're right here... most of the time it takes a fairly big goof-up on a commercial job to be noticed, whereas some homeowners will notice if blade #4,918,397,408,763 is 1/8" longer than the rest of the lawn...

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]I guess my point is if you could do it a little faster and less stressful wouldn't you rather go down that road.

Well, that really depends on where your heart lies. I know that I would probably like to stay in both sides. I may eventually put more focus on the commercial side of it, but for now, I'm content with a couple of commercial accounts and a dozen or so residential. True enough, though, that it would be faster to go all commercial.

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]I guess thats not really related to the topic.

I don't think anybody is going to harpoon us for that. It's definitely not the first time a topic has meandered to something else... lol

[FourSeasons]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]You're right here... most of the time it takes a fairly big goof-up on a commercial job to be noticed, whereas some homeowners will notice if blade #4,918,397,408,763 is 1/8" longer than the rest of the lawn...

lol. its sad but true sometimes

[Steve]

Does Tru-Green do mainly residential or commercial?

Just a thought from someone who is not a landscaper.... When it comes to the customers that require extra time to make sure everything is just "so-so", you it be possible to charge extra for the extra time that is required? I mean, come on, if no one else is able to do the job as well they shoudl be willing to either pay up or shut up.

Another perspective is that these people may be willing to pay for a "premium package" because they take great pride in their yard. That way they have the bragging rights over their neighbors who only get the "standard package".

What you may have to do is be up front and when you have your customer sign the service agreement have the options of a "premium package" or "standard package". Obviously you would need to have actual differences in the packages. That way when you customers say "well I wanted this done" you can say, "you requested the standard package. If you want to upgrade to the premium package we would be more than happy to do this for an additional $15 (or however much you choose)".


For example, in my shop I will service your machine for X amount. It includes spark plugs, oil change, blah, blah, blah. For an additional $15 I will also do blah, blah, blah.....

Is this feasable??