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February 2016

Greetings!

 

Are you making the most of the slower season?  


Many contractors use the slower months to organize, inventory and prepare for the spring rush.  If you want to gain a competitive edge, use the off-season to learn new things.   Managers can identify and plan new revenue sources. Team members can learn to complete tasks more efficiently.


Keeping up with new technology and better solutions is always a challenge. We can't keep doing things the same way.  

You owe it to yourself and your team to invest some time in training. Education for your employees has significant paybacks in increased productivity, reduced errors and overall retention.


Forget about dusty textbooks.  Today's professional education is better and more relevant.   Hands on classes, insightful videos and on-line seminars provide knowledge that is easy to absorb and understand. 

Grow your professionalism by taking advantage of all of the learning opportunities we offer.


6 Ways to Keep Landscape Customers More Loyal


You know the old maxim, "it's easier to grow existing customers than to find new ones."   But keeping customers loyal can be a challenge in a competitive market.   Here are 6 ideas to help you keep your customers more loyal:

 

1. Be reliable: Customers consistently say the best contractors are the most reliable ones.   Keep your promises. Be on time.


2. Return phone calls, emails, and texts promptly: Yes, customer calls can be painful. Promptly replying to an inquiry (within 24 hours should be the benchmark) demonstrates that you care.  


3. Think helpful.   Helping is more important than making a sale. It creates trust that gets customers to come back and to recommend you to their friends.


4. Find out their additional needs: Ask what needs the client may have and see if you can help them with these needs or if you can refer them to someone who can.    


5. Keep in touch: Don't just contact them at contract renewal time or when it's time for a seasonal service. Touch base regularly.   Send cards, thank you notes, e-newsletters, etc.  


6: Make it impossible for them to leave

: Do your job so well that it makes it seem foolish to the customer to look anywhere else.

 

 

 

Maximize Your Profits in 2016! 
Register Now for Our On-Line Training Portal

We are providing this new on-demand learning environment to help you access the latest in industry knowledge in landscape construction, irrigation installation and troubleshooting, contractor business operations and more. 

On our site you will find an unbeatable line-up of helpful courses and videos from leading manufacturers and best practices from experts.  There's content to keep you coming back again and again.   Learn more about the content on our video.

With our portal, you can access the courses and videos 7 days a week / 24 hours a day to train your employees on best management practices and product updates.   

To participate, contact Craig at MPR to register your team.   [email protected]

Courses are eligible for Irrigation Association CEU credits.  

 

 

 

 

Steer Clear of Spring Cash Flow Problems


Half of all small businesses fail within 5 years, and one of the biggest contributors to these failures is poor cash flow.

You work your butt off night and day until all the work is done.  While you wait for the next job, you may realize that you don't have enough money to pay your workers or fill up your gas tanks. Cash-flow problems happen when companies need to pay business expenses, but don't have any cash because they are waiting for customers to pay them. While you try to get loans to keep your business afloat, now is the time to make sure you don't have this problem again. Plan ahead to steer clear of the following cash-flow pitfalls.

Get money up front.  You have lots of up-front costs and can't afford to wait until after the season starts to get your first payments. Require your customers to pay their first and last month's payments upon signing the contract. Always collect fees up front and save yourself from big headaches later. Provide incentives of 2-3% off services if customers pay the entire season upfront.

Bill as you go.  This is a common small-business fail. You may really enjoy maintaining your equipment and driving your skid-steer loader, but don't like sitting at your computer trying to figure out how your business is really doing. Field-service software like Hindsite can really help you organize everything and make better sense of everything.

Be sure you're profitable on every account.  Businesses need to carefully evaluate each type of customer they serve to make sure they are making money on each account. Some properties are more profitable than others, but if you are losing money on a client, changes need to happen.

Collect.  This is the most common cash-flow problem in small business. You can prevent this easily by having your customers pay in advance. You can also encourage your customers to sign up for automatic payments by offering a small discount. Make sure you set up your contract to include penalties for late payments and details on sending unpaid balances to collections.

 

 

Free Training Video - Troubleshooting a Valve That Won't Activate 

 

What should you do when a valve won't activate from the controller?

 

Is the problem the controller, the wiring or the valve?

 

How can you diagnose the problem without digging?

 

Regency Wire answers these questions and more in their NEW free training video for irrigation professionals.    Check it out and be sure to share it with your team!

 

 

 

Landscape Lighting For ALL Seasons             


Think landscape lighting is only meant to be enjoyed in the warm-weather seasons? This is far from the truth!


Spring, summer, fall or winter - landscape lighting adds value to a home during every season.

 

The experts at Kichler advise landscape lighting contractors and designers to visualize how each season will impact the homeowner's yard to determine their fixture choices and placement accordingly. If done correctly and in agreement with customers' needs and desires, the year-round enjoyment of their outdoor environment can be greatly improved.

 

Here are tips for landscape lighting professionals:

  • Snow can impact the effectiveness of accent lighting fixtures. Place the fixtures high in trees to create a downlight or moonlighting effect, or on the trunk of the tree for uplighting.
  • In warmer times where plant material grows quickly, consider installing accent lights on stems. This way the fixtures will be off the ground and above the plant to prevent the reduction of light output.
  • In areas with heavy snowfall, use a heavy-duty bollard-style fixture and be mindful not to place fragile path lights too close to a driveway or sidewalk. They may become completely hidden or damaged due to snow accumulation and removal.
  • Consider the beam spread and amount of footcandles needed for different seasons. What might work for a tree in late fall or early winter may not work as well for that same tree in full bloom. A tree in the middle of the summer requires much more light than that same tree after its leaves have fallen.

For more information on Kichler, visit www.LandscapeLighting.com   

 

 

 

No More Muddy Paws!  Build Dog Runs with UltimateGrass

 

Constructing a dog run is a great way to keep dogs active and ensure that they get enough exercise, but finding the right materials can be tricky. Gravel and dirt are uncomfortable for dogs to run on and often make for dirty paws. Natural grass is expensive to maintain and cannot easily be kept alive in inclement weather. The ideal dog run surface is soft, durable, and offers substantial drainage. Synthetic turf is the leading green alternative to natural grass, and with its 100% permeable backing, UltimateGrass is your dog run surface solution.


In addition to being pet-friendly and low-maintenance, UltimateGrass is discoloration and stain resistant, making clean-up of dog messes quick and easy. Safe, non-toxic, and chemical-free, it is also durable enough to stand up to even the most challenging of pets.

Last year, world renowned dog whisperer Cesar Millan partnered with EasyTurf, parent company of UltimateGrass, on the 10,000 sq. ft. installation of artificial grass at his Dog Psychology Center in Santa Clarita, California. It has also been installed in countless dog parks, animal shelters, animal hospitals, pet resorts, and veterinary clinics throughout North America. The experts agree that installing UltimateGrass makes dog runs cleaner, more comfortable, and more fun!    

 

 

Make Landscape Lighting Installation Easier with the L-Tool

 

The L-tool® from King Innovation® is a new stainless steel multi-tool designed specifically with lighting contractors in mind.  Lighting installers and professionals have a number of tools required on a daily basis, and carrying all these items to each site location is cumbersome and time consuming. 

 

Cousin to the I-tool®, the L-tool focuses on the lighting industry. The L-Tool is every landscape lighting professional's best friend, used for lighting system installations, troubleshooting or repair.

 

The following eighteen (18) easily accessible, auto-locking, tools are included in the L-tool: Wire Stripper, Wire Cutter, Wire Puller, Pliers, Cross Bit Screwdriver, Small Flat Head Screwdriver, Large Flat Head Screwdriver, 5/32 Hex Key, 5/64 Hex Key, 3mm Hex Key, Scribe, Brush & Tube Brush, Level, Ruler, Saw, Lift Tool, Knife, Tape Roll Holder (on pouch). Constructed of sturdy stainless steel, each tool locks into place after each use. We crafted a lightweight, yet strong, compact tool to last. In addition, a durable nylon carrying case is included with every tool. The way the L-tool is organized provides for maximum leverage and easily releases after each use.

 

Compatibility with all major lighting brands makes the