COVID-19 Surprise: Booming Landscape Sales
Greetings!It's a backyard bonanza.
There are no sports to watch, no new TV shows, no friends to visit and no restaurants to enjoy. So what are consumers doing? They're spending more time enjoying and improving their houses.
So your phone is ringing like crazy!
In this super-busy environment, long days, stress and heat exhaustion can all drag on your team's motivation.
Here are some ways you can push through the hot, busy days:
Push on to capture the business while it's strong. Pace yourself. Start earlier in the day, or work later into the evening.
Keep the right perspective. Yes, it's stressful and difficult. But celebrate the fact that you are successful and that customers keep calling. Adopt an "attitude of gratitude" and thank your customers and employees.
Plot your fall strategy. Map out upcoming marketing campaigns so you can maintain your backlog into fall.
The Team at MPR Supply
Three Things Crew Leaders Do to Drive Improve Profitability
Being a great crew leader means more than just keeping the team productive. It's about delivering results for both the company and the customer. Here are three things great crew leaders do to maximize their impact:- Communicate with their team with a daily huddle. A "all hands" meeting in at the start of each day helps everyone engage on what needs to be accomplished. It also provides a chance for laborers to ask questions or request support.
- Work from a job plan that includes a labor hour budget. If the tasks required on the job are detailed and a labor budget to meet or beat is set, you'll avoid projects that come in over budget.
- Recap each job. What went well? What would you do differently next time? Not everything will proceed to plan. How can you learn from the times when it doesn't?
How Fast Do You Respond to Quote Requests?
In this market, over, 40% of work is given to the first contractor who shows up. There are several reasons for this: - Customers are impatient; anxious to get the work done.
- The first contractor demonstrates he's intrested in the work and professional enough to show up.
- Customers are less price-sensitive than we sometimes think.
- Book anappointment to meet with clients right away.
- Turn quotes around promptly, on the spot if you can. Consider automating the process with software.
- Prioritize "green light" opportunities - the most promising leads that fir your sweet spot and offer a good chance for fair margin.
- Consider charging a consultation fee for larger quotes. Serious customers are willing to pay for your time and adivce.
It's Time to Thinks Water Smart
AN inefficent irrigation system wastes water every time it operates. With your customers even more focused on their homes and landscapes, now is the right time for them to have their systems upgraded with water-saving products. Toro offers a full family of innovative irrigation solutions that are able to sustain your customer's landscapes using water. They call these products WaterSmart.The Right Amount of Water (Control)Precision Soil Sensor - The Toro Precision Soil Sensor reduces water waste by continuously measuring moisture levels in the soil, allowing you to wirelessly control water use and maximize irrigation efficiency.
SMRT Logic App-Based Control - Say goodbye to the connection and range issues that plague regular WiFi controllers. Toro's SMRTLogic connects to your clients' networks without passwords and set-up hassles. Works with popular Toro, Irritroland Unique Lighting controls.
To the Right Locations (Delivery) Precision Series Spray Nozzles (PSN)- These nozzles look, install and radius-adjust like the most popular brand of spray nozzles - but the similarities end there. Featuring patented H2O Chip Technology and no moving parts, Toro Precision Series Spray Nozzles feature 35% lower flow rates, more consistent size/speed in water droplets, improved uniformity, better edge definition, a 1" per hour matched precipitation rate across all models.
Precision Series Rotating Nozzles(PRN) - deliver wind-resistant, multi-stream, multi-trajectory patterns for more efficient coverage.Both the full circle and adjustable arc models deliver a radius range of 14 to 26 feet with exceptional uniformity and outstanding close-in watering preventing the need to extend irrigation cycles to compensate for brown spots.
Kichler Products in Centennial Brass - Luxury That Lasts!
Most of the benefits of landscape lighting are associated with nighttime - adding aesthetic appeal to the home and landscape and improving safety and security.But it's worth pointing out that Kichler Lighting products look great during the day, too. They look amazing with natural and man-made elements, such as statues or gates.
Kichler Lighting's goal is to create fixtures that are as beautiful during the day as at night - and will stay beautiful for many years. Centennial Brass is a good example. It is one of our most popular finishes - and looks rugged, stylish and luxurious at all hours of the day.
CENTENNIAL BRASS Kichler Lighting's Centennial Brass finish is created by dipping the fixture in a chemical bath, which causes a chemical reaction. It is not coated or painted. Then follows a buffing process to bring out the gold and brown highlights of the brass. The cast brass material is solid and durable, and it will maintain an attractive appearance in any climate or environment.
GRACEFUL AGING You want your fixtures to last, not break down after just a couple years. Not only are Kichler® Centennial Brass fixtures durable, but they actually get more attractive with age. Each brass product develops a patina over time, adding beauty and character to its distinctive design. How your fixture ages depend on your climate and environment - some fixtures get darker, while others develop a blue-green patina like on the Statue of Liberty. Brass resists corrosion so these lights will look great for years to come.
WIDE CHOICE The classic Centennial Brass finish is available on a broad range of fixtures, ranging from in-ground and accent lights to decorative hanging lights perfect for outdoor kitchens. A popular choice for Centennial Brass is path lighting, which is especially visible at daytime. Kichler Lighting offers dozens of distinctive path lighting designs, ensuring that you will find a great fixture for your next job. Your clients will enjoy the vintage look, and you'll love being able to trust the long-term beauty and durability of Kichler Centennial Brass products.
Explore all of Kichler's Centennial Brass Fixtures
What is Backflow? Why Are Backflow Preventers Needed?
Backflow Preventers are a common item in irrigation supply houses and are mandated by code in many areas, but have you ever wondered what backflow is, and why backflow preventers are required?What Is Backflow?
Backflow is the undesirable reversal of flow of a possible source of contamination into the potable water system. Backflow is a risk in all irrigation applications, and a solution to protect drinking water systems must be provided.
When Does Backflow Occur?
Backflow is caused by pressure changes, including conditions of gravity, vacuum, etc. The two factors that contribute to backflow are backsiphonage and backpressure.
What is a Backflow Preventer? Backflow preventers are designed to protect the public, potable water supply from the hazards of backflow (contaminants and pollutants). For more information on the importance of backflow and how to select the right backflow prevention device, visit www.zurn.com or click here
Ideal Backflow Preventers for Irrigation Systems
- Pressure Vacuum Breaker: protects against backsiphonage in low and high hazard situations
- Reduced Pressure Principle Assembly: protects against backsiphonage and backpressure conditions in low and high hazard situations
Visit the Zum Wilkins Irrigation YouTube Playlist for informational backflow device videos, including troubleshooting and maitenance tips.
Atlantic Water Feature Tip: Water Loss is Natural!
Look for WETS before you look for a leak!One of the more confusing issues that pond owners and contractors have to deal with is the issue of "normal" water loss. The natural processes of Wicking, Evaporation, Transpiration and Splash will cause water levels to drop in pond, pond-free feature or fountain no matter what you do. Learn how to distinguish these natural processes from leaks, and how to measure them.
Click here to read the full article.
Top Selling Controller in St. Louis Metro: Rain Bird ESP-ME3 The Most Advanced Residential Controller Yet!
The new ESP-ME3 builds on the station modularity and easy programming of the ESP-Me WiFi ready controller and adds flow sensor compatibility for accessible, reliable system control.Powerful Accessories Smart weather adjustments and flow monitoring available through the LNK WiFi module and a wired flow sensor. The flow sensor provides real-time alerts of system conditions, allowing you to react to system problems quickly.
Simple to Use Reduced dial positions and back-lit screen make programmings easy to understand and explain.
Flexible Installation Indoor or outdoor use and expandable up to 22 stations.
Click here to get all of the details on this great new product.