NALP / Tech
TECHNOLOGY ON OUR SIDE By Lindsay Getz
This article was originally published in the July/August issue of The Landscape Professional magazine.
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echnology continues to change how we live — and how we do business. For the lawn and landscaping industry, keeping up with technology has been a way to better serve clients while also streamlining operations and enhancing efficiency. Along with that, the companies keeping up with the latest technology are also finding ways to make work life easier on their team members. Various tools simplify their daily tasks while also improving communication and engagement. This is important considering many younger generations who are looking for work specifically seek out companies that are techsavvy. Adopting new technology can be a way to differentiate yourself from companies that are remaining stagnant. With a number of green industry companies already utilizing technology in exciting ways, we want to showcase how they’ve adopted various tools to enhance their business.
The Robots Are Here Robotics is one way that the green industry is being revolutionized. Blanchford Landscape Group in Bozeman, Montana, has been piloting a few robotic mowers which will “live” at some of their residential clients’ homes. Company owner Andy Blanchford, LIC, says that certain clients are ideal candidates for a robotic mower service including those with difficult-to-access homes, those who value their privacy, and those who are highly eco-conscious. Instead of sending a truck and trailer out weekly, the robotic mower will come out and cut grass daily — which is also better for the grass. Blanchford says that there’s also a “cool factor” that appeals to a lot of clients. “We have a lot of clients who hire us because they know we’re keeping up with ‘what’s new,’ and they value that,” Blanchford explains. “Many of them are tech-savvy themselves and would be some of the first to test out a new gadget on the market. They like the idea of having a robotic mower handle their mowing services.” Blanchford says that they’re offering clients the opportunity to buy or lease a robotic mower from them. Those who want total access to the mower would choose to buy it. But Blanchford says the majority of clients will likely lease a mower, making it totally hassle-free. “If clients lease from us, then we’ll handle all the servicing of the mower, including cleaning and blade care,” Blanchford explains. “Most of our clients are interested in being hands-off and letting us handle all of the details.”
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Of course, robotic mowers can also work in the commercial landscaping market. Joseph Barnes, marketing director for Yellowstone Landscape, a national company headquartered in Bunnell, Florida, says that they’re in the process of testing various models. They’re currently working with several different manufacturers and are at different stages of testing each to determine how they can best serve their clients. “We’re looking at a near future where we can go from a four-man to a three-man crew with an autonomous mower handling the large open spaces at some of our commercial properties,” Barnes explains. “That frees up the crew to focus their efforts on other details of the property.” Barnes adds that it’s important to put things into perspective for clients. When robotics is brought up, it may conjure images of a “Jetsons type robotics crew handling all aspects of the landscaping,” he says. But we’re years, if not decades, away from anything like that. Instead, Barnes says that with robotic mowers handling large open spaces that were previously tying up a lot of time, the team can focus on detail work — producing even better results for the clients at a more efficient pace.
Using Technology to Streamline Operations There are also various ways that many lawn and landscaping companies are using technology to streamline business operations. This includes software, mobile apps, and even top-of-the-line office equipment. Kelly Ogden, vice president of sales and customer service for Michael Hatcher & Associates, Inc., in Olive Branch, Mississippi, says that they’ve been using SiteRecon to automate property measurements. It’s significantly streamlined that process for them. “You input the address, select the features to measure, and send it to SiteRecon and they send back a detailed report, including how much mulch to put down,” Ogden explains. “It’s eliminated several hours on properties for us. We’ll still go out to put eyes on things like slope and drainage issues but getting those measurements and recommendations have been a huge time saver.”
