When I first started in this industry in 1988, I noticed the difference between myself, and the ChemLawns I was competing with… They had more sales staff, making cold calls than Technicians treating plants. Not just that, it was clear that their Techs were OK, but not great, while their sales people had it down. Why?
Training. My uncle worked for a large Lawn Company that serviced the East Coast back then, (eventually sold to ChemLawn) and he shared some of their tactics with me. Sales men/women received far more training than the Tech on the Lawn.
The sales force had a list of your possible reactions, they knew and practiced what their responses should be. They knew when to speak, and when to let silence make you uncomfortable enough to buy. Techs on the other hand went through whatever the state minimum requirement was, and out in the field they went to learn on your property. Tech turnover was higher, because it’s not fun to suck at what you do.
That’s all changed now, companies spend more time figuring out how to come up first on Google. Should we do YouTube videos? Instagram? They study efficiency, being more productive, and profitable. They spend far more time on those studies than they do on Tree research. There are quite a few companies here in Texas that only do Oak WIlt and present that as if that were a good thing. How good is a carpenter that can only frame houses? That’s not a carpenter, it’s a production guy.
Don’t get me wrong, I love the math too, but it’s the science through broad experiences that seperate the Arborists from the production guys. It’s where a good Arborist’s thoughts are. So before you choose a company that only does Oak Wilt, ask yourself if you are hiring a “well oiled machine” or someone who has actually seen a lot of different Trees, tree problems, and most importantly tree solutions.
In 35 years of caring for trees, I have learned a few things…