Why Landscaping Companies Should Invest in Scheduling Software Now

Contributed by Guest Blogger: Martin McGuane, owner and operator of McGuanes Landscaping and Tree Service, Enfield CT

The Old Way

How do you keep track of all of your customers? Do you have a list for Monday mowing, Tuesday mowing, a list for first lawn feeding, a list for pre-emergent weed control to shrub beds, a mulching list and a tree spray list? This is the way I ran my business for many years. I never realized how much time I was wasting shuffling papers. So if this is your approach to running your business, it's time to leave this approach in the 90's where it belongs.

When converting from shuffling paper to scheduling software you are making your crews more efficient. The computer will systematically route the clients in order, saving you travel time and making you more efficient.

When I ran my business with a bunch of lists (wasting time), new customers often never made it onto a list. It took more time to keep the lists up-to-date. You don't have this problem when using scheduling software.

Why Make the Transition?

Another advantage to scheduling software is that you can combine services. So when you pull up to Cozy Street to mow three lawns you can also fertilize three lawns and apply pre-emergent weed control to three landscapes or to the ones that signed up for those services. You can even bill the customer right when the service is done, saving more time.

Scheduling software will ensure that treatments are applied at the correct time. This is particularly important for lawn fertilization and tree spraying services because the windows for insect and disease control are very narrow. Scheduling software in this case will actually help to improve the health of your lawns and landscapes.

Scheduling Software is a No-Brainer

The benefits of schedule software include:

• New customers retained
• Tighter routes
• All customers, new & old are, on your work order
• All services are done at correct time
• Billing done at time of application

If you aren't already doing so, make converting your client lists to scheduling software a priority.

The importance of Reducing Downtime

The benefits of reducing downtime may seem obvious, but they are worth repeating:

1. When something breaks, getting the equipment and parts you need FAST is critical in order to minimize the time you are out of service.
2. Prompt service typically exceeds customers’ expectations. After all, a backyard garden wedding isn’t going to wait for your broken equipment to get repaired!   Happy  customers = loyal customers.
3. A little vision can go a long way. While we all try our best to prepare for the unexpected, knowing exactly when a piece of equipment will ship allows for better planning and the ability to maximize productivity and scheduling.

Our friends at Sprayer Depot offer an exemplary program that aims to reduce their customers’ downtime. Their SAME DAY SHIPPING policy guarantees that all orders placed by 3:30 p.m. (EST) ship the SAME DAY.

How do they do it? By using state-of-the-art shipping technology to pick, pack and ship each sales order. In other words, by leveraging technology, they are providing unrivaled service and an ultimate shopping experience that is unique to the spray equipment industry.

Whether you’re in the landscaping and tree service industry or a company that provides parts and equipment, the goal of using technology to maximize time and effort is an important one.

About the Author:

Martin McGuane is the owner and operator of McGuanes Landscaping and Tree Service Inc,www.mcguanes.com which has been servicing Central Connecticut and Western Massachusetts since 1987. Martin is a 1981 graduate of the University of Connecticut's School of Agriculture. He is a Connecticut licensed arborist and has a Custom Ground Supervisor license in both Connecticut and Massachusetts. He also holds a CT Irrigation License.