The Business of Lawn Care: Communication

If you own a lawn care company, you know it’s about much more than yard work. In “The Business of Lawn Care” series, we’ll discuss topics related to managing and growing a company in the lawn care industry. 

If you’re a lawn care professional, you know that communication is vital to the success of your business. From managing crews to maintaining customers, communication is a powerful tool. This blog post will explore how to communicate in a way that leads to happy employees and satisfied clients.

Your crews are the face of your business, so they should be your priority when it comes to communication. As Richard Branson said, “If you take care of your employees, they will take care of the clients.” Show your employees that you value them by giving them clear expectations and feedback.

First, let your crews know what to expect from day to day. Scheduling and planning routes in advance allows employees to prepare and find effective routines. Clear expectations remain crucial once a crew arrives at a property, so make sure you have a process for sending updates between the office and the job site.

Part of setting expectations for your crews is letting them know how to communicate with homeowners or property managers on a job site. We all know how important it is for applicators to receive training for their state pesticide licenses. What if we treated customer service training the same way? Remember, your crews represent your business on the “front lines” every day.

From onboarding new customers to checking in with them periodically, consistent communication could help set you apart from your competitors. Clear expectations are just as valuable to customers as they are to employees. Let homeowners and property managers know when and how service will be completed. Throughout the season, communicate the issues they can expect in their lawn and how your program will manage any problems.

Also, keep in mind that communication is a two-way street. To the extent that you can accommodate individual preferences, it’s a good idea to find out whether your customers want to receive phone calls, emails, or text messages from you. Doing so will increase the chances of them opening and engaging with your company’s communications.

Technology is an excellent way to implement strong communication practices for your business. Today, lawn care companies can choose from several software platforms designed specifically for the industry. Make the most of these communication resources to provide a constructive work environment for your employees and a positive service experience for your customers.