Is this a challenging econonmy?

I certainly can't say that we have not been impacted by the down-turn in the economy. We have been both by customers who have had to suspend their service until they find employment again and by those customers who have trimmed back on the amount of service they receive as they look to tighten their personal budgets. Many would find this disheartening and would become discouraged. Maybe it's my entrepreneurial spirit that doesn't accept 'no' as an answer that keeps me pushing forward and seeing this period of time a wonderful opportunity.

There are many homeowners who want to hire a professional landscape company for a project or some assistance with their maintenance but don't know where to turn. We have heard more stories this year from homeowners about bad experiences with so called "landscapers" that turned out to be little more than a couple of guys with a lawn mower and wheelbarrow. We have heard time and again how they hired a particular person or company and had hoped for the best and ultimately were disappointed by the experience and outcome.

Some have told me this spring that they thought they could save money by hiring the one or two guy outfit, even though they knew they were taking a risk. They decided afterwards that professionalism does matter and it often saves them time, money and unnecessary frustration.

When I'm on sales calls I am always looking for ways to help the customer maximize their budget and get the best value. I will even recommend that the small guy be brought in at certain points based on the owner's needs and priorities. I learned a long time ago where we fit well into the equation and where we should defer to someone else. We are not interested in doing anything for anybody, but rather serving our customers where we know we can provide results and value.

I'm proud of our team this spring - they are working long hours to make sure that our current customers are pleased with the service they are receiving. They are also working hard to develop and build new relationships in the neighborhoods where we already work.

I am excited every time I am able to give one of our current customers a $50 service credit on their account as a result of their referral. Not only does it tell me that they are happy enough with our service that they would refer us to a friend or neighbor, but it is also good for the customer because they have saved on their landscape cost. Our referral program has introduced us to many people and I'm thankful for these new relationships.

Tough economic times many will ask? Not for us - I reply, it's an exciting and rewarding time to be in business. It's fundamentals really. Listen to your customer, offer them options, provide consultation, deliver on your promises and follow through. We're certainly not batting 100% this spring, but we're working hard to make sure that each person gets what they need.

Thank you to our customers for making this a great spring and an inspiring time to be in business.