Four Factors to Consider Before Hiring A Commercial Landscape Service
Do they have the capacity to service your property?
Hunting for a company that can fulfill your needs can depend on the size of your grounds, location, and your professional use for the property.
Is the service provider outfitted with the necessary manpower and equipment to meet your expectations? Does this landscape contractor already maintain similar commercial properties? And... depending on the seasonality of your business... is this company qualified and ready to handle the needs of all four seasons?
Sometimes seeing is believing. If you're not totally convinced, request a few client phone numbers and corporate addresses from the landscape service as professional references. Take a look at these properties and then give these individuals a call. Make sure to ask these customers what about their commercial landscape service they are most happy with, and what they are most dissatisfied with.
Do they take safety seriously?
A commercial landscape service that actively keeps a safety record indicates two things: (1) whether or not they are actively dedicated to operational safety and (2) how they will conduct their services on your property.
It's wise to ask for any records on personnel or property damage that has happened in the past. Keep in mind, companies that bid for large scale jobs must keep a safety record. And let's be honest, operational transparency is synonymous with trustworthiness.
When considering safety, you should also question the commercial landscape service's procedure for hiring employees. Do they use E-Verify to ensure that workers are U.S. citizens? Are candidates required to perform pre-employment drug screening tests and background checks? Companies that actively search for people of integrity typically experience less on-the-job incidents.
How does this company audit service quality?
You have a total quality management system in place, why shouldn't your commercial landscape professional? Regular service audits are necessary to enforcing accountability and essential to providing consistent results. When interviewing a commercial landscape service, ask the following questions:
Will there be an account representative coming regularly to review the grounds? How regularly?
This is particularly crucial. A company that encourages communication and takes pride in their service will always cost less in the long-run.
What criteria does your company use to qualify a property as well-maintained? There are many different standards for measuring quality, so it is important to be clear in what your expectations are. If the expectations communicated align with what the landscape contractor provides, then there should be little margin for error.
And most importantly-- what procedures are in place to resolve problems that may arise?
Putting lipstick on a pig doesn't make it pretty. If you want to do something right the first time, you need a plan. A landscape service company without a procedure for solving problems can't ensure it won't happen again.
Does this company's values align with yours?
Besides qualifications, safety, and operational capacity there is a more fundamental question to ask. Do the values of this service provider align with your own? In may seem superfluous, but it is an important question that relates back to branding.
A local business that hires another local business unintentionally associates with their brand. No one wants their positive received business to be maintained during rush hour by "Shady Sam's Lawn Service". It sends a mixed message to your potential customers about how dedicated you are to your own values.
We hope our guide helps you separate the high-quality, reputable commercial landscape service companies from the rest. In the meantime, happy hunting!