AED Foundation & SkillsUSA Illinois Support Skilled Trades
Jessica Schwartz
Third-Party Referral Services
From the Winter 2020 Issue These days, lawn care companies are not only competing against low ballers who undercut prices, but also third-party referral services that offer lawn care services via mobile app technology. These aren’t actually lawn care companies, but rather marketing platforms that help connect customers to a local service provider. Think of it like “Uber” or “Lyft” for lawn care. While some in the lawn care industry have found these various platforms to be helpful extra revenue drivers, others have concerns about what they mean for the market. Changing Client Needs Rob Reindl, founder and president of Oasis Turf & Tree in Loveland, OH, says that emergence of third-party companies is something that other industries have been seeing for a long time. “This isn’t a new concept and I think these emerging companies see a chance to take advantage of an opportunity to be a middleman in a situation where there may not need to be one,” Reindl says. “In the long run, I think it shortchanges the customer because they’re getting a quick fix rather than a personalized approach.” But Michael Mayberry, chief technology officer with Level Green Landscaping in Upper Marlboro, MD says there is no denying some customers want less interaction. “There are customers out there that want to move away from phone calls and meetings and presentations and more toward a streamlined onboarding process — all completed on a device,” Mayberry says. “The worry is that this commoditizes our industry — and that’s ...
Putting Pesticides In Place
It’s never too late to start thinking ahead when it comes to pest management strategies for your clients. Planning and preparing this fall and winter means you can proactively offer these services to your clients and fill your schedule with work in the spring. However, if pest management is something you haven’t included in your professional lawn care service offerings before, there are a few things you need to know and do before you can book and complete the work. Pesticide Basics All products that kill pests are pesticides, although, there are several categories under this umbrella that target certain types of pests. Two popular spring applications include insecticide and herbicide. According to Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, insecticides, used to kill insects, can be classified as residual or non-residual. This refers to how long the insecticide remains active after application. Herbicides, used to kill weeds, are commonly referred to as pre-emergent and post-emergent. The University of Illinois Extension states that pre-emergent herbicide kills weeds as they sprout from seeds, and post-emergent is used to control existing weeds. Pesticides come in many different forms, including sprays, gels, dusts, and baits, but none are a single-solution treatment. “It’s important to understand your targets,” says Bob Mann, agronomist and director of state and local government relations for the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP). “Not only do you need to know which type of pest you’re treating, the pesticide you use can vary based on season, your geographic location, and also ...
