When we take a look at our top commercial landscape clients, we see that there are two really simple traits that they all share.
Over the past year, we’ve posted several articles here that were written to share with clients and prospective clients of commercial landscaping companies. We’ve tried to help you find the best landscape service for your property, offering some insights into how responsible commercial landscape companies operate along the way.
Hopefully these posts have been helpful to anyone looking to hire a commercial landscape service partner, and we’ll certainly continue to post more articles like those in the future, but this post is about something a little different.
This post is about the other side of the client-service provider relationship.
When commercial landscape companies look for new clients, who do we want to work with? What characteristics are we looking for in our prospective clients and their properties?When we take a look at our top clients, we see that there are two really simple traits that they all share.
Trait #1: Complexity
Our best relationships are with clients that continually challenge us. Their landscapes require unique solutions and the type of care only the right group of Landscape Professionals can deliver. There are dozens of factors that can make a landscape project complex, but the reward is the same - overcoming the challenges and meeting our clients’ expectations.
Sometimes the complexity is the scale of a project. There are thousands of commercial landscape companies out there, but how many have the resources to handle a project like caring for an entire city’s streetscapes, parks, and athletic fields each and every week?
Sometimes the complexity is time. When a large corporate campus client told us that they could only offer a 4-6 hour window of access to the property for us to perform landscape maintenance services each week, it was a substantial challenge. Our partnership with them is successful because we found a way to deliver high quality services within the time we are given.
Maybe the most complex situation for a landscape company to enter - earning trust after another landscaper has previously let a client down. We start out having to prove that we’ll do what we say. We have to create credibility with every service visit. But, over time, when we do what we are supposed to do, these clients become some of our biggest fans and we get to experience success together.
Trait #2: Value
Commercial landscape companies want to serve clients that value their properties’ appearance. Our most successful client relationships are with people and organizations that really care about how their landscapes look. Their landscapes mean a lot to them because they see a healthy and beautiful landscape as a key to their success.
For a client to value their landscape, they don’t have to spend thousands of dollars on their commercial landscape services. And not all clients that spend thousands of dollars on their landscape services really value their landscapes. As in most investments, cost and value are two entirely separate things.
Some clients value their landscape because they see it as an extension of their brand. Others may see it as a reflection on the people who live in their community. Both believe that professionally maintained landscapes contribute to making their property and community a more vibrant and enjoyable place.
When a client values their landscape, they take extra steps to secure the best care for their property. Once they hire the company that they feel is most capable, they spend time with us walking their property, pointing out areas we’re doing well in, and offering us feedback on where we can improve. They want to hear our ideas about how we can enhance their spaces, making them even more healthy and beautiful. These clients form lasting relationships, allowing us to grow and be successful together for years to follow.
As our company grows, we’re not doing it just for the sake of growth. We know that not every client is right for every company.
The clients that we can really help will come to us with some challenges to overcome. The clients that we’ll be serving years from now will care as much about their landscapes in the future as they do today.