Property managers and owners have many choices when it comes to finding a landscape maintenance provider. How do you find the best fit for you and your property? Here are four of the top things to look for:
1 – Quality Work With Attention to Detail
Landscape maintenance consists of many services: mowing, pruning, fertilization, mulching, and bed maintenance, to name a few. The best landcare companies pay close attention to the details of a property. In addition to providing crisp bed edging, clean beds, and vibrant annual flowers, they notice and care for the small details, even if they are unrelated to landscaping. In contrast, there are many land maintenance companies who provide their services with internal efficiencies in mind, attempting to spend as few hours as possible at each property, and delivering mediocre results. Avoid these firms by checking references and viewing existing clients’ properties.
2 – A Proactive, Communicative Account Manager
The account manager assigned to your property plays an important role in the success of your landscape maintenance program. Most account managers take orders well and respond to issues that clients bring to their attention. This reactive approach does not help make your job any easier. The best account managers anticipate the needs of their properties and provide proactive solutions before the property manager/owner knows there is a problem. This high level of communication and management allows you to focus your time in other areas.
3 – Fair & Consistent Pricing
Property managers typically prepare annual budgets for all their building needs. Consistency is important in allowing these budgets to be adhered to. Too often, landscape companies will price maintenance work low in order to win the contract. They will then price anything outside the scope of work with extremely high margins that end up exceeding the client’s budget. Consistency in pricing and service are important qualities in your landcare provider.
4 – Honesty
Does your landscape company operate with openness and transparency? Do they do what they say they will do? There are many ways your landcare partner can show honesty. They should perform the scope of work to its entirety, but also tell you when spending money is not necessary. Many companies will suggest and perform extra work at aggressive margins when the result may not be worth the investment. Understanding the client and the property manager’s landscape budget and working hard to stay within this budget results in a partnership that can last many years.