We See You
I try to be nice to other drivers, really I do.  I let them merge onto the highway in front of me when they are entering.  I signal when I’m changing lanes.  I always give them a “thank you wave” when they let me get over to the turn lane.  So it was that I was amazed and appalled recently when a van cut over in front of me without so much as a warning.  I had to slam on my brakes to avoid a collision.  “Darn fool”, I muttered under my breath (or some other appropriate phrase). Bad enough, but what was even worse was that the van was sporting the logo of a well-known, local florist shop.  POSIE’S BY PATTY it proclaimed  in full color and bold graphics.

Now what if I had been a MOB (Mother of the Bride) getting ready to choose a florist for my daughter’s wedding?  Do you think I’d be calling Patty?  Not likely.  Or, what if I was having a large party and wanted palms and stuff.  Patty?  No way.  Meanwhile, Patty is back at the shop completely unaware that instead of goodwill, her van was turning off potential customers.  The point is that once the vehicle left her  driveway, Patty had no clue.

So it is with all of our vehicles out there in consumer land.  The way our vehicles behave is a direct reflection on how we do business and this is every bit as important as the fancy graphics we are all so proud of.  And it’s not just our behavior. Appearance counts too. A dirty, rusty vehicle speaks volumes to thousands of people as we go about our daily rounds.  And let’s not stop with our vehicles.   Technicians sport our company’s name on their shirts.  One tech wearing our logo and throwing trash on the street instead of into a receptacle screams that we are not the environmentalists we profess to be.  What about milk jugs as water transport in an office?  Or a watering machine that is dinged and scratched?  Keep in mind we are under scrutiny at all times. 

Take a few minutes and review how you are doing what you are doing - the “look” of it all.  Get rid of the jugs and get a decent watering can.  Cover up the watering machine dings with a wrap around cover available from your supplier or get the tank repainted.  Have an instructional session on courteous driving.   Negative impressions have so much subliminal impact that we would be well advised to include in our manuals and training literature a few paragraphs on “Proper Behavior, Care of Vehicles, and Maintenance of Equipment, Care and Appearance”. 

Yep, we not only have to “walk the walk”, we have to “drive the drive” and “look the look”. Remember that our job is to beautify and enrich the world, not besmirch it.

 
Now go out there and get ‘em, Tiger.

 Sales Tip
Now that was a little depressing, wasn’t it?  Sorry, but if you have 5 or 6 people out there wearing your logo and driving your vans, it might be a good idea to stop and check out the appearance that is being presented to the world.  And speaking of making the world a more beautiful, restful place - (slick segue) - think TOPsiders.  Puts greenery atop cubicle and file top all to make the office environment a more productive place.  We do them in the right sizes; shapes, and finishes, ship them out promptly, and even include capmat so you can maintain at two-week intervals.  Heck, if they were any better, they’d cook dinner.

Friendly Reminder

Here’s One More Thing to Do
If you are the owner of a plantscaping business you know how hard it is to get everyone on the same page.  Oh, you have your weekly meetings and there’s the Company Manual but, still, it’s a challenge to get everyone feeling comfortable about the company status and the future.  In other words, Bucky, what have you done about employee morale lately?  Keeping employees well informed and feeling good about the company and their job is tricky.  Some companies that have 20 or more employees have an in house newsletter that is distributed once a month.  Desktop published, it introduces and welcomes new employees, lists momentous occasions such as birthdays and graduations, applauds a salesperson for meeting goals or getting a new account and so on.  The key factor here is that everyone likes to be recognized and there is nothing more pleasing to the eye and ear than the sound of one’s own name.

 Still other companies have the Annual Holiday Party.  This doesn’t have to be an expensive affair; just a way of winding down after a pressure filled few weeks of Holiday installs.  We used to have a “Trashing of the Poinsettias” hoop toss.  There were small prizes and a lot of laughs.  Held at a local bowling alley, everyone dressed casual had a great barbecue dinner and a great time.  Sometimes this was the only time some of the techs in outlying territories got to meet and greet other techs.  We also had a Summer Picnic.  This event was held at a farm owned by one of our employees.  We brought in food and games and everyone including families was invited.   One  opportunity afforded by a get together with everyone there is to acknowledge outstanding employees in front of their families.   What pride .

Still other companies have a Night at the Ballgame.  Whatever form it takes, company social events like this, when well thought out, can be very unifying and foster an atmosphere of teamwork that carries over into the workplace.  And, by the way, don’t let these wonderful moments disappear into the ether.  Appoint someone company photographer and keep a record of these events.  Someday when we are all in Green Acres (the Retirement Home for Interiorscapers), you’ll want to pull out all those memories along with pictures of your grandkids.  I mean, your company is your baby too.

The Company Retreat 
Another way we’d keep everyone in the loop was to every couple of year’s hold a Company Retreat.  A local university located in a beautiful rural setting just a few miles from our city had a lodge and rooms available for just this purpose.  Check out your nearby state parks.  They might offer similar accommodations.  We’d go on Saturday and leave on Sunday spending one night.  For this type of meeting preparation and execution is everything.  We would formulate an agenda that dealt with all the immediate concerns as well as the long-term stuff.  Attendees would include owner(s), Ops Managers, Sales, Office Manager, and so on.  And, because we didn’t want to just be going in circles for two days, we would hire a professional facilitator to lead the meeting.

What would we talk about?  Long range plans for the company, how we could grow, what procedures made sense, you name it.  Everyone had an opportunity well in advance to provide topics they wanted to cover.  Various people were asked to give status reports, you get the idea.  This was far more than recognizing employees, it said that we valued their opinion and that they were a major part of the Company.  Did it work?  The first year we were not highly successful.  My fault.  It’s hard as an owner to hear people telling you that not every idea you have is golden.  However, by the second year we were much better and by the fourth time it was terrific.  And the fallout, if you work it properly, is amazing.  Everyone feels empowered.  Their ideas and comments are being heard.  Pretty heady stuff.

 Warning
Now, a word of warning - Do not try this approach if you are unwilling to let others have a say or if you tend to shoot every idea down.  If that is your situation, go back to the ballgames and picnics.  If you do decide to try this, however, let the facilitator do his job and listen, listen, listen.  Truth is that whether picnic, retreat, or newsletter you need to thank the people you work with and do it, whenever appropriate, in front of others.

Ring Them Bells
I knew a Sales Manger at one of the larger companies who, whenever one of the sales staff reached their goal or sold an account, she would ring a huge bell.  The sound would echo throughout the office.  It got a few laughs but everyone knew that so and so had done something terrific.  It was very inspiring.

Now go out there and get ‘em, Tiger

What’s a Tri-TOP?  Well, in my never-ending quest to find a new place to put plants we introduced Tri-TOPs, the triangular planter from TOPsiders.  Got a corner in a cubicle you’d like a plant?  Sidemount a Tri-TOP.  Want an unusual shape atop a file cabinet?  Place a series of three Tri-TOPs.  Looking for a different type of wall planter?  Yep, Tri-TOPs!  And, for the ultimate in the unusual, think of all those long narrow office hallways.  No room for a floor plant?  Mount two or three Tri-TOPs above each other in the corner and create a living “fountain of greenery”.  Tri-TOPs come in all our standard colors except for black and none of the metallic finishes, they hold one six inch plant.

What You Didn’t Know Til Now
Being in a small business is definitely a challenge and Interiorscaping - the business of Interior Plantscaping – is, I think, even more challenging than most.  Why?  Well, we start out undercapitalized, work with live product and, at least in the beginning, are a real one man band, salesperson, office person, hort tech, installer and so on.  So, if you are a ‘scaper who has been around for a few years, let me congratulate you!  You have reached the plateau stage of the business. 

What Are the Plateau Stages?

•  It’s when you hire the first employee (your husband or wife doesn’t count),
•  move to your first facility (now you can take the Janet Craig’s out of the bathtub
•  hire your first salesperson (Sorry, the first three won’t work out),
• buy your first box truck (its been a dream for a long time),
• and put up your first 20-30 foot Holiday Tree (learned a lot about electrical stuff didn’t you?). 

Get Ready to RUMBLE
How?  Well, you could hire a consultant.  There are several, including myself, that offer such services to ‘scapers.  And while we are not a cheap investment, we are not permanent hires, don’t require a health plan or vacation, and often just one session can give you the map you need to get past one plateau and on to the next.  Or, you can attend industry seminars.  And don’t just think the seminars are for owners.  The biggest return may come from the sessions that train hort technicians. Take advantage of tech training programs from PIA (CIPA), OFA Short Course, Mid-Atlantic, and TPIE.  Sending your techs, even if you pay them for their time, results in better looking accounts, less pests, fewer replacements, and so on.  These dollars spent for training will reap huge rewards and not just once but over and over again.  Another advantage to seminar attendance is to hook up with a few non-competing companies preferably ones that are within a realistic driving distance from you and then network like crazy.  Wouldn’t you like to see the client contract format from other companies?  How ‘bout Company Manuals?  How ‘bout others to brainstorm with?  Groups like the Silverados and NIN do just that.  Whatever their stated goals, their real power is the sharing of vital information and experiences.  If the costs involved with these avenues are not feasible, then at least get with two or three other companies, again non-competitors, via conference call once a month and share information.  Powerful, powerful stuff!

Have I elicited your interest?  Bet I have!  Truth is that there is no place to go to learn the business of Interiorscaping.  No college or single course.  Each plantscaper is alone out there with nowhere to turn.  You need a guide, or you may spend too much or not keep enough.  So take a look at the seminars coming up. If it’s within driving distance, send techs.  If it’s for management, figure out the logistics and attend.  Hook up with a couple of ‘scapers from another city or state.  Pick one that’s larger and one that’s smaller and plan to be really close.  Don’t be afraid to show them all your numbers and practices.  Have periodic conference calls with a set agenda or meet in person at least once to set up the group and then once per year.

And, let me know what you are doing and how you progress.

Now go out there and get ‘em Tiger.

By the way, if you could choose just one type of client/job for your business what would it be?  A Shopping Mall? –(lot’s of work, replacements, and the revenue per hour is not so hot plus everyone knows where they are and they go out to bid frequently)  A Hotel? – (very prestigious but lots of attention to detail and crisis calls.)  High end residential? – (a chance to show your design skills but security and access are always a concern.)  Nope, for me the ideal job is Corporate America’s offices.  Floor after floor of 6” Pothos in TOPsiders and 10”and 14” floor plants.  Floor after floor of foliage hidden in a building that’s usually downtown or in an office park away from competitors eyes yet geographically accessible.  Yep, give me a hundred of them there office jobs and I can rule the world.  So, as you focus your selling skills, may I suggest targeting the TOPsider/floor plant office job.  The perfect,  profitable interiorscape.

The recent Glastonbury Music Fair used to have one choice, and only one choice for accomodations: camping out on the Festival grounds.  Then back in 2005, a former London attorney came up with a better idea.  She founded Camp Kerala, a "pop up hotel" that uses handmade tents from India to shelter 75 luxurious rooms ($12,000/for 3 nights including organic meals and tickets).  Each room comes with all natural bath products and wood furnishings from sustainable forests. 

When Guests walk into the rooms they know right away that it makes a minimal impact on the environment.

It’s Definitely a Trend
But how does the eco conscious traveler tell the truly eco-conscious from the merely "greenwashed"?  The Newsweek article I read goes on to say that there is no National Standard except for the those of the National organizations like the U.S. Green Building Council (usgbc.org) and Green Seal (available in nine states and at greenseal.org.  There’s the Orchard Garden Hotel in San Francisco that features a Euro-style system that allow room lights and air conditioner to be turned on on only after a guest has inserted a key card into a special holder thus ensuring that electricity automatically shuts down when the room is unoccupied.  In addition, the hotel’s furniture is made from sustainable wood, the cleaning staff uses chemical free products and the chefs cook with locally grown foodstuffs. 

There Are Other Sources for Green Hospitality
There are other web sites to  check out as well such as environmentallyfriendlyhotels.com.  The Sofitel Water Tower Chicago sofitel.com has developed its own 65 point Environmental Plan that includes the use of ozone laundry machines that reduce the use of detergent and water.

From Newsweek
Most of the above information is from a recent issue of Newsweek, not some obscure ecofriendly magazine.  This is mainstream stuff, folks.  Look for more Hotels at all price points to go Green in the future and, as interiorscapers who make our living with them as clients, we should be aware and participate in their goals.  To learn more about this trend, check out Green Plants for Green Buildings and attend Calscape this Sept.26-28 in Las Vegas.  Green is not just about Plants anymore.