What are we selling?  Plant care, of course.  However, it is how cleverly we perform this service that makes the difference between profit or loss, or bigger vs smaller profit.

Let’s look at Routing.  You may think that whomever is doing this is the best.  Think again.  Time and time again, I’ve found  that a second pair of eyes points out routes so much more efficient it would make Columbus weep with joy.  Plus, you may have great routing in place and then a couple of new accounts get added.  Time to review the situation.  In my experience, checking for input from techs often gives you important info.  Who knows better than the guys out there on the firing line??

Same for Maintnenance Frequency.  The most profitable companies I know have at least 40% of their accounts on every other week service.  Some companies have higher percentages.  Weekly service for all accounts are pretty much the dinosaurs of the industry.  And, even if the account is high profile like a Major Hotel or Public space, if you only water half the account each week, pull yellow etc for all, you can send fewer techs or spend less time.  Definitely a win/win.

Just make sure that your contracts do not specify weekly service but "horticultural service as needed".  For those plants that do require more often service, use Joeys and get on with your life.

Most interiorscapers know that we bill IN ADVANCE.  That means that for service for February, we send a bill on Jan.31st and so on and so on. 

That’s the primary way to help with cash flow.  Next, payment is due either net 15 or net 30, usually net 30.  It is important to track who owes you what and when.  Over 60 days?  Call.  Just say that you notice the bill is overdue and you want to make sure they received the invoice, etc.  Blame it on the mailman so it doesn’t appear you are dunning them.  After that, get more aggressive.  Once they are in serious arrears, 90-120 days, stop by and speak in person, warn them that if not paid in the next 10-15 days, service will be stopped etc.  Yes, drastic measures but you do not want to be lloking at a bill that is seriously overdue.  Major signal that you may never be paid.  And, if it all goes to heck and they have discontinued service and still owe you big time, consider having an attorney send a strong letter and if this doesn’t work, think small claims court.  Just the reality of doing business today.

Many companies bill by email.  Ask if your client will do this.  Saves lots.  And, some clients will let you automaticaly debit a company credit card.

For expensive plants and containers, consider asking for a deposit, say 50% prior to install.  This is common in the furnishing world, so why not try it?  Same for short term rentals and, even, Holiday particularly if extensive and custom work, large props etc.  Usually, the 50% equals your costs for materials.  Not a bad way to handle CASH FLOW.  No go get ‘em. 

Bottom Line?  Protect your Bottom Line!

Holiday is over for another 10 months and the good news is that you survived.  Congratulations.  Thinking back to Holidays Past, I recall several that were, shall we say, learning instances.  The truck on Thanksgiving weekend that drove the 100 miles to the large install and the large wreath was back at the warehouse.  Result?  A second trip the following day, a perturbed client, a second truck rental, and two installers time driving and installing.  OOOPS!

The next year we fixed that problem but on another installation, my key designer showed up 2 hours late keeping four other techs waiting.  4 techs X 2 hours = 8 hours paid out not originally budgeted.  I could see the $$ flying out into the snow.

The moral of stories like these?  Plan ahead.  Have lists of materials to be loaded on trucks, check the lists more than once, and allow extra time in your price quotes.  Extra or delayed trips mean dollars lost.  And not just for Holiday.  The second trip for the plant left behind, the containers that didn’t arrive in time-all cost you.  DIRTFT is important in businesses like ours.  Extra time spent in advance is going to save you on the tail end.  DIRTFT should be a motto instilled throughout your company.  Now get out there…..

Long ago I fell in love with tall office buildings.  All those floors of potential and that was what I targeted for my Sales.  My competitors didn’t seem to differentiate between small jobs vs large buidings.  They grew, I grew, but I grew FASTER!  In addition, travel times riding elevators is significantly faster than walking or driving between accounts.  Plus, offices like this usually have 8 foot ceilings.  What does that mean to us?  No plants over 7 feet.  Easier to maintain, cheaper to replace. My kind of job.

Sales takes time and effort and you want to maximize both.  Prioritize your efforts by the potential results.  Go for the floor after floor, large company.  You can always hit the smaller ones later.  And, remember, after you have been around for awhile, history shows that around 15% of your Sales in any given year come from your existing customers.  15% of larger is better than 15% of small.  Bottom line?  I’d rather have $5,000/month in one large account over 14 floors than 14 accounts I have to walk/drive for the same monthly income.  Now get out there and get em, Tiger.