Are You Equipped for Success?

At Stuart, Fla.-based Images of Green Inc., the maintenance of landscaping equipment and tools is every bit as valued within the company as new-customer marketing or safety training. Owner Jeff Bowen realizes that keeping good equipment up and running contributes directly to his company's financial health.

"It's a regular part of our routine," says Bowen, whose landscaping company will employ roughly three-dozen workers in peak summer season. "We look at everything from the small weed-eaters and mowers to the big trucks and trailers. Before the big summer schedule kicks in, we do a comprehensive, overall machine inventory. We record how old our machines and equipment are on a log, and anything that's more than two years old has to go. We find we get at least a year of good usage out of a piece of equipment. But, after two years, we're just babysitting it."

As Bowen and other independent owners have discovered, staying on top of equipment maintenance and repair pays for itself. But, too often, a landscaper will put off equipment maintenance during peak season, figuring that this part can wait until business slows down. That kind of thinking can crush a landscaping operation just as the job orders are flowing in, with equipment breaking down at crucial times or simply not getting the job done as efficiently as needed.

"Regular maintenance is key," says Bill Harley, president and CEO of the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute. "It's difficult to do this all the time—especially at peak busy season. But that's when it's most critical. The equipment needs to keep moving. If that means oil changes or blade sharpenings or inventory of needed replacement parts—whatever it takes. If the equipment is damaged or down, you're not making money."

It Starts in the Shop
Preventative maintenance of your equipment needs to be done in a constant, proactive way. You need to stay on top of your inventory. For example, if you're in the South, you'll need more belts and spark plugs because you're likely working all year long. Wherever you are, consider equipment oversight a daily part of the routine. "A lot of companies don't have good maintenance programs, and that's where they get killed," says Ron Hall, editor-in-chief of Landscape Management magazine. "This has become a major concern of our readers. We advise them to do this every day—checking belts and blades and hydraulics and oil levels."

Equipment and tool oversight isn't just about making sure everything is in good working order. It's also about presenting a professional image. Even if the belts are working and the motor is humming, it doesn't speak well to a landscaping operation if the lawnmower is caked with moldy grass and the company truck is splashed with mud. "In this business, image is extremely important," Hall says. "You need to not only keep your equipment working, but you also need to keep it clean and painted. It's all about public perception, and the public equates cleanliness with professionalism."

As for keeping everything running? The machine's user guide should be consulted regularly. "It will tell you how often to replace parts, like air filters," says John Marchionda, director of market development for professional landscape and tree care for Husqvarna, a global manufacturer of forest, lawn and garden power equipment. "It will tell you what the proper fuel mix ratios are. It will tell you when the equipment is due for maintenance over its entire life. That's critical.

Track Maintenance Schedules Electronically
With today's technology tools, it's easy to set up a regular checklist of maintenance schedules via a computer spreadsheet program. You can input schedules from the user's guide into the spreadsheet and follow up regularly. It will help you keep track of dates purchased and hours of usage. "It's not that complicated," Hall says. "It's simply a matter of making sure it gets done, whether you do it yourself or assign reliable people in your company to do it. It's just like a taking care of a car."

As is the case with other critical areas of business, it never hurts to have a good network of peers when confronting a troublesome equipment problem. In 2005, the Associated Landscape Contractors of America and the Professional Lawn Care Association of America joined forces to form PLANET, the Professional Landcare Network. Representing more than 100,000 "green industry" professionals, members often network to come up with solutions to all kinds of equipment/machine maintenance and repair concerns.

Also, don't overlook your employees when it comes to the needed oversight of your equipment. The best companies generally do "tailgate" training once a week, Hall says. If a big job is coming up, take an individual piece of equipment and provide a hands-on demonstration about the appropriate way to handle it, and what to routinely check with respect to maintenance/repair oversight. Teach employees how to make the easier, "on-the-spot" repairs so job completions aren't delayed by sending equipment back to the shop for relatively easy fixes. "You need to do this once a week because your employee turnover is going to be so great," Hall says. "The new employees coming on board will have to know what your departing employees knew."

At Images of Green, Bowen has tapped into the oversight of equipment maintenance as a means of empowering his in-the-field supervisors. Every week, he requires that they do equipment reports and "tag" machines that aren't working at 100 percent. "That's part of my overall plan to empower them with responsibilities that we'd normally pay an account manager to do," he says. "I've been able to save a lot this way, by reducing the use of higher-priced managers."