what makes a great tree company?

[treeman82]

Good evening all.

I was just wondering; what qualities (equipment / money) set aside make a truly great tree care firm?

 

[NickfromWI]

great workers.

 

[xander9727]

This is of course an opinion. I feel it takes leadership within the company that knows how to balance customer satisfaction with profit and employee morale. I think think this combined "work ethic" is what it takes to make any company great. A times it can be easy to make a profit. You can always be a pushover and make customers and employees happy. To balance the three and still have a life and your sanity is a special skill. I'm sure some will agree and probably more may not but hey, it's America and I'm not required to have a popular opinion.
My $.02

 

[treeman82]

I had said to my mother earlier, that in my opinion it takes; sound business practices, sound horticultural practices, and being on the cutting edge of new technology in the field. Please feel free to rip that apart if you want.

 

[TREETX]

I am gonna rip a little. First, you are right but that is something from/for a textbook or academia. In the real world, there are no black and white lines. It is a feeling, a balance, a harmony that at sometimes is better than others but never perfect. Happy workers, happy customers, and fat ole profit margins for happy owners.

Good business practices is very objective. Those you consider poor would probably diagree with you.

You are thinking, remember what you think now and check on those thoughts again in 5years

 

[treeman82]

TX- I agree fully with your statement "happy employees, happy customers" and a good profit. I did not mean that things would 100% of the time be done by the book. What I was leaning towards was that the company was not losing money, and and yet it was not ripping people off. It has happy employees that are working safely. Clients who are happy to do business with the company on a repeat basis, and who reffer lots of work to said company. By sound horticultural practices, I simply mean that topping is not practiced, gaffs are not used on pruning jobs, and just other basic things are followed. As far as being on the cutting edge goes, I simply meant that the company, as well as employees are not using outdated methods for carrying out day to day operations such as climbing, installing bracing, accounting, and others.

 

[Drummer]

What makes a great (tree) company

Try this link for additional insights:
http://jimcollins.com/lab/hedgehog/index.html

Roger

 

[treeman82]

Drummer, that was a very interesting read. I will have to check out some of the other things on that site.

 

[sonny]

Hosesty, & treat people the way you would want to be treated.

 

[sonny]

but if I would have to say . Ast least 50% is customer service.

 

[TheMDTreeman]

the people who are out there working for the boss man to make him happy, we make the tree company what it is, unless he works too.

 

[Don McQuilliams]

As someone that frequently hires tree companys, I tend to lean towards companies that are honest, professional, reliable and basically do what they say they will do. I understand that sometimes mistakes are made and I can handle that but a good company, tree related or not, provides good and reliable service at a good price and is knowledgeable about what they are doing.

Let your clients know what you intend to do before you do it and listen to what the client wants. If the client is wrong in thier thinking, try to educate them on why you feel they're wrong and suggest some alternatives. If they still insist that you top a tree when it's against your ethics, then refuse the job. Refusing a job based on ethics says allot to the client about your passion to do the right thing.

If we all start upholding our ethics related to proper tree care, then eventually those that don't play nice will be out on the street. Knowledge is power, use it!

 

[monkeypuzzle]

Allways do a little more than than the customer expects.Blow roof off.Pic up that fallen limb in the back yard,look around,there is something you can do while your standing around looking important that will only take a few seconds.I allways ask first.They love it,and they will tell folks about it. I have NEVER advertised in 22 years.