The short answer to the question above: Yes.
Right or wrong, it’s true in many facets of life, including the tree care industry.
Yes, the quality of work done by a tree service company also matters. A lot. But homeowners and businesses will be reluctant to welcome onto their property a contractor and crew that makes them uncomfortable.
Here are four tips to help you and your company convey professionalism.
Look good
When you go to bid a job, how would you rate your appearance? No one expects a contractor to be in a suit and tie. But you should be presentable, as should your crew on a jobsite.
Think of it this way, would you hire you? Would your mother? What about your crew members — would a family be comfortable having them in their yard?
Brent Rolffs, who co-owns a tree service company and a landscaping company in Iowa, sees this as an issue that needs to be addressed for the good of the tree care profession.
“When you think of a tree company, what do you think of?” he asks. “You think of guys with messy hair driving trucks that have seen better days. Not everyone is like that. But I want the industry to rise to the next level.”
Keeping hair and facial hair well-groomed when working and wearing clothes and gear that are in good condition help make an overall good impression. And that matters.
Equipment should look good too
Equipment also makes an impression. Bud Clark has seen this. He owns a tree service that operates in upscale communities north of Chicago.
His equipment and vehicles display his company’s logo and have nice paint jobs modeled after Vermeer yellow. He said numerous customers have commented on this.
“I don’t doubt that our work speaks for itself, but also, when we show up at somebody’s yard, they’re not embarrassed there are trucks there doing work,” Clark says. “We look like a reputable company doing good work for our clients, not a fly-by-night contractor.”
Drew Soper has encountered the same thing with his tree care company in Florida.
“Customers say they can tell we’re professionals just by looking at the equipment, versus a guy in a pickup truck with a trailer and brush hanging over the back,” Soper says.
Quality of equipment matters
Equipment matters beyond its appearance. The specific pieces of equipment you have can help you land jobs with knowledgeable clients.
That’s been the experience of Brannen Yutzy, who runs a stump grinding company with his father in Florida. Most of their work comes from tree service companies. He says their 110-horsepower (82 kW) Vermeer SC1152 stump cutter makes an impression.
“The advantage to tree services for using us is that we have a stump grinder bigger than they can afford a lot of times,” Yutzy says. “Because of the size of the grinder, we’re able to get in there and get the job done quickly.”
Choose words carefully
In addition to your appearance, consider how you talk to customers. Be articulate. Avoid jargon. And be clear — make sure they know exactly what you plan to do and at what cost. A good experience may help turn them into a repeat customer and earn you referrals.
Joe Kramer takes an interesting approach with his banning of the word “bid” at his tree care company in West Chicago. Instead, his employees use “proposal.”
“When a client hears ‘bid’ the only thing they’re thinking about is a dollar sign,” he says. “A person who wants a proposal will measure the dollar sign against the value of Kramer Tree Specialists.”
That’s not to say that’s the answer for everyone. But it’s an example of a successful business — Kramer Tree Specialists is in its fifth decade and has 80 employees — being strategic in how it talks to customers.
This article contains third-party observations, advice or experiences that do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Vermeer Corporation, its affiliates or its dealers. Advice or suggestions provided in this article are statements of general applicability that may or may not apply to individual businesses, whose circumstances and operations may vary.