There’s a right time and places for surprises. But in the commercial landscape business, the unexpected can be a big source of frustration for property managers. Surprises may come in the form of learning that landscapers have less experience than anticipated or fail to offer the level of customer service you wanted from a provider.
That’s why it’s important to get your ducks in a row ahead of time. Whether your answers are found via online research or in direct communications with a commercial landscaper, they are sure to provide a helping hand in choosing the right provider for the job.
Get Answers to These 3 Commercial Landscaper Questions
What Types of Services Do You Provide?
It’s not a question between one lawn care technique or another in commercial lawn care. Rather, it’s a combination of methods that enables these spaces to maintain their healthy glow year-round.
Instead of working with multiple service providers to get these needs met, the more ideal route is to find a commercial landscaper who offers a wide range of services. This affords a certain level of convenience when the team that handles your irrigation is also able to tackle your snow and ice removal in the winter, as one example.
The added benefit here is the ability for the commercial landscaper to grow with your needs. Instead of having to reach out to other service providers, you can simply leverage additional services that are offered by a team you already know and trust.
Do You Have Examples of Your Work to Share?
There’s a certain level of comfort in knowing your commercial landscaper has experience working with properties of your industry and scope. After all, healthcare facility managers are under different pressures than homeowner associations, and expansive commercial properties will require a larger crew and more equipment than smaller landscapes.
A commercial landscaper’s portfolio can provide valuable insight into the types of projects they’ve worked on in the past, building connections where applicable. This portfolio is also a testament to their level of experience in the field, as a company that has been in business longer is likely to have a wider range of examples to share.
On the flip side, you can also ask for references. Having conversations with current clients can help you learn more about their experience working with the commercial landscaper, from the reliability of the service to the flexibility of contracts.
What Kind of Licensure Do You Have?
Unlicensed commercial landscapers are known to offer lower rates up front. This can be attributed back to the fact that they avoid paying a licensing fee and oftentimes don’t purchase some form of liability or workers’ compensation insurance.
While the reduced price point may catch your eye, there are plenty of potential pitfalls associated with this approach. For instance, if your lawn experiences issues after maintenance services, the commercial landscaper may become unresponsive without consequence, as there is no licensing board to voice complaints to. And without insurance, property managers are left with the financial burden of any damage that occurs to the landscape or in the case that a worker is hurt on the job.
It’s for reasons like these that you’ll want to verify a commercial landscaper has the proper licensing and insurance for the work you need done. Not only will this provide peace of mind in the sense of legal protection, it also helps ensure you won’t need to have a new landscaper come in and fix previous issues.
For more than 20 years, Green Impressions has provided first class landscaping services across Cleveland and Northeast Ohio. Find out more about the customized care our landscaping company delivers to commercial properties.
