Harold Jenkins, FCLCJenkins Landscape Co.
Hobe Sound, Florida
I’ve heard so many fellow landscape contractors complain about the unreasonable demands that are in some General Contractors and or Architects contracts. How about “Just Say NO!” I’ve heard everything from cleaning up trash on the site for a year after completion to the guarantee of winter annuals through the summer.
Let me get this straight. You want me to install this landscape job per your specifications. But, looking over your previous jobs it seems you have accepted substandard work and material. I’m being forced to work with an irrigation sub contractor who is a “low bidder special” not under my control. You have Billy Bob’s lawn service to do the maintenance and pest control. You want me to warrantee the plant material for 2 years, re-mulch when necessary, and replace any material that may be damaged by others and clean up any trash that accumulates on this commercial parking lot job? And I must bid with little or no built-in profit while having to include all these extra demands at no extra charge. ARE YOU NUTS?
If you want to be treated like the professional you are, maybe acting like one would be a good start. Doctors or lawyers are professionals. Would you expect them to make unreasonable concessions to keep you as a client? I DON’T THINK SO. So, why do we tolerate this type of treatment?
Here’s my definition of a professional landscape contracting firm: a properly insured company with competent, uniformed and Certified employees. Clean, well maintained, modern equipment. A contractor who goes above any client’s expectation. A contractor who deals with only the best subcontractors, suppliers, general contractors, architects and clients. This contractor also has a great reputation and, as a result, is able to pick and choose every job. This contractor also expects to be paid a reasonable fee (including some profit) for the services rendered. This is attainable by anyone who wishes to be a landscape professional.
My point to all this is that we all waste so much time and effort with clients who are duds, and, as a result, make little or no profit. If we were to measure who gives us the most stress in our lives, it would be those same people. Our time can be better spent servicing clients who appreciate our work and, most of all, can afford to pay the bill at the end of the job. How about letting all the substandard, non-professional, fly-by-night guys out there take all of those difficult clients? Let them get bogged down in low-profit, frustrating work while you’re working on rewarding projects. If every Landscape Professional did so, the only landscape installers available to these bad clients would be the bottom feeding non-professionals of the world. Who knows, maybe they would have to change their ways. (It sure sounds good on paper).
As landscape professionals, we have to separate ourselves from the non-professionals with whom we think we are forced to compete. The very first step is not to swim in their pool. Act like the professionals you are. Do not sign a contract that has unfair and unreasonable demands. Insist they sign your contract or, at least, attach it as an addendum. Check out the client’s financial situation and their past records with our landscape contractor brethren. Increase your professional portfolio by getting as many professional certifications as you can. Hire only the best employees and pay them fairly. Appearance is everything: nice, clean trucks, equipment and uniformed employees will go a long way. A good appearance is one of the few true forms of advertisement that produces results.
Most of all, JUST SAY NO! It will set you free to focus on rewarding work rather than frustrating yourself with non-professionals. It feels good too. Your accountant may not agree completely, but your cardiologist and psychologist will. And, who’s more important? Lastly, enjoy your work. Don’t let anyone take that away.
4 comments:
just say 'NO' yet most say maybe, I agree w/NO policy, contractors should be certified at least educated, only equipement does not have to be the latest!OWN a 20 yr old skid-steer runs circles around my new tractor!!! Plus I can fix it, good up keep helps!! More savings, less cost to customer! Owning older equipment helps, easier repair in house, don't have 'huge monthly payments when work slows down' I SAY BE HONEST W/ YOURSELF, CUSTOMERS, EMPLOYEES & SUPPLIERS THIS IS WHAT I SEE VERY FEW DOING!IF U DON'T KNOW DON'T LIE & CHEAT to get WORK
Does Mr. Jenkins really think that all landscapers would not love to be in a position to JUST SAY NO, like he says he can (It wasn't that simple for Nancy Reagan's failed JUST SAY NO drug program either). Every landscaper is not in a position to wait for only the good jobs to come along, while they continue to generate income by multiple lawn maintenance crews and tree trimming etc... Many landscapers have not been as blessed to have a business with the multiple generations of operation, multiple divisions and in a very high end niche market. If we all had Mr. Jenkins niche market, well then... it would not be a niche market for Mr. Jenkins and Mr Jenkins might not be able to be as blessed as he is. I think one of the biggest differences is the difference between residential and commercial. And right now many of us are living off the commercial end of the market. My residential GC's most often do not have near the unreasonable contracts as the commercial. And often the commercial GC is from an out of town/state firm and does not have the ability to "know" his subs, and therefore the CYA contracts. Many of the good more local commercial GC's I have worked with in the past though, seem to have been taking lessons from their more thorough GC bretheren and each new contract seems to have something else in it for the landscaper to be responsible for... all at no additional cost of course.
And having nice clean equipment, uniformed and certified good employees, full insurance, etc..., does not mean that you can now JUST SAY NO, or alone makes you a professional. To allude that firms that have to deal with commercial GC's who are concerned about price and force you to "negotiate" the contract, doesn't mean that you are not a professional either. The best advice Mr. Jenkins gives and I agree with whole heartedly is, "enjoy your work". I think that would be easier to do, however, if our own more blessed industry bretheren had more empathy for those of us who are not as blessed with such a well established niche market, and allude that because of that we are less professional. In my humble opinion, JUST SAY NO is a "sweep it under the rug", "I don't want to talk about it because it doesn't pertain to me" approach that does not resolve the issue. It seems to me that what would help address this issue of ever more unreasonable GC contracts is to discuss the issue to get a concensus of concern. If there is one, outline the problem and create a proactive plan or solution so that we as an industry can help shape our circumstances instead of always reacting to them, or even worse just sticking our head in the sand and say, "it doesn't apply to me". Remember all boats rise and fall with the tide and the chain is only as strong as the weakest link. Let's not segregate our industry into labeling stronger and weaker links, but work together to help all of us rise with the tide.
This is great info to know.
Mr Jenkins: I think that your points are well articulated and as a allied supplier in South Florida, I can very much understand and relate to many of them first hand. It is my sincere hope that as our economy improves so do those who believe everyone should "suffer" except for them. Keep your honest reputation, superb work ethic,and when things turn around you will be even stronger and more reputable than you already are.
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