Things I have Learned Along the Way

Roger Cook regularly appears on "This Old House" television programs. He owns K&R Tree and Landscape Co., Burlington, Mass.

As someone just getting started in the landscaping business, what type of equipment would allow me the most flexibility and be most cost-effective?

I always recommend things that have versatility. For example, a dump truck instead of a pickup truck. Or a skid-steer loader. You don’t know what you’re going to end up doing day-to-day. But with a skid-steer loader you have the main machine, and then you can use attachments to turn it into several machines. You can also rent attachments when you need them.

How do you handle customer complaints?

I always try to put myself in their shoes. They believe something is wrong, and I respect that. I talk with them on that premise and then go at it from the standpoint of, “What can I do to change their attitude?” It’s usually something that I can take care of, but often it’s just a matter of getting everyone to calm down and talk it out. The business we’re in means that property is going to look worse before it looks better. What a customer expects it to look like—and what it may look like “right now”—are completely different. You need to get them to transition and be patient.
I’ve also had to change the way I think about things a little. I expect
almost every customer to have a complaint about one thing or another.
Then I’m not surprised when they do. But when the phone doesn’t ring,
that means people are happy—and that’s a compliment.

What do you do when several customers want their jobs completed at the same time?I

straight up tell them I cannot do it. I pick the one that can get done,
but I tell the others it cannot get done during that timeframe. It always pays to be honest. The worst pressure I get is for weddings and graduations. I know I cannot promise too many people I’ll be there because it’s impossible. When someone calls me and I’m booked up, I say, “I’d be glad to do it in a month.” If they can wait, that’s great. If they can’t, I’m always sure there will be other business.

What should I look for in an equipment dealer—beyond the equipment?

Personally, I need someone who, when I have a problem, it becomes this problem. Not someone who is going to say he can get to me in two weeks. It’s the same thing my customers expect out of me. My dealer knows that if I have a problem, he needs to help me out. And he knows I only ask when I really need it. There’s an old adage: A disaster on my part doesn’t necessarily make an emergency on my supplier’s part. But in this case, it kind of does.

In hiring a new employee, what characteristics do you consider most important?
Alot of times I’m looking for personal, not professional, traits. I want
honesty, someone who can get to work on time, and more than anything else, I want a good person. I can train anyone, as long as they have that bit of good in them. That’s much more important than any type of experience they can bring with them.

How do you motivate your employees? How do you stay motivated yourself?

It’s a combination of many things. I give them responsibility, money,
independence and trust. I make them feel like it’s their job, not mine. I also make my workers believe they have a career, not just a job. I keep them
employed year-round. This is not a part-time job, and workers cannot keep getting laid off and come back to work when they have a mortgage and a family.

It’s easy for me to stay motivated because I really love what I do. I
don’t mind getting up in the morning, and I don’t have to continually
pump myself up. I love working in the dirt whether it’s raining or shining.
If I didn’t, I’d do something else.

Should I try to manage my own books or hire someone else to do it?
As quickly as possible, get an accountant. There are so many law changes and tax regulations. You don’t want to get caught up in that, and you cannot be good enough at it to do it. We always say people should hire us because we’re experts in our field, and they aren’t. The same with accounting—we shouldn’t think we can do our own books.

What is the best way to promote my landscaping services?

Get out in the community where you want to work. Get your name out there, but not necessarily through ads. You can get involved in garden clubs. Lawn and garden centers are always looking for people to come in and answer questions. Many local associations have a referral system, and you can get phone calls out of that as well. And every job you do should have a sign on it. Your trucks with your name on them are there for eight hours, but what about the other 16 hours? It’s easier than you think to find more business right smack in a neighborhood where you’re already working.

Should I get involved in local associations?

If for nothing else, you should get involved for the networking aspect. You can learn a lot from other contractors. Older guys love to help younger guys out, and almost everyone you talk with will tell you how they do things. There are few secrets in this industry and more than enough business to go around.

What’s it like to go from employee to business owner? How did this change your lifestyle? How did it change your work ethic?

You quickly go from making no decisions to making all the decisions. You go from thinking about the business eight hours a day to 24/7. You cannot just pack up and go at the end of the day anymore; you cannot take an extra day off. It probably changed me a little bit. I believe I have the same work ethic—I just didn’t work as many hours before. But that’s part of the reason why owners get the reward of business ownership.

If you have a question for Roger Cook about the landscaping business, write
to him at: Roger Cook, WorkSaver Magazine, Box 6000, West Fargo, ND
58078-6000. Or send an email to: worksaver@bobcat.com From time to time Roger will answer questions in WorkSaver.