NJLCA - May 2016

THE NEW JERSEY

Spring 2016

Landscape Contractor

The Official Publication of the New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association

NJLCA Celebrates 50 Years!

Rain Gardens NJ Deer and Your Landscape Properly Insuring Equipment Chainsaw Maintenance NJLCA/IANJ Golf Challenge u Setting Up a Sales Tracking Process u u u u u

Published By

contents Spring 2016

The New Jersey Landscape Contractor magazine is the official publication of the New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association, dedicated to the professional landscape industry of New Jersey. NJLCA was founded in 1966 as the Bergen County Landscape Contractors Association, and is today comprised of over 550 member companies throughout New Jersey.

New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association 465 Boulevard, Elmwood Park, NJ 07407 Phone | 201-703-3600 -- Fax | 201-703-3776 E-mail | info@njlca.org Visit our website at www.NJLCA.org Publisher/Editor Gail E. Woolcott Contributing Writers Joe Bolognese | Greg Carpenter, CLT | Kenneth Cerullo, Esq. Domenic Chiarella | Rob Guarino | David Kay |David Kuack Nelson Lee | Shay Leon | Chris Markham | John Raffiani Jody Shilan | Steve Skyer | Skip Thompson | Gail Woolcott NJLCA Combined Board Executive Director | Jody Shilan, MLA President | Nelson Lee Vice President | Richard Goldstein, CLT Treasurer | Greg Carpenter, CLT Director | Anthony Agudelo Director | Jeff Baker Director | Tom Barillo Director | Justin Flatow, CLT Director | George Futterknecht, CLT Director | Dan Kindergan Associate Director | Joe Bolognese Associate Director | David Gaynor Associate Director | Eddie Slaska Advisor | Dr. Bruce Clarke, Rutgers University Advisor | Dr. Steven Fischer, Bergen Community College Advisor | Dr. James Murphy, Rutgers University The New Jersey Landscape Contractor magazine is published triannually. 600 print copies are distributed to members and over 3,000 digital issues are sent to professionals in the Green Industry of New Jersey, as well as educational and governmental institutions. Subscription rates: $45.00 per year; $15.00 per copy. New Jersey residents only, please add 7% sales tax.

To advertise in The New Jersey Landscape Contractor, please contact Gail Woolcott at (201) 703-3600 or e-mail gwoolcott@njlca.org.

Article and photo submissions are encouraged and may be sent to NJLCA at the above address. Publisher assumes no responsibility for safekeeping or return of photos or manuscripts, and reserves all rights to edit material submitted for publication. © 2016 New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of the publisher.

Cover Photo: Horizon Landscape Inc., winner of the 2015 Award of Distinction for Residential Maintenance.

PUBLISHED May 2016

FEATURES

6

11

NJLCA Celebrates 50 Years Rain Gardens: The “Natural” Way to Remove Storm Water Pollution

14 New Jersey Deer and Your Landscaping...Perfect Together?

16

Techo-Bloc Contractor Showcase

17

How to Properly Insure Equipment

21 Certification: Beyond the Low-Hanging Fruit

22 Tips and Tricks for Promoting Your Certification

25

Three Massive Mistakes Landscape Business Owners Make

Homeowners Insurance Matters Too

28

31 “Pond”erings

33

How GPS Tracking Can Help You Save

34 How to Set Up a Sales Tracking Process

for Your Landscaping Company

IN EVERY ISSUE...

NJLCA News Briefs 4 President’s Message 5 Letter from the Editor 18 2016 NJLCA/IANJ Golf Challenge 19 Welcome New Members 19 Advertiser Index

Columns

5 Safety Break

13 Can You Dig It

15 Weather Works

21 Design/Build Sales

23 Branching Out 27 Certifiable

31 Turf Talk NJLCA.ORG

3

President’s Message

I

t is my pleasure to be able to serve the Landscape Industry Certified Technician’s Exam, as the NJLCA President for the which test the proficiency in the industry and emphasizes next 16 months. I would like to the importance of safety in all we do; as well as Social thank Tom Canete for all his hard Events that help reduce the stress of our daily routines. work and dedication to the associa- Furthermore, we keep our eye on and work with those in tion as our President for the past Trenton, Washington and even local townships to be sure two and a half years. We wish Tom that legislators are aware of landscape professionals and continued success within our indus- be a voice for our industry. Of course, there is also our try and in all his pursuits, and hope annual trade show that combines education, networking that he will continue to be a driving within a social atmosphere, giving everyone an opporforce in the association. tunity to catch up with their vendors, meet new ones For those of you and spend time with who don’t know me, new and old industry my name is Nelson Lee friends. and I am the Founder I would also like to and President of Landrecognize and thank all scapeworks, Inc., Adof our associate memvanced Mulch Services, bers for their continued Inc. and Advanced support. From landHauling. I started the scape material suppliers company in 1988. Like and insurance brokers many of you, I started to equipment dealers, out with a push mower repair shops and truck and a pick-up truck. sales, there isn’t a memWith hard work and ber who has not benlong hours we were efited from one of our able to grow to a multiassociates, in some way, million dollar company. shape or form. In turn, Mayor of Wyckoff, Kevin Rooney swore in Nelson Lee as President, Richard I am truly blessed to please support them have been given many Goldstein as Vice President and Greg Carpenter as Treasurer at the May mem- because they are here bership meeting at Stone House Nursery, with co-owner Brian Brisby. opportunities over to help us succeed. the years, and I am grateful to each and every one of The NJLCA Board is committed to giving you the you. You have taught and inspired me in so many ways education and support to help you grow professionally throughout this 28 year journey. I hope that together we in this industry. But we can’t do it alone. We need your can nurture a new generation of NJLCA members. help. This is your association. I hope you will consider One of the greatest things about our association is that participating in one of our committees, becoming a we all share a common purpose: to be educated about our volunteer in one of our community projects or just atindustry and use that information to help our companies tend more of our membership meetings. Please tell your grow and flourish, today and in the future. friends who are landscape contractors what they are In the past several years since I have been on the missing out on if they don’t belong to the NJLCA! Board of Directors, I have seen the NJLCA grow in many If you have any questions or comments that can help ways with the help of our Presidents, along with Jody our industry as a whole, please feel free to contact myself Shilan and Gail Woolcott and the entire Board of Direcor any board member. We are here for you. Thank you! tors. We all share the same vision of seeing our industry become more professional. We have helped all of our Sincerely, members and non-members with continuing education via NJLCA University, hands on and interactive workshops throughout the winter months; our monthly membership meetings with dynamic and seasoned speakers throughout the year; the Landscape Achievement Awards Nelson Lee which recognize quality workmanship by our members; NJLCA President

4 SPRING | 2016

Safety Break Spring and summer may not be the time you’re thinking about buying a snow plow, but it might be when you are looking at purchasing a new truck. If so, and you are planning on plowing with that truck, make sure you purchase one that can do the type of plowing you desire.

We are constantly getting asked “Can I put a plow on a __________?” and it is never fun to say no, especially if that client specifically bought the truck to plow.

Did you know that Western plows does not recommend installing any snow plow on their 2011 and 2012 Ford F-150’s? The F-150’s are routinely the best selling trucks on the market and it came as quite a shock for some clients that there was no plow application for those specific models. Ford made some electrical changes to those pickups that did not mesh well with the electrical needs of the plow. Installing a plow could have potentially compromised the electrical system of the truck and potentially cause safety issues for steering the vehicle.

A more common reason that a plow cannot fit on a certain vehicle, is that the front axle rating (FGAWR – usually located on the driver side door panel) is too low and therefore cannot handle the weight of a commercial plow. Most commercial plows weight 700 lbs or more and hanging that much weight on a 2016 Toyota Tacoma would simply not be safe. The last thing you want to do is spend $40,000+ on a new truck and then do damage to it by putting the wrong piece of equipment on the front end.

Western snowplows offers a great tool on their website (westernplows.com) that allows you to plug in the specifications of any truck and see what (if any) plow options are offered for that specific truck. www.westernplows. com/wp/showroom/quickmatch.php So buy those new trucks, but do a little homework first!

We don’t want you shocked this fall when you come visit us for a snow plow!

Peter Simpson is a 25 year veteran in the industry and owns Traffic Safety and Equipment as well as PlowPartsDirect.com – an online plow parts resource. He lives locally in Ramsey, NJ with his wife Merrill and three teenagers Will, Parker and Charleston.

Letter from the Editor

T

he NJLCA just held our 50th Anniversary celebration on April 28th at Season’s in Washington Township and I cannot tell you how wonderful of an event it was. If you weren’t able to make it, you definitely missed one of the most enjoyable events we have ever held (and I’m not just saying that because I worked on planning it).

We had over 180 people in attendance and the evening was filled with amazing food, brief but powerful speeches, an update on Tony Defeo’s poem “The Gavel”, a joint resolution signed by Senator Codey, Assemblyman McKeon and Assemblywoman Jasey, and lots of fun and wonderful conversation. My only regret is that I wasn’t able to spend more time with each individual that joined us.

Thank you to all who celebrated with us, as well as those who provided advertisements for the 50th Anniversary Yearbook, which was also a hit.

Attendees went home with a yearbook, as well as a commemorative champagne flute and lapel pin.

But the fun doesn’t stop there, as we are moving right on to our upcoming events, including some great membership meetings to be held at Shemin Nurseries/SiteOne, B & B Organic Recycling, Athenia Mason Supply, York Trailers and more.

We’ve also held our kick-off meeting for the 2016 Golf Challenge with the Irrigation Association of New Jersey. Everyone loved the course so much last year that we have decided to return to Jumping Brook Country Club for this year’s event on Tuesday, September 13th. Sign up early and take advantage of our new early bird rates, as well as the ability to register online this year! There are some amazing sponsorship opportunities as well, but they go fast, so let us know right away if you are interested.

But let us not rush through the summer, as we all know, it goes fast enough! In this issue, we are looking at several different topics.

We have heard of several members who have had equipment stolen from them recently, so what a better time to talk about insuring your equipment properly. In addition, we have an article about the three biggest mistakes that contractors make to hopefully help you avoid or stop making them. We also have a nice spread on Rain Gardens and integrating them into your landscape projects as well as articles on certification, ponds, GPS tracking, deer control and much more!

And of course, I do hope that you are taking your “before” pictures for the NJLCA’s annual Landscape Achievement Awards. There are so many great categories for you to enter your work into, don’t miss the opportunity to become an “award winning landscape company”.

I expect we will be having another Bowling Night this summer and possibly a New Jersey Jackals game, so stay tuned to your eblasts each Tuesday.

Wishing everyone a fantastic spring and summer. Don’t forget to attend as many NJLCA meetings as you can. They are free to members and you have to eat dinner some time, so why not learn something and spend time with your peers while you do it!

Gail E. Woolcott Editor in Chief NJLCA Director of Operations

NJLCA.ORG 5

Feature Story

O

NJLCA Celebrates it’s

n Thursday, April 28th, NJLCA past Presidents, Board, Staff, members and special guests celebrated the night away at the 50th Anniversary Dinner. Everything was superb, from the cocktail hour loaded with more hors d’oevres than you can fathom, the excellent dinner, open bar all night, photos, speeches and a joint resolution from Assemblyman John McKeon and Senator Stephen Sweeney. New and old faces filled the room with laughter, stories of the “old days” and the notso-”old days”, and lots of dancing (which Jody and I attribute to the open bar)! All who attended left with a commemorative yearbook, champagne flute and pin. Enjoy some highlights of the evening on the following pages and you can see the rest of the 500-something photos at njlca.shutterfly.com.

6 SPRING | 2016

Feature Story

50th Anniversary!

NJLCA.ORG 7

8 SPRING | 2016

NJLCA.ORG 9

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Feature Story

Rain Gardens...The “Natural” Way to Remove Storm Water Pollution

by David Kuack, HRI Freelance Author

a region receives, rain gardens are designed to intercept the water runoff generated from rainfall and remove the pollutants in that water.

“The purpose of the rain garden is to have that water filter down through the rain garden into underground water reserves in a clean state after the pollution has been removed from it,” she said.

North Carolina State University horticulture professor Helen Kraus said in order for rain gardens to be accepted by consumers in their home landscapes, the plants have to beautify and add value to the landscape.

Horticultural Research Institute is funding research to identify alternative substrate components and additional plants for use in rain gardens.

T

he U.S. Geological Survey reports that only 2.5 percent of all Earth’s water is fresh water. Furthermore, almost all fresh water is locked up in ice (68.7 percent) and in the ground (30.1 percent). Just over 1.2 percent of all fresh water is surface water.

With concerns about the availability and quality of water, more municipalities are looking to protect this limited natural resource. Government officials are increasingly passing legislation and regulations to protect fresh water sources from various pollutants.

With funding from the Horticultural Research Institute, North Carolina State University horticulture professor Helen Kraus is studying how rain gardens can be used to protect fresh water sources from storm water runoff. She said all segments of the horticulture industry, from growers to end users, face the same problems with water.

“We all have to have water to grow plants well and it has to be good quality water,” Kraus said. “Rain gardens are a device that can help to remove pollutants from storm water runoff. As rainfall runs across the hardscapes of the urban environment it picks up nutrient pollution, including nitrogen, phosphorus and metals like iron, manganese and copper. It also picks up soil sediment that carries nutrients with it. Storm water usually goes into a storm drain which carries that water directly into an open water source and pollutes that water source.”

Helen Kraus said that regardless of how much rainfall

Better rain garden substrates Kraus said when a rain garden is being constructed the existing native soil is removed creating a depression or pit in the landscape. The depression, which is typically about 4 feet deep, is filled with an engineered substrate that is designed to have quick water infiltration.

“During a rain event, large volumes, literally hundreds of thousands of gallons of water, can enter the substrate,” she said. “The substrate is designed to slow the rate of percolation or movement down through the rain garden.”

Kraus said the substrate should be biologically-rich containing a wide array of beneficial fungi, bacteria and other micro-organisms that break down the pollutants in the water. She said some rain garden substrates contain pine bark as their organic matter component.

“Pine bark does not bring a lot of this microflora to the substrate,” she said.

“The water slowly inoculates the substrate with microflora over time.”

Kraus said the nursery industry needs pine bark as a growing media component.

Her research seeks to identify a better source Researchers at North Carolina State University are studying the use of compost, including yard waste, of organic matter to as a better source of organic matter, to replace pine replace pine bark. bark in rain garden substrates.

“Compost, such as yard waste, naturally brings the microflora with it,” she said. “Microflora develop during the composting process.

Compost is a better source of organic matter for the chemical reactions that have to occur in order to break down storm water pollutants.

“Every municipality creates yard waste and many compost it. Yard waste compost could be a more effective substrate

NJLCA.ORG 11

Feature Story

As rainfall runs across the hardscapes of the urban environment it picks up nutrient pollution and soil sediment that carries nutrients with it. Storm water usually goes into a storm drain which carries that water directly into an open water source.

component and it will help to diminish the demand for pine bark that currently exists.”

Expanding rain garden plant choices For the Horticultural Research Institute-funded rain garden research project, Kraus is studying four plant species: Panicum virgatum ‘Shenadoah’, Monarda fistulosa, Itea virginica and Betula nigra ‘Dura Heat’.

“Over a combination of research projects I have looked at about 25 species,” Kraus said. “We are looking at a combination of trees, shrubs, ornamental grasses and herbaceous flowering perennials. The plants that we are studying would grow anywhere from northern Florida all the way up into upper New York and westward until the environment becomes real dry. There might be a problem with some of these plants tolerating the drought conditions

occurring in the Midwest.”

Kraus said many of the plants produced by the nursery industry are going to be found to be very effective rain garden plants. “Just as we have been able to promote plants that attract pollinators, many of those plants were already being grown by the nursery industry,” she said. “We only had to identify them as good pollinator plants. I think a similar situation exists for rain garden plants. The ones that will work well, the industry is already growing.”

Although Kraus said some nurseries may specialize in producing rain garden plants, the biggest issue is identifying the plants.

“Nurseries want to know that kind of information because they have landscapers asking them all of the time, “What is this plant and where and how can it be used?” Unfortunately, the nurseries don’t have the answers yet for those questions.

In some cases, the landscapers may be ahead of the growers because they are the ones installing the rain gardens.”

Kraus said in order for rain gardens to be accepted by consumers in their home landscape, the plants are going to have to look good.

“The plants are going to have to beautify and add value to the landscape,” she said. “The only way that can happen is if there is a diverse collection of plant material so there is interest to meet garden customers’ needs. That is what I am hoping to develop.”

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Can You Dig It Make Your Company Name Stand Out from the Crowd When Shakespeare wrote “What’s in a name?

That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet” he wasn’t thinking of the assorted monikers many of us picked to do business under. Your business name reflects on you and your services and should be both clever and easily recognized.

Many landscape maintenance companies employ two or three initials as their name basis such as “A & B Landscaping” or “A, B & C Landscape Services”. This is so common that not one truly stands apart from all the others. Others use “Green” or “Lawn” or “View” in their names-this practice can also make you just another face in the crowd. If this describes your company, the sooner you change it the better.

If choosing a name draws a blank, try searching out landscapers in other states for inspiration. There are many lists available when you Google “Best Landscape Company names” or “Best landscape business names”.

Create a list of the most appealing names and then do some market research with friends, relatives and customers after you have narrowed the list. Also think of utilizing your own name in your business name. Research has shown that consumers are more trusting and willing to do business with contractors that put their own names up front.

You can find an excellent article on this subject by Chris Heiler called “7 Guidelines for Choosing Landscape Company Names”, at http://tinyurl.com/zvhyou4.

Read his take on why “The name you choose for your landscape company is the most important marketing decision you will ever make. Period”. After searching out names online, pick those that most appeal to you and try various combinations with and without your own name strategically imbedded. Then take your best ten and run them by friends, customers and even strangers on the streetany and all input has value. It really is time to dump the initials and common words and make your company a memorable standout!

Also-don’t forget to incorporate or form an LLC to protect yourself and your assets. Since there is no time like the present just go for it.

John Raffiani has been in the industry since the late 1950’s, working at his grandfather’s shrub farm and greenhouse. In 1965, he began installing landscaping and irrigation systems.

Since then, he has installed numerous landscape, drainage, lighting and irrigation systems throughout the United States.

Feature Story Increasing the demand for rain gardens Kraus said government agencies are currently driving the demand for rain gardens.

“The demand is not necessarily generated because people want rain gardens as much as having to comply with some kind of enforcement such as a government ordinance,” she said. “What we have to work on is educating home consumers of the potential danger to water sources from home landscapes so they want to build rain gardens regardless of some government requirement. Rain gardens are most effective when everybody does a little bit of the process and there are a lot of rain gardens instead of having one rain garden in a 50-square-mile radius.”

Kraus said more consumer education about rain gardens needs to be occurring at the retail level.

“Consumers need to know that by putting in a rain garden, they can have a drought-tolerant garden and they can remove water pollution from the environment,” she said.

Kraus said there is a fair amount of training going on around the country in regards to the installation of rain gardens. She said the extension service is a very good resource for rain garden information. Another informational source is a state’s water quality division.

“You can’t build a rain garden like you build a normal garden. It’s a different concept,” she said. “You have to learn about rain garden components to really make them work.”

For more: Helen Kraus, North Carolina State University, Department of Horticultural Science; helen_kraus@ncsu.edu. Horticultural Research Institute, (202) 789-2900; www. hriresearch.org. © Horticultural Research Institute, www.hriresearch.org

Feature Story

New Jersey, Deer and your Landscaping…

Perfect Together?

by Chris Markham, NJ Deer Control

“Y

ou have deer in New Jersey?”... How many times have you been in that conversation outside of our state?

Of course the answer is yes, in fact there are so many deer that they actually pose a problem in more places than not!

So, not only are we the most densely populated state in the US, but we have one of the most dense deer populations as well! The variables to this equation are adding up to trouble for many residents of our beautiful garden state!

Ironically, just over a hundred years ago there were hardly any white-tailed deer in the state. Hunting and lack of proper habitat had severely limited their numbers, but now that is not the case. There are two major changes to the deer’s environment that have caused this dramatic population change. First, deer are an “edge species”, which means they thrive in habitat that has wooded borders next to fields or open spaces.

New Jersey used to be made up of larger, homogenous tracts of land that were rapidly subdivided over and over again, which, in turn, created the plethora of “edge” habitat we have today. Second, our state’s largest herbivore has thrived from the lack of any natural predators, which were quickly extirpated as our human population grew (Now, if we could only re-introduce wolves and mountain lions...). So now you can see we have ourselves to blame for creating the perfect scenario for deer to flourish!

For those of us that love gardening and maintaining a beautiful landscape, deer are an issue on many levels. Not only are they a very mobile animal, but they can jump eight foot fences! In addition, their physiology allows them to digest different food materials at different times of the year.

This is a natural survival adaptation, and the reason why they leave your yews and arborvitae alone in the summer, yet thrive on these evergreens in the winter. The enzymes in their stomachs change to allow digestion and retrieval of nutrients from these harder materials; a useful adaptation during harsh winters when food is often scarce.

Deer have wreaked havoc on our natural, agricultural and landscaped worlds. Farmers are constantly battling deer to save their crops, and extensive overgrazing of our forests’ undergrowth often threatens the integrity and existence of our native flora and fauna.

14 SPRING | 2016

I would bet that everybody reading this article has seen the effects of deer in our natural and landscaped surroundings. Have you ever seen a row of arborvitae that looked like popsicles on a stick? Or maybe you’ve gone to bed one night after seeing a beautiful bed of tulips and woken up to a depressing bed of flowerless stems? At the very least you have been witness to a once lush hosta, eaten nearly to the ground, doomed to live the rest of the season looking like a patch of celery stalks. Now before you get angry, remember, we all helped create this problem.

These cute creatures are just trying to survive, like all wild

animals, in a world that is constantly shrinking in on them.

Why combat the deer at all? For many homeowners the answer is obvious. Residents often invest large amounts of money to enhance their property with striking landscapes.

Unfortunately, a small number of deer can cause thousands of dollars worth of damage in just one night. With the price of plants, shrubs, and trees always on the rise, protecting your investment is, in essence, like having an insurance policy on your landscaping. Furthermore, it will help provide the homeowner with some peace of mind by eliminating the mental anguish of looking at a damaged landscape on a daily basis.

So what’s the solution? Well, there are many options, often with varying degrees of success. Some of the classic “home remedies” include human hair, soap, eggs, hot peppers, garlic and more. Another is a planting strategy where deer-resistant plants (a list growing shorter every

Weather Works Spring, Summer and Fall 2016 Weather Outlook We are in a transition period the next six months from the strongest El Nino on record to what looks to be a moderate type La Nina this coming winter. When a pattern is in transition you can get extreme weather at times but overall it’s a typically brings weather closer to normal with just a handful of extreme weather events. The extreme weather could be tropical in September and wet late Spring.

The Rest of Spring We’ll continue with a wetter pattern at times for the rest of May before a drier, hotter period sets up for mid June. June brings above average temperatures but near normal rainfall especially those grass growing afternoon showers and storms. El Nino is fully gone by the middle part of June.

Summer The summer is hot at times with most of the 90 plus degree days in July not August. August will feature more in the way of showers and storms with an eye to the tropics toward the Labor Day weekend. This will be an active hurricane season and New Jersey has an above average risk of a tropical storm, maybe even a low-grade category one hurricane. This will push rainfall above normal late August to mid September.

Fall The fall season comes in rather wet for September standards and it’s connected to the tropics for a very wet month at times. We start to see signs of La Nina in October and that will shut off the tropical moisture and make for a very green October with temperatures above average. November is right on track with temperatures and rainfall but we’ll drop to a colder trend toward Thanksgiving with a major influence of La Nina by the start of December. We will not start the winter off warm like last December, it will truly feel like December for a change and that is great news for getting the plows and salting equipment ready. The sneak peek for winter is average snowfall and temps but more snow and ice events with most of it coming in January.

Rob Guarino is President of The Weather Pros, a weather consulting firm, and 3 other weather related websites. He was chief Meteorologist at Fox in Philadelphia for over 10 years serving NJ and PA. He has won 12 regional and national awards for accuracy and forecasting and is a member of the NJLCA.

Feature Story year) are planted on the perimeter with more desirable plants on the interior. Deer netting is another option; but often the result is unsightly, and I have personally witnessed deer pushing through or breaking into the netting. They can be pretty determined and crafty animals!

Want a fool-proof plan? A permanent 9-foot fence surrounding your property, with small vertical grates, is sure to do the trick. The downside is fences are very expensive and restricted by ordinances in many townships. Another option is the many sprays and granulars available at nurseries, gardening supply stores and even Home Depot.

Their downsides often include foul smell, ineffectiveness, lack of weather resistance and the limited ability of the homeowner to stay on top of the scheduled applications.

What are SOME favorite plants and shrubs of deer in New Jersey?

Shrubs: Arborvitae, Azalea, Burning Bush, Holly, Hydrangea, Lilac, Mountain Laurel, Red Twigged Dogwood, Rhododendron, Rose of Sharon, Viburnum, and Yew. Flowers: Aster, Astilbe, Bee Balm, Cardinal Flower, Coneflower, Daylily, Gayfeather, Geranium, Hosta, Impatiens, Sedum, Sunflowers, and Tulips.

Last but not least, there are a number of companies that provide deer repellent spraying services, but very few that only specialize in deer repellent. Deer repellents are sprays that protect plant material from being browsed by covering their foliage with a smell suggestive of either animal elements or a spicy taste. Repellents are an effective way of controlling deer damage, however, it is important to understand how they work and when to use them. Repellents either taste bad or smell bad.

The most effective do both. With just bad taste, the deer have sample the plant to know that it is there. If a product only has a repellent smell component, the deer may feed anyway if they are hungry enough.

I recommend that all trees, shrubs and flowers be sprayed monthly as most deer repellents are all natural and do break down after time and start to lose their effectiveness. During the spring and early summer months, I actually suggest spraying on a more aggressive three week schedule. This will help protect the new growth on fast growing plants such as tulips, pansies and geraniums.

Regardless of who you hire to spray your property, or if you choose to do it yourself, it’s very important that it be keep a strict spraying schedule.

Chris Markham is a wildlife biologist and has been in the deer repellent business for over 14 years. He is co-owner of New Jersey Deer Control, a company that uses a natural repellent that he invented and patented. Chris can be reached at (732) 995-7264 For information visit www.njdeercontrol.com.

NJLCA.ORG 15

News Brief

Techo-Bloc Contractor Showcase

T

echo-Bloc has completed its 2016 Contractor Showcase Tour and is already gearing up for 2017. This year they had 55 events throughout the United States and Canada, educating over 12,000 contractors on everything from pricing to marketing to proper construction techniques and so much more.

As a leading manufacturer and supplier of concrete pavers, Techo-Bloc not only invests time, money and resources into creating beautiful pavers, they also invest in you, the contractor. They understand that contractors need both technical skills to install paver patios, walkways, driveways and retaining walls, but also business skills to compete in the marketplace. That’s what the Techo-Bloc Contractor Showcase is all about.

Early on, Techo-Bloc realized that most contractors learned their craft via on-the-job training and through the “School of Hard Knocks”. Although they were able to learn some of the technical skills re-

16 SPRING | 2016

quired to install hardscape projects, far too many of them struggled with the business side of the industry. This included estimating the labor, materials and overhead to ensure that they properly priced their installations to make “Paver” Pete Baloglou with NJLCA Dir. a fair profit, as well as how of Ops. Gail Woolcott at the Techo-Bloc to market their services Contractor Showcase to homeowners and commercial property owners.

If you’ve never attended this event before, and even if you have, you owe it to yourself, your business and your employees to register and attend Techo-Bloc’s 2017 Contractor Showcase. Not only will you get the education that you and your employees need to compete, but you’ll also pick up some serious “swag”.

Tell them that Paver Pete Baloglou sent you. And don’t forget to visit the NJLCA table to say “hi” to us!

Feature Story

Tips on how to properly insure your equipment

by Shay Leon, AAI, CIC

T

he time to find out if you have properly insured your equipment isn’t after the claim occurs, it’s before the claim. Knowing if you have the proper limits and coverage can make the claim process go much smoother, eliminate stress and most of all keep your business running with little down time minimizing your out of pocket loss. Here are few basic tips to follow.

can sell it for. It’s what an equipment dealer places the value at.

• For items 5 years old and newer, you may have the option to insure for the ACV or Replacement cost (RC). If you choose RC, this valuation is much easier, since you only need to look up the cost to purchase the item new.

Keep in mind, you will never get more than the value

• Take a complete inventory of all your smaller equipment items such as back blowers, trimmers, weed wackers, hand tools, etc. These should be items that are lower in value, typically around $2,000. Total the value of all the items you own. This will establish the coverage you will need for your unscheduled equipment.

For example, if you have 30 items valued under $2,000 and the total value is $30,000, then your unscheduled miscellaneous equipment coverage should be a $30,000 limit, with a $2,000 per item maximum.

• Next, take a complete inventory of all your larger equipment, items valued over $2,000. This would include lawn mowers, skid steers, backhoes, snowplows, salters, etc. List these items in full detail including year, make, model, serial#, accessories, etc. You should also note items that have been updated, rebuilt or have unusually low usage.

• Next, determine which items are older than 5 years and are still worth insuring. Determine the actual cash value (ACV) to set as the insurance limit for each item.

The formula is replacement cost minus depreciation.

This can be a little tricky, since there is no “blue book” on equipment like there is for automobiles. Looking up similar items for sale might give you a starting point, but that is not a true valuation. At claim time, insurance companies will go to a dealership that handles that brand and ask for their valuation. Remember, it’s not what the item is worth to you or what you think you

you set and you only get the difference between the ACV and RC if you actually replace the item with like kind.

Once you have your list completed, discuss it with your insurance professional. Not all insurance companies offer the same options. Some companies offer package coverage for unscheduled miscellaneous equipment, eliminating all but the very larger scheduled items. Some companies don’t offer RC coverage at all. You should have your coverage customized to meet your specific needs, depending on what is available through your insurance carrier.

In most cases, it should be a combination of miscellaneous equipment coverage, with a specific list of scheduled items. After you do the process the first time, you should find it much easier to make updates, assuring you have the proper coverage.

Shay is currently Account Executive in the commercial lines division of AJ Gallagher and Co. He has been a licensed insurance professional since 1984 and has earned his designations as a Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) and Accredited Advisor in Insurance (AAI).

NJLCA.ORG 17

A warm welcome to our newest and returning members...

7 of 7 Best Business and Life Budget Property Maint.

Strategies LLC Bill Galuchie Domenic Chiarella E. Brunswick, NJ Southbury, CT CLC Landscape Design AK Promotions & Event Planning Richard Cording Alan Rabigi/Karen Clynes Ringwood, NJ Lodi, NJ Clear Image Equipment Alpine Lawn Tree & Shrub Care Nelson Espinosa Mike Wright Fairlawn, NJ Elmwood Park, NJ D & G Landscaping, Inc. Arbor Ace Tree Service John Demiglio Michael Zelenka Ridgefield, NJ Clifton, NJ DeMartinis Landscaping Belair Lawn Care Giuseppe DeMartinis Ruth Barnes E. Hanover, NJ Wayne, NJ Dow Agro Science Bergen Brick Stone & Tile Tara Beauregard Todd Zecher Harrisburg, PA Wyckoff, NJ Expanded Horizon BlueLine Rental Landscaping Tom Devita Michael Soltis Edison, NJ Franklin Lakes, NJ Bolesta Landscaping Stephen Bolesta Edison, NJ

News Brief

GardenMark, LLC Ami Rosenburg Hoboken, NJ

New York Life Rachel Vergari Edison, NJ

Hewitt Landscaping Inc. Paul Hewitt Norwood, NJ

Picture Perfect Landscapes Craig Slaaen Fairfield, NJ

Integrated Landscape Mgmt. Quality Garden Design Bill Toeplitz Adam Strohl Pluckemin, NJ Butler, NJ Kevin’s Landscaping & Property Management Kevin J. Ebner, Jr. Hackettstown, NJ Lawngevity Landscaping Thomas J. Brown Toms River, NJ Lighthouse Landscape Renee’ Holzwarth Barnegat Light, NJ Lumastrobe Warning Lights Richard Ranaudo Midland Park, NJ

Federico Landscape Design MTS Landscaping & Design Gary Federico Michael Swaboda Colts Neck, NJ Fairlawn, NJ

Riverdale Power Mower Matthew Lozosky Riverdale, NJ Shuback Farms Inc. Thomas ShuBack Goshen, NY Steve Botto, Inc. Steve Botto Congers, NY Synthetic Lawns & Golf Paula Korinko Montville, NJ Tony Sanchez, LTD Andrew Sanchez Ledgewood, NJ

NJLCA Scholarships Available!

The scholarship program is funded by the NJLCA, along with a portion of the proceeds of the NJLCA/IANJ Annual Golf Challenge, Trade Show Silent Auction and other events throughout the year. The scholarship fund was established by the NJLCA to: 1) aid outstanding students who would not otherwise have an opportunity to continue a professional degree program due to unmet financial need; 2) increase the interest and participation of economically disadvantaged and under-represented populations in the study of landscape programs; and 3) enrich the profession of landscape through a more diverse population.

Deadline: June 30, 2016 For an application or more information call NJLCA at 201-703-3600 or email info@njlca.org.

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NJLCA.ORG 19

Design/Build Certification: Beyond the LowSales Hanging Fruit

Feature Story

Azalea ‘Whateverii’

When creating a landscape plan and proposal, my philosophy has always been to minimize the amount of detail that you provide.

In my experience, when it comes to creating a landscape plan or proposal, less is truly more. For example, I label everything on my plans generically. What I mean to say is that instead of calling out a plant mass on my plan as (7) Spirea japonica ‘Little Princess’ – Little Princess Spirea, 3 Gal., I label the grouping, Spirea.

I do this for several reasons. The first reason is that it takes less time to create generic labels, making the plan less time consuming to create. The second reason is that the more detail there is on the plan, the more literal the contractor has to be, buying exactly what is listed on the plan. This doesn’t sound like a problem until he goes to the nursery and finds out that they are out of Spirea L.P or the ones they do have are beat up. Now he has to either wait for new ones to come in or go to another nursery. Both solutions waste time and money. However, if the plan just says, “Spirea” the contractor has the opportunity to pick from whichever Spirea’s are in stock and/or look the best.

The third reason to use generic labels is because it allows you to work within your client’s budget. If 7-8’ arborvitaes are too expensive, you can easily change them to 5-6’ on the proposal and keep the plan and plant list intact.

The last reason is for legal purposes. If both your contract and your proposal are extremely detailed, then you must always keep them in sync. This means that every time you update one, you always have to update the other. Because if you don’t, you may be exposing yourself to a future lawsuit.

Jody Shilan, MLA is an award-winning landscape designer and former landscape design/ build contractor. He is the Executive Director of NJLCA, the editor of FromDesign2Build.com and host of Landscape Live! He can be reached at 201-783-2844 or jshilan@gmail.com.

R

oscoe Klausing became a Landscape Industry Certified Manager in 2000, when he was 24 years old. Since then, the owner of the Klausing Group in Lexington, Kentucky, has seen 20 of his employees become Landscape Industry Certified Technicians.

“I believe in following best practices, and that requires adhering to standards and following protocol,” said Klausing. “Studying for the exam is a great training tool and employees who pass it exhibit their understanding of industry standards.

Klausing believes certification is more valuable as a training tool than a marketing tool. He calls the latter “low-hanging fruit,” and the main reason most companies embrace certification.

“Don’t get me wrong, I market the fact that I have Landscape Industry Certified employees on staff,” he emphasized. “But marketing isn’t the certification driver for me; it’s what training for the exam does for my employees and ultimately my company.”

He points back to when he first became certified. “I started my company when I was 14 years old. I never went to college and received a formal education like many of my friends who became doctors, lawyers, and so forth. Preparing for the certification exam was a way for me to educate myself, and it paid off.” Having Landscape Roscoe Klausing (center) with his newest LandIndustry Certified employees on scape Industry Certified employees. Left to right: staff brings immediate benefits, Dwight Hammons, Kyle Frueh, Russell Riddell, too. Klausing gives this example. and Dallis Crowe. Not pictured is Luke Tedder.

“Because we have a strong safety culture here, I live my life differently. I’m a safer driver than I used to be, and more aware of my surroundings at work and at home. When you believe in something you adhere to it.”

He continued, “Employees who pass the certification test demonstrate a commitment to our industry and that commitment translates to their performance on the job.”

Klausing’s company provides transportation to and from neighboring Ohio so employees can take the exam and reimburses them for the exam cost once they pass. A compensation bump accompanies certification, and all account managers are required to be Landscape Industry Certified.

The owner recently sent eight employees to Ohio to take the test and five passed it. The other three will be taking the trip again this fall.

“There’s definitely value in marketing certification,” Klausing reemphasized. “But for us, more than anything else, certification has become part of our culture and an important tool in our training toolbox.”

Reprinted with permission of the National Association of Landscape Professionals from The Landscape Professional, November/December 2015 issue.

NJLCA.ORG 21

Feature Story

Tips and Tricks for Promoting Your Certification

by Skip Thompson

professional to customers and peers.

• Mention your credentials in your social media profiles and in interviews with media.

• Use the press release template in your toolkit to announce your certification achievement and maintenance status when you recertify, and submit to associations, alumni news and local newspapers, as well as industry trade press.

• Encourage your company to highlight its certified team in marketing materials and on the website.

There is even a logo in your toolkit “Landscape Industry Certified Professionals on Staff.”

I

f you hold a Landscape Industry Certified designation, you should promote it! And if you don’t, what are you waiting for?! Join NJLCA on October 8th to get your certification!

As the new chair of the NALP International Certification Council, I am particularly pleased to volunteer my time to such a rewarding program and recognize my fellow certified professionals. I don’t hesitate to let others know that I’m certified and proud. What about you? As active certified professionals, we are listed on the Honor Wall for all to see, and member companies with certified staff can be found here.

I hope you know the value of sharing your credentials with others. However, in my years of involvement with certification, I’ve noticed that many of us shy away from stating we’re certified, or simply forget to communicate our prowess as a certified landscape professional. You’ve proven that you have what it takes to be nationally certified in the landscape industry. Now, flaunt it!

Here are some quick ways to let others know the value of your certification: • Add text about your certification status to your project bids to help demonstrate competence, gain the competitive edge and instill confidence.Your certification toolkit has sample bid language to follow.

• Wear your certification pin, especially at professional events, conferences, and community meetings. Put the Landscape Industry Certified logo on clothing.

NALP also offers Landscape Industry Certified uniform patches and window clings.

• Hang your certificate in a visible office setting. Perhaps your company can establish a team certification wall of fame.

• List your credentials and logos on all communications from business cards to email signatures.

• Introduce yourself as a Landscape Industry Certified

22 SPRING | 2016

Have you ever been asked what certification means by a customer or colleague? There is an electronic consumer brochure “Do you know who’s working for you – Why hire a Landscape Industry Certified professional?” in your toolkit to hand customers, and give out during exhibits at home and garden shows. Certainly, make sure you’re familiar with the talking points listed in your toolkit so you can chat about the importance of certification anywhere, anytime. I think these points should be committed to memory and kept at the ready. They are worth repeating here.

Tell Your Customers – Being Landscape Industry Certified demonstrates that I am …

COMPETENT – I have passed an exam demonstrating a mastery of skills and relevant knowledge to perform my job effectively. I send the message that I have been evaluated against standards of practice that other subject matter experts and practitioners believe is necessary for competent practice in my profession.

COMPETITIVE – By earning and maintaining my desig-

Branching Out

News Brief

Make an Arborist an Important Member of Your Landscape Team An International Society of Arboriculture (ISA), American Society of Consulting Arborists (ASCA), and/or a New Jersey Certified Tree Expert (CTE) are trained professionals who specialize in the care of trees and shrubs and are knowledgeable about the needs of trees and plants. Arborists are trained to use the latest pruning techniques, state-of-the-art equipment, and are up-to-date on plant health care treatment protocols, which enhance the beauty of your properties.

Certified arborists comply with industry standards in tree pruning that have been developed to prevent harm to trees. Understanding quality pruning and providing pruning in this manner will improve the health and natural form of trees and shrubs. Proper tree and shrub pruning is an investment that can lead to substantial returns for your customer’s property.

Arborists can identify hazardous trees and provide a plan to reduce risk to your customers. A proper “Tree Risk Assessment Plan” considers size, age, health, structure, and location of trees. The plan considers dead/diseased or insect-infested limbs, as well as, hanging limbs that resulted from storms and falling deadwood. A tree’s canopy and its resistance to wind must be considered as a risk. The presence of any structural defects, such as co-dominant leaders with included bark, may require the need for support systems like cabling or bracing. Hollows in tree trunk or major leaders should be tested. Tall trees in open areas or close to houses may require lightning protection systems to prevent flash damage.

In addition, arborists are trained in modern tree and shrub planting methods. They can make recommendations for appropriate species that are ideal for particular site conditions. A poor selection of trees and plants will lead to future problems. Poor planting and selection of trees makes for unhappy customers.

Lastly and perhaps most importantly, the arborist you choose needs to be a vested partner in your properties. He or she must be passionate about providing quality tree and shrub care to your customers’ properties and should not be there for a “quick sale.” An ongoing dialog regarding your properties is a must.

Knowledge, expertise, and experience are the most important keys to great-looking properties. A certified arborist can provide all three.

Steve Skyer is an ISA Certified Arborist and works for Ken’s Tree Care. He can be reached at Steve@kenstreecare.com or called at 201-768-0694.

nation, I show that I understand how to stay ahead in my career, and how to take responsibility for my own professional development.

COMMITTED – I invested time and preparation to earn my credential, and I maintain my active status through continuing education that qualifies for biannual recertification. Staying current with industry changes is important, especially in this dynamic field.

Tell Your Colleagues – Being Landscape Industry Certified demonstrates that I am …

PROFESSIONAL – I have taken my experiences, skills, and desire for excellence to the next level by studying, testing, and becoming certified. I represent an elite group, demonstrating a commitment to technical expertise and industry knowledge to better serve you and your needs.

PROFICIENT – I have been evaluated against a set of skills and knowledge that demonstrates competent practice in my profession and I maintain my certification through continuing education. My up-to-date, ongoing education on current trends and techniques enhances my ability to improve your property.

PREFERRED – Hiring a Landscape Industry Certified professional gives you peace of mind in knowing that you are choosing someone with a distinguished level of professionalism and technical knowledge to care for your exterior or interior landscape. I take my profession seriously and that is reflected in the quality of my work.

Skip Thompson is Landscape Industry Certified in the lawn care manager and horticultural technician designations. As the chair of the NALP International Certification Council, Thompson previously served on the Council as subcommittee chair and chair-elect. Thompson lives in Columbus, Ga., and works as the director of operations & development for Tidewater Landscape Management, Inc.

NJLCA.ORG 23

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Feature Story

The Three Massive Mistakes Landscape Business Owners Make (That Frustrate them While Growing their Business and Making More Profits)

by Domenic A Chiarella, Coach, Lawn Millionaire

I

help business owners build their landscape companies. I love what I do. I also love that you know how to do your craft and I have to say, you create such beauty for your clients and society.

But what about this little thing called: the business part of your company?

How do you avoid these three mistakes that most of landscapers make that keep you frustrated while growing your business? How do you stay creative but grow and make more profits?

The Third Biggest Mistake Landscape Contractors Make that keeps them frustrated while growing their company and making more profits: “Business owners do not develop their employees” You hear ALL THE TIME: “I can’t find good employees and then IF I find them I can’t keep them for long”. How you hire and how you retain employees are two of the biggest topic we discuss as owners. You are always looking for ways to grow and to get more profits. But without great employees, it doesn’t happen.

How much is it costing us to hire, to train (if we do train), fire, and then start this process over and over and over, again?

TOO MUCH TIME AND TOO MUCH MONEY! So, what is the answer to fixing the 3rd biggest mistakes: how do you develop to retain your best team? It starts in the hiring phase and ends with an employee development plan.

Use a hiring system that will test the values and the culture of the potential employee. And then, orientate the new hire with a mentoring program for the systems and templates that the employees will use.

1. Hire to Values and Culture of Company.

2. Hire to Skills.

3. Use an Orientation Process for the first three months.

4. Lastly, if the employee is a great fit: develop a career development plan.

Better-developed employees have a better chance of suc-

ceeding in your organization. They are also more satisfied with their employment.

The Second Biggest Mistake Landscaper Contractors Make that keeps them frustrated while growing their company and making more profits: “Business owners don’t lead with clear vision and values.”

It is the easiest part to avoid in a company but it is what separated the good with the great companies.

It is the first step for your business (and this is important) to make your vision and your dreams become reality. It is the starting point for your decision-making, working, and what systems your organization develops.

A Strategic Objective is the clear written statement of what your organization will look like and act like in the FUTURE. It is a written document for the owners to lead with and for the employees to work towards.

Simply put, this one page document will help everyone live, breath, and act in the company with: 1. Who you and your clients are?

2. What services you provide?

3. When will you be your future company?

4. Where do you service and where are your clients located?

5. And the most important: Why you are? YOUR VALUES!

NJLCA.ORG 25

Certifiable Blowing Away the Bans

First, on this Memorial Day weekend, I would like to give a huge “THANK YOU” to the men and women who have, are and will serve this great country in defending our freedom. (Thanks, Dad!) With so many towns jumping on this rickety “Ban” wagon of trying to prohibit the use of commercial blowers by landscape contractors during the summer months, it goes without saying that proper use of these types of equipment can drastically reduce the public’s negative perception of them. Using a blower to clear and clean off cutting debris from sidewalks, driveways, patios, furniture and etc. is both fast and effective. But many have argued that they have witnessed professionals using them improperly. So, lets go over some of the basics that everyone should consider when using a blower.

Equipment Check – Is the machine ready to be used and safely? Did you check the air filter, fuel, oil, etc.

Area Check – Is the area cleared of hazards or debris? Not only should garbage be removed first, but objects that can become projectiles can be deadly.

People – The number one reason why many people trip up on the LICT test is because they fail to remove pedestrians from the area to be blown. (PS Everyone is a pedestrian except the operator!)

Direction – Where you blow the debris is just as important as how. Blowing debris at cars or onto the streets in most towns is illegal and can cause driving and walking hazards. It should be blown back onto the turf areas as the blades become beneficial mulch.

SAFETY CHECK! - I hope some of you were yelling (not out loud) at this article for not mentioning this one first! Eye, Ear, Nose Mouth, Hand and Body protection MUST be worn at all times. You are as important as those around you so take the time to be safe!

I urge all of you who use this equipment (and those who supervise the use of them) to take the LICT Certification test in October. It really tests your ability to properly use this and other Landscape Contracting equipment. Stay Smart, Stay Safe, Stay Alive.

Joe Bolognese is an inside sales rep for Gamka Sales, Inc. He is a Past Vice President and currently an Associate Director of the NJLCA. He is also Chair of the Education and Landscape Industry Certified Exam committees. He has over fifteen years experience in the landscape and irrigation supply industry and can be reached at jbolognese@njlca.org.

Feature Story The Number One Biggest Mistake Landscape Contractors Make that keeps them frustrated while growing their company and making more profits: “Systems don’t run the company.”

The systems are what run the company and are one of the most important pieces of your business. Your company isn’t simply a group of employees doing work. It is the systems that do the work and it is the employees that operate these systems.

Systems do the many daily tasks. If you can take the mundane work and let system do that work, this gives the employee more time to concentrate on running and working in the business, especially satisfying the clients.

How do we develop and implement systems?

I know the fastest and best methods are to use a Business Development Playbook and to have a coach mentor you every step of the way.

And these two methods are simply the fastest, best way to avoid the 3 mistakes that are frustrating you while growing your business.

A Systematic Business Development Playbook gives you a step-bystep playbook to develop, create, and implement workable systems for your company. And a coach gives you a proven expert to guide, mentor, and to help you through every step in the process.

If you would like to talk with me on successful ways to avoid these mistakes, you can set up a ½ hour free session with me: BookDomenic.com.

For more than 40 years, Domenic has served as Director of Operations and as Director of Business Development at one of the most creative and collaborative organizations in the New York and Connecticut areas, Ultimate Services Professional Grounds Management Inc. He is an alumnus from the University of Connecticut with a BS in Computer Science and the University of Florence, Italy with a BA in Italian. And then at a ripe young age of 53 returning to the halls of higher learning of Fairleigh Dickinson University he received a Master Degree in Administrative Services. In the last 4 years, he has put his knowledge, his experiences, and the keys to success together in a step-by-step workshop and coaching model.

Domenic is currently the Treasurer for the National Hispanic Landscape Alliance and an Advisor for Naugatuck Valley Community College. He is also a member of the NJLCA.

NJLCA.ORG 27

Feature Story

Your Homeowner’s Insurance Matters Too

by Kenneth Cerullo, Esq.

CINLMEORAE WNA

A

lthough I personally spend most of my time handling the insurance needs of businesses including landscape contractors, I often get questions about personal lines (automobile and homeowner) matters. Accordingly, I would like to take a little time to discuss a few topics - cost saving techniques and coverage issues - that may be of interest to the average person shopping for homeowners insurance.

As a result of our still sluggish economy, there is an increasing number of homeowners that have no other option but to reevaluate all their significant expenses including insurance premiums. Simply put, most homeowners not unlike a business, need to find the best value for their money - the coverage required at the best price possible (our agency recently expanded our personal lines department to satisfy this demand).

In terms of cost savings techniques, the first and most important thing any person looking for auto and homeowners insurance should know is that your insurance credit score is a big determinant in the insurance premium paid. Starting in the mid-1990s, insurance and independent organizations found a strong correlation between a person’s credit history and the likelihood of that person filing a claim. Accordingly, this practice is now widespread with most major insurers using the practice to underwrite and price policies. And whether you agree with it or not, you should get used to the practice, because it is legal in most states, including New Jersey (with certain consumer protections). It therefore goes without saying that it is important to pay attention to your credit score, try to correct any inaccuracies, and make sure the insurance company is running the credit report intermittently to make sure you are not paying an increased premium while your credit report has significantly improved. I recently helped an insured with

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another agent save over 50% in their annual insurance premium by instructing the insurance company to run a new insurance credit score! Unbelievable!

What if a husband and wife have different credit scores?

Although the various insurers may handle it differently, it appears that many companies usually use the score of the person applying for the policy (so the spouse with the better credit history should apply for the coverage). Moreover, at least one company representative has told me that the insurance credit score is usually best when a homeowner is pur-

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Feature Story

chasing a house (which makes sense because the homeowner is generally doing everything possible to improve his or her credit and to rectify any inaccuracies or mistakes in credit history). Lastly, homeowners should not be concerned about a negative impact of these insurance credit score inquiries while getting insurance proposals/quotes. According to the NJ Department of Insurance and Banking, such inquiries are reflected on the credit report, but are not used in developing an insurance score. And one of the top 3 credit reporting companies also advises that insurance inquiries do not affect credit scores because insurance inquiries are recorded only for your personal record and are not released to lenders and used in credit score calculations.

Shifting now to coverage, homeowners often overlook one of the principal reasons one buys a homeowners policy

– liability coverage! In fact, many renters feel that they do not need insurance because they simply don’t care about losing their personal possessions and furnishings. When I was a young professional renting an apartment near my office, I didn’t care about my IKEA sofa, TV, or stereo either. But I certainly did care about playing in a golf outing and hitting someone unconscious with a stray shot (slice) off the tee.

And to those homeowners with a swimming pool and children inviting friends over for a pool party, I would definitely be concerned. In fact, I would put a call into my insurance agent for a personal umbrella policy before the trip to the grocery store for ice cream and cake. A personal umbrella policy provides higher limits over and above your homeowners and automobile liability limits (talk about a “In terms of cost great value).

Another issue home- savings techniques... owners often ask is wheth- you credit score is er they should put in (suba big determinant mit) a claim. Some may say “that’s why I have insur- in the insurance ance… to pay claims when premium paid.”

I have a loss.” It may seem

unfair, especially if you have paid your premium religiously over the years without a claim, but it is generally not a good idea to submit small claims. And if you put in a few claims in a short period of time, it probably will not be seen favorably by the insurance company and may result in increased premiums or policy cancellation.

One should generally use their insurance for large property claims, and you should always submit a liability claim not to jeopardize coverage (an insured is obligated to report claims promptly). A homeowner should call his or her insurance agent to ask the premium saved at higher deductibles. It may or may not make sense to increase your deductible.

With regard to coverage, it also pays to thoroughly review all optional coverage with your agent. Coverage for water backup from sump pump failure is such a coverage and may prevent you from being left on your own for a large uninsured water damage claim. This coverage is not to be confused with flood coverage. If you have a risk of flood or water damage from surface water entering your house, I highly recommend flood coverage. Like other policies, flood insurance has many conditions, limitations and exclusions so it is important that you understand the coverage provided so that you can take precautions to prevent uninsured losses.

Another thing homeowners often fail to do is advise their agent when they do a home addition or renovation. It is wise to increase the limit on the policy before the renovation to account for the finished home value. You don’t want an uninsured loss!

The information set forth in this article is general in nature and insured homeowners are recommended to speak with their own insurance agent to discuss their own particular needs.

Kenneth F. Cerullo, Esq. is the President and an Owner of The Commercial Agency, Inc. in Park Ridge, NJ along with his brother Steve. He is also a Co-Founder of the New Jersey Agents Alliance (NJAA) – a limited group of select agents spread throughout the State of NJ with over $175 Million is premium volume. Ken currently serves as the Legislative Chairperson for the NJLCA and can be reached by email at kennethc@thecommercialagency.com or (201)391-1324. You can also visit the Agency websites at www.thecommercialagency.com or www. bergensnowplowinsurance.com

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Feature Story

Turf Talk So it is spring. You probably have all your clean ups done and during that process, you may have done some spring seeding. The bare spots are always prevalent before the grass greens up; it’s usually the turn marks from the mower. So these spots are very compacted and I have been looking for a solution for this for years. I finally found a solution. I would like to share it with you here.

It is the Garden Weasel. It is fantastic!

We have 6 of them. Every clean up crew has them. Two guys loosen the compacted areas and when you sow your seed it actually has a chance to do more than comp up! It may actually make it through the season to the fall with our fluctuating temperatures.

You probably were wondering what would be your timing for the pre-emergent. Our soil temperatures were abnormal, so you should have applied a little earlier than other years.

However, if we continue to have a damp cool spring in to summer, you may not have that much crab grass anyway.

Now, by the time this is published, you may be ready for your second application of fertilizer. The big question will be, will it be time to treat for chinch bugs or not. Soil temperatures were up this spring, but chinch bugs love hot and dry weather, so we will have to wait and see what the weather does.

Good luck and “keep growing”.

Greg Carpenter, CLT is co-owner of American Beauty Landscape Design since 1983. He attended the SUNY Farmingdale Turfgrass Program and is an NJLCA Director. Greg also serves on the Rutgers Turfgrass Advisory Board and the Bergen Community College Horticultural Advisory Board.

“POND”ERINGS

by Joe Bolognese Jr., Associate Director

N

ature has a way of soothing the savage beast. Adding a pond or water feature to your customers’ landscape can give their yard that calming look and feel instantly.

There are a wide variety of ponds for them to choose from in different sizes, shapes, heights and lengths. Ponds are wonderful not only for the sounds, but for added features such as aquatic plants and/or fish like Koi, who’s colors and size are a feast for the eyes.

They can also attract birds, frogs, butterflies and crickets.

A small sized pond installation can be relatively easy, providing you know some of the basic needs of the system. Before you start, call 811 or to have electric and gas lines marked so you know where to dig to steer clear of them. Some of the things to remember when considering building a pond are location, filtration, circulation, containment, etc. Ponds, waterfalls and water features can also bring added value to your customers’ outdoor living spaces. They can be very inviting and let your customers and their guests feel welcome and comfortable.

For those customers who might not want the “pool” of water, but would love to still have the sounds and sites, there are “pondless” waterfall features that can satisfy those wishes as well.

“Pond-less” waterfalls consist of an underground storage container, which has a pump inside to bring the water flow back to the top of the feature. The basin is buried in the ground and covered with decorative stone. The area surrounding it can then be filled with stone or mulch to conceal the edges. This method is great for those customers who want the look and sound of the falls, without all of the maintenance that is associated with a pond. Fountains or falls are especially nice to look at, but are also beneficial in moving and circulating water and adding air flow to standing bodies of water.

Aquascape, Inc. suggests that you make sure that the pond fits in with the rest of the landscape by mimicking plant textures, colors and types of stone.

Talk to your local irrigation or landscape supply store or call NJLCA at (201) 703-3600 for a list of vendor Members who can help you find the right cure for your “Aquatic” woes.

NJLCA.ORG 31

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Feature Story

How GPS Tracking Can Help You Save

D

by David Kay, T-Mobile

id you have a frivolous lawsuit or claim last winter from a commercial client saying you did not salt or plow their property in a timely manner? There are simple and very cost effective ways to prove you did! GPS tracking can help you with this and provide much, much more.

Here are just a few things GPS tracking can do for your business that you should consider.

Dual live-streaming cameras provide evidence of events leading up to and during a road traffic accident or incident to determine who was at fault to protect your fleet. What the lot or street you are plowing looked like or looks like in real time, at a specific time. Did you know you could also put these on your skids and smaller equipment? How awesome would it be to see real time snow accumulation from a skid? How about knowing specifically and accurately where a machine is, the current hours of service, and other vital machine in-

formation at your fingertips. GPS camera solutions can also lower your insurance premiums, which is always a bonus!

GPS-built territories known as Geofences, allow Fleet Managers and Owners to set up triggers and alerts when a vehicle enters or exits a virtual boundary that has been defined by you. Are your crews meeting for lunch at places they shouldn’t be and wasting payroll time and your gas to get there? They do and it happens every day. They then leave your name on the side of the truck in the parking lot, giving you negative community branding.

If you had GPS, you could Geofence your routes to optimize your crews, lowering gas, maintenance, overtime, and add more jobs per day to your existing employee base, all while lowering your payroll! If there are deviations or stops not permitted, would you like to know about it within minutes of the violation happening? This information can be presented to you in a simple report. Same as the speeding report when your branded truck is doubling the speed through a school zone, and then hard braking as they rip through suburban streets to make up ® ® for lost time. This would explain your tires and brakes continual maintenance, but it Business moves fast. You need a reliable and powerful partner to stay ahead of the competition.

T-Mobile keeps your business connected with America’s fastest growing LTE network. can be prevented.

So the question really is how many thousands of dollars a week do you lose by Great rates. Simple Choice .

Data Strong network. not knowing what your employees are reWe offer guaranteed pricing without a Doubled the LTE coverage since ally doing with their time? Do you know long-term annual service contract.

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Unlimited talk, text, and 2 GB of what overtime is costing you when employ4G LTE data with no data overages Extended Range LTE reaches 2x while on our network. further and is 4x better in buildings ees fluff their hours? There are solutions to with capable devices.

Get 4G LTE data in Mexico and Canada just like in the U.S., and unlimited calls Coverage so good, we guarantee it. these pain points, and they not only bring and texts at no extra charge. accountability to your employees, but also significantly reduce your overtime costs, Benefits for business.

Now the world is your network.

Business Family Discounts for Global data coverage and texting in and peace of mind. employees and their families.

140+ countries and destinations at no extra charge.

Get a FREE mobile-optimized Accuracy and accountability through website from GoDaddy .

Call FREE from virtually anywhere with Wi-Fi Calling.

FREE in-flight texting with Gogo on technology evolves your business presence domestic flights with capable device.

Boost signal strength and expand coverage with Personal CellSpot . to your customers as well. Timely visits and shorter siestas on the client lawn all become soft returns in both branding and Switch your business to The Un-carrier today payroll. Take ultimate control of your assets and payroll through wireless technology.

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For more information, contact: David Kay 908-838-2138 David.Kay@T-Mobile.com

Fastest LTE Network claim based on download speeds. Limited-time offer; subject to change. Taxes and fees additional. Not all features available on all devices. Unlimited talk and text features for direct communications between two people. Simple Choice North America General Terms: At participating locations. Corporate liable only. 10-line minimum. Credit approval, deposit, and up to $20 SIM starter kit may be required. Federal tax ID required. If you switch plans you may be bound by existing term (including early termination provisions) and/or charged an up to $200 fee. Monthly Regulatory Programs (RPF) & Telco Recovery Fee (TRF) of $2.71 per voice line ($0.60 for RPF & $2.11 for TRF) and $0.98 per data only line ($0.15 for RPF & $0.83 for TRF) applies. Taxes approx.

6–28% of bill; add’l usage taxed in some countries. Charges apply for calls to other countries. Call forwarding only to U.S. numbers. Partial minutes/megabytes rounded up. Full speeds available up to monthly allotment, including tethering (Unlimited on-smartphone 4G LTE data option includes 14 GB of tethering); then, slowed to up to 2G speeds for rest of billing cycle. Certain uses, e.g., some speed test apps, may not count against high-speed data allotment or have speeds reduced after allotment reached. U.S. roaming and on-network data allotments differ; see your selected service for details. Not for extended international use; you must reside in the U.S. and primary usage must occur on our U.S. network. Service may be terminated or restricted for excessive roaming.

Communications with premium-rate numbers not included. Data Stash: Up to 20 GB of on-network data from past 12 months carries over to next billing cycle for as long as you maintain qualifying postpaid service. Not eligible for volume discounts or incentives.

Price Lock: Pricing available while you remain a customer. Excludes taxes, fees, and other (e.g., pay-per-use) charges. Unlimited high-speed data option price guaranteed for 2 years of activation. High-speed data allotments price locked at speeds available at time of activation, up to 42 Mbps. No overages for domestic postpaid, non-pooled use; pay-per-use charges may apply on some services (e.g., Stateside International Talk with Mobile, Pooled, and Pay As You Go). Gogo: Limited-time offer; subject to change. Capable device required; see T-Mobile.com for capable devices. Must be T-Mobile customer on Gogo-equipped flight of U.S.-based airline. Texts may decrement plan allotment. Must have valid E911 address on file and have made at least one Wi-Fi call with current SIM card.

Device software update may be required. For iPhone, both parties must turn on “Send as SMS” in iMessage settings. Wi-Fi Calling: Capable phone and Wi-Fi connection required for Wi-Fi Calling; may decrement plan minutes. Most devices will not transition between Wi-Fi and the wireless network. See your selected service for details. Wi-Fi: Capable device and Wi-Fi connection required. Device will not transition between Wi-Fi and the cellular network. Devices using wireless connections may be vulnerable to unauthorized attempts to access data and software stored on the device. Plan data allotment applies to use by connected devices sharing Wi-Fi. Use of connected devices subject to T-Mobile Terms and Conditions. Simple Global International Service: Additional charges apply in excluded destinations; see T-Mobile. com for destinations (subject to change at T-Mobile’s discretion). Qualifying plan and capable device required. Taxes additional; usage taxed in some countries. Voice and text features for direct communications between two people. Communications with premium-rate (e.g., 900, entertainment, high-rate helpline) numbers not included and may incur additional charges. Calls over Wi-Fi are $.20/min (no charge for Wi-Fi calls to U.S.). Coverage not available in some areas; we are not responsible for the performance of our roaming partners’ networks. Standard speeds approx. 128 Kbps. No tethering. Not for extended international use; you must reside in the U.S. and primary usage must occur on our U.S. network. Device must register on our U.S. network before international use. Service may be terminated or restricted for excessive roaming or misuse. Stateside International Texting: Qualifying service required for each line. Text messages must originate on the T-Mobile U.S. network, otherwise standard international roaming rates apply. Text messaging applies to mobile phones only. T-Mobile may change included countries at its discretion. See T-Mobile.com for lists of countries. Coverage not available in some areas. Network Management: Service may be slowed, suspended, terminated, or restricted for misuse, abnormal use, interference with our network or ability to provide quality service to other users, or significant roaming. Unlimited high-speed data customers who use an extremely high amount of data in a bill cycle will have their data usage de-prioritized compared to other customers for that bill cycle at locations and times when competing network demands occur, resulting in relatively slower speeds. See T-Mobile.com/OpenInternet for details.See brochures and Terms and Conditions (including arbitration provision) at T-Mobile.com for additional information. T-Mobile and the magenta color are registered trademarks of Deutsche Telekom AG. All other trademarks and trade names are properties of their respective owners. © 2015 T-Mobile USA, Inc.

David Kay has been in wireless for 16 years, a long-time member of the NJLCA, NJPMA, NPMA, various chambers and a speaker at John Deere employee and client trade shows. He is someone who knows your business, and how to help you. So call him today for a free consultation. You’ll be happy you did!

NJLCA.ORG 33

Feature Story

How to Set Up a Sales Tracking Process for Your Landscaping Company

M

ost of you have (hopefully) created a sales goal for your company and expect your team to meet or exceed those expectations.

But reaching your goal isn’t something that happens all at once: You and your salespeople have to work toward it one day at a time.

To know if you’re staying on track, you need to keep up with your leads and prospects throughout the sales cycle, making it vital to have a reliable process in place.

Here’s why and how to set up a sales tracking process for your lawn care or landscape company.

Why You Need a Sales Tracking Process

To create accountability, forecast sales and analyze important data, you need to have a sales tracking process in place for your business.

“A formal sales tracking process allows you to analyze data from the time the receptionist takes the lead until the closing of the sale or perhaps the unfortunate denial,” says Steven Cohen, landscape-snow industry consultant with GreenMark Consulting Group.

By tracking your sales, you’ll be able to see your close rate, get a better understanding of the bidding cycle and make adjustments as needed, says Kevin Kehoe, partner at Three Point Group. For example, if you have a 20-percent close rate on commercial work and a goal of selling $500,000, you’ll know you have to bid $2.5 million a year to reach your goal.

You can also break that down further to see how many touches (emails, meetings, phone calls, etc.) and leads you need to generate each day to reach your sales goals, he adds.

While the benefits are clear, it only works if you and your sales staff invest the needed time and effort.

“Everybody knows it’s important to have a sales funnel with a backlog of at least 90 days,” says Terry Delany, partner at Davis+Delany. “The problem is that most people stay so focused on what might get sold/just got sold today that the funnel never gets the attention it requires to keep it healthy.”

How to Set Up a Sales Tracking Process

Once you realize its importance in meeting your goals, start collecting information that will be beneficial to improving sales.

34 SPRING | 2016

Start by inputting your leads into the tracking process as you receive them. Include all of their information: • Prospect or contact’s name • Company name (if commercial) • Phone number • Email address (it’s 2015 – get the email address!)

• Lead source • Date of contact • Services requested You can also track different stages within the sales cycle, making them as simple or complex as you like.

• Stage 1: Meet with the prospect for a consultation.

• Stage 2: Send the proposal.

• Stage 3: Win or lose the proposal.

• • • • • •

“Each new lead and opportunity should fall within a certain stage of your unique sales process,” says Chris Heiler, CEO at Landscape Leadership. “Then, you deliberately move that opportunity from one stage to the next as they progress.”

By monitoring what stage each opportunity is in, bottlenecks and holes in your sales pipeline will be obvious.

“You might have 20 proposals on the street, but you might not have any consultations or meetings scheduled over the next two weeks,” Heiler says. “That’s a hole in your pipeline that can be spotted (and fixed) only if your landscaping company is following a formal sales process.”

You can get as detailed as you want with the data, but here are some recommended metrics to track: Number of new contacts made each week Number of proposals submitted each week Average dollar value of proposals Total dollar value of proposals Average gross margin of the proposals Close ratio

No matter what you decide to measure, your tracking process should be accessible and accountable. “We all get paid based on the sales that are made, so we all have a right to see what’s happening,” Delany says.

Feature Story

by Lauren Dowdle with inset by Chris Heiler, LandscapeLeadership.com

Delany’s team used a magnetic dryerase board that was in the middle of the office. It showed how salespeople were performing and which services were selling the best. Software, like HubSpot CRM (see below), takes the dry-erase board a step further and puts your sales tracking process in the cloud for your sales people to access anywhere, from any device.

Sales Tracking Tools

One of the best ways to keep up with the sales process is by using a customer relationship management (CRM) system.

There are several available that are probably familiar to landscape and lawn care companies, including Hubspot, GoldMine, AspireCRM, BaseCRM, Highrise, Nimble and Salesforce.

When choosing software, make sure the CRM you go with has sales pipeline reporting and sales forecasting built into it, Heiler says.

Tracking sales with HubSpot’s Free CRM Note from Chris: At Landscape Leadership we use HubSpot’s CRM. About 50% of our clients do the same right now. We predict 70% or more of our clients will have adopted HubSpot’s CRM by the end of 2016. It is, by far, the CRM software we recommend most, especially to small and medium-sized business like those in the green industry.

Beside the fact HubSpot’s CRM is FREE (yeah, true story), I love how effective the tool is for tracking and reporting on your company’s sales pipeline.

With the Deals tool you can create specific “stages” in your sales process and then track your leads and opportunities through each stage. This gives you a high-level, real-time view of your sales pipeline.

If you have a deficiency in your sales process, or even a bottleneck at a specific stage, you’ll spot it in the HubSpot free CRM. The Deals tool is also highly valuable for sales forecasting. You can set a “probability” rate for each stage of your sales process which will allow you to see how much revenue is likely to close over future months.

If you’re sick and tired of unproductive sales meetings, then you need HubSpot’s CRM.

Collect the Information You Need

When you start the tracking process, there’s a tendency to try and collect too much information. “It can be overwhelming for salesreps, and many times the data a company is requiring is really not all that meaningful,” Heiler says. Only require the information that is necessary for moving the sale forward and that will be needed for reporting purposes.

On the other hand, there are times your salesperson doesn’t give you enough information. For example, if they leave off the lead source for one of your contacts, you won’t be able to get a clear picture of where your leads are coming from.

“I don’t think a sales rep should get a commission on his/ her sale unless the data is complete,” Heiler says.

Take it to the Next Level

Once you have a process in place, don’t just record the sales data — do something with it.

If after tracking your sales, you forecast a large increase in business in the next four months, in may be time to hire extra labor. Or, if you see a salesperson is falling behind, talk with them and see what you can do to help.

Use your sales tracking process to improve your business – and your people – one day at a time.

Lauren Dowdle, content writer with Landscape Leadership, has been published in more than a dozen national and local publications.

The past editor of Total Landscape Care magazine, she’s been writing for the green industry since 2010. Lauren lives in Hoover, Alabama.

NJLCA.ORG 35

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