Clients won’t buy what they don’t understand. This is why education is key to selling central computer control – an irrigation system that allows contractors to adjust system run times from a remote location. The technology can save clients money in the long term, but contractors need to break down the basics to prove that “new tricks” are worth a try.
“It’s important to tell potential prospects, ‘This is what the system will cost and this is what it will do for you,’” said Tony Shores, owner, IMC, Kansas City, Mo. “‘This is what your water bills and your annual costs are going to be, this is what we think we can get you to save – and typically we use 25 percent – and this is how long it will take to buy back the system.’”
Andrew Metheny, vice president, Methany Landscaping, Dallas, Texas, said he shows clients a demonstration of how the technology works on another property so they can see the results. “We try to sell them the system for the management function, which allows us to call up the irrigation system [through the computer] and make adjustments [from a remote location] instead of having to take a day and a half to turn on and off all the sprinkler heads,” he noted.
And once they see the system in action, they usually agree to sign on, he added. “A demonstration will sell itself,” he said. Metheny is sure to point out that large, commercial clients can pay off by preventing just one mainline break. “If you have a project with 50 or 60 zones and there is a mainline break and the system runs over a long weekend, you might spend $4,000 on water that you wasted,” he calculated. “But, if you have a flowmeter in place, the computer can interrupt the system and send an error message to turn off the system and save you that water.”
Here are some quick tips to selling central control systems:
- Show clients examples of water bills so they can compare the cost savings
- Present customers with a demonstration of the technology on another property
- Allow potential central control clients to tour the office and see how the software works so they better understand the technology
- Identify the long-term benefits
- Outline water conservation advantages
The author is Managing Editor – Special Projects for Lawn & Landscape magazine and can be reached at khampshire@lawnandlandsape.com.