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LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Business basics have always been sore spots for landscape contractors, who know the ins and outs of maintaining, designing and caring for outdoor properties, but don’t have all the answers when it comes to managing their businesses.
“Contractors’ biggest headaches are the billing, routing and estimating parts of business,” maintained Randy Harris, marketing manager, Toro, Bloomington, Minn. “Toro can’t effect that or help contractors in that area, but Clip can.”
As a result, more companies are trying to address these business education needs, as Toro has done with its announcement at the Outdoor Power Equipment Show of a unique partnership with Clip, Ijamsville, Md.
According to the exclusive agreement, Clip will distribute free software demos to contractors via Toro’s 700-plus Five-Star dealers. As these dealers fulfill contractors’ equipment needs, they also will be able to answer business management questions, becoming more of a full-service dealer and increasing the likelihood of long-term relationships with contractors.
Harris thinks this gives these dealers an advantage because they can be their clients’ true “partners” in business, he pointed out. “They already offer the equipment, parts and service and now we are helping them to offer something on the other side of the business where contractors have a more difficult time,” he said. “And the dealers are excited because if contractors learn how to run their businesses better, they will grow and profit and, in turn, buy more equipment – it’s a win-win situation for all.”
The partnership provides Clip with another way to reach the smaller contractor, who may just be starting out and whose only contact is the commercial dealer. “These guys feel alone until they can get some business education or find out that there are others out there who are doing this too that he can learn from,” explained Dave Tucker, president, Clip. “The earlier they can learn practical business information, the better off they are.”
Dealers will start receiving the customized demos, which will also include Toro product information, in 45 to 60 days, but Harris said dealers he has discussed the idea with have already shown interest.
“It’s important for the dealer to understand in this competitive environment that they can distinguish themselves from other dealers by being interested in contractors’ businesses aside from just selling them equipment,” Tucker remarked. “If they show they can be a resource for landscape contractors, then when contractors have a question about anything, the dealer becomes a valuable resource for him. And then contractors won’t go anywhere else for their purchases.”
The author is Managing Editor of Lawn & Landscape magazine and can be reached at nwisniewski@lawnandlandscape.com.