PLCAA Conducting New Operating Efficiency Survey

"Members have told us it’s a good comparison to understand what their numbers are as compared to somebody else’s," Tom Delaney, executive vice president of PLCAA, said about the survey. "It’s a competitive industry and we learn from each other how to do business better."

PLCAA is requesting that lawn care company owners fill out a confidential survey listing company data, such as a breakdown of service offerings, 1999 fiscal year operating costs and year-end revenues, personnel data, payroll figures and client data. Delaney emphasized that the information collected in the survey will remain completely confidential and only be used to come up with final numbers for the survey.

"It’s kind of hard for two companies that operate in the same town to share those type of numbers with each other," Delaney explained, "but by doing a blind survey like this, it creates some standard operating figures - or measuring sticks - that people can measure their costs of operating against."

Delaney also said the survey period for participants to submit their 1999 data for the new study is quickly approaching with an April 15, 2001, deadline. Lawn care company owners should contact the PLCAA office at 800/458-3466 to receive a copy of the survey.

Benefits of PLCAA’s 1997 Operating Efficiency Survey cited in the report include:

• Provides an objective overview of business;
• Provides an accurate assessment of individual segments of business;
• Forces managers to realistically compare company’s performance on facts instead of subjective evaluation;
• Helps identify trends when multiple years are compared;
• Provides information vital to long-term and short-term budget preparation;
• Helps identify weak and strong areas within a company; and
• Allows management to compare with other companies within the industry.

To contact PLCAA about the survey call 800/458-3466, or for more information about the association visit its web site at www.plcaa.org.