School of Management: Stiles' Style

Attendees of Lawn & Landscape’s School of Management in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. enjoyed the sunshine and fresh air during a facility tour at Stiles Landscape Co., Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Showcasing their sizable fleet and numerous departments, Stiles representatives explained how the company made its millions.

In a brief introduction, President Joe Janssen informed his guests that Stiles has been in business for 22 years and was started by Chairman and CEO Terry Stiles in an effort to compliment his real estate development company. The company worked its way up to earning $12 million in revenue through lawn maintenance, arbor services, irrigation, enhancements, fertilization and pest control. Focusing mainly on commercial properties, Stiles handles contracts with the city and county governments, sports turf venues, corporate centers and the hospitality industry.

To target these commercial segments, Tom Cooper, vice president of business development, outlined Stiles’ marketing program. “We really look at the type of job and the size of the job,” he said. “From there we track how the different markets are doing in their own industries and determine if we want to pursue them at that time.” For example, after the 9/11 attacks, the hospitality industry suffered and hotels began to cut their budgets, minimizing the amount of money put towards landscaping and lawn care. Once that market rebounded, Stiles account managers were better able to look at potential clients with profit in mind.

Additionally, Stiles’ marketing department focuses on networking and building revenue by strengthening client relationships. For instance, current and potential clients are often treated to skybox seats at Southern Florida sporting events. In terms of target marketing, the company has its own graphics department and prints separate jumbo postcards for each lawn care and landscaping division. Using direct marketing, postcards are only sent to clients they feel would benefit from that service and whose business they would like to have.

Stiles’ clients are able to pick and choose which services they would like to have, essentially customizing their lawn and landscaping services. Because of this, all of the company’s divisions work together to ensure clients’ needs are taken care of in all areas. The enhancements and maintenance divisions, for example, are in constant communication. If a crewmember would have an easier time mowing the property if tight planting beds filled in tight areas, he can suggest this to the enhancement department. Technicians in that division can bring that point up to the property manager next time they visit the site.

“A lot of times, clients don’t understand what’s wrong with the landscape,” explained Daryl Johnson, enhancements division manager. By working closely with the maintenance division, Johnson and his crews are able to clear up some of the clients’ confusion and outline what areas of the landscape can be better utilized. Moreover, account managers can put 3- or 4-year plans together for clients who are unsure of or unable to redesign their whole landscape in one installment.

Moving up from the ground, Chris Stultz, arbor division superintendent, showed off the equipment his crews use to trim grand Florida palms and other trees. Comprised of three climbers and four groundsmen, Stiles’ arbor division works almost 24/7 by virtue of scheduling night crews. Running from 6 p.m. to 4 a.m., “the night crews are as or more productive than the day shifts,” Stultz offered, explaining that truck-mounted flood lights and generally no cars or people in work areas help night crews finish work quickly and safely while property managers sleep.

In cooperation with the irrigation, fertilization, and pest control divisions, Stiles’ landscape maintenance, lawn care and arbor crews consistently keep clients happy and revenue coming in.

The author is Assistant Editor for Lawn & Landscape magazine and can be reached at lspiers@lawnandlandscape.com.