When we first met the team at Pratt’s Lawn Care & Landscapes, they were digging out of nearly 12 feet of snow. And, to finish up the year, they’re digging out of more snow. But this time around, owners Jennifer Davies and Bob Naylor have a little more organization going into the snow season.
“It’s been a relief for me,” Davies says. “Bob’s taken over the snow plowing and we’re better at staying in our lanes now.”
One of the biggest problems (aside from labor) was an unclear understanding of who was in charge of what at the beginning. The goal was to have Naylor own the snow plowing operations once winter rolled around, and with Bala, Ontario’s first big snow of the season, it was a success. “I’m actually very surprised at how we’ve managed to do it,” Davies says.
Being in such a unique area, labor has been a struggle throughout the Turnaround Tour process. The owners tried to lock in housing for employees, but weren’t able to fill the rooms. And they experienced some turnover due to the nature of the work.
Davies says they’ve relied on their solid core team of employees to bring on new people, and it’s been good for morale.
“You can’t forget the people that are in front of you, right? We always want to be focused on recruiting. But the people in front of you are the most important people cause they’re here,” she says. “We try to treat our team really well and let them be our ambassadors out there.”