Lawn Services

Q. Describe the most common types of jobs you do for your clients.

A. We primarily work in the Commercial sector, such as the responsibility for the care of Homeowner's Associations & their Common Grounds, Commercial Property, Churches, and we service a few residential Estates as well. At every location we ensure the lawns are fresh & green, the tree's trimmed when necessary, landscaping beds refreshed annually with rock or mulch & replace any plants that do not survive the winter. In addition to these services we also offer a vast array of others, for example, pressure washing, landscaping/hardscaping, renovations, annual maintenance care plans for lawns, as well as tree's & shrubs. Gutter/drainage solutions, rain barrels, etc.

Q. What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A. Always meet in person and get to know one another before diving directly into the project ideas. I like to build a rapport and listen to his thoughts for the project as close as I can. I keep a watchful eye for subtle hints of design style, etc. Another huge quality is communication, I am always available and this is something that customers get all ecstatic over. This industry has lost its personal touch and Customer Care- I am bringing it back. I know that we are not the cheapest crew in town (there are non-professionals in all industries that love to undercut), however, I provide a service that is consistent and very thorough in all the details. This includes the time of year we lay maintenance products, mow the grass, and timely receipt of the statement.

Q. If you were a customer, what do you wish you knew about your trade? Any inside secrets to share?

A. How much the financial overhead really is with the cost of employees, equipment large & small, fuel, the multiple trucks, and I have to make money somewhere.
I would probably feel that I was being robbed by someone charging me $15,000 for some intricate wrap-around Landscaping Designs with lights & a water feature.
However, take a step back and really look at all the men working, deliveries of materials and the length of time it takes and you may come to the conclusion that If it were you doing the job, you might not be getting paid enough. When looking at a cost from this perspective it is easier to understand that once completed an Owner first pays all suppliers, employees, rent/mortgage, utilities, possibly replaces tools or upgrades them, and after all that distribution he needs some left over to pay bills at home. So for next time, do not assume that as soon as you wrote that $100,000 check he went to Chevy to get a brand New Corvette Convertible

Q. What questions should a consumer ask to hire the right service professional?

A. First of, Insurance is a big one. Ask if the have it. Next, depending on the size of your project, as for detailed timelines and follow-up. Lastly I would say, at the beginning of your relationship ask if they will be available for questions/concerns in the future. American Lawn & Tree not only builds a strong rapport with each customer, even when we finish a project at your house we will continue to do follow up visits and are always available to send out a technician in cases that are necessary. It happens all the time, a family will hire So & So Lawn & Landscapes to have a brand new face put on the lawn and landscaped beds around the property. It looks immaculate and believe that the $150,000 cost was an investment in your home and gives you a little sense of pride everyday you arrive home. However, you soon realize that you have no idea what shrubs, trees, or flowers were planted, sp you cant give them the specific needs for their species. Worst of all, you call the company to see if maybe they could come back out and spend some time with you reviewing the new plants. They state their schedule is too busy and to just keep watering. You never know, they probably did not even take sunlight needs into consideration.
I can assure you that American Lawn & Tree will ask for your trust once, and can Promise that we will never have to do it again.

Q. What important information should buyers have thought through before seeking you out?

A. It really simplifies the process if they have a good foundation for the idea they are envisioning in their head and a budget they are comfortable with. Too many times I see excited customers with drawings & sketches of an elaborate backyard oasis of peace and tranquility only to hear from them that they thought they could get a large seating wall on the patio, an outdoor kitchen, a Pergola, custom lighting, some water features, and approximately 150 flowers, roses, shrubs, & trees for the low low price of $3,000. I felt terrible offering my advice because it was a true reality check, but I told her that her Pergola would cost around the entire $3,000 budget they had allotted. My suggestion was to take her time and do it all little by little and if she contracted us for it, we would still discount her even though she was paying minimal payments to us.

Q. What do you like most about your job?

A. I love working outside and not being cramped in an office building setting. I love the change of projects, then mowing a large estate, then doing the end of day reports at my office. I have a vast array of different environments that I get to work in and this keeps it fresh and new.

Q. Do you have a favorite story from your work?

A. American Lawn & Tree volunteers for causes that benefit the less fortunate, this primarily involves the American Cancer Society and helping patients of the Hope Lodge with the upkeep of their lawns, gardens, gutters, trees, and shrubs.
Most recently though an elderly woman asked if we would be available to mow her 6 acre lawn over the summer so she could settle some family affairs, then she would continue to care for the lawn. We offered our services at a huge 25% discount and she gladly accepted. One day she pulled up while we were working and was shocked at the perfection that lay before her. She said that we did a wonderful job and was very pleased she found us while she is going through a rough time.
The landscaping was out of control and overgrown and probably had been for many many years. She asked us what it would cost her to have us clean up the front landscaping beds and remove the overgrown trees, and trim the shrubs. Typically, this would have been about a $1,200-$1,500 job, but we agreed to clean it up and haul it away for only $200. She was so excited she ran up and hugged us and started crying and saying that she believed God had sent us to her in her time of need to help keep her home in order.
We had worked extremely hard and it was the middle of our hot summer here in KC, but we all couldn't wipe those smiles off of our faces.

Q. How did you decide to get in your line of work?

A. My father started this business as a temporary solution for income in 1973. It was never meant to be long-term, yet, every Spring my Father just started it back up again. I was born in 1980 and soon enough in 1986 I was working full-time with him daily picking up trash, trimming tree's, re-fueling the equipment, and marking jobs on the schedule. In 1998 I chose to go another way and start climbing the Corporate Ladder and did so for 12 years. Well in 2003 my father was diagnosed with terminal cancer and had been downsizing the overall business to retire. So we held a family meeting regarding the family business that we had run for 30 years and how it should continue. My nephew, Michael, was 5 at the time and he loves helping me take care of lawns so I asked him, " When you grow up, do you want to own American Lawn & Tree Michael? Or should we sell the accounts?" Michael looked up to me and said almost teary eyed, "Raleigh, I would love to own American Lawn & Tree one day cuz I love working with you. Please don't let our family business go. I will be a good boss when I am older. I know you will help me alot." So, with that said, I decided then to start rebuilding our customer base and strongly support the existing customers we still had. The first items on my agenda was new uniforms & hats, building a website for online presence, and start a Marketing Campaign,