Landscape Management, November 2014

MARISA PALMIERI eDITor Contact Marisa at 216 706 3764 or mpalmieri@ northcoastmedia net Putting software to work decade ago there were only a handful of green industry software options Thanks to the cloud and the advent of mobile technologies many other programs are viable for landscape and lawn care companies We selected this months cover story and compiled its associated chart because readers asked us to Perhaps this has been done recently and I missed it a comprehensive article or series of articles about software programs utilized in our green industry Have you done any surveys on the lawn maintenance software available If not please think about doing so Also do you have any recommendations Those are just a few requests weve received on this topic over the last few years Its a tough one to tackle because our readers needs are so varied due to the variety of service offerings and range of company sizes Thats why we sought to compile all the programs we could fnd that said they catered to the green industry into one chart Thanks to Associate Editor Sarah Pfedderer for her painstaking reportage Shes come up with a place for you to start your search We also asked our Editorial Advisory Board for its advice about implementing new software see opposite page One of Jody Shilans comments struck me based on my own experiences and a book I read recently In addition to the quote we printed from him at right he offered this Find something that fts the way you currently work not the other way around If you have to change your processes to accommodate the software then it probably isnt a good ft How many companies implement software programs that dont get used More than we can count That brings me to the book I mentioned which was given to me at a company meeting by our CEO He challenged us to read The Power of Habit Why We Do What We Do In Life and Business by Charles Duhigg It points out how a part of the brain called the basal ganglia plays a signifcant role in habits Mental activity in this region of the brain decreases as a behavior becomes habitual When a habit emerges the brain stops fully participating in decision making Duhigg says It stops working so hard or diverts focus to other tasks So unless you deliberately fght a habit unless you fnd new routines the pattern will unfold automatically Shilans point is valid Its tough to change when the old way is automatic So when it comes time to upgrade your software determine if your companys way of working in other words its habits is something you want to amplify with a new program Or maybe its time for some new processes I know the realist in Shilan would say its unlikely most companies will change Hes right of course But The Power of Habit explains that it may be unlikely but its not impossible As Duhigg puts it Once you understand that habits can change you have the freedom and the responsibility to remake them Once you understand that habits can be rebuilt the power of habit becomes easier to grasp and the only option left is to get to work LANDSCAPEMANAGEMENT NET November 2014 4 HEADQUARTERS 1360 East 9th St Suite 1070 Cleveland OH 44114 EDITORIAL STAFF editor Marisa Palmieri 216 706 3764 mpalmieri@ northcoastmedia net Associate editor Sarah Pfledderer 216 706 3756 spfledderer@ northcoastmedia net Contributing editor Heather Gooch 330 723 3539 hgooch@ northcoastmedia net Art Director Tracie Martinez 216 363 7924 tmartinez@ northcoastmedia net Digital media Content Producer Allison Barwacz 216 706 3796 abarwacz@ northcoastmedia net ADVERTISING STAFF Publisher Bill Roddy 216 706 3758 broddy@ northcoastmedia net North American Sales manager Craig MacGregor 216 706 3787 cmacgregor@ northcoastmedia net National Account manager Chris Lavelle 216 363 7923 clavelle@ northcoastmedia net Account executive Classifieds Kelli Velasquez 216 706 3767 kvelasquez@ northcoastmedia net BUSINESS STAFF vice President Sales Patrick Roberts 216 706 3736 proberts@ northcoastmedia net 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