Landscape Management, November 2016

Some businesses may shy away from buying in bulk because they dont have room to store it but its worth asking if you can purchase it and have them store it until you need it DeNinno says That arrangement works very well for us While savings are important to DeNinno in running a profitable business he says he would never sacrifice quality for frugality He adds he is loyal when it comes to the brands he prefers in both the irrigation which makes up about 60 percent of his business and landscape lighting 40 percent areas of his business I would never jump on a sale for a product I dont trust DeNinno says Product reliability is incredibly important to us since it contributes to our reputation DeNinno is also loyal to his distributor and says the company knows he wont jump ship just for a cost savings Nowadays the internet opens up a whole new world for shopping but my supplier knows Im loyal he says And that pays off for me too If a company tells me they can beat the prices Im getting I have a strong enough relationship that I can take that information to my supplier and ask for a price break Id rather keep that relationship than try to shop around LANDSCAPEMANAGEMENT NET November 2016 ILG4 Photo PINNACLE IRRIGAtIoN NIGhtLIGhtING Irrigation Lighting Products Guide Building strong relationships Landscape Lighting Design Fort Worth Texas Tim Doogs owner of Landscape Lighting Design a lighting focused business in Fort Worth Texas says loyalty is everything when it comes to getting good pricing and more importantly getting good customer service In fact hes willing to spend a little more money to get that top notch service that in turn lets him offer his clients good service In a day and age where businesses will shop around to save a dollar Doogs says he believes longheld business relationships are more important While there have been times he could save money buying a product direct rather than through distribution there is value in upholding a relationship with a local vendor he says Hes equally loyal to the three main lighting brands he uses Doogs says that each company has products that are a little bit different and utilizing all three allows him to meet the needs of all of his clients with the perfect product for the job We think its important to be loyal but also to have choices says Doogs whose company is getting close to its 1 million annual revenue goal While he prefers to buy through his local vendor Doogs says he will occasionally make purchases directly from a manufacturer We want a distributor who really steps up to the plate he says They have to offer good service knowledge and assistance when we have a problem We want a distributor who will come out to the job site if we really need them for something unusual Because he believes relationship building is so important Doogs says his best advice to other landscape contractors would be to get to all the seminars you can He says its a great opportunity when manufacturers and distributors offer training Even if you think youve got a great handle on landscape lighting you will be surprised by something new that you learn Doogs says I still go to them and make new contacts and learn new information You will always find someone who is doing things differently than you and you will learn from it Although deals are important to Marty DeNinno when buying irrigation and lighting products he says brand preference is No 1