Landscape Management, September 2013

SCOTTS LAWNSERVICE continued from page 18 together all service area managers a few hundred people annually for three days to train them in best application 20 practices or BAP which include application techniques compliance and safety Theyre responsible for taking the lessons back to their regions so every tech receives the same training Technician turnover which used to be nearly 100 percent is down to about 35 percent due in part to training a comeback bonus production bonuses and truck sale bonuses for selling addon services Kura says Finally finding new customers without violating any of the do nots as in the do not call list restrictions on doorto door solicitations and who companies can email is a major obstacle It takes a significant number of available households out of the mix Kura says Direct mail and door todoor are the primarly avenues SLS gets customers Right now less than 10 percent of its business comes from digital marketing which for SLS primarily includes banner ads and paid search The company has ramped up social media efforts from a customer service standpoint see sidebar on page 17 and plans to increase its marketing focus in this area Again Kura emphasizes the potential We have a 6 percent market share in a 6 billion business he says Theres lots of runway to grow LM Building BENCH STRENGTH W hen it comes to running a successful business Scotts LawnService SLS knows its frontline associates hold the cards for the companys future Theyre the ones interacting with our customers and performing the services says Chris Wible director of technical services for SLS As well as we can design the program select the active ingredients or formulate the products if its not applied properly and consistently were not going to meet the customers expectations And thats the key to success To foster goodwill and build its bench for the future SLS sponsors a scholarship program with Ohio State Universitys College of Food Agricultural and Environmental Sciences The Scotts LawnService Scholarship Fund launched in 2009 was a natural fit with Ohio State which boasts a well known turfgrass program and is based in Columbus Ohio about 30 miles southeast of Scotts headquarters The scholarship program available to students with one year of school remaining funds two people per year majoring in turfgrass science crop science landscape horticulture entomology or related fields In addition to covering tuition for a full year it includes a summer internship at Scotts headquarters exposing the students to project work in agronomics supply chain customer service environmental health and safety and operations management The program also offers a potential opportunity to work in a branch as a front line associate after graduation Its a very successful program and we may look to expand it to other universities in other states Wible says noting the company employs five people today who have come out of the program We develop them to be part of the organization At the Scotts headquarters associates maintain a community garden and donate the produce it generates to local food banks PHOTOS LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT ILLUSTRATION ISTOCK INTERNATIONAL INC SCOT TS LAWNSERVICE SCHOLARSHIP FUND LANDSCAPEMANAGEMENT NET SEPTEMBER 2013