CERTIFICATION BUILDS CONFIDENCE Y
ou always like to read about stories where there’s a direct relationship between having certified employees and sales. That happens in markets where there’s a growing awareness about the value of certifi- cation and where companies actively promote it as a sales tool.
Then there are stories where com- pany owners see value in certification that goes beyond marketing, or who market the credentials in a more subtle yet equally effective way. Dan Ritchie, president and owner of Lawn Co. in Boise, Idaho, is one of these owners. “Whether you’re in a market where the general public understands the value of having credentials or not, em- ployees who go through training and become certified gain important con- fidence,” said Ritchie, whose full-ser- vice landscape management company has been in business since 1985. “Many people in this industry start from the ground up and don’t have a degree in horticulture or a related field. Becoming certified provides the confidence in employees that translates into sales, either directly
when customers talk with employees or indirectly when they see the work they do.”
Lawn Co. currently has six Land- scape Industry Certified Technicians on board.
Ritchie noted that the specific cer- tification typically aligns with an em- ployee’s skill set, may it be irrigation, installation, or maintenance. Those who are certified act as tutors, which can be very helpful to Hispanic work- ers who struggle with the language. The company also has one Landscape Industry Certified Manager.
OTHER BENEFITS
A past president of the Idaho Nursery and Landscape Association, Ritchie became interested in the Techni- cian-Exterior certification in 1996 and visited Oregon’s test site a year later. “We encourage employees to partic- ipate in the program. It’s a new chal-
lenge for them, helps them become more professional, and benefits their career here,” he remarked. Ritchie noted there’s also a direct relationship between certification and employee longevity. One of his certified employees has been with the company 20 years and four others around 10 years. Not to imply these employees wouldn’t be with Lawn Co. without their credentials. But cer- tainly promoting certification inter- nally and growing careers can’t hurt, especially in a very competitive job market. 7
Photo caption: (L to R) Dan Ritchie with his team. Matt Collins, Richard Sims, Jack Fleck, Thad Cork, Jimmy Steelman and Justin Strout-Hearick – all Landscape Industry Certified Technicians except Thad who is also a Landscape Industry Certified Manager.
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LANDSCAPE PROFESSIONALS 13
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