PROFESSIONALISM
tion events.
As customers are becoming more environmentally intel- ligent, environmental issues become ever more important to businesses. A recent study noted that “91 percent of consumers said they had bought a prod- uct or service from a company they trust- ed—showing a direct correlation between profits and public image.” Increasing- ly, those companies adopt environmentally conscious or sustain- able policies. Landscape profes- sionals can enhance
“Sustainability is blending economic, environmental and social forces so that new market expectations and regulations can be met in ways that strengthen a company strategy, competitive advantage, profitability and brand. It means incorporating environment, health, society and value into a company’s core business model with no trade-off in profits, price or quality.” — Judy Guido, Guido & Associates
their image by adopting positive public relations strate- gies that demonstrate their ability to adopt water man- agement programs like those publicized in celebration of July’s “Smart Irrigation Month”—designed to promote the “social, economic and environmental benefits of efficient irrigation technologies, products and services in our in- dustry.” Warren Gorowitz is the newly named Vice President of Sustainability at Ewing Irrigation and Landscape Supply in Phoenix, Arizona. As a desert-dweller, he’s acutely aware of the need to keep track of every drop of our most pre- cious resource and believes that sustainability is a word that sums up a variety of strategies a business can incor- porate to maintain profitability.
Gorowitz is a proponent of using sensors tied to smart controllers to manage irrigation. “You can’t manage what you can’t measure,” he said, and he is happy that sus- tainability is soaking—pun intended—into the public’s consciousness. Professionals can compensate for chang- ing weather patterns by adopting tools that help the client understand that options are available, even in a wa- ter-challenged environment. He pointed out, “We are the original green industry” that “brings people outdoors.” Gorowitz points to a series of tools that his company uses to educate the public (potential customers!) on a new way of thinking and surviving drought. These Smart Irrigation Sales Tools include a “Water Score Card,” which reviews topics we know but may be new for a prospec- tive client centered on water-use efficiency. An “Aware- ness Flyer” promotes smart controllers, drip irrigation and efficient sprinklers. To close the prospective deal, a “Smart Solutions Form” gets to the bottom line, which shows prospects how much money they can save by adopting sustainable, water-saving measures.
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LANDSCAPE PROFESSIONALS 23
Gorowitz has a favorite quote from Judy Guido, who through her business Guido & Associates, explores meth- ods to improve a business processes. (Prior to founding her own business management practice, Guido was the Chief Marketing Officer and Vice President of Valley Crest, the nation’s largest privately held landscape management and development com- pany.)
“Sustainabil- ity is blending economic, envi- ronmental and social forces so
that new market expectations and regulations can be met in ways that strengthen a company strategy, competitive
Water Stewardship continues on p.24 2
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