money where your mouth is and actually acting. We really do pride ourselves on that.”


Stark says they have a director of


technology who is continuing to bring in new opportunities and new platforms. He says currently they have three or four systems they are testing out to see if they can implement them in the company and speed up certain processes. Ground Works is exploring technology like the 3D software Lumion that uses VR goggles and AI like ChatGPT. “Sometimes it produces a pretty decently written document and then we can use that as a stencil for then shifting it and putting our own information into it and potentially using that for marketing materials,” Stark says. Aside from their director of technol-


ogy, the company’s management team all brings suggestions to the table and monitors what new landscape-specific technology they can utilize. The Ground Works team is also encouraged to make suggestions. “If you can come to management and


say, ‘Hey, I’ve test run this. This is going to shave this many hours off on my job.’ We’re going to be absolutely open to it,” Stark says. At Level Green, they have a tech com-


mittee of people from various positions who are focused on seeking out, testing


and deploying new technology. Mayberry says they most often find this new tech- nology at industry conferences. “Not only on the showroom floor, but


perhaps more importantly, the network- ing with other people to find out what is working for their company,” Mayberry says. Chiellini and Dooley also find new


technology by attending various industry events and networking with others. “I also build LinkedIn connections inside and out of the green industry and enjoy learning about the future of work: the changing landscape of people and technology,” Dooley says. She says they also expect employees


to share improvement ideas as “weigh-in creates buy-in.”


ADVICE FOR OTHERS


Chiellini encourages other landscape companies to embrace technology as it’s the only way to remain relevant and draw in younger generations. “I think our industry just needs to real-


ize there’s a mix,” Chiellini says. “Technolo- gy is not going to dig a hole. Technology can mow grass, but it’s not going to mow all grass. There are areas where you’re still going to need a manual labor person. Technology is not going to trim the hedges anytime soon. I think there’s a mix. We do need that person that can run that robotic mower.”


Stark says they have a director of technology who is continuing to bring in new opportunities and new platforms. He says currently they have three or four systems they are testing out to see if they can implement them in the company and speed up certain processes. Ground Works is exploring technology like the 3D software Lumion that uses VR goggles and AI like ChatGPT.


National Association of Landscape Professionals 33


Stark agrees that changing with the times is necessary. He notes there will be a breaking point where certain tools or platforms become the norm and you can no longer ignore it. He says you need to pay attention to the trends in order to remain a credible, profitable and function- ing business. “Take the time to educate yourself about existing technologies,” Mayberry says. “Process map your most difficult processes in your company. Identify bot- tlenecks and look for technology that can improve those bottlenecks by introducing automation.” TE


*At the time the article was written, Michael


Mayberry was an employee of Level Green Landscaping.


Photos (Top left) Ground Works Land Design (Top right) ASI Landscape Management


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