and employee development — is critical.” Taylor adds that they will only make small tuck-in-size acquisitions in markets where they already have a platform, as they want to have the infrastructure for growth. “We will do tuck-ins in markets adjacent to our platform companies as this is an excellent way to extend a great platform business and create new growth opportunities for its employees to become branch or regional managers,” Taylor says.
INSIDE THE SENSKE FAMILY OF COMPANIES Senske Services has opted to do a number of platform acquisitions in existing markets, which helps them build density and market share in a region. “We believe in retaining the unique branding and culture of each company, as that’s what made them successful,” Senske says. “Our focus is on delivering a best-in-class customer and employee experience, and maintaining each com- pany’s identity helps preserve the local pride and loyalty that are key to both.” Taylor says they aim to maintain the existing culture of the companies they acquire. They seek out businesses that share their values, which ensures smooth integration without losing what made them great in the first place. He says the changes they make im-
prove employee benefits, provide tools for field technicians and new training and operational systems. “Our goal is to support the existing
team and introduce best practices that we’re developing across the network,” Senske says.
Taylor says they encourage regular
interactions between teams and the sharing of best practices. “We’ve been fortunate to acquire companies with long histories in lawn care and pest control, and when these experts collaborate, the energy is incred- ible,” Taylor says. “They consistently come up with innovative improvements.” In most cases, they also improve the
employee and customer retention rates of the companies they acquire. “We provide new employees with bet-
ter systems, support, and benefits, while enhancing the customer experience through improved communication and services,” Taylor says. As for the former owners, Taylor says
many owners stay to help expand their regions.
“Especially with our initial acquisi-
tions, it was important to retain as much expertise as we could in the lawn care industry, and we were lucky to partner with excellent leaders in our acquisitions,” Taylor says. “Those owners are now integral to our success and leading our efforts to identify best practices that can be shared throughout the organization.” Senske himself says he’s stayed on is
to make sure that the culture remained as family-friendly, employee-friendly and customer-friendly as the company he had built over time. Other owners sell so they can retire, and this also gives existing employees growth opportunities.
TIPS FOR SUCCESS Taylor says selecting businesses that align with your culture is crucial. Conduct
proper due diligence and have a solid integration plan to ensure the success of both the acquisition and the existing business. Senske says the importance of due diligence was one of the hard lessons they learned early on. They acquired a small company without realizing it hadn’t serviced customers in months and had no employees. Taylor says they are constantly refining
their process. He says the right com- pany, coupled with proper planning, is essential to retaining both employees and customers. “Networking in industry associations
like NALP is invaluable for building relationships with potential acquisition targets,” Senske says. “Meeting owners and managers helps set the stage for future opportunities.” TE
National Association of Landscape Professionals 27
Photos: Senske Services
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