BUILDING YOUR TEAM
Set Your Company Apart with Superior Client Communication Skills
THE IMPORTANCE OF QUALITY COMMUNICATION WITH YOUR CLIENTS cannot be overstated. For many landscape companies, the level of communication they provide is one of their key differentiators.
“Effective communication is the cor-
nerstone of any successful relationship,” says Kaylie Gibbons, maintenance busi- ness manager with Landcrafters, based in Pinellas Park, Florida. “By fostering transparency and professionalism across our team, we set a high standard that ensures every client feels heard, valued, and respected. This approach minimizes misunderstandings and fosters trust, contributing to long-term, positive rela- tionships with our customers.”
HONING YOUR TEAM’S COMMUNICATION SKILLS Even if you have a single point person for your customers to interact with, it’s critical for your entire team to know how to engage with your clients. Glenn Bonick, owner of Bonick Landscaping, based in Irving, Texas, says everyone from their designers and client reps to their accounting team and crew members interact with their customers to ensure a good experience. Leigh Townsend, president of J.W.
Townsend Landscapes, based in Char- lottesville, Virginia, says they make sure every crew has an English-speaking team member on-site to handle any client communication in the field. When residents of an HOA approach
“We are constantly reminding our team that it is ok to tell a client, ‘I don’t know the answer to that question, but I will find the answer and will get back to you. More often than not, we find that folks feel pressured to have all of the answers, all of the time. We try to educate our team more about the importance of maintaining an open line of communication and building a trusting relationship versus needing to have all of the answers.” - Leigh Townsend, president of J.W. Townsend Landscapes
National Association of Landscape Professionals 17
their crew members, Gibbons says they are trained to remain patient and professional. “They kindly direct homeowners to communicate their concerns through the appropriate channels — typically the property manager or board mem- bers,” Gibbons says. “This ensures that all requests are assessed properly and handled efficiently through the assigned account manager.” Some of the key skills for providing
quality communication include being personable, passionate, transparent and consistent. Active listening and striving to provide a solution for the client is also essential. Townsend adds team members should be confident, competent, asser- tive, modest and professional.
“We are constantly reminding our
team that it is ok to tell a client, ‘I don’t know the answer to that question, but I will find the answer and will get back to you,’” Townsend says. “More often than not, we find that folks feel pressured to have all of the answers, all of the time. We try to educate our team more about the importance of maintaining an open line of communication and building a trusting relationship versus needing to have all of the answers.” Gibbons says they have weekly train- ing sessions that focus on their face-to- face interactions, emphasizing patience and professionalism. They teach their team members to listen, understand and find a solution. Bonick says they discuss communica- tion in every meeting. They concentrate on communication styles and adapting to different people’s communication styles. Townsend says their communication
By Jill Odom
Photo: Bonick Landscaping
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40
