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M a r ch - A p r i l 2 0 1 4 N ew s l e t te r

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NETWORK NEWSNETWORK NEWS

Upcoming Critical Dates Upcoming Critical Dates Training and Events Webcasts

May 6-9: Transformation Training

June 10-12: Leadership Con Ed

June 18-21: SIMA Symposium (Columbus, OH)

July 14-16: GM Boot Camp (Level 100)

July 16-18: GM Boot Camp (Level 200)

Apr. 24: Q1 Review - Marketing Activities vs. Plan

May 15: The Blended Index

May 29: PR - Use Your Expertise to Gain Local Media Exposure

June 12: Enhancement Sales

June 26: Prospecting Plans

On the heels of March Madness and St. Patrick’s Day, the months of March and April also usher in the busiest season of the year for landscape contractors. As such, many of you are focused on evaluating staffing needs and preparing for new hires in order to ensure a productive and profitable season. In looking at your needs and the holes that need to be filled, don’t forget the importance of the LandOpt hiring and recruiting process. The 11-step process ensures that all bases are covered, so to speak, from organizing and preparing your team to source the best talent, all the way through to extending an offer and onboarding your new team member. Some of the key highlights covered in the process include:

1. Casting a wide net in order to find the right individuals. Contractors are encouraged to uncover and utilize all channels available to them.

2. Asking the right behavioral questions during the first and second interviews for every position from management to crew team members.

3. Conducting a thorough background investigation that include business references, criminal and DMV history checks, educational/technical degree verification and behavior assessments.

4. Ensuring that both the new hire and his/her direct supervisor understand the role description and expectations, taking the time to answer questions from both sides.

The most important step in the process – and often the most difficult – is finding the right talent for your team at the right time. How often have you said to yourself, “Where am I going to find that next Sales Professional or Account Manager?” It’s a topic even the best owners and managers struggle with when they are expanding their current team or looking to replace a key team member. Despite anyone’s best efforts to retain top performers in a company, there will always be vacancies. That, you can count on.

So, how do we minimize the headaches that come with finding new talent? By becoming recruiters 24/7, and having your “recruiting antenna” up at all times. Within LandOpt, we’ll often talk about ABAR -“Always Be A Recruiter.” This is by no means a new concept or thought process to the recruiting world or managers that have that role in their organizations, but it’s a critical concept just the same. Think about this: any person you encounter within the course of your day could be a suspect or a prospect for your opportunity. If they are a suspect (one not interested in the opportunity), chances are they might either know of an individual that would fit the bill, or where to go and find such a person. The other side of the coin is that they could be interested in the opportunity, and therefore, a prospect. As you see, any person that you communicate with can potentially lead you to the right person for the opportunity.

Sourcing for SuperstarsSourcing for Superstars -- Michael Gaydos, Director of Human ResourcesMichael Gaydos, Director of Human Resources

In This Issue...

Sourcing for Superstars 1

Upcoming Critical Dates 1

A Message From Tim Smith 2

Community Service: How Giving Back Can Bring Great Rewards

3

Root: 5 Really Cool Things You Should Know 4

Operations Field Day: Save the Date! 5

Spring Safety Tips 5

Network Success 5

LandOpt Training and Events 6

P a g e 2 M a r ch / A p r i l 2 0 1 4

Sourcing for Superstars (cont’d from page 1)

A Message From Tim Smith, LandOpt President & CEO The Process and the Plan

What if working through your list of suspects and prospects doesn’t automatically lead you to the right person? What then? Where do you go? Here are some other ideas of where to source and find those elusive individuals:

Online postings (Monster, LinkedIn, Craigslist and similar career sites) Referrals from existing team members Consider local vendors and suppliers, such as the person who sold you your

copier or your uniforms – ask them who they know Post the opportunity internally or on your website, Facebook or Twitter page,

and offer an incentive to team members who refer a qualified candidate Consider asking for referrals from customers with whom you have established a

good relationship Look to local technical schools, colleges/universities or high schools for interns,

seasonal help or entry level positions Have an open house and encourage interested individuals to visit your business

and learn more about available career opportunities Participate in networking groups where you can meet potential candidates and/or you can ask for potential candidate referrals Participate in local and/or industry-sponsored career fairs

These are just a few suggestions on how to get the word out in your local community. Keep in mind, though, that the act of sourcing for the right people is the most time-intensive step in the recruiting process. You will likely need to sift through a large number of candidates in order to get to the right person. But, know that persistence does pay off when it comes to continuous sourcing. In looking at the big picture, the best way to reduce the time to get the individual into the interviewing stages is to always be recruiting and on the lookout for the next superstar to join your team.

By now, the Network as a whole has collectively settled their focus on preparing for the impending increase in activity that the spring season brings. This is a time for which you have spent the last several months preparing – ensuring that crews are up-to-date on safety training, that equipment is serviced and ready to go, and that you are fully staffed and ready to handle the increased volume of business, among other tasks.

Remember however, that hiring and recruiting should neither be emotional nor reactionary. At this time of year, more than ever, you need to use your financial plan as a road map. Within that plan, you have anticipated both the timing and cost of hiring full-time and seasonal team members. If you had planned to have new faces on board for spring kick-off, then I expect that you have spent the last few months in the recruiting and interview phases. If you are preparing to add someone within Q2 or Q3, then certainly you know to put the wheels in motion on the process in order to ensure that you are finding the best candidates. And yes, it is a process. As Mike Gaydos references in this month’s cover article, LandOpt has an 11-step hiring and recruiting process designed to make sure that this important aspect of your business – just as with all other aspects – is systematic, comprehensive and well-executed. Each of you knows all too well that identifying, recruiting and

eventually hiring a new team member can potentially take two or three months. Anticipate this timeline and make sure that you are getting started at the appropriate time. Feeling unsure about whether you should hire now? Too busy to look ahead? Surprised by your need for more help? You shouldn’t be. Your financial and strategic plan is based on data and was developed at the end of last year to be your road map for 2014. Trust it. Do not begin to second guess it at this stage and fall back on emotion. In front of you, in black and white, are the numbers, facts and figures necessary to guide your actions. You should be looking at that closely each month against your monthly reporting numbers. If you’re behind on any aspect, you should be able to figure out why. More importantly, you should be able to use that plan to help you see what adjustments you and your team will need to make in order to get back on track. Being ahead of your plan brings its own set of challenges as well, and you should be prepared to adjust accordingly on that front as well. Determining staffing needs and the timing of new hires may very well be part of those adjustments.

Do not let the accelerated pace of spring create havoc within your business. Hurried hiring decisions and frantic searches for talent will not yield a stable and solid team. Now, more than ever, adherence to processes and systems is what will help you realize success – not cutting corners. Trust that to be true. Use the process and you will surely reap the results you desire.

FRONT PAGE: LandOpt was among the exhibitors at PLANET's Student Career Days, which was held in March at Colorado State University. Jay Bell (Silvis Group) joined us in the booth to tell college graduates pursuing green industry careers what makes working for a LandOpt Contractor a unique experience.

ABOVE: Our quarterly Transformation Trainings are designed for new Network team members to learn and understand LandOpt’s processes and systems.

TOP: Last year, Belknap Landscape Company joined a three-day cleanup effort to benefit Hurricane Sandy victims in Lindenhurst, NY. MIDDLE: As part of their annual “Trees for Schools” contest surrounding Earth Day and Arbor Day, ProScape Lawn & Landscape Services donated trees to two winning high schools, including Marion Catholic; Team members from PROCARE pitched in to give a local Little League field a makeover. BOTTOM (L-R): In September, Burkholder Brothers teamed up with Make-A-Wish to create a “serenity garden” for Loie Hammond, a young girl suffering from an incurable neurological disease; H&H Landscaping and Lawn Care (and some elementary school student volunteers) celebrated Arbor Day 2013 by planting a tree for a nearby recreation center; Mountain View Landscapes participated in the Massachusetts “Plant Something” event (May 15) last year by planting trees at a community senior center.

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Community Service: How Giving Back Can Bring Great Rewards

Spring is all about renewal, and many contractors from around the LandOpt Network spend this time of year renewing their commitment to protecting the environment and beautifying their local neighborhoods by participating in various community service events. Whether through one large project tied to an annual event like the PLANET Day of Service, Earth Day and Arbor Day, or several smaller endeavors throughout the year, we’re proud of our Network Contractors who are making a difference!

If charitable work isn’t currently part of your business strategy, now is the time to consider getting involved. Not only is giving back to your community a rewarding experience, but it’s also an effective way to build your reputation as a leader in your local area and the green industry. Having a reputation as a company who cares can often be the differentiating factor that helps you win customers, attract top talent, and sustain a sense of loyalty and value within your existing team.

Before taking on any community service projects, it’s important to ensure that these activities fit into your strategic and financial plans. Below are a few tips to help you get the most out of your efforts.

1. Identify your community’s needs. Take a look around – what are the key issues affecting your neighborhood? Is there a local nonprofit in need of funds? Are there parks that desperately need maintenance? Is there a struggling family who deserves an extreme landscape makeover? Is there a cause that you or your team are particularly passionate about or think needs more awareness? Make a short list of the areas in which you’d like to help.

2. Make the commitment to get involved. Determine the man hours, equipment and other resources that you’re willing and able to donate. Once you’ve decided which project(s) to take on, step forward as a leader and make it happen!

3. Get your entire organization on board. Whether you’re joining an existing event or you’re creating your own, it’s important to encourage and allow your team members to participate. Collaborating on a project for a worthy cause can do wonders for your team’s collective morale and job satisfaction.

4. Don’t be afraid to talk about your good deeds! Let current and potential customers know about your charitable work through press releases, website announcements and social media updates. You’re bringing about positive change in your community, so there is nothing wrong with sharing your efforts with others.

For landscape contractors, community service involvement is one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to increase awareness of your company and services, build your local presence, and gain loyalty and respect from your customers and employees. Best of all, knowing that you’re making a difference just feels good!

If you’re participating in this year’s PLANET Day of Service, other environmentally-focused projects or community service events, please send photos to Becky Broderick so that we can share your good deeds in the next newsletter!

M a r ch / A p r i l 2 0 1 4 P a g e 4

Root: 5 Really Cool Things You Should Know

By now, most of you have heard of Root – the newest version of the LandOpt Licensee Center that is being rolled out this month. The new online Network offers an enhanced digital platform that puts LandOpt’s resources at your fingertips. It is a unique space designed specifically for sharing ideas, industry knowledge and best practices, and to facilitate interaction between LandOpt and our Licensees. Manager of Product Development Andrew Dickson has been working directly with Success Coordinators at each LandOpt Contractor location over the past month to get appropriate team members registered and activated on the new site. He is still working through the list, so if he has not yet contacted you, then you should expect to hear from him soon. As a reminder, all locations need to have active user accounts before the end of April when the old Licensee Center will be deactivated leaving Root as the only source for critical information.

So what does all of this REALLY mean? Following is a list of the top 5 “really cool” things you should know about Root!

1. It’s got an all-new look and a familiar feel. No more of the 1970s-era look! Root is as up-to-date and modern as it gets. Plus, the banner images that rotate through at the top are meant to be familiar – look closely, as each image represents a LandOpt Contractor city/town. See if you can spot one from your area!

2. It’s easier to use. It might be an understatement to say that navigation in the old Licensee Center was “clunky” and difficult. But that is definitely a problem of the past. Navigation within Root is designed to be intuitive and easy. The search function on the main page allows you to easily look up anything in the Toolbox without having to go through multiple screens. All of the main navigation buttons are lined up across the top of the screen, and drag and drop capability has been added in order to make it a snap to move documents or files from your desktop directly into Root.

3. You control the content. One of the new features that we are especially excited about is “Network Submitted Resources.” Now, there is a dedicated space that allows you to share project photos, images, and files (such as ads or direct mail pieces) with each other. No more random postings in Chatter that ultimately require endless scrolling if you want to find them again. Instead, you’ll be able to add the content in Root and simply include a link in your Chatter post if you want to share it with the rest of the Network.

4. Monthly reporting is a snap…and entirely up to you! No more waiting on the LPI to be posted each month. Each LandOpt Contractor will still progress and upload his/her own financial plan as per the usual routine. But now, each location will also have the ability to enter their LPI data directly into the system. The “how to” of this process will be the subject of the April GM webinar, after which each location will have their first opportunity to enter the data on their own.

5. You’ll always know what’s going on! No more searching the Licensee Center or digging through your email inbox to find announcements and event dates. Central on Root’s main page you will find both the Network Announcements and the Network Events Calendar. The calendar will be populated with all training and other planned LandOpt events, and by clicking on the event, you will be able to view the details and find a link to the registration site (where appropriate). Even better, the right side of the home page will include “My Announcements” and “My Company Events,” a section that will allow you to add information relative to your company and personalized to meet the needs of your own team.

It doesn’t get much better than that, does it? Success Coordinators and General Managers should continue to be the first point of contact for information about Root and access to the site. Andrew Dickson will remain in touch with these two roles and can be contacted directly with any concerns or questions.

The Root homepage has a modern look!

M a r ch / A p r i l 2 0 1 4 P a g e 5

Network Success!Network Success!

Nice to see some of our Network Contractors being recognized in print! The March issue of Turf magazine carried an article highlighting the success of Eichenlaub, Inc., while the April issue of Lawn & Landscape featured a great article about Silvis Group’s hiring and recruiting practices. As well, Trace Lawn & Landscape was proud to see their hardscape projects featured in the RI Lampus Company spring catalog. (Lampus manufactures and distributes hardscape materials.)

Congratulations to our own Tim Smith on his nine year anniversary with LandOpt. On April 2, 2005, Tim embarked on his LandOpt journey after moving his family to Pittsburgh from Iowa and he hasn’t looked back. Certainly much has been achieved in the growth and development of the LandOpt Network since then. Here’s to many more years of success!

Looking back at our Network sales professionals’ performance in Q1, Rebekah Oman (Miller Landscape) led the pack with $116K in new LT sales. Close behind were Jason Miller (PROCARE Landscape Management) and John Cascio (Trace), with $89K and $85K respectively. Great work, folks!

Speaking of our Sales Professionals, their competitive juices have been flowing during the annual March Madness competition. Designed to encourage and reward sales activity according to the LandOpt System and the proper use of CRM, the contest yielded some exciting head to head battles. Congratulations to the “Elite Eight” contenders --Cynthia McNally (Cut Above Landscaping), John Cascio (Trace), Paul Wunstell and Charley Criswell (GreenEarth Landscape Services), Doug Harris (Burkholder Brothers), Chuck Harkins (Miller Landscape), (GreenEarth), and Ben Simpson (Eichenlaub, Inc.) -- and the big winner, Jay Bell (Silvis Group)!

Plan ahead for these training events on the horizon: Q2 Transformation Training (May 6-9), Leadership Con Ed (June 10-12), and GM Boot Camp (July 14-18). Keep an eye out for registration details and please be mindful of the deadlines as these will be large classes. Don’t forget to book your hotel rooms -- the earlier, the better!

The tradition of LandOpt’s Operations Field Day continues! Network Account and Project Managers should mark their calendars – the 2014 event will be held July 29-31 and will be hosted by Burkholder Brothers in Aston, PA, a Philadelphia suburb. In its fourth year, the Operations Field Day event has evolved to include networking among the key Operations-focused personnel within LandOpt Network businesses, as well as education, fun and recognition. The Equipment Olympics competition will return with some new twists and the event will culminate with the presentation of the LandOpt Operations Awards to the Network’s top performers.

We are still working through the hotel and event details, but we expect to distribute the event registration materials in May. Until then, these are some key things to know:

Philadelphia International Airport is the closest and most convenient airport – approximately 15 miles from the Burkholder offices in Aston. As well, the office is proximate to Interstate 95 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

Optional project tours will once again be conducted by Burkholder Brothers on Tuesday for those interested in seeing some of their local work. If this is of interest to you, please look for details on timing before making your travel arrangements.

The event officially kicks off on Tuesday afternoon (July 29) with guided tours of the Burkholder Brothers facility, followed by a group dinner.

Wednesday (July 30) will feature both a group speaker and the much anticipated and highly competitive Equipment Olympics.

Wednesday will conclude with the presentation of the LandOpt Operations Awards – including both Account and Project Manager of the Year – as part of our closing night dinner.

Thursday will be a day of return travel for everyone.

We look forward to another successful event and one of our biggest yet as we welcome many of our newest Network contractors to the fold. Please mark your calendars and keep an eye out for event materials!

Operations Field Day: Save the Date!

Spring Safety Tips

Safety is a critical element of your business and needs to remain a core focus for every member of your team, especially at this time of year when the increased pace of activity also elevates the risk of accident or injury. PLANET offers these tips on ensuring safe practices within your business:

Make it easy for your crews to be safe. Have in stock all of the personal protective equipment (PPE) your employees may need and make sure all equipment is in excellent shape. Note: Federal OSHA requires employers to provide nearly all PPE to employees at no cost.

Ensure that your vehicle operators are prepared. Create a "truck packet" for each vehicle that includes basic safety information, a map with hospital locations and emergency phone numbers.

Never "low ball" an opportunity. When developing a proposal, ensure that the budget supports sufficient man hours to complete the job without rushing, which could put workers at risk of injury.

For full details, visit OSHA.gov.

Last year the Network traveled to Massachusetts, where Operations Field Day was hosted by Mountain View Landscapes at both their Chicopee facility and the Summit View Banquet House & Pavilion in Holyoke.

TOP ROW: (L-R): LandOpt’s Talent Acquisition Specialist Kelli Brudnak traveled to Colorado with Silvis Group’s Jay Bell for PLANET’s Annual Student Career Days to meet recent college graduates looking to begin their landscaping careers; We kicked off March with the 100 Level Account Manager Boot Camp, where the Success Coaches were greeted by both new and familiar faces. BOTTOM: The 200 Level Account Manager Boot Camp brought more of the senior level AMs to Pittsburgh for a deeper dive into their role’s responsibilities and challenges.

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412.567.4328 412.253.6072 www.landopt.com info@landopt.com

LandOpt Training and Events

Business Transformation

LandOpt helps to transform your business

by focusing on our four pillars of success.

LandOpt empowers a select group of highly qualified, regionally-based landscape contractors with a powerful portfolio of business systems to dramatically improve

their growth, profitability and productivity.

The LandOpt team facilitates the transformation of landscape contractors by providing the best in class technology, along with proven business processes and systems.

LandOpt enables Network Licensees to efficiently utilize these systems to increase growth, profitability, and productivity in their businesses.

Intensive coaching, followed with a continuing education curriculum,

ensures the success of the Licensees. Training sessions pass along

proven business practices in business management, financial planning,

marketing & sales, operations and more. Coaching establishes a

partnership between LandOpt and the Licensee, which builds a

growing, successful business relationship.

The LandOpt Network of Licensees is a powerful resource in developing

new relationships with peers in the green industry. The expanding

network cultivates a growth of business experience and knowledge.

LandOpt continually measures and monitors the results gathered

from each Licensee location to evaluate the effectiveness of the

LandOpt systems and ensure success.

Be proud to be a member of the Powered by LandOpt Network.

There’s always something going on in the Network. Whether it’s a training class in Pittsburgh or an event at one of our LandOpt Contractor locations, there’s never a dull moment. Take a look below to see what’s been happening lately!