Missy Henriksen, vice president of public affairs for the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP), told FOX Business that 82 percent of CEOs say the number one thing keeping them up at night is the inability to find qualified employees.
According to the most recent industry data available, 71,000 jobs went unfilled in 2017.
And if your landscaping business can’t find helping hands, it can’t grow.
It can’t take on more work. Which means you’re not going to be making more money anytime soon.
Autmow is here to help your landscaping business grow and flourish, which is why we want to share with you a powerful way to grow your business into the next generation.
What the labor shortage is costing landscaping businesses
In a word, it’s costing lawn care businesses a lot.
Jim McCutcheon, the CEO of HighGrove Partners – one of the largest landscaping companies in Georgia, has been in the business for nearly three decades and said the past two to three years have been the most challenging that he’s seen in terms of the industry’s labor situation.
“It’s easily cost us more than $1 million,” McCutcheon told FOX Business. “It’s an everyday search for people.”
As a result of the labor shortage, many companies are canceling business orders, while others are closing their doors altogether.
This is causing a change-wave of hiring practices, including landscaping businesses raising hourly wages and offering expensive benefit packages, in an attempt to attract qualified workers.
Unfortunately, many landscapers can’t keep up with this, and are choosing to close their doors. (Yiiiiiiikes!)
Don’t let the grass die on your landscaping business! Before you wave the white flag, consider these bringing your business into the future with ….
Drum roll please…
ROBOTS. (aka auto mowers. That’s right, you can launch your business into the future by employing robots to work alongside your best employees.)
How The Smartest Landscapers are Surviving the 2020 Labor shortage
At first glance, commercial landscapers might think that robot mowers are our new robot overlords, here to replace humans in the commercial lawn care industry.
We’re here to tell you — the opposite is true.
Robotic, self-mowing lawn mowers help commercial lawn care services in a myriad of ways:
1. The advent of self-mowing lawn mowers helps attract younger, tech-savvy workers to landscaping companies.
After all, what young person doesn’t dream of managing a fleet of robots when they grow up?
2. The use of robot mowers helps commercial lawn service companies successfully work with a smaller crew while being able to tackle more and more lawns.
Did you ever think you’d be able to pick up more lawn clients while cutting man hours? One landscaping company owner says ““We’ve reduced the amount of labor hours necessary to service (the robotic mower) by over 80 percent.”
3. Employing a fleet of robot mowers helps you stand out from your competition.
People will do a double take when they see your robots gracefully gliding across the lawns of America.
You’re the early adopter. You’re the one who saw the potential of these cute little hardworking robots. You’re the landscape specialist with vision, who knows how to bring their company into the next generation.
The use of robot mowers for your lawn care service is sure to put you in a stronger, more competitive position in the years to come. If you don’t, perhaps your competitor will.
4. Robotic lawnmowers can help your team focus on the details that matter most, instead of spending so much time on the lawn.
How the lawn looks after mowing is extremely important — so we put the robots on the lawn while the crew works on trimming and contouring — spending extra time on those details that matter most to the homeowners.
This ensures happy reviews every time, aesthetically pleasing results that wow the customer, and consistent results.
This Sounds Great, but what about that upfront cost?
A common stumbling block is the high upfront cost of launching a fleet of robot mowers. These little robots can can run anywhere from $1,000 to $18,000, depending on your lawn and landscaping needs.
While this is a substantial business investment, any good business owner knows that investing in your business is essential to growth.
In fact, your business is likely to recoup those expenses quickly. Experts say that robot lawnmowers pay for themselves in just 2-3 years, and then your business can gain more clients, achieve better results, improve your reputation and beat out the competition.
So the real question is… how much is it costing you to NOT bring in your first robot mower?
Robotic mowing can help you make more money (because you’re tackling more jobs!) and it can help you stand out in the mind of your customers.
Don’t get left behind in the future of lawn care.
Early Tech Adopters End Up Being Leaders in their Field.
As a landscaping professional, you’re on a mission to make the world a more beautiful place. But chances are, you’re also on a mission to be the leading landscaping company in your area — with the happiest customers, the best workforce, the most lawns mowed, and the most beautiful flower beds.
According to Information Age, business owners who are early adopters of tech are visionaries and risk takers, and are essential for technology to move forward across all industries.
In fact, most early adopters of tech are still careful decision makers — 74% of them do their research and examine different venues before making a purchase — and they’re far more open-minded to trying out new ideas to move their business forward, unlike the business owners that lag behind.
Discover Commercial Solutions for Your Landscaping Business
If your landscaping business is struggling to find qualified employees and struggling to grow, it might be time to invest in your first fleet of robot mowers.
Automowers are eco friendly, can tackle large acreage, hilly terrain, and are quieter than traditional lawn mowers, making them a better experience for your business and your clients.
What’s more, Autmow is proud to offer employee discounts on installations. To learn more about how Autmow can help your landscaping business, click here.