When Tyler Kreft starts listing all the things he’s looking for when he stops by your commercial property, it seems like he’ll need to spend the night.
The Level Green Landscaping account manager has a really long list.
“Are there any tree roots impeding buildings or sidewalks?” he says.
“Any large trees blocking security cameras? Any tripping hazards? Any low areas holding water that could freeze into ice?”
Kreft keeps listing things, from your irrigation system to your planting beds to your stormwater management.
“My whole job is about being proactive and catching problems before they become big issues,” Kreft says.
As long as we have him here, in a rare break from checking things, let’s chat with Kreft about all the ways commercial landscaping account managers help you keep your property safe and make it shine.
Proactivity Tops the List
Proactivity is a real buzzword among Level Green commercial landscaping account managers. They’re on a mission to pounce on problems and head off issues before they become real concerns.
A good landscape account manager spends a lot of time on regular site visits, walking your property and inspecting just about everything.
“I check the irrigation system to make sure there’s even coverage and there aren’t any stuck heads,” Kreft says. “I make sure there’s enough space between buildings and planting beds so that insects don’t make their way inside. I check the grade of planting beds to make sure mulch hasn’t built up, causing water to flow toward the buildings.”
Kreft checks landscaping for early signs of insects or diseases. He checks trees and shrubs for any pruning needs. Are flowers and plants healthy? Any turf issues? Hardscape problems?
It’s not enough to just keep a property maintained. The goal of landscape account managers is always to make it better, from removing aging plants past their prime to installing fresh new ornamental grasses that add grace and movement to the landscape.
Landscape account managers report other issues they see, too, even if they’re not related to your landscaping. If neighborhood kids sprayed graffiti or a car crunched into signage, that’s part of their timely communication to property managers
Early detection means they can address any potential problems right away.
“When you find something, you go to the property manager with a solution,” Kreft says. “I never present a problem without offering a solution. That’s not bringing any value.”
Which leads to…
Offering Creative Solutions
Creative commercial landscaping account managers like Kreft always have suggestions to improve your property, ease your budget concerns and make your job easier. They love this stuff.
One of Kreft’s HOA customers was frustrated with the expense of maintaining colorful annual flowers at multiple signs throughout the development.
“Annuals are high maintenance,” he says. “They need lots of water, weeding, fertilizing, and they need to be replaced at least twice a year.”
He suggested replacing the fussier flowers with lower maintenance perennials and ornamental grasses, and implementing some easy care xeriscaping with river rock and accent boulders.
Pretty perennial flowers and graceful grasses still attract attention to the HOA’s significant signage, with less maintenance and expense.
Kreft comes prepared with a whole presentation.
“When we need to get creative and present an idea to a client, we use landscape drawings and renderings to help get the idea across,” Kreft says. “We have an in-house landscape architect who can take what’s in our head and put it on paper so the client can really see the solution we’re suggesting.”
The Beauty of Budget Work Sheets
Level Green Landscaping account managers prepare annual budget worksheets for clients to help plan their commercial landscaping budgets.
The worksheets help property managers prioritize services: Safety concerns first. Utility needs second. Beauty third. They’re a helpful starting point. Then, budgets can be adjusted based on current needs.
“It helps build a road map to improving their property,” Kreft says. “Everybody wants their property to look good, but they’re not always sure how to get there or how much it’s going to cost.
“The worksheets tells them how much they’ll need to spend that year in addition to their regular maintenance contract. Line items are listed for each month throughout the year so they can plan.”
Kreft might suggest setting aside money in June to fix storm damage, as summer storms often bring down tree limbs. Watering costs are a factor during the summer if you don’t have an irrigation system.
“Maybe they need to protect their trees with an integrated pest management plan, or budget for tree pruning and elevation if they have a lot of mature trees,” Kreft says. “The budget worksheets help them plan ahead so expenses don’t catch them by surprise.”
Kreft and other commercial landscaping account managers present the handy budget worksheets in plenty of time for customers’ budget planning for the next fiscal year, in late June for clients working on their budgets in August.
Relationships Matter
Landscaping account managers are the trusted, knowledgeable advisors who help property managers keep their grounds safe and impressive.
It’s an important relationship. Kreft works hard to nurture it.
“It’s important to have the customer’s trust,” he says. “If you say you’ll do something, you do it. Nothing ruins trust faster than not following through on something you promised.”
Responsiveness is crucial, too, he says.
“I answer calls right away,” Kreft says. “My job is to act quickly to solve problems.
“Communication is huge,” he says. “I let customers know when I’ll be on site and ask if there’s anything in particular they want me to look at.”
One of Kreft’s customer contacts is always busy. He often can’t reach her by email or phone. So he drives over to talk to her in person.
While he’s there, how about lunch? Or he might show up with coffee and cookies. Or poinsettia plants at the holidays.
“I want customers to know I appreciate them,” he says. “I wouldn’t be here without them.
“If we go to a Baltimore Orioles game, we don’t talk about work,” Kreft says. “We talk about our families, our lives, our interests.”
Doing Whatever It Takes
Level Green Landscaping account managers attend HOA board meetings, create PowerPoint presentations explaining the various ways to pay for snow removal, and one has been known to bake homemade dog treats for her customers’ happy hounds.
But they’re not in this alone.
“I don’t know everything,” Kreft says. “I’m not the be all and end all with all the answers. I know enough to know I don’t know everything.
“Luckily, I have a great Level Green team to rely on, whether it’s Richard, our landscape architect, or Marvin, our branch manager, or our enhancements manager or operations managers. The great thing about Level Green is we have multiple resources available.”
Get the Best Landscape Account Managers with Level Green
You’ve got enough to handle on the inside of your property. Let us handle the outside, with skilled and creative commercial landscaping account managers who really have your back.
Our commercial landscaping services in Maryland, DC, and Virginia go beyond landscape maintenance to offer construction and landscape design, landscape enhancements, snow and ice management and irrigation management.
If you’re not already a Level Green Landscaping client, we’d love to add you to our growing list of happy customers. Our focus is on commercial properties like offices, mixed-use sites, HOAs, municipalities and institutions in Maryland, Washington DC and parts of Virginia.
Contact us at 202-544-0968. You can also request a free consultation online to meet with us one-on-one.
We’d love to hear from you.
