Building trust takes time with a commercial landscaping customer. Communication and consistency are a valuable part of how trust is built over time. Being a partner for your property manager in the commercial landscape means doing what you say you are going to do, seeing things before the client does, and going above and beyond when the opportunity is there. We strive to be another set of eyes for the customer in their landscape and their building as a whole. Commercial property managers have so much on their plate. If we can alleviate one of those stressors, we are truly adding value to the customers building.
Once this level of trust in a partnership is developed with a customer, the property manager knows they can rely on you to do what is best for the landscaping. If that is landscaping enhancements, seasonal color selection, fertilization or mulch upgrades, your history of reliability and consistency allows you the opportunity to better care for the commercial landscape and keep the property looking its best at all times. There is a level of ownership that each of our landscape consultants takes on each commercial property. We are invested in the landscaping because it is our reputation as much as it is the reputation of the building itself.
Trust also increases our client retention rate. When a commercial building owner or manager has confidence in your ability and your commitment to the beauty of their landscape, it limits their desire to want to take the landscaping contract out to bid. Knowing that you are their partner in the maintenance of their landscaping adds unseen value to the scope of the contract. Everyone would rather do busy with a known, valued partner than someone they don’t know.
In addition to client retention, building a trusting relationship can also lead to referrals for new business. Providing top notch commercial landscape maintenance to a customer means they are going to share your name with other people looking for the same services. New business gained through referral tends to be less of a selling cycle as well. The potential new client already has it on trusted authority that you are the kind of company they want as their partner in their commercial landscape.
From a personal standpoint, it is much more enjoyable to work with clients that enjoy working with you. Taking to time to do things the right way and to develop a long-term relationship with your clients mean more enjoyment for your job as well. Having a comfortable, trusting relationship is much easier to navigate day to day versus having a client that you don’t know well and don’t know what to expect when communicating about the landscape management.
In Summary,
Building Trust Requires:
1. Communication
2. Consistency
3. Going above & beyond
4. Being and extra set of eyes on the property
The Benefits of Building Trust with Your Clients is:
1. Increase in client retention
2. More lead way for improvements on the property
3. Referral business
4. A more enjoyable work environment for both parties
At LMC, we value both our external customers and our internal customers. We work hard to maintain a positive culture that promotes building long-term relationship where trust is a given with both our employees and our clients. Providing Houston’s best commercial landscaping is just as much about the way we treat our clients, employees and community as it is about the quality of the landscape maintenance itself.
