Expository Essay on Residential Landscaping Service Company

X-landscaping is a residential landscaping service company established in 2017 and its built on the firm foundation provided by a lot of years in the landscaping/horticultural industry. We target the suburban middle-class with large lawns as the targeted demographic. It started with only one employee and could handle up to a maximum of 15 residential homes but with we plan to expand our base of service provision. We have a strong basis in the neighborhood and has helped create a strong bond with trust that will help us grow our customer base. Landscaping is a seasonal business and it experiences downtime during the winter period in most parts of the country and the demand for landscaping services is usually at its peak in the spring and generally between April and October. Our services range from fertilizer treatment, pruning of shrubs and trees, pest control, grass cutting, trimming and edging, snow removal and mulch service and the services are offered once per week per residence but also as per the customers wish. Customized landscape designs can be purchased on a contract basis, including specialties in oriental gardens, tree sculpture, and complete landscape design. We have our own auto production unit allowing us to produce the plants we use on the gardens we work on and also sell. Landscaping is a closely regulated industry that requires practitioners to earn certifications that permits them to be eligible to care and handle hazardous compounds especially where fumigation is involved.

Mission

We aim to provide the following;

Implementation of agreed Design and planting plan.

Advice and provision of information of sustainable options.

Landscaping and Design.

Quick response during snow storms.

Lawn Maintenance.

Values

Provide high quality, affordable services.

Committed to service delivery.

Customer Profiles

We have the following descriptions of three types of customer and services that are purchased by our customers.

1. Personal residential homes

This package involves mid to high-income areas, typically it includes lawn care that consists of mowing, weeding, pest control, and tree maintenance. The job is handled by two employees and can take an average of two hours to complete. Most clients purchase winter snow removal for their driveways, and these are charged a minimal flat fee and per call fee with an upfront deposit to insure they get priority of service.

2. Small business premises.

It consists of banks and small office buildings and require shrub and landscaping care, weed and pest control and minimal law mowing which on average takes up to a maximum of five hours. This category has a contract for snow removal and requires an average of one three days of maintenance per month.

3. Large businesses and corporates.

Typically it includes all the services in the small business account, but requires many more hours, employees and equipment and includes routine watering. It requires up to ten employees and worked for a week every month.

INDUSTRY ANALYSIS

Many of these are high-value properties owned by those with a budget and desire to complete their new home with landscaping. There is also a market here for my consultancy business, as many new house owners wish to create their own landscaping, but feel they need expert assistance. It is important for any landscape company to first inspect the area they are to carry out their job so that they will be able to properly submit a quotation that will be favorable to both parties. Most landscaping companies ensure that they send their quotations to prospective clients only when they have been able to do their calculations based on per square foot of the property. The creativity of the landscape architect determines the amount that can be charge and the business inflow.

TARGET MARKET

Our target market is, homeowners who plan to put their home on the market and want to improve its curb appeal with fresh or updated landscaping, professional builders of both residential and commercial properties who dont already have their own landscaper or staff, new homeowners who wish to update the existing landscape of their property, homeowners who are frequently out of town on business, golf course owners who may need help with regular maintenance, property or condominium managers who dont have enough required workers, homeowners with limited skills or tools to design their own landscaping. Managers of public facilities and government establishments.

MARKETING PLAN

We will implement the following strategy in sourcing for new business; introduce our business by designing and sending introductory letters together with brochures. We will be prompt in bidding or new contracts whenever openings are available. We advertise the business in property magazines and newspaper ads. We also have listed our business on yellow pages ads. Create different packages for different category of clients in order to work with their budgets and still deliver quality job for them. We also have partnered with professional web marketing companies to ensure we have paid ads on different websites. Finally through word of mouth marketing by visiting direct home owners and proposing to them to get our services.

Requirements

There are specific equipment required to fully operate the business. They are a lawnmower, string trimmer, edging shears, brooms, half-moon cutter, besom, switch, wheel-barrows, a rake and a truck among others.

MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION

There are three full time employees the office manager and two supervisors. The rest of the employees are on part time basis and are paid depending on the nature of the job.

Payments are as follows;

Owner $ 65,000 per year

Office manager - $ 22,000 per year

Supervisors - $ 15,000 per year

Employees wages paid in an hourly rate of $ 5

Owner

This owner has the following responsibilities;

Set company policies and train new employees.

Negotiate new contracts.

Approve purchase of equipment and supplies.

Review and sign checks.

Follow up on supervisors.

Supervisors have the following responsibilities;

Training new employees.

Forecast supplies needed for assignments.

Set work schedules for employees.

Handle client problems.

Solicit new clients that lead to contracts to the owner.

Office Manager

Manage client scheduling.

Support supervisors.

Perform customer survey.

Assign and maintain equipment for supervisors.

Bookkeeping.

Employees

Assigned to work on different properties.

Mow, weed and perform all manual labor.

Identify problems.

Report to the supervisor.

They must be: neat in appearance, hardworking, good communicators, team workers, responsible and dedicated to do outstanding jobs.

COMPETITION

Competition is high as there exists other landscaping companies and more are still being set up as it is a profitable business. However, we work to ensure that we distance and offer services that are unmatched by any other business in our scope. Some target established properties others solely target makeovers and updates to newly purchased homes. Others focus on maintenance and offer fixed rates for their services. We however provide these services and apart from these we also offer consulting services and at the same time sell our plants to those who require them such as new property owners and other businesses in the same field.

FINANCIAL PLAN

Start-up funding will be a loan from a local bank that offers loans at very low interest rates and timely enough to enable smooth repayment. Part of the initial cost will come from personal savings and sale of existing stock. We also expect to receive donations from family and friends who are willing to give donate and some to give soft loans.

We also project to have high seasons and low seasons. The difference can be managed by ensuring maximum service delivery during the high seasons during spring and maximize on the few opportunities during the low season in winter.

Our pricing plans range and vary depending on customers preference and nature of landscaping design. However our basic terms are as follows:

Landscaping Residential-

Landscaping Small business

Landscaping Large businesses and corporates

Snow Removal Residential

Snow Removal Small business

Snow Removal Large businesses and corporates

Payment options include, payment via a bank transfer, with cash, online bank transfer such as PayPal, a check or a bank draft and mobile money transfer.