Welcome back! In the past month, the weather has drastically changed. It was 80 and sunny in October and now we have to deal with 30 degree highs and general nasty weather. We're currently prepping our trucks with Plows and Salters as we do every year at this time, so that when the snow arrives, we're ready for it! As our staff prepares for the upcoming winter season, I wanted to share a few thoughts about the year we had in 2017 as a company, as well as the direction we're heading and what we're looking to do in 2018.
We recently added a new employee to our management team and we're very excited about it! Scott McKeon comes to us from BrightView/Brickman Landscaping where he served as the Pittsburgh Branch Manager for the past 5 years, while being in the industry for over 10 years prior to that. We hired Scott as our Director of Sales and Customer Relations, where he is going to do an absolutely phenomenal job. There is one thing you cannot teach in this industry and that is experience, which Scott has plenty of. We're looking forward to Scott being apart of our Management Team and providing his input on everything we do as a company! In the near future, we'll get a "Getting To Know You" with Scott up on the blog.
Earlier this year we also moved into a new office space. While our long term plans remain to build a new office and shop at our 7 acre property, the new office was a much needed interim solution. We now have a place where we can entertain customers, as well as hold meetings and performance reviews. It keeps all of the management staff in one place, which is great for improved systems and communication. I cannot wait until we can begin construction on our new, state of the art facility. Production and communication will only increase from there which will lower costs, which in turn will provide lower prices to our customers!
Along with the new office space, we have implemented a new software program. This new program allows us to be more efficient, as well as communicate better with our customers and staff. Soon customers will be able to have a login where they can go online and check their account with us, pay online, check our scheduling, as well as communicate with us. In the future, we'll send out more details to our current customers so that you can take advantage of it.
As for the work we completed this year, we increased the number of hardscape projects by nearly 150%! Not only is this great work from our sales department, but we also keep gaining knowledge and experience for our building team so that we can tackle any project you might have. We are now very strong in all aspects of hardscape projects, with no job to large. Our LawnTending Crews did great work and kept your properties beautiful on a weekly basis. The Enhancement Crews started off the year producing great results and finished strong! Overall, we're very happy with the work our crews completed this year. However, we know we can be better in 2018 and we will work hard to do just that.
For 2018, we're expecting a very big year. Along with adding Scott to the sales staff, we also added key laborers and crew managers as well. Everyone looks ready for the snow removal season and I know we'll do the same outstanding work to keep you safe all winter that we have always done. Additional LawnTending and Landscape Enhancement Crews are being added for 2018 to meet the demand of the increased workload. Adding crews will allow us to expand while keeping our quality and service at the highest level. We're also anticipating the return of our H2B Hispanic Team Members for 2018! Unfortunately, we were unable to have them back working for us in 2017, but 2018 is looking good. We've been in communication with those guys and they cannot wait to be back! Anything you need in 2018, we've got you covered.
So there you have it, you're all caught up with the boring things that happen in a landscaping company! As we move into the winter months, we encourage everyone to enjoy the holidays with loved ones and stay safe while traveling. Remember that the weather conditions are always changing, so stay alert while you're out and about and we'll be out there fighting the snow for you!
Even though it's easy to do this time of year....Don't let the days slip away, enjoy the moment!
-Nathan Stockman