[LawnsRUsInc.]

What do you practice for your lawn care company/lawncare crews, as a managment tip that helped you guys be more productive? As i was hoping we can share tips.

1. We fill equip. up at the end of the evening.

2. We have a certain route that the crews follow.

3. They have to pack a lunch "no stoping at mcD's" long lines at 12

anyone have others?

 

[iowapride]

I think getting the mowers fueled up and ready to go at night is a big plus. My crews get done at different times so it works out good. If they filled mowers in the morning, everybody would be waiting to fill. I have my own fuel barrel at the shop, so we don't have to wait in line at the gas station. I also buy extra weed eater spools and put them in the trucks so they can wind them between jobs, not during. Any other tips, I'm always looking to be effient and save time.

 

[Randy Scott]

Originally posted by LawnsRUsInc.
They have to pack a lunch "no stoping at mcD's" long lines at 12

How many hours a day do your guys work? You do realize it's a law that they get a lunch break at 8 hrs. and personally should be able to eat what and where they want. I understand they're in a truck with the crew, but if you cannot find a half hour for them to eat at a fast food joint, there's other issues within your company.

I'm all for efficiency, but I think these types of rules make employees a little less apt to have a good attitude. Think about it from their side. My wife got me into this type of thinking towards our employees. They need to be treated like people, not machines. Ever since I started this business, it's go time from sun up until past dark, and that is when I would eat. At 9 or 10 at night when I was done. I probably, on average, stop for lunch once every two weeks. I'll grab a sandwich from the cooler while there's a shovel in my other hand, but to actually stop somewhere to eat, unheard of. I just don't like to do it. My wife thinks I'm mental, which I may be. I also have to understand that our employees aren't me, nor do they want to be. I think if they thought like me, they'd have their own business.

Otherwise, on efficiency strategies, just stay organized by any and all means. Think two steps ahead and things should flow for the most part. Getting equipment to go at night is about the biggest time saver. In the morning all they have to do is get instructions and then take off.

 

[AL Inc]

I found that by keeping the routes tighter, eliminating distant accounts, and using the enclosed trailer made the biggest difference for me.
In the evening, after I have made all my phone calls,etc, I will spend 10 minutes writing down my plan for the next day. Errands I have to do, appointments I have, what machinery needs repair or parts I need, etc. I found I am much more efficient this way, and not running around like a madman.

 

[specialtylc]

The biggest managment practice we use to save time is that the owner ( me or my partner ) are with our employees on the job. Cuts down on the break time.

 

[LawnsRUsInc.]

randy scott i phrased it wrong they pack a lunch. They work 7-7 6 days a week. They are spanish guys and they pack lunchs. The funny thing is that one of the wifes pack me a lunch lol. with them stopping at a job for 30 minutes for lunch keeps them happy, i also pay them for thier lunch breaks. We used to have trouble with everyone wanting to eat at different places and where we work thier isnt a resturant at every corner.

 

[AL Inc]

I required my men to bring lunch from the beginning. I think that they prefer it, they really don't like fast food like McDonalds. They do like chinese food for some reason, so I will treat the crew to lunch sometimes on Saturdays.

 

[PaulJ]

There is one thing that I have done since on my own, that the lcos I used to work for didn't do. I keep my mowing equipment on the trailer at night and just park the whole trailer inside. I know this isn't an issue for everyone or isn't possible. I just think I have saved a ton of time in the morning and at night by not having to spend time loading and unloading everything . I hope I can continue to do it this way, but a larger trailer and barley big enough door might change my mind.

 

[LawnsRUsInc.]

no more? boy we must not all be that productive. lol I myseld am trying to think of a few that were not said.

 

[PaulJ]

Ok you want more?

Put an edgit on every one of your trimmers. Edge and trimm with one machine in one pass. Use the "following the edge" system outlined ont he www.edgit.com website.
NO going back to get the edger after trimming.
better trimming gaurd,
faster edging,
fast easy training,

 

[PaulJ]

Another one is tarps.
use tarps to dump grass on in back yards or far from the truck . then drag them back to the truck when done.
use enough tarps so that they don't get to heavy to throw on the truck.
If you don't have a dumping truck or lopadhandler,
then put a tarp on the bottom before you dump anything in the truck. layer tarps so that so one tarp is too heavy to pull off.
to dump don't drag the tarp all the way off but pull the fron over the top, this rolls/dumps the load out the back easily.
remember to tarp the top of the load to. Don't want to et stoped for littering.

 

[LawnsRUsInc.]

Another one would be to make sure you have a tool kit. Found that out the other day when i went to the new truck and found out i forgot to put it in there. 15 miles back to the shop.