Sticks & Stones – Page 24 – News & Views from Christensen's Plant Center

Resort-worthy customer service

Honeymoon

In early February, my wife and I traveled to Mexico on our honeymoon, to a resort just about an hour south of Cancun. Ladies and gentlemen, I have to tell you that it is an absolutely beautiful region to vacation in. If you have never stayed in an all-inclusive resort, I highly recommend doing it at least once during your lifetime. Want breakfast, lunch, or dinner? You’re covered.  Want a drink or 12? Oh yeah, covered again! Whatever it is you need, the staff is there to accommodate you to the best of their ability, which will more than likely exceed one’s expectations. And all with a smile on their face and a hand on their heart.

Which leads me to the point: How good are we at Customer Service?

That trip opened my eyes in regards to servicing customers. Personally, I feel like I’m pretty good at it, as is all of our staff, but this resort operates at an entirely different level.

lounge staff

From top management to the everyday workers that you don't normally have direct contact with, every employee was ready to help. And if they couldn’t, they would escort you to someone that could. I would not describe my wife and I as being high-maintenance, but I can imagine the oddball requests that the resort probably gets. And just think, this was only one resort in a highly traveled region of Mexico. Rumor has it that nearly all operate in this manner.

That being said, how can customer service be improved?

Here are just a few examples: What if I could be a bit more personable? What if I said “Hello” to every customer that I pass at the nursery, whether I'm neck-deep in a project, helping out a contractor with their order, or just passing through the shop on my way to lunch? What if I could provide a perfect solution to customer requests, not something that just "works out fine"?

Jim at the counter does this often, but what if I handed out bottles of water to contractors getting their trucks loaded when it’s super hot out?

restaurant staff

To me, it’s the accumulation of the little things that can turn someone’s day around and make them feel welcomed and looking forward to patronizing your business. I’m sure that we all started out that way at the beginning of our careers, but maybe we’ve strayed away from our roots and the principles that got us to where we are today.

this is the life

Thank you to our friends south of the border for helping me remember that we can all be better at what we are doing, whether it’s been three days or three decades.

David Reutter

Ultra Violet in 2018

Pantone Ultra Violet

Did you hear? The Pantone color of the Year is "Ultra Violet". Interestingly, both the Landscape Perennial of the Year and the 2018 Shrub of the Year feature violet tones in flower or leaf. Take a closer look, you won't be disappointed!

Purple, violet, lavender, or wine - this color brings in a whole new concept to plant choices and themes for spring. You can work this color into bold designs with yellows, whites, or reds, or create a soothing palette using grays and cream to soften. The choices are abundant when incorporating textures, shades, and different heights to the landscape.

Copyright Laurel Christensen

2018 Perennial Plant of the year - Alium ‘Millenium’

What a smart choice for spring. Deer and rabbit resistant but loved by butterflies and bees, this mounded compact allium is a beautiful addition to any landscape. 'Millenium' offers glossy green foliage and rosy purple 2” globe flowers with a maximum plant size at 20” x 15”. It is a perfect size to be a border plant, blend into rock gardens, or alone in a clump to offer texture and color. Easy to grow in moist soils, happy in part shade to full sun, and requires low water needs.

Proven Winners Weiglea Spilled Wine

2018 Landscape Plant of the Year- Weigela Spilled Wine®

This petite delight is a beauty in most landscapes. Dark wine-colored foliage pops against other plantings and structures. From the first leaves of spring the foliage remains dark and intense all season long. Not preferred by deer but enjoyed by butterflies and hummingbirds, the. tubular magenta flowers bloom for a long period beginning in late spring. Easy to grow, this compact bush measures 2-3’ tall x 2-4’ wide. This is an improved, compact version of the popular Wine & Roses® Weigela and the wide, low habit can be useful almost anywhere in the landscape.

Weigela Wine Series
Joanna Whitt

You can drive up sales

Unilock Courtstone

Simple, large and easy. Three words that never seem to happen together. How many of your larger-scale projects end up in backyards that have little or no access? How often do you have the ability to stage your product right next to where you are working? Of course the small walkway or front porch is easy, but typically not very profitable. Wouldn’t it be great to have a large project with easy access, something with a simple design but yet with options for creativity and style? What if I told you that you could have all of this... Have you thought about a driveway?

Unilock Courtstone

Most driveways have easy access, areas nearby to store and stage the materials and typically have a simple design. You might say that’s a hard sell and that most of your customers are looking for outdoor living areas, patios with fire pits or attractive spaces for outdoor entertaining. Who would want to spend a lot of money on “just” a driveway? Consider this: I have a large patio, and if I get to use it once a week, it was a good week. How many people are on their patios every day, sitting around bonfires and entertaining?  Now, how many times in a day does a driveway get used?

UNilock Brussels Block

A backyard project may never be seen by passersby, but a professionally installed brick-paved driveway will certainly catch one’s eye and add a level of elegance and sophistication as well as an increased curb appeal and home value.  

A paver-based driveway’s durability far surpasses that of concrete or asphalt, which in Michigan is important with our freeze and thaw cycles.

Paver-based driveways require very little maintenance unlike asphalt driveways which seem to need constant sealing and repair. And driveways can be fairly large, allowing you plenty of room for creativity and customization.

Selling a driveway paver job can be difficult. For most, a driveway is a necessity like a washing machine, refrigerator or cell phone. But when you are out shopping for that “necessity”, do you go to the least expensive with no features? Or do you look at the brand new, fully loaded and really cool product? Maybe the customer who has the touch screen console on their refrigerator, or uses their state-of-the-art smartphone to control their landscape lighting or a remote controlled fire pit might be interested in a custom made driveway. Come visit us at Christensen’s Hardscape Center and let us help you drive up your success.

Bryan Pajak

Bad Karma

PBJ

It has always seemed that many things were just meant to be. Peanut butter and jelly, perhaps the greatest love affair of all time. Romeo and Juliet, Desdemona and Othello, Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth, Ozzie and Harriet, Mork and Mindy, Gertrude and Heathcliffe, Joe and Kirsten, Bonnie and Clyde – the list is endless! But humanity is cursed with its fatal flaws. Peanut butter and jelly – they don’t really mix and the jelly oozes out the side of the bread. Romeo and Juliet are tragic star-crossed lovers. Othello has a serious problem with jealousy. Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth get past their pride issues, but eventually the book has to end. Ozzie and Harriet, as well as Mork and Mindy, get cancelled. Joe and Kirsten’s Days of Wine and Roses turns to Brandy Alexanders – not a good finish. And, a life of crime does not pay off for Bonnie and Clyde.

PBJ and R&J

Plants, or combinations of some plants, can have similar tragic results. Some planting designs look great but eventually nature unleashes it’s fatal flaw. The design of some landscapes brings out the worst in some plant varieties. A number of these ill-fated arborial marriages exist but the coexistence of pears and junipers requires our attention.

pyrus calleryana

The ubiquitous Callery Pears, strong and adaptive growers, are increasingly being bothered with Pear or Trellis Rust. To blame are junipers. And vice versa. Together they create a perfect storm scenario for the fungus, Gymnosporiangium fuscum. This is a dark, bare capsule on junipers which explodes with orange, jelly-like fingers during cold, wet springs. These galls cause dieback in junipers and rust colored spots and scabs on the leaves of pears as well as lesions on their branches. Proximate use of these plants is a marriage gone bad; under certain conditions they bring out their worst attributes.

Removal of affected plant material is part of the solution. Putting appropriate distances between host and parasite plants is another. Callery Pears are great trees for parking lots and streets where drier conditions prevent these fungal outbreaks. Systemic fungicide treatments are available. However, both groups of plants are fairly durable and recuperative. No matter how well they might look together their combination is just bad karma.

Plantings of Pears and Junipers are like the tit for tat relationship of Gertrude and Heathcliffe (if you’re not over 50 - look it up!). There is no real fatal flaw, but a lot of bumps and bruises along the way.

Please check out the linked article for more details.

Trellis Rust Management Update by Dr. David Roberts, MSU

Jeff Good

Opening Day

opening day

Those two words have lots of meaning here in Michigan.  Our very own Detroit Tigers' opening day, and the day that Christensen’s Plant Center opens for the season.  Well, guess what - they have both happened!!

Christensen’s has opened for the year, and boy are we stocking up already!  Plant material is flowing in from all over the country, and brick and mulch are here and ready to go. And, all of your favorite sales team members are back to make sure that you get taken care of in the best way possible.

In the off season we also made improvements to our already awesome lineup. Our CPC ​App has had adjustments to make sure that you have the best tool possible in your hand at all times. We have made some personnel changes to our lineup as well. Most notably we got John Mollon off waivers, so he will be in our starting lineup this spring.

Christensen’s has put together a championship team to serve you.  Make sure to come in and see what we are all about this spring. We will knock it out of the park for you.

Eric Joy

A season of faith’s perfection

2017 World Series Logo

The title is a reference to the movie “Finding Forrester” starring Sean Connery. I find myself drawn to this movie lately, maybe because once again I am writing, maybe because I enjoyed watching the Astros win the World Series. Or just maybe it is a combination of both of these things and many more.

Each season in the nursery and landscape industry presents unique challenges, much like those in a baseball season. The weather, plant shortages, players on the disabled list, fuel costs, or not having the home field advantage in the Series. There is always something interesting happening, inspiring us to keep moving. Having that drive to move forward is what separates the champions from everyone else.

This season has been different than the others, just like the season the Astros had. For the first time in many years we have had to make adjustments as our staff has evolved. Staff members have moved on with opportunities in their lives to pursue new and exciting possibilities. We also made trades to pick up late season players to add to our roster that we are counting on taking us to our own series. Clint Rasch came to us this April, bringing with him over 30 years of industry experience, moving quickly to develop the commercial landscape market for us. This October we brought to our team Jeanne Mogielski and Amanda Igrisan, two talented sales people, who have years of industry experience from the landscape side as well as the grower/distributor side.

Prepping the lot for fall stock

This season has also brought a lot of successes. We have had the pleasure of watching some of our younger players develop and take on new roles here at the Plant and Hardscape Center. Having that next generation learn from our veteran members is something that I treasure. Our yard operations team leaders Rigo and Dave took some very green prospects and turned Steve, Adam, and Tom into some of the best yard operations people we have had in several years. Luke Joerin has moved from our yard operations staff, to our yard sales staff, and next year he will be learning from our most experienced sales person, Bill Ten Eyck. A bit like Carlos Beltran, Bill will be teaching his replacement during his final year before retirement. Having champions like this willing to impart their years of knowledge to others is just part of what makes Christensen’s, Christensen’s.

Thanks for a great season
As our season closes, I want to thank you, because you also make Christensen’s what it is. Without wonderful customers like you, we would not be who we are today. Thank you. And please remember to have fun this holiday season!!
Eric Joy

Let us help you embrace the new

By Evan-Amos - Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14517499

I am a child of the eighties, growing up with "hair bands" like Def Leppard and Mötley Crüe, shredded jeans and yellow kitchen appliances. The invention of the VCR was amazing, and everyone had a Walkman. I even had multi-colored striped shag carpeting in my basement! That’s where I would play my Atari while drinking Yoo-hoo.

There are many things I like to reminisce about that now seem totally ridiculous. They say what goes around comes around, and what once was old is new again - but I believe some things should stay in the past. So... I have been amazed at how many orders for the “old stuff” keep coming in!

Now some of these older products have been around for a long, long time. They are simple to install, reasonably priced and readily available. Many companies make these products their “go to” choice. But as times change, so do customer preferences. Cost and durability is still important, but today's customer wants to hear about cutting edge, stylish, eco-friendly products.

large format pavers

On trend right now are the larger formatted paving stones, and most of our vendors have several varieties and styles to choose from. These types of pavers install much faster than your traditional smaller-stoned styles. Finding a reliable source should not be an issue and the cost will not be unreasonable.

Speaking of new and shiny, when was the last time you installed a halogen light bulb for a path light or flood? The days of needing a transformer the size of a Chevette have long since passed. You would be amazed at how many lights you can put on a 200 watt transformer and still have room for expansion - if you use LEDs. The most common complaint I hear about LEDs is the price of a bulb. Well, you are correct, they do cost more than incandescent bulbs. But consider this: the average size of a 900 watt transformer is the size of a 24pk of Coke, and will run you upwards of $450. A 200 watt transformer is the size of a box of tissues and is more like $100. Then factor in how much the homeowner will save in electricity and the choice is clear.

transformers

Many of us at Christensen’s are still children at heart. We like the “new” and get excited to learn what, when, how, and why they do what they do. We got guys that love new trees and shrubs, we got the Cap’n who gets exuberant over a light fixture, and I love to play with concrete Legos. We can help you become familiar with what’s trending, and be comfortable with the new. Let us collectively share our excitement with you to inspire you in new directions.

Bryan Pajak

Finding and retaining good employees

we're hiring

We all know that finding and keeping good employees can be challenging. Jobs are easy to find right now and anyone that wants to work most likely already is working. I wish that I had a magic solution for you; but I don’t.

Recruiters, trade magazines, internet services, craigslist and word of mouth seem to be the standard methods of reaching out to find new employees. The people I have spoken with, that have the most success staffing their business, are using all of these methods; consistently and constantly.

“But isn’t it expensive hiring through a head hunter?” I’ve asked them. The answer is; what is the best use of your time? And how much is that worth?  Good recruiters provide services to the process that streamline it for you: searching, qualifying, background checks, and others that all add value. I don’t believe this is always the best way to go, but for a certain level of employee that needs a specific skill set, it can be a great option.

Running "help wanted" ads in magazines, on internet job sites, and craigslist can generate activity, but not always produce results. Candidates call and schedule interviews but never show up. You wish the candidates that do show up hadn’t. The candidate that you do hire is not what you expected at all, and not in a good way. This is where patience comes in; you will need to sift through many candidates, but eventually the right person will come along.

Much easier than all of that is retaining your good employees.

Yes, I said easier. I have heard the stories of key people leaving suddenly, even whole crews leaving at one time. I know that other companies are offering more for your people to come work for them. It’s almost the end of the season and layoffs are coming; how do you know your people will come back in the spring? 

I have found that retaining good people comes down to a few important factors; treat them fairly and honestly, allow them to earn a living wage, and offer opportunity for advancement. Not one of these is any more important than the other.

Honesty and fairness allows a person to feel good about who they work for and where they work. No one wants to feel poorly about the way they or others are treated, or the way that their employer conducts business. People in these types of situations usually dread going to work each day and eventually will seek out change.

The ability to earn a living wage is not all about money. Employees need to be able to meet the basic needs of themselves and their families. Expecting them to stay at a job that doesn’t support them is foolish. I have been surprised to hear from a contractor “My crew left me for less than $1/hour; I would have paid them that!” Well... why weren’t you? If your people are worth more to you than you are paying them, you should increase their pay or risk losing them, because they will be worth more to someone else that is willing to pay them.

Game day is a lot of fun around here!

The opportunity for advancement does not necessarily mean a promotion. In any growing business, there is expansion and new opportunities within to learn and grow; even at a personal level. Staying at a job that offers nothing but doing the same thing with no opportunity to grow and achieve more is not very attractive to most people. Keeping your business growing and challenging your employees to keep up and grow with it will keep them engaged and excited to work.

It’s difficult to find good people and demanding to hold on to the people you have; the labor market is tight and it doesn’t look like it will get better any time soon. It’s a challenge we all face and is compounded by how busy we all are these days. So, if you know any good people looking for a job, please send them my way! No, really, we’re hiring; good pay, benefits, and great people!

Todd Haines

Late season projects

Laying Rosetta flagstone

I received a phone call recently that I was not expecting quite yet. They wanted to know if was going to push snow for them again this year. Ouch! Where has this year gone? Didn’t we just have a hot and humid week in the 90’s? I was out on the lake swimming! We still have eight more weeks. Wait a minute, eight weeks? Ouch again!

Many contractors run the clock out towards the end of the season, trying to get as much done as possible before the snow flies. Some years it pays off, some years - not so much. While the brick could care less how cold it is, a lot of your accessories might. So if you are going to place that bet this year, let me give you some insider information to help increase your odds.

cold-weather hardscaping

The paver adhesive that we sell at our Hardscape store can be used on a wet surface, as well as when it's below freezing. Keep in mind that it will take longer to fully dry and cure. Be careful not to have too much water on the surface, such as puddles on the pieces you are gluing. The water will freeze and expand, leaving a gap that more water can enter and repeat this process. If this occurs, your wall will have a nice wavy appearance, and will guarantee you a future failure.

Polymeric sweeping sands have advanced over the years, making them easier to use with less hazing concerns. But they still need time to dry. The colder the weather, the longer the dry time will be. If you choose not to install sand in your joints, you may want to cover the area with a tarp for the winter. This will prevent water and snow from entering and freezing inside the exposed unfilled joints.

brick sealer

Sealers also need time to dry, but are pickier about temperature. It was once recommended to let a patio set for a year before applying sealer.

The idea was to let the efflorescent salts work their way out of the brick, and not having them become trapped inside by the sealer.

The water-based sealers we carry are breathable, meaning you can apply them right after installation; when it is at least 45 degrees or warmer for several days.

One of the most crucial components of a cold-weather install are your laborers. It’s very hard to make a straight cut when you’re shivering. The cold will definitely decrease productivity, and quite possibly your workmanship.

Typically the last job you do in a season will be the least profitable, most problematic and depending on the weather, the longest to complete. However, if you have to get it done and Mother Nature is giving you grief, give us a call at the Hardscape Center to see how we can help you.

cold-weather hardscaping
Bryan Pajak

Diversification is key to success!

mulch

If you’re reading this, chances are you are involved as a contractor in the Green Industry, whether it’s with plants, pavers, ponds, designs, lighting, or maintenance.

The big question is: Do you do only one aspect of the industry, or do you do many? During my tenure here at Christensen’s, I’ve seen companies come and go, often because they would only focus on one area. Times have changed, and big, easy planting jobs don’t come around as often as they used to - and there’s a lot of competition out there, more than ever since the mid 90’s.

This is where diversification comes in, and chances are that you’ve already been doing it.

An easy one is adding landscape lighting to your planting or hardscaping jobs. If you missed my two-part video on how to install lighting, you can catch up here. Keep in mind that you don’t have to sell a whole new job - lighting is the perfect second-stage enhancement for an earlier project.

Lighting aside, let’s try something different.

When trees, shrubs, and perennials get planted early in the season, many contractors apply fertilizers or soil amendments. How about promoting a fall fertilization program?

Fall is an excellent time to fertilize, even better than planting time. Established plants benefit as well, so don’t overlook customers from previous seasons. Mix in some granular organic fertilizers, such as the Tone series or Florikote slow release blends, and work it into the soil before it freezes. It’s a low-impact job your crew can manage in between fall cleanups.

Everyone knows about pavers, but some feel that they wouldn’t know how or where to begin. DID YOU KNOW: During the winter months and in the early spring, paver supply manufacturers such as Unilock and Rosetta hold how-to instructional seminars? Another handy piece of information: The “Lords of Legos” at the Christensen’s Hardscape Center are always ready to help you with a project.

Have you ever done a pond or water feature? I haven’t either, but I’ve always wanted to. This is another area where many folks don’t know how or where to begin. Like paver manufacturers, pond supply companies like Easy Pro offer seminars and on-site installation courses to help you, wait for it… “get your feet wet”.

If a full-bore pond isn’t right for your customer, consider installing a fountain or waterfall, which we carry a variety of. These are less time consuming, pumps run off of a standard 3-prong outlet, and the impact of such a focal point will definitely create a buzz amongst the neighbors. And seeing as you’re already in the subdivision, chances are you’ll pick up those jobs, and you can keep moving down the street. Not bad!

waterfall
Help could be a phone call away

I have one more tidbit to keep in mind. I look at the Green Industry as a large fraternity/sorority. What does this mean? It’s always a good business tactic to keep up with your contacts and networking, because chances are you will come across another company that specializes in a field that you may be new to, or that you could subcontract on a project if you don’t have the time available on the work schedule.

Here are some examples:
Customer: “Can you do this?”
Contractor: “No, but I know a guy that can!”.

Or

Contractor 1: “My skid loader just tanked on a weeklong project!”
Contractor 2: “I can lend you mine for $XYZ a day so you can finish”.

We all battle the elements and obstacles associated with this industry, and everyone needs a little help from time to time. Knowing “a guy” that can fill the void when we’re in a pinch can make all the difference.

These are some suggestions of ways you can diversify your business, and there is still time to put them in motion yet this season. We want to see you succeed and grow your company year after year and are here to help you out as much as we can along the way.

David Reutter

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