It might look like winter outside in Gretna and the Omaha region, but for commercial landscape crews, spring is already here. The downtime you have right now is the most valuable asset you possess for the upcoming mowing season.
Waiting until the grass starts growing to check your equipment is a recipe for lost revenue. Proper preparation prevents the headaches that stop your crews in their tracks during the first busy week of the year. Here’s how you can use the winter months to guarantee a profitable spring.
What Real Fleet Prep Looks Like
Many business owners think getting ready for spring just means making sure the mowers start. However, true efficiency goes deeper than turning a key. According to Jason Mackling from our team here at Ty’s Outdoor Power, you need to look at the big picture of your business operations.
“Fleet prep to me is thinking about the accounts that you have to take care of, how long they take to take care of, and the proper manpower behind getting the job done,” says Jason. You want efficiency out of both your manpower and your equipment. If your gear isn’t matched to your client list, you’re already behind schedule.
Don’t Ignore the Small Stuff
The biggest machines often get the most attention, but they aren’t usually the ones that cause the initial headaches. Jason notes, “Some of those smaller units actually give you the most trouble when it comes to getting out and using them.”
Trimmers, edgers, and backpack blowers get heavy use in the spring for cleanups. If you ignore them now, they will fail you later. “Most of the time it’s paying attention to the small details like… Do you have good gas? Are your spark plugs and your carburetors in good working order?” Jason explains.
The Danger of Bad Fuel
Equipment often sits for three or four months over the winter. If that equipment wasn’t stored correctly, the fuel inside can spoil. This leads to clogged lines and gummed-up carburetors. We’ve seen business owners trust a general mechanic to just “get it running,” only to fail days later.
Jason recalls a customer who had a general mechanic start everything up. The crew went out, worked for a few hours, and the trimmers died.
“It ended up being that the carburetors got gunked up just because the mechanic didn’t go through the proper procedures,” Jason says. That resulted in costly downtime that could have been avoided with a professional tune-up.
3 Steps to Take Right Now
If you want to be ready for the season, you should start your planning in January or February. It is never too early to start saving for unforeseen repair costs. Here’s the checklist Jason recommends for every commercial customer:
- Analyze Your Accounts: Know exactly who you are serving and what the workload looks like.
- Audit Your Equipment: Make sure you have the specific machines needed to manage those accounts efficiently.
- Check Your Manpower: Check whether you have the staff to get the job done, and that they know how to operate the equipment properly.
The Ty’s Outdoor Power Difference
We know you have options, including big box stores and online retailers. But when your livelihood depends on your equipment, you need a partner, not just a cashier. Ty’s Outdoor Power focuses heavily on service after the sale. We love to build relationships with our customers and make sure all the products you need are stocked on our shelves.
“Ty’s is the right place to make sure things like that don’t happen, just because we have a dedicated crew that will take the time and look over each piece of equipment that you bring in. We got service from start to finish,” Jason states.
Let’s Get You Ready to Mow
Whether you need a full service, a new Hustler mower, or just advice on planning for next year, we are here to help. Come out and visit us! Get to know Jason, our outdoor salesman, and the guys behind the counter. We’re all about relationships out here.
