Coming out of summer in the landscaping industry, it can feel like you’ve finished a race. You just spent the last four months sprinting from job site to job site, doing estimates, landscape improvements, and of course, endless maintenance visits. So now’s the time to relax right? Put your feet up, you earned it. Right?
Wrong!
Entering the slow season, it is more important than ever to keep pushing. Keep trying to close deals. After all, who understands better than landscapers the importance of watering seeds to grow strong roots? It is what we do in the fall that will set the tone for what we do in the spring.
But how do you make the most of the season when spring flowers and green grass are the last things on your customer’s minds? Simple. Focus on the right things.
Irrigation Audits
Irrigation systems need to be blown out and shut down in the fall every year and that’s the number one reason property owners call irrigation companies like yours. If you ask us, that’s the perfect time to perform an irrigation audit.
Irrigation systems don’t adapt to changes in landscape design and can become easily outdated. Ask your customers if they’d like you to perform this valuable service. You’re there anyway, and a misaligned irrigation system is a waste of water and money.
As you’re performing your irrigation audit, it is highly possible you will discover areas where your customers could improve their systems.
Things to Look For During Irrigation Audits
Maybe you’ve performed irrigation audits a thousand times and know exactly what you’re looking for. After all, this service is becoming increasingly popular as water prices rise and homeowners become more conscious of wasting water. If not, use this list as a jumping-off point to start performing your own irrigation audits.
Clock/Timer Units
One of the most common things irrigation auditors find is a worn-out timing unit. Often, these were installed originally, when the irrigation system was installed.
If homeowners complain about the system behaving badly, watering or not watering at odd times, or switching on and off, they might have a bad timer.
Reprogram the timer to test it out while you’re there. If the system works fine, it may simply need to be reprogrammed. If it’s still acting up, it might be that the timer needs to be replaced.
(Also don’t forget to replace the batteries!)
Add Rain Sensors
Nothing puts a sour look on the neighbors’ faces more than someone watering their lawn in the rain. As you look into a customer’s irrigation system, note the presence (or lack) of rain sensors.
If the system isn’t equipped with a rain sensor, consider suggesting one. Not only is it more environmentally friendly, but it will save your customers money since they won’t have to waste money doing the job nature is already doing for them.
Add Drip Lines
If we’re talking about efficiency, we have to mention drip lines. Drip lines are the most efficient automatic irrigation system there is, as lines can be positioned specifically to provide each plant with the water they need.
Drip irrigation avoids water runoff and evaporation in a way traditional sprinkler irrigation systems can’t. Adding controllers and programmable timers to a drip irrigation system is the most efficient way to run an irrigation system in many areas.
Make it Smart
At the end of the day, there is a limit to how effective a system can be relying on sensors, gauges, and timers. If your customers are really interested in having the most efficient system possible, they need to invest in a wifi-connected smart system.
Smart irrigation systems monitor weather conditions, soil health, plant health, and water usage to name a few. Smart systems are able to track, predict, and control systems with unmatched precision.
Two of our favorite products are Rainbird ESP-Me Series Controllers and Hunter Hyrdrawise.
As you know, a properly-zoned, smart irrigation system is the best way to make sure your customer’s landscape looks its best.
Irrigation Audits and LandOne Takeoff
We built LandOne Takeoff to help people in the landscaping and irrigation industries to provide more accurate estimates, better work plans, and more engaging presentations.
You can perform an entire irrigation audit in real-time using LandOne’s revolutionary software. Simply insert the elements your customer might be interested in and LandOne does the rest, from providing visuals during your presentation to giving you accurate pricing at the end.
Irrigation audits are a great way for people in the landscaping industry to keep the momentum going strong from the summer to the fall. But your business won’t be the only thing that benefits. Updating your customers’ irrigation system puts them in the right position in spring to have the most beautiful yard on the block.
