Total Landscape Care Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/217626
landscaper of the year finalist compensation insurer and distributed to nearly 1,000 businesses. Building relationships Some of Xeriscapes Unlimited's clients prefer a natural desert landscape abiding by the sustainable landscape principles. and distribution based on real time weather data. Pappas was quick to embrace the technology for Xeriscapes but sometimes finds it hard to convince clients of its value. "We're still fighting the battles on sustainable practices," he says. "I tell the boards of some large homeowners associations, for example, they can save $30,000 a year on water by investing $20,000 in smart controllers. You'd think it would be a no-brainer, but it's not. "But once you get these controllers dialed in, they do an incredible job," he says. Even pruning can be a contentious issue. Pappas trains employees how to prune in a renovation style that is done on a seasonal basis versus accepted styles, which convert shrubs and ground covers into shapes such as cones, balls and flat tops. Renovation style reduces waste that goes to landfill and reduces the stress on shrubs, which requires more water to recover from foliage removal. Bilingual training Pappas not only tries to inform clients of best practices but has also been active in the Arizona Landscape Contractor Association, which has about 400 members. While president of the organization in 2004, he pushed for bilingual training in Spanish and English for certification courses with mixed results. He reports, though, that in the past couple of years, classes have been offered in Spanish. Pappas has even brought the idea into his business by creating 30 bilingual safety and training videos for his crews (see totallandscapecare.com/7safety-tips-en-espanol for a sampling). The videos were adopted by Arizona's workmen's Asked to identify the key to his success, Pappas says simply: "Relationships." Many of the owners of the large properties Xeriscapes maintains are far removed from the details of landscaping and may not even be on the site. "I learned doing a quality job is not enough. You have to work to build trust in relationships with clients. People do business with people they trust and respect." To nurture business relationships and networks, Pappas attends HOA board meetings. "And when they have events on the property, we do everything possible to help, which might include providing a large flatbed truck that can be used as a stage and generators." Xeriscapes has also been deeply involved in providing volunteer services for a number of causes, including the local 100room Ronald McDonald house, Make a Wish Foundation and Los Niño's Children's Hospital. Since there is no landscaping hall of fame, like with rock and roll music, Pappas hopes to leave his legacy in a different way. "It'd be wonderful to have a garden like the one at Ronald McDonald House named after me, to be remembered with a plaque on a beautiful garden. That would be much cooler than being a rock star." D E C E M B E R 2013 TotalLa nd s ca p eCar e.com 29