Total Landscape Care Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/267037
E quipment should make a landscaper's job easier and less physically tiring. But if a ma- chine isn't properly maintained and operated, it can cost owners some serious cash and maybe even a client. "During downtime, you're losing money," says Tony Weston, owner of Weston Lawn Equipment in Lawrenceville, Illinois. "If you can't cut a customer's lawn, they'll fi nd someone else who can." So how can landscapers reduce mower down- time? Three landscapers offer their advice and say it all comes down to training, maintenance and scoping the site. Know the ins and outs Equipment is an investment, so landscap- ers shouldn't just turn their machines over to inexperienced employees. Doug Zepp, owner of Douglas Lawn and Land- scaping in Westminster, Maryland, starts by giving operators on-the-job training. "We call them a rookie, and they go with an experienced worker to learn everything from loading the machine to safety, which is the main concern," he says. "You can't just send a guy right out of the gate." Zepp's crews mainly use John Deere belly- mount mowers, which he says helps provide stabil- ity on hillsides. He makes sure they all learn the ins and outs of each job. "If you train everybody, anyone can fi ll in and do whatever's needed at any given time," Zepp says. Weston, who has about 35 employees and handles commercial mowing accounts, also gives new workers real-life training. But, they don't get M A R C H 2 014 To t a l L a n d s c a p e C a r e . c o m 37 How the right maintenance, operation and site prep can keep your equipment out of the shop BY LAUREN HEARTSILL DOWDLE Reduce Mower Downtime lawn maintenance