A Question of Growth

And, he says particularly in the fall, plants take priority just because they have to get into the ground, “then our patio work can continue after that.”

He’s also pleased that his hardscape clients are willing to wait for him and his crew.

“A lot of times we’re three weeks or a month back from the time someone makes a decision to when we can go out and do the install,” he says. “A lot of them say it just means that we’re good at what we do.”

QUALITY OVER QUANTITY

Click photo to enlargeWith a budding reputation, Jacobs also says print ads are a thing he’s easing away from. Word-of-mouth definitely helps keep the business going, but he also utilizes everything from social media to yard signs to keep the work coming in.

He says his website not only helps bring jobs in, but makes it easier for his clients.

“They find us online and then they go through our media and search different photos from our social networks,” he says. “They’ll tell me that they like one thing or another or maybe a combination from jobs we’ve done that they see online. They get their ideas and then we come up with a master plan.”

The other key component of his marketing is yard signs, although that probably adds more to the softscape side of the business.

“With landscape build-and-install, you’re often doing something in the front yard that draws people instantly,” Jacobs says. “With hardscape, it’s a patio off the porch or something in the back yard. Fortunately, a lot of the neighbors figure out the hardscape is in the back.”

By comparison, the print ads generate calls from people new to the area. His greatest disappointment has been in his phone-book advertising.

“I’ve had a couple people say they couldn’t find us in the phone book, but they got our name and number somehow,” he says. “It’s pretty much word-of-mouth.”

For now, Ryan’s Landscaping is also focused heavily on remodels of existing homes. Not only is there a dearth of new home construction, but Jacobs says the market for commercial work just isn’t there.

“I usually do two or three jobs a year that are commercial landscape design-and-install,” he says. “However, I don’t recall doing any commercial hardscapes. I’m signed up with a few companies who will contact me when they have a commercial project, but it’s softscape design-and-install.”

On a positive note, he says a great number of his residential customers are moving out from Maryland, although they still work in that neighboring state. The result is more financial stability for the area – and a possible area for expansion later.

Click photo to enlarge“At different times, people ask me if I want to go down there to do job,” Jacobs says. “I get calls and inquiries, but I haven’t crossed that bridge yet; I don’t have that Maryland contractor’s license yet.”

As it is, Jacobs prefers to work within about a 45-minute drive of Hanover. And, he says having his Pennsylvania contractor’s license and being insured are important aspects of his business – for both him and his clients.

“It’s good to know our company is 100-percent legitimate,” he says. “I think it looks better, and also to know that if something happens, it’s completely covered. It should also make the homeowner feel comfortable knowing they’re going with a licensed professional contractor.”

And, while he admits to frustration at unlicensed contractors who underbid him, Jacobs says Ryan’s also gets a fair number of jobs where a job installed by someone unlicensed fails and he has to go in and pick up the pieces.

While getting that Maryland license is one possibility for the future, Jacobs isn’t sure where he’s going to go from here. He says 2013 has been one of growth for Ryan’s in a couple different ways. One has been with some important additions to the company’s website.

“I was getting different questions from customers about things like shoveling their patios or using salt, so over the winter I did some research and put up a Q-and-A area so they can come to the website and get some education,” he explains.

The other area has been in the acquisition of some capital assets, including another truck, mainly related to the hardscape side of the business.

Jacobs would like to add more people – possibly a second crew – but an experience last year has made him a bit nervous about the prospect. He had hired an individual to do strictly lawn maintenance through the company, and it didn’t work out.

“It’s extremely hard to find somebody who’s reliable and responsible enough to take that on,” he says. “And, it’s hard knowing they’re out there, driving your company vehicle and representing your company.”

For now, he says he’s focusing more on developing good processes for the company, training his crew to the quality of work he wants done, and continuing to take advice from others in the industry whom he trusts.

“We’re definitely focused on quality,” Jacobs concludes. “Too often I hear somebody describe a company as focused on quantity over quality. Don’t get me wrong; I have a family to feed, too, but I like people to be happy 100 percent of the time. I don’t want to have to go back and fix little things. I want them to keep on referring us.

“I’m extremely big on customer satisfaction.”

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