TAS Case Study: Tree Trimming Service
Tree trimmer Marv Burley began using an answering service to handle all his calls several years ago. This allowed him to spend more time in the field making money and less time in the office sitting by the phone.
As his business grew, he added several more functions to his basic service package. Last month, that proved to be a valuable decision.
Marv’s business, Burley Tree Service, works closely with two local utilities, trimming branches and trees that have grown too close to power lines. Most often the calls are routine, trimming trees that have simply grown too tall.
Sometimes the calls are emergencies caused by wind damage from storms. The answering service has allowed Marv and his employees to quickly respond to them all, day or night.
Recently, Marv was doing a spot-check of a team working on a large job in a residential neighborhood when he received an urgent text message from his answering service. The skies were clear, and there was only a gentle breeze, so Marv was puzzled.
He called the number and spoke to a frantic employee of one of the utility companies he regularly worked with. “Marv, I really screwed up,” said Paul Johnson.
“I scheduled your crew to remove a tree line on a commercial property, but I should have specified trim, not removal. They’ve already cut down a 30-footer. The property owner is furious!”
“Did he talk to my guys?” Marv asked.
“No, he’s out of town. His secretary saw what was happening and called him. Then, he called our office. You have to stop the crew before they cut more down. I don’t know how we’re going to fix this.”
“I’m on it.” Marv hung up and got busy.
He contacted his crew by radio to correct the wrong work order. Paul then called a nearby nursery and ordered a 20-foot green ash to replace the one that was destroyed.
He went to the jobsite, waiting for the nursery to arrive with the replacement and personally supervised the planting.
By the time it was all over, the utility lost $1200 on the cost of the replacement tree but saved tens of thousands on additional replacements.
The tree line was saved, and the once irritated property owner was now satisfied.
“There is no way we could be this responsive if we just used voicemail or an answering machine. The whole tree line would have been removed before I checked my messages,” Marv said.
“I’ve built my business on relationships. Paul knows he can count on us to do what needs to be done. And my answering service made it happen.”
Want an answering service that grows without burning out your team or your margins? In The Profitable Answering Service, Peter Lyle DeHaan draws on three decades of owning, running, and advising answering services.
Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD, has spent his career in and around the answering service industry. He’s owned, managed, bought, sold, and merged answering service businesses as well as consulted, written, and programmed for the answering service industry. Learn more at PeterLyleDeHaan.com.
Get your copy of The Profitable Answering Service today!