Unsure about your landscape contract renewal strategy? Here are four ways you can extract the most value.

For most property management companies, a wide-range of suppliers, vendors and partners are essential to meet the demands of daily operations, whether for the smooth running of the office or the way landscape and grounds significantly improve asset value.

The need for seamless continuity requires a life cycle of renewal that, despite its transactional nature, is an opportunity to safeguard relationships as well as an opportunity for both parties to achieve maximum value.

For properties pursuing initiatives that reduce energy, water, carbon and advance sustainability goals, ELM landscape contracts can take the process one step further with actionable steps that include specific solutions and provisions that protect and enhance local ecosystems, decrease the amount of chemicals, water and waste, and establish larger frameworks for continuous improvements in planting strategies.

  • Start early

Your landscape needs may have changed since you initially signed the contract.  Start the negotiation process early – prior to the existing season ending – and discuss options well before your contract expires. This gives you the opportunity to talk about pricing, learn more about new features and benefits, and discuss continuous refinements that meet green performance goals. On a practical level, getting your wish list in early gives your landscape contractor enough time to procure materials, and newer products and smart technologies that may have a waiting list. 

  • Get maximum value

Preparation is important if you want to extract maximum value. To achieve the best outcome, don’t cut corners. Give the contract process your full attention. It’s an excellent opportunity for both parties to achieve the best possible outcomes. build stronger relationships and renegotiate terms that are can be more favorable to both.

  • Reduce administrative burden

Most landscape contracts are automated with project management software that can make the administrative process fast and as easy as possible. If everything goes smoothly, it can be an opportunity to make the best use of the services and knowledge your landscape contractor offers. Having your contracts in place prior to spring – when the growing season begins – allows everyone to spend time on helping your property reap strategic benefits, such as higher ROI, enhanced oversight, decreased risk and higher performance.

  • Gain a seamless experience

Communicating and planning throughout the year – especially during winter and non-peak growing seasons – is crucial to success. By implementing the contract renewal process early, property managers can save time, extract more value, resolve problems faster, and stay ahead of important milestones and performance goals.

Email us  or call: 203-316-5433 to learn more.

Marc Angarano Returns to ELM to Lead North Region Sales

Commercial landscaping sales executive Marc Angarano has returned to ELM to lead the growth of ELM’s regional operation in Monroe, Connecticut. He joins an ELM business development team that also includes Stamford, Connecticut south region sales lead, Ted Marron.

“We’re in a period of great opportunity to create solutions that create value, offer a better use of technology, and ways to drive green performance. With our upcoming 50th anniversary in 2026, Marc will play a critical role in shaping what that looks like,” said company president, Bruce Moore Jr.

Before joining ELM, Marc served as a business development executive with BrightView, and held account and operations management positions with The Brickman Group.

“Marc’s passion for sustainability and his insight on competitive advantage will help us align our mission and operations to directly support our clients’ objectives,” added Bruce.

Please join us in welcoming Marc back to ELM.

Contact Marc at mangarano@easternland.com

Ted Marron Joins ELM as Business Developer

Eastern Land Management, a full-service commercial landscape company based in Stamford, Connecticut and serving Fairfield County, Connecticut and Westchester County, New York, is pleased to welcome Ted Marron to the position of Business Developer.

With over 17 years of B2B and B2C sales experience, Ted joins a seasoned ELM management team to offer an unprecendented value proposition and landscape services options.

In his new role, Ted will be managing and strengthening existing client relationships and partnerships in the commercial real estate sector, and work to identify and build client relationships while providing knowledgeable sales support.

“We are excited to have Ted on our team,” said company president, Bruce Moore, Jr. “He brings with him a competitive spirit and accolades earned as a result of his experience, and the strong relationships he’s built in our community. We are looking forward to Ted being part of our future growth.”

Born in Stamford and raised in Trumbull, Ted is active in community philanthropic organizations and believes that giving back is the best way forward.  He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Southern Connecticut State University and says working in the landscape industry gives him an opportunity to offer something tangible, gratifying and beautiful.

 

 

The ABCs of RFPs: what CREs need to know about finding a landscape partner

If you’re a commercial property or facility professional, RFPs – Request for Proposals – will sooner or later fall within your task bucket.

As a procurement tool, RFPs can be a great leveler. But they also don’t tell the whole story; they can feel like tedious wheel reinvention for both parties, and when they’re ‘kitchen sink’ approaches – or ask for everything but, there is no room for differentiation.

We think there’s a better way.

With spring start-up season just around the corner, here’s our advice for tailoring your landscape services RFP to give you the best partner for the job.

Why RFPs can be a race to the bottom

Service companies that respond to RFPs essentially engage in a bidding way, ending up in a pool of contractors who compete on price. When landscape companies compete on price, it’s because they often look for cheaper options to deliver on apples-to-apples specs. The bad news for property and facility professionals who contract landscaping services through RFPs is that you get what you pay for – a hamster wheel of RFP-won contractors who cut corners on innovation to offer price instead of value.

We believe that value is a competitive advantage. When you eliminate value, you lose the upside value brings. In the ever-increasing, ever-complex world of collaborative service partnerships, an ill-conceived RFP can yield more problems than solutions.

How to make RFPs a win-win   

For both landscape services contracts and complex landscaping projects—those with upgrades, renovations, and performance and environmental improvements—a well-written RFP can be effective at filtering out weak players. To create a consistently good RFP and RFP process, think about shaping your RFP as an RFV – or Request for Value.

In addition to describing what you and your commercial property or facility needs and your expectations for delivery, include specs for your sustainability goals and context for what the landscaping itself will meet, such as: key site performance indicators for carbon neutral or LEED.  Include the ‘need to haves’ and the ‘nice to haves’, criteria for curb appeal and improved asset value, and communicate actual timelines with a realistic deadline for the contractor to respond.

Avoid generalities, proof-read for typos, edit for clarity, and eliminate redundant questions and contradictory requirements. If your RFP-issuing team is not clear on specs, risk mitigation, and expected outcomes, go back to the drawing board to make it better and tighter.

A cautionary note about AI-enabled technology:  When the RFP response process is automated, do the math.  While automation offers efficiencies and fills out things at a much quicker pace, the scope piece – when compared to non-automated bids – may not add up. Always double check to make sure you’re not getting apples-to-oranges.

If you’re looking to save cost, remember: low-bid doesn’t tell the whole story. The best return on investment will always be calculated by actual and perceived value, and the long-term value that comes from a strong relationship.

We do our best work when we work with people—face to face, building connections, friendships, and opportunities to gain trust.  Our advice? Use your RFP as a solid starting point. A way to open the door and start a conversation, and a way to make sure you’re getting more than a team of qualified vendors, but a strategic partnership where value is created and delivered every step of the way.

Spring is the time of renewal in nature and in the procurement office. If you’re renewing your contracts, seeking to find a new landscape partner, or interested in keeping the conversation going, give us a call.

We’re listening.

Contact President Bruce Moore Jr. (203) 316-5433.

Bruce Moore Jr. is a second-generation landscape industry leader and President of Eastern Land Management, a full-service commercial landscaping business serving the property and facility market in Fairfield County Connecticut and Westchester County New York.

Bruce is an active member of BOMA Westchester County and BOMA Southern Connecticut. He currently serves on BOMASoCt board of directors.

www.easternland.com

 

 

How to Leverage the Benefits of Scale and Gain Market Share Through Landscaping

What property and facility owners and managers need to know.

It’s no secret that maintaining a healthy commercial landscape is a big job. And although it may seem that all commercial landscape contractors do the same thing, thanks to smart technologies and automation, there is a stark difference in the way commercial landscape and grounds services are delivered and the value landscaping brings to the bottom line.

The most obvious difference is impact landscaping has on property value. Landscapes need to look good all year-round; they need to be safe for people and the environment, reduce risk and liability, and deliver higher returns all while making a lasting impression.

This is where ELM comes in to help property and facility owners and managers capitalize on the benefits of scale.

ELM is a single-source provider. This means that all landscape and grounds services are integrated and strategically delivered across all seasons, including snow and ice. A single-source provider not only simplifies the process of managing your landscape and reducing the number of companies you need to contact, it’s the best way to reap consistent cost savings through economies of scale.

If you’re looking to contract with a professional commercial landscape services firm, here are five questions to ask:

  1. How long have they been in business?
  2. What is their client retention rate?
  3. Do they offer year-round maintenance, including snow and ice services?
  4. What value-added benefits are included? Do they use low-noise equipment, electric or autonomous equipment, clean energy and options that help earn LEED credits?
  5. Will they make your landscape as technologically smart and as digitally-advanced as your building?

Here’s what you can expect from ELM in the day-to-day:

  1. Meticulous about clean and complete. No task left undone.
  2. No drama.
  3. Proactive about little things before they become big things.
  4. Make suggestions that make you look good.
  5. Willing to go above and beyond.
  6. Prepared, trained, and experienced emergency response.
  7. Highly responsive and easy to reach.

ELM commercial landscape maintenance services include expertise in the following:

  • Commercial property and facility landscape and grounds services
  • Landscape maintenance and horticultural services
  • Enhancements and renovations
  • Irrigation and water management
  • Hardscape projects, corporate terraces, plazas and patios
  • Parking lot and median maintenance
  • Snow and ice control, and winter management
  • Site safety
  • Spring plantings
  • Fall clean-up

If you’re a commercial property and facility manager seeking quality, excellence and cost-efficient contracting services for your landscape and grounds, working toward LEED accreditation and greater sustainability, ELM is your partner of choice.

ELM is a proud member of BOMA Southern Connecticut and BOMA Westchester County, and actively supports the greater multi-sector commercial real estate community in Connecticut and New York.

5 Reasons Property & Facility Managers Find Increased Value with ELM

It’s a question every building manager and buyer of landscape services asks: “am I getting my money’s worth?”

We know that there are lots of reasons a customer might choose to partner with us, but what we’ve found in over 40 years doing what we do best, the reason is essentially this:  exceptional service, competitive pricing, and quality work.

All things being equal, most good landscape contractors do the same things.  Like us, they invest in the right tools, continuous training, and substantive programs to stay ahead of the curve on problems and solutions.  But here’s where we think we’re different and why we think this matters in a way that helps you and your property perform at its best.

The difference between good and great

Our goal to become a great company means that we are always moving forward.  We know greatness is not easily achieved but the process of becoming great is something everyone at ELM works at. Even better, every one of our team members can tell you how we define greatness and what they do to help drive it. To us, having fun as a team, helping people advance their careers, serving our communities, and volunteering for causes we believe in, makes us feel like we’re the luckiest company in the world. It’s this sense of gratitude that we bring to our relationships with every individual we are lucky enough to work with and for.

Dedicated and personal service

Going beyond is more than a tagline, it means that we understand your businesses, your strategic goals, and we work to help you get where you need to be.  We also know that you’re busy. This means we don’t waste a lot of time and money on unnecessary tasks. We respect what’s on your plate, and believe that great service requires a give AND take, not give or take.

A history of forward thinking, proactivity

As a privately-held, family-owned business, we are independent and nimble and believe that agility has kept us relevant in periods of uncertainty. Our ability to adapt and deliver value at all times is part of who we are. It is a mindset that helps us meet your needs in an ever-changing market and prepares us to stay out in front of trends in our own industry, as well.

Knowledge-based solutions

Our experience matters. We view our role as more than being just your service partner. As a curator of your most important asset, our smarter workflow will enable a better return on your investment, deliver better results, and we’ll always be on the lookout for opportunities to improve your outdoor environment as a healthier place to live, work and play.

Safety first risk management

Working with heavy equipment and seasonal weather patterns means that your landscape and grounds can suffer if risk management is not properly addressed. Optimizing safety, reducing liability, and managing risk is what our teams train for.  In fact, the health and well-being of our customers’ properties, their employees, tenants and guests, is our top priority.  We recognize that risk is an inherent component of all outdoor work, so we place a priority making sure safety is always first.  This includes having a highly-trained winter crew, experienced emergency, storm and blizzard responders, and on-call seasonal support.

Stamford, CT.-based Eastern Land Management offers a full range of commercial landscape, grounds and winter services to the northern market of New York City, Connecticut’s Fairfield County and New York’s Westchester County.

As part of ELM’s commitment to serve the growing needs of its Fairfield customers, as well as deliver unmatched asset value advantage for property and facility managers, and school and university campuses alike, ELM is scheduled to open a conveniently-located new service hub in Monroe, CT, in June, 2018.

To learn more about large scale landscape contracting or to just talk about a long-overdue upgrade, contact Bruce Moore, Jr., vice president of operations, 203-316-5433.

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