CHANGE OF PLANS. Franchise Owner Profile. Name: Barry Robinson. Location: Fredericksburg, VA

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1 Franchise Owner Profile Barry Robinson didn t think franchise ownership was in his future until he took a closer look at Spring-Green. CHANGE OF PLANS Barry Robinson thought he had it all figured out. The game plan went something like this: Establish a critical mass of accounts in one section of town, earn his customers trust by providing excellent pest control, home inspection and lawn-care services and then cross-sell to the same customers. They, in turn, would tell their friends and neighbors and the business would continue to grow. Name: Barry Robinson Location: Fredericksburg, VA That was the plan, and it was working just fine. That is, until the bottom fell out of the housing market, which did a number on Robinson s home inspection business. Then, on the heels of the housing downturn, local watering restrictions made lawncare companies an impractical expense for many homeowners. It was a double-whammy, says Robinson, the owner of CSI Home and Commercial Services, a 19-year-old Fredericksburg, Virginia, business. What had been 300 lawn care accounts in a fairly concentrated area soon dwindled to about 120 customers scattered over a greater distance. Robinson also was discovering that many of his pest control technicians didn t enjoy doubling as lawn-care specialists and vice versa.

2 Franchising? That s Not Me That was about the time Robinson got a call from a representative of Spring-Green Lawn Care, telling him that an existing Spring- Green franchise was available in Fredericksburg. The Spring-Green representative said the franchise company thought Robinson would make an excellent owner. The only problem was that Robinson wasn t interested in the franchise business. Typically, the advantage of a franchise is a very structured business procedure that allows someone without a lot of knowledge about a particular business to take over and run it, Robinson says. That wasn t me. I had been doing lawn care for a number of years. So I wasn t actively seeking a franchise. Typically, the advantage of a franchise is a very structured business procedure that allows someone without a lot of knowledge about a particular business to take over and run it. But the more Robinson looked into the opportunity the more interested he became. Spring-Green s Fredericksburg franchise was well established with a solid base of accounts that happened to be in an area where CSI also had its strongest foothold. Robinson liked the idea of reestablishing critical mass and cutting down on unprofitable windshield time when his service reps are driving from one account to another.

3 Biggest Complaint: Too Much Business He was even more intrigued by the opportunity to receive experienced marketing support. The age-old problem in our business is marketing, Robinson says. You used to put an ad in the Yellow Pages and waited for phone to ring. That s all changed. The age-old problem in our business is marketing. You used to put an ad in the Yellow Pages and waited for phone to ring. That s all changed. As business slowed, Robinson continued to invest in traditional forms of advertising and, more recently, with electronic media. But he wasn t happy with his return on investment. There s so much volatility in the advertising world; it s not as predictable as it used to be, he says. With the prime lawn-care selling season approaching, Robinson was looking for new ways to deliver his message and attract new customers. His marketing needs and the availability of the Spring- Green franchise coincided at about the same time as Spring-Green s national convention. So he decided he would attend, still not convinced that franchise ownership was in his future. What he heard from existing franchise owners changed his mind. Their biggest complaint was that after working in the field all day, they would come back to the office to find all of these new accounts that needed to be serviced. That made me laugh, Robinson recalls.

4 Marketing Tips the Scales Franchising was beginning to look a lot more attractive. The Spring- Green national call center, which provides inbound customer support and outbound upselling expertise, was an especially appealing element of the company s marketing services. Robinson learned that many franchise owners take advantage of the call center to reduce overhead during peak times and help them prioritize the most profitable parts of their operations. The biggest advantage is the marketing. That s what we weren t able to effectively do on our own. And without that, I didn t see us growing at the rate I wanted to grow. In addition, a suite of sophisticated and cost-effective direct marketing programs uses historical local market data to target the most qualified potential customers. Franchise owners also can view and analyze customer demographics, select mailing lists and promotional offers and send materials directly to their printer for quick turnarounds. Spring-Green franchise owners also benefit from the collective knowledge of the entire franchise system, including consultants and trainers who conduct local and regional meetings and seminars. Robinson eventually came to the conclusion that franchise ownership what had seemed at first a far-fetched idea was potentially the solution to his needs. We ve been doing the lawn care business for a while, and we pretty much know the technical aspects of that business, not to say that Spring-Green won t improve on that, Robinson says. But the biggest advantage is the marketing. That s what we weren t able to effectively do on our own. And without that, I didn t see us growing at the rate I wanted to grow. As he enters his first season with Spring-Green, Robinson says: The proof is in the pudding. But, he adds, So far this looks like a real good decision.

5 About Spring-Green Spring-Green delivers traditional and organic lawn-care services to residential and commercial clients nationwide. A family-owned and operated franchising company, Spring-Green is a recognized leader in the professional lawn and tree care industry. Chicago-based Spring-Green has been beautifying neighborhoods and communities for more than 37 years. For more information, please visit or call