TruGreen Franchise News Feed 2021 - What does it look like for TruGreen? - 18-March-2021

If you are thinking about joining our brand this year, but have concerns over the current situation and the affect that it may have, this blog is for you.In 2020, the TruGreen franchise became stronger as it adapted to the ‘new normal’ and as such, pushed the business model to new heights. All businesses found their feet to remain open safely following government guidelines to provide lawn care services, at a social distance.As we enter in to the third national lockdown, providing services safely, outdoors at a social distance will continue to be permitted, meaning that TruGreen businesses are indeed, FULLY operational.At the very beginning of the pandemic, as the franchisor we were able to roll out and franchise owners were able to adapt to new working conditions to ensure the safedelivery of lawn care services to not only protect our customers, but our valued employees too.Customers have felt safe continuing their services because of the minimal risk and the benefit of a green and lush lawn to enjoy whilst ‘staying home to stay safe’.As you will already know, TruGreen is a global, well-established lawn care company with over 40 years lawn care experience in the UK and is known for providing professional lawn care programmes and stand-alone treatments. TruGreen is a name that individuals know and trust.This year, like any other year, our support as a franchisor continues. Business owners will receive unlimited support in not only all of the necessary business disciplines required to operate a first-rate TruGreen business, but also updates and guidance on the current and ongoing situation with regards to the pandemic. A sympathetic ear is also always available from a peer network of existing TruGreen business owners.With the added learnings and experiences from 2020 across a wide franchise network, the momentum is already there to build on 2020 and to make 2021 a better year. TruGreen North Hants and West Surrey scooped the Franchisee of the year award 2019 - 18-March-2021

TruGreen North Hants and West Surrey is owned by Oliver Green after purchasing his lawn care business in 2005.As a franchisor we believe that awarding franchisees for their achievements is a fantastic thing to do to celebrate and recognise the work that franchise owners put in to build a great business.Usually presented at a summer awards evening, the award was delivered over a celebratory award zoom call with the whole TruGreen UK network in which successes were celebrated following a difficult year.Oliver commented:“I’m beyond thrilled; its’ an exciting achievement to have won franchisee of the year, and for the third year running. I think it demonstrates not only that we are growing year on year, but also how important team work is.As a family business working for families, we are thrilled to have won, but it simply wouldn’t be possible without our wonderful team. My wife works in the office, and then I have two full time members of staff out on the road, and one-part timer. It’s a complete team effort, not just here but from Servicemaster head office too – the level of support they offer us as franchise owners is second to none.” Added Olly.The Franchisee of the Year 2019 is the most prestigious award and a pinnacle achievement within the ServiceMaster Franchisee network. It is awarded to one franchisee who has displayed the highest achievement in the pursuit of excellence and professional management in the ServiceMaster tradition. Picking up an award is an achievement, but to go on and win Franchisee of the Year is and outstanding achievement.Managing Director of ServiceMaster, Alan Lewin said:“I am always appreciative of the commitment that our franchisees and suppliers make.”Having previously worked as a teacher and then deputy head teacher, Oliver has now worked in lawn care for over 14 years and says he doesn’t regret his decision for one second. When we asked Olly why he joined TruGreen Franchise, he said;“I love working outdoors and so when the time came that I was looking for a change, I wanted something that would give me a sense of freedom; I’d spent years indoors and behind a desk and needed a change. TruGreen does exactly what I was after. I instantly liked the franchise opportunity and can honestly say the entire experience has been great fun!” A great brand is supported by a great Brand Manager. Steve Welch, TruGreen Brand Manager has over 40 years lawn care experienced and supports his franchise network daily.Brand Manager for TruGreen, Steve Welch added:“Olly is a worthy winner of the TruGreen Franchisee of the year award, as he is fully focussed to growing his business, through the operating of the proven franchise model.” Super September for TruGreen - 23-November-2020

The year 2020 has brought many unexpected challenges to most businesses and TruGreen are no exception. Whilst our lawn care business could mainly operate on the whole because of the ability to socially distance, not all of our customers continued with their services due to the uncertainty surrounding disposable income.

In order to weather the storm, we had to up our marketing game to increase the number of enquiries, to increase the number of opportunities we had to introduce new customers to our services. As such the visits to our website grew by 61% in September 2020 compared to September 2019 and so did the number of enquiries in the same period.

As such, we are pleased to report that 75% of our network will report growth for this September when most of our franchise partners thought it impossible in the current climate. The network collectively will see a growth of 10% for the month of September 2020 compared to 2019. This positive swing in the opposite direction would not have been possible for our franchise owners without their hard work and dedication following our recommendations through this difficult period.

Throughout the pandemic we were able to share the good news stories from our existing franchisees to our prospective franchise owners through the use of technology and in doing so welcomed two new franchise partners to TruGreen in September too.

We held our first ever ‘virtual’ academy for our new franchise owners and conducted the compulsory practical parts safely and in accordance with government guidelines at our Franchise Support Centre in Leicester, ahead of them beginning their new ventures in September.

If you are interested in joining the TruGreen network in this period of growth, learn more about franchise opportunites here. TruGreen cut the first turf by going virtual - 06-August-2020

TruGreen Professional Lawncare is proud to announce its positive step into the world of revolutionised working by going completely virtual during the COVID-19 pandemic to support its stakeholders.

TruGreen is one of the first of six ServiceMaster franchise brands to go fully virtual during lockdown and despite trepidation in the beginning, has continuously provided a full range of support services to franchisees, prospective business owners and customers alike.

Existing TruGreen business owners were able to safely continue to provide lawn care services throughout the pandemic due to strict social distancing and COVID-19 protocols set following government advice. They were also fortunate in that their business management system (exclusive to TruGreen business owners) is entirely remote. As such, it can be accessed anywhere in the world via laptop or tablet, so working from home was no concern.

As a franchisor, we have a responsibility to support our franchisees and were able to do this effectively through using video conferencing technology to hold our regular meetings, as well as utilising other modes of communication rather than face to face. This new way of working has helped us to evaluate what we did in the past and migrate to a much slicker, more innovative approach to communication.

The demand to join the world’s largest lawn care company TruGreen has remained high throughout the pandemic, as it was largely unaffected and we held the first virtual discovery session to a group of prospective TruGreen business owners that they attended virtually from the safety and comfort of their own homes.

We also held the first remote TruGreen Franchise Academy where our new TruGreen business owner completed all, but the practical elements of the academy online, through virtual classes and digital materials.

Our customer queries continued to be answered by our support team who operated the phone lines, email inbox and online chat facility throughout the pandemic, offering support remotely to those customers who needed it.

TruGreen Brand Operations manager, Steve Welch said:

“Communication is key to everything we do as a franchisor, so by using the online platform during COVID19, it has allowed us to not only keep our franchisees up to date on the Government guideline and social distancing, but been a great way of staging technical and operational meeting, and for training new business owners that have joined the TruGreen network.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has helped us to realise that we can still maintain the exact same high standards that our stakeholders have come accustomed to, through embracing digital technology and innovation, whilst having a lesser impact on the environment. For that reason, we will continue to utilise virtual conferencing and digital forms of communication for the foreseeable.

To learn more about franchise opportunities with TruGreen, click here.

The TruGreen Lady that Loves Lush Guernsey Lawns! - 01-July-2019

Natalie Cross established her TruGreen professional lawn care business in Guernsey after a successful career in the health sector for over 20 years. After a career working largely from behind a computer screen, Natalie dreamed of spending the next chapter of her working life in the green outdoors.

Natalie stated “My life-long love of gardening, flora and fauna was sparked as a small child, planting sweet peas with my grandfather. I am at my happiest when I am in my garden or helping friends and family members with theirs. It was a natural career move to work in horticulture and I love the outdoors whatever the weather. I have completed a lot of gardening hours over the years!”.

After considerable research, Natalie chose to work with the multi-brand franchisors ServiceMaster. The ServiceMaster’s TruGreen franchise, provides tailored lawn care services, to create beautiful lawns for its customers.

Natalie identified that “TruGreen were different from other service providers, because of their expertise, focus on quality and customer care. Other service providers did not specialise in lawn care in the bespoke way TruGreen were able to.”

All TruGreen business owners undertake intensive training at the ServiceMaster Franchise Support Centre and also need to pass externally assessed examinations to graduate from the academy. Training is delivered by the TruGreen brand operations manager Steve Welch and the wider Service Master team. Steve Welch has over 30 years’ experience in lawn care and was formerly the Wembley head groundsman.

Natalie successfully passed all quality training standards and external examinations, being awarded the NPTC Level 2 Award in the Safe Use of Pesticides (PA1 and PA6). These licences enable Natalie to provide a professional, accredited and safe service to customers.

Steve Welch, brand operations manager for TruGreen added: “Natalie has all the attributes and potential of a fantastic TruGreen franchise owner. She’s sharp, business-focused and has the customer at the forefront of her mind. With her additional skills and lawn care knowledge, we know her business will be a success.”

ServiceMaster has over 300 franchisees operating in close to 700 licensed areas under its brands, including Merry Maids, ServiceMaster Clean, Furniture Medic, TruGreen Professional LawnCare and Rosemary Bookkeeping. TruGreen has been recognised as a leading franchise opportunity in the Elite Franchise Top 100 franchises in the United Kingdom.

To learn more about franchise opportunties with TruGreen, click here!

With record sales for Quarter 1, the grass is looking even greener at TruGreen! - 24-May-2019

What a scorcher of a month! While the Met Office confirmed the hottest Easter Monday on record across all 4 nations of the UK, TruGreen was breaking records of its own. Figures showed a fantastic 29% rise on previous year revenue for the first business quarter and the positive outlook is set to continue throughout 2019. In focussing on marketing, sales and quality customer service, our franchisees have been able to realise fantastic levels of growth.

Steve Welch, Brand Operations Manager for TruGreen commented:

“The level of support offered by our Franchise Support Centre staff allows our franchisees to concentrate on operating the franchise model and managing their business through our bespoke software, achieving increased revenue and profits year on year.”

At TruGreen we pride ourselves on offering the highest level of franchisee support and the Quarter 1 figures are a reflection on how this enables our franchisees to realise business success. This is underpinned by our principle to “be in business for yourself, not by yourself.” With our continued support, we wish our franchisees further prosperity throughout 2019.

New Investor in Hereford and Worcester - 20-July-2018

TruGreen UK are proud to welcome the newest business owner in to the franchise network, Mark Symington of TruGreen Hereford & Worcester.

Having worked in the marketing and PR industry for the last 25 years, Mark understands the fundamentals of our sales and marketing franchise model. His experience will no doubt stand him in good stead when it comes to marketing his business to grow his customer base.
Mark has successfully completed our two-week training academy covering operations, sales, marketing, products, equipment and business management systems as part of his investment and will now be treating lawns within his territory.

Mark commented:

“I looked at other franchise options and TruGreen really stood out from the crowd in terms of service, products and support. It’s a recognisable brand that has thousands of happy customers across the UK and that speaks volume to me.”

Steve Welch, brand operations manager for TruGreen added;

“Mark’s history and experience will stand him in great stead to build a really successful business. We’re delighted he chose to invest in TruGreen Professional LawnCare and it’s fantastic to have another van on the road and hopefully many more vans to follow.”

Our TruGreen lawn care franchise opportunity is suited to those looking to escape the rigidity of a 9 – 5 job to spend time outdoors during flexible working hours. Building relationships with customers is a must, in order to provide a tailored lawn care programme to those with problematic lawns and a desire to have a perfect carpet of grass.

TruGreen starts the year with two new investors! - 06-February-2018

TruGreen Professional LawnCare, one of the world’s largest lawn care franchises has welcomed two new franchisees to the network after a fantastic start to 2018.

George Michaela and Mike Simmonds have launched TruGreen West Midlands and TruGreen Gloucestershire, respectively, just in time for the spring and key grass growing season.

George, a Bromsgrove businessman with nearly 30 years’ management experience, made the switch from the food service industry to professional lawn care and said: “I relish the challenge of sales and my former business was built around customer service so I think I’m in a good place to make a real success of my new TruGreen business. My aim is to add more vans and technicians and I’m really keen to offer apprenticeships to help young people into work. For now though, I’m just excited to get going.”

Mike Simmonds, a business development professional has a passion for the outdoors and a desire to start his own business, commented: I’m excited to get started in my new business and build something for myself and my family. As the business grows, I’ll look to take on additional staff, both skilled and apprentices, and invest further into the local area. My main focus is to provide the highest level of customer service so that my clients come back to me year after year.”

All new TruGreen franchise investors undertake intensive training at the ServiceMaster Franchise Support Centre under the tutelage of TruGreen brand operations manager and former Wembley head groundsman, Steve Welch and the wider ServiceMaster franchise support team. As part of the training, George and Mike achieved his City & Guilds NPTC Level 2 Award in the Safe Use of Pesticides (PA1 and PA6), which allows them to provide a professional, accredited and safe service to customers.

Steve Welch, former Wembley head groundsman and brand operations manager for TruGreen added: “George and Mike are going to make fantastic TruGreen franchisees and business owners. Their commitment to customer service and following our ‘green grass, no weeds’ mantra will ensure them really successful businesses. We’re delighted they chose to invest in TruGreen Professional LawnCare and it’s fantastic to have more vans on the road and hopefully many more vans to follow.”

TruGreen Professional Lawncare sees 15% growth - 09-March-2017

TruGreen Professional LawnCare, one of the UK’s leading domestic lawn care providers has reported 15% growth for the year ending December 2016, which is on top of the 27% growth the business achieved in 2015.

The franchise business has posted a record 29 months of consecutive growth, with local revenues up by up to 85% in some areas of the UK. Owned and supported by franchisor, ServiceMaster, TruGreen is the world’s largest lawn care services provider.

TruGreen brand operations manager and former FA Groundsman of the Year, Steve Welch said: “We’re delighted to report year-on-year growth for the TruGreen network. These impressive numbers are testament to the focused hard work of the support team and the franchise network itself. Our business owners are working smarter and are dedicated to offering the very best customer service and it’s showing in our results.”

TruGreen was awarded Full Membership status of the British Franchise Association in September 2016 and is a Corporate PLUS member of the Institute of Groundsmanship, which is the leading organisation that represents professional groundsmen and women.

Milton Keynes business woman claims excellence award - 28-October-2016

An already award-winning business woman in Milton Keynes has claimed the ‘Award of Excellence’ from within the franchise network in which she operates in. The annual award is presented to the franchise owner who exemplifies the pursuit of excellence in all aspects of their business.

Karen Burdett, the owner and operator of TruGreen Milton Keynes and West Northants, which is part of the world’s largest lawn care business, was presented the Award of Excellence in front of her fellow UK franchisees during the annual summer TruGreen meeting. Karen was selected due to her tireless work in growing and developing her local business and achieving great levels of customer service.

The business currently has a score of 9.92/10 on Checkatrade, having received over 70 independent reviews.
Karen said: “I’m really proud to have been selected from amongst my peers for this award. There are some great TruGreen businesses across the UK and for my business to be identified asexcellent is a great achievement.

“I aim to continue to grow my business across Milton Keynes and West Northants, helping customers to achieve perfect lawns that they can be proud of. This award has really spurred me on to achieve greater things and I hope the businesses reaches a size where I need to bring in a team of local people to help me deliver the service.”

Steve Welch, brand operations manager for TruGreen UK and former Wembley head groundsman, added: “Karen has worked hard to achieve this award and has displayed an excellent approach to her work, her customers and her fellow franchisees within the network. The business is healthy and in good shape to move forward serving many more customers across the region.”

TruGreen Milton Keynes and West Northants was launched by Karen Burdett in 2012. In 2013, Karen was named the New Woman Franchisee of the Year at the Encouraging Women into Franchising (EWIF) Awards.

TruGreen is a franchise of ServiceMaster, which was founded in the UK in 1959. TruGreen Professional LawnCare achieved Full Membership status of the British Franchise Association in August 2016.

Swapping suits for stripes in Downlands - 20-October-2016

A businessman with over 30 years’ experience of managing multi-million pound, customer-facing companies has ditched the pinstripe suit for lawn stripes and an outdoor lifestyle as he launches his new lawn care franchise in the Downlands area.

Jonathan Bell, 53, is the owner and operator of TruGreen Professional LawnCare Downlands and will provide bespoke lawn care solutions to residents across Devizes, Marlborough, Swindon, Wantage, Pangbourne and Hungerford.

After receiving full training from TruGreen’s brand operations manager and former Wembley head groundsman, Steve Welch, and completing his City & Guilds spraying qualifications, Jonathan is ready to serve the c.40,000 households within his businesses’ territory.

Founded in 1973, TruGreen is one of the world’s largest lawn care companies, serving over 3.5 million customers each year. TruGreen UK is a franchise of ServiceMaster, which launched in the UK in 1959.

Jonathan said: “I’ve always enjoyed being outside, whatever the weather and when I was deciding on my next venture, I wanted an opportunity that would mean I could get away from the office. My experience is centred on providing a high quality service to customers and I found a synergy with the TruGreen Professional LawnCare franchise opportunity.

“My goal for this business is to grow steadily, ensuring that each and every customer receives the very best service and as we grow, I hope to be in a position to create jobs and employ local people. I’ve always valued my employers investing in me and it would be great to do the same for my team too.”

TruGreen’s core services are based around controlling moss, weed, disease and pests in customers’ lawns, helping them to achieve a green, healthy lawn.

Steve Welch, brand operations manager for TruGreen UK added: “TruGreen offers the highest level of service to customers all across the UK and Jonathan’s approach to customer service is what will make him a great TruGreen franchisee. We are excited about his future and look forward to seeing his business develop.”

TruGreen awarded full bfa membership - 17-October-2016

TruGreen Professional LawnCare, which is part of the world’s largest lawn care company, has been awarded full membership of the British Franchise Association (bfa) after completing the association’s accreditation process.

Established in the UK in 2005, TruGreen is a franchise of ServiceMaster, which is one of the UK’s largest multi-brand franchisors. The brand currently operates in over 45 regions across the country, serving more than 5,000 customers annually.

Steve Welch, brand operations manager for TruGreen said: “Being recognised as a full member of the bfa is a fantastic achievement and a real feather in our cap. The franchise network is growing rapidly and last year we reported a 27% increase in network-wide turnover. This year is looking even better and we’re looking ahead to further develop the brand.”

TruGreen is no stranger to bfa accolades with Newbury and Basingstoke franchisee Mike Lethbridge awaiting the outcome of the bfa Franchisee of the Year Award on Sep 29. Mike is the second TruGreen franchisee to be shortlisted in two years, with Les Graves of TruGreen South Bedfordshire having achieved the same honour in 2015.

Alan Lewin, managing director of ServiceMaster added: “TruGreen is a fantastic franchise opportunity and it is excellent news that they have been recognised as such by the bfa. Steve and the team have worked hard to achieve this honour and it’s a great foot forward to developing the brand further.”

TruGreen welcomed its newest franchisee, Jonathan Bell to the network in September. Jonathan invested in TruGreen Downlands and serves customers in Devizes, Malborough, Swindon, Wantage, Pangbourne and Hungerford.

TruGreen reports 27% growth in 2015 - 05-April-2016

Revenue for national lawn care franchise, TruGreen Professional LawnCare grew by 27% in 2015, following significant investment into its local marketing support, digital strategy and operating model.

The company, which provides professional lawn care services to domestic customers across the country, saw a rise in product sales, customer numbers and franchise fees during the year, leading to a five year record level revenue.

TruGreen brand operations manager and former FA Groundsman of the Year, Steve Welch said:

“In late 2014, we refocused the franchise network on sales, with customer acquisition our main goal during the key lawn care seasons. We recruited a number of new franchisees, which injected enthusiasm into the network and our increase in customer numbers led to more product sales and in turn, more fees. Our growth is not a surprise to us as we strongly believe in our model and operating systems. We’ve coached and built a great network that has the technical skills and business aptitude to return fantastic results.”

TruGreen UK is part of the world’s largest lawn care franchise, which launched in the US in 1973 and is part of franchisor, ServiceMaster in the UK.

ServiceMaster managing director, Alan Lewin added: “The TruGreen network has shown resilience and continues to grow to its highest level for five years. Our vision at ServiceMaster is for our franchise brands to offer a best in class service and it’s clear from the results that the TruGreen network is fulfilling that goal.”

Established lawn care franchise expands into Bromley - 05-April-2016

A lawn care business owner has expanded his operation by purchasing the franchise licence to operate in Bromley, 11 years after launching his lawn care business in Epsom.

Michael Beecheno, owner of TruGreen Professional LawnCare Epsom and now Bromley, has expanded the business and taken on a new member of staff, Chris Collis to manage the delivery of lawn care services to customers in the area. This expansion will open up new opportunities and will allow the business to serve hundreds of new customers.

Michael said: “Expanding the business into a new area will be challenging, but I hope to see my business grow and thrive. With Chris on board also, our Bromley customers are in good hands and will receive a fantastic service. The goal since we launched in 2004 has been to offer a friendly and professional lawn care service to local residents and our priority is to ensure every customer receives the service that they expect and deserve. Our customers always come first.”

TruGreen brand operations manager, and former FA Groundsman of the Year, Steve Welch commented: “Michael operates a very successful business and expanding into the new territory is testament to the strength of the TruGreen brand nationally and Michael’s franchise locally.”

Chris added: “I’m excited to be joining the business and with the spring season nearly upon us, now is the time to seek help to transform your lawn after the mild winter has left weeds and moss behind.”

TruGreen is a franchise of ServiceMaster, which is based in Leicestershire and has been franchising for over 55 years in the UK.

Record-breaking first year for TruGreen lawn care franchise - 22-March-2016

A Kingsclere businessman has broken records in the franchise network he operates in after acquiring over 100 customers in his first year of operation. Mike Lethbridge, the owner of TruGreen Professional LawnCare Newbury and Basingstoke has taken his business from a standing start in 2015 to employing two technicians, adding another vehicle to service new and existing customers, purchasing another territory and finishing within the top third of the best performing TruGreen franchisees.

Mike launched his TruGreen business after finishing an extensive career in IT and financial services. After the rapid growth of his business in year one, he decided to expand his operation into Winchester and Salisbury and take on two new members of staff, Chris Jolley and James Brown, both of Kingsclere.Mike said: “I’ve achieved far more than I expected in my first year with TruGreen and I’ve been delighted with how quickly the businesses reputation has grown throughout Newbury and Basingstoke. One of my goals was to invest in young, local people and I’ve been able to do that by bringing on and training two new members of staff, who are both as enthusiastic about lawn care as I am. As a business we’re really excited to be expanding in Winchester and Salisbury also and look forward to the challenges ahead.”TruGreen brand operations manager, and former FA Groundsman of the Year, Steve Welch commented: “TruGreen has never seen a new business owner acquire over 100 customers as quickly as Mike has and we congratulate him on a fantastic first year. He is a credit to the TruGreen network and his determination to bring on new staff, expand his territory and continue to offer a fantastic service is second to none.”Mike added “With spring around the corner, now is the time to be looking at the condition of your lawn and taking the necessary steps to combat moss and weeds that have built up over the mild winter period we’ve experienced. Simple steps can help homeowners achieve a beautiful lawn for the summer. ”
TruGreen is a franchise of Leicestershire-based, ServiceMaster Limited, which has been established in the UK since 1959.

TruGreen Franchise News Feed

Last updated: 18-March-2021