Greensleeves Lawn Care Franchise News Feed And we are live - Greensleeves celebrate the launch of its new app - 10-August-2021 This month, lawncare franchise Greensleeves celebrates the network-wide launch of its new app, Greensleeves Live. The app allows Greensleeves franchisees to manage daily jobs, complete quotes, record product usage, issue customer invoices and log lawn issues and treatment recommendations. Also acting as a sat nav and providing live updates on weather conditions, the app is a prime example of franchisors using technical innovations to advance their business. Craig Boulton, Greensleeves South Essex franchisee, was the first franchisee to join Greensleeves during the pandemic. He has just completed his first year with the horticultural franchise and has spent the last few months trialling the new app. “The Greensleeves Live app has been a fantastic tool, allowing me to provide more value to my customers over the past few months. It’s proven to be a great time-saving device as it allows me access to everything I need at the click of a button – it really has helped speed the whole admin process up considerably,” explained Craig. “I was sceptical about using the app at first, especially in the first month of trialling it when it still had glitches and certain functions that weren’t working properly - typical of any new tech. However, head office welcomed any feedback we had and now it’s working fantastically. As with all new technology, it did take some time to get used to, but because everything is mapped out simply it was easy enough to pick up. The development of this app has helped give myself and the other franchisees the opportunity to connect with customers faster and easier than ever before. It’s definitely allowed me to provide a better service.” The launch of the new Greensleeves app follows on from a successful first half of the year for the horticultural franchise, which has gone from strength to strength in terms of both customers and revenue growth this year. For example, Greensleeves had almost doubled its number of new customers in June 2021 when compared to the same time last year. David Truby, MD of Greensleeves, said, “I’m delighted the app has gone live. It’s working well and we’re getting loads of positive feedback from the franchisees. The idea behind developing the app was to help find an innovative way to give our franchisees access to everything they would typically have on their computer while working out on site with customers’ lawns. Greensleeves Live gives franchisees access to everything they could possibly need when out on a job.” Adapting to environmental changes - the franchise keeping lawns green in more ways than one - 01-July-2021 For businesses across the globe, adapting to environmental changes has never been more important, which is why lawncare franchise Greensleeves is playing its part to keep its customers’ lawns green in more ways than one. As one of the leading lawn care treatment specialists in the UK, Greensleeves has shown its commitment to minimising its impact on the environment by ensuring that all its activity is as environmentally friendly as possible. And with grass acting as an all-important carbon sponge, unlike block paving, tarmac and other popular garden hard standings, the nation’s lawns have their own important part to play. “At Greensleeves, we have been testing several environmentally friendly treatments that aren’t just helping us be more eco-friendly but also helping our clients’ lawns look even better too. For example, we’re using wetting agents and moisture retention soil to help maximise water efficiency. These products help lawns retain moisture and keep them green – even over the warm summer period. We have also been testing grass types that are going to be more drought tolerant, fungus resistant and faster germinating,” explained Greg Truby, Greensleeves Communications Manager and East Riding franchisee. “Recently, we’ve been trialling a mineral soil amendment called Leozeo and have been really happy with the results. It has made the soil hold moisture longer and helps retain nutrients too. I think it’s excellent that head office is constantly looking to evolve and take advantage of these new technologies. Unfortunately, over the last few years spring and summer have been very warm, which means inevitably lawns started to dry out and look a bit brown, which is why these eco-friendly products offer great preventative maintenance.” Alongside their solutions to address environmental impacts on their key business services, Greensleeves has also weathered the challenges of the pandemic. The horticultural franchise has experienced an impressive 18 months of growth with revenue up 63% over the first half of 2021 compared to an already record-breaking January to June period in 2020. And with new treatments providing an eco-friendlier approach to lawncare whilst also improving results, Greensleeves is set to continue flourishing. “We get quite a few people asking us, ‘Are your products eco-friendly, are they good for the environment?’ The answer’s always yes. Although, I would say that most of our clients just want a nice lawn!” added Greg. Franchisee Turned Franchisor Gives Top Tips After Two Decades in Franchising - 25-May-2021 While most people starting out in franchising can only dream of decades of success in business, David Truby, MD of Greensleeves, has been there and got the t-shirt. In fact, he has just overseen the lawn care franchise network through its most successful year ever. However, he started out his journey in franchising as a franchisee. In 2004, David became a minority partner in Greensleeves and one of the company’s first ever franchisees. After four years out on the lawns in his East Riding territory, he transitioned into his head office role when the franchise’s founder retired. Now David shares his top five tips to be successful in franchising. Any franchise brand’s success is reliant on the success of their franchisees. Having started as a franchisee myself with Greensleeves, I found that by adopting a certain set of habits and following the right advice, you can make your franchise journey successful. I’ve just spent the last few weekends supporting my son who now operates my original franchise territory in Yorkshire which gave me a great reminder of what I wish I knew when I first started out as a franchisee. 1. Keep things simple Anyone can own a franchise, but not everyone can make it successful. However, a sure-fire way to give you the best chance of success in any business is always to keep things simple. Keeping it simple can mean anything from setting yourself and your team sensible goals, using established processes, developing a routine or simplifying how you communicate things. People with easy-to-follow procedures can operate faster and with a better understanding of what they are doing, which in turn leads to higher productivity and shortens learning curves, accelerating the time to mastery. Once this occurs, a company is ready for explosive growth. 2. Follow the franchise system When buying a franchise, it’s important to remember that franchise systems are set up the way they are for a reason… they work. Taking on a franchise means adopting another person’s proven business model. So, you don’t need to try and reinvent the wheel to be successful. Having a proven system already in place eliminates the guesswork and errors a common business owner would typically face. So, use the system! Ensure that you understand the operations manual thoroughly and attend all the training offered by the franchisor so that you know the franchise system and all its components completely – by doing this it’s almost impossible for you to fail. 3. Be prepared to take advice and never be frightened to ask Never be afraid to ask questions or take advice from your franchisor. It’s not uncommon for people to struggle to ask for help or take advice. This is because they don’t want to seem weak, needy or even be a burden on anyone. Some people even feel that taking advice and asking for help means they must surrender their control. However, in franchising, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Any good franchisor allows a free flow of information, ideas and feedback. Why? Because a franchisor can only be successful when you’re successful. So, it really is in their best interests to help you solve any problems you may have. You won’t know everything straight away, so increase your chance of success by being open to help and ask questions. 4. Take advantage of franchisor support A good franchisor will offer you training, ongoing support, and expert advice every step of the way of your franchise journey. So, in order to be successful, it’s best to take advantage of this support. By utilising the operations manual, field consulting, marketing and other support offered by a franchisor, you’re already ahead of the curve compared to independent businesses just starting out. Also, take advantage of the ongoing training sessions and conferences on offer and watch company training videos if available. It’s the franchisor’s job to ensure that each franchisee operates to system standards by providing them with all the tools to run their business model successfully. It’s your job to make it work. 5. Believe in yourself and push the boundaries The number one thing that limits the potential of your business is your mindset, which is why it’s essential to back yourself and to keep pushing your boundaries to expand your comfort zones. As a business owner, aim high by actively setting and accomplishing new goals and objectives and never stop challenging yourself or striving for more. An example from Greensleeves is when I stepped out of my head office environment and went back out on the lawns after 12 years. This allowed me to put myself in the position of our current franchisees and I was able to see things from their perspective again. While this got me out of my comfort zone, ultimately, it allowed us to improve the relationship between head office and franchisees, creating a more successful work environment. And my final piece of advice… choose the right franchise for you Making sure you chose a business you’re passionate about is the most important thing when selecting a franchise. For some, it may be challenging to decide between a company they are passionate about versus a business that has the potential to generate higher profits. However, my advice is to value passion over profit every time. Why? Because if you don’t have any passion for your work, your new business will become the daily grind and no amount of money will make up for that sinking feeling of heading off to work you don’t love on a Monday morning. There are so many great franchises to choose from in the UK, so if you take the time to find one you can be passionate about operating and follow these tips, you’re sure to make your franchise a success. British garden lovers give franchising a boost - 14-May-2021 With National Gardening Week taking place between 26th April and 2nd May, it’s time to celebrate all things gardening. Since lockdown restrictions began, Brits have loved their gardens more than ever and the subsequent business growth opportunities for horticultural franchises have been huge. With it being reported in a survey of people who have access to a garden – shared or owned – that on average homeowners had spent £241 on renovations and £180 on accessories, coronavirus restrictions have meant Brits have invested more on outdoor space than normal. So, there’s no surprise that the gardening sector has been able to remain fighting fit over the past 12 months. Lawncare franchise Greensleeves is a prime example of a horticultural brand thriving because of this, with their January to March new customer intake increasing by 278% over the same period last year, despite the start of 2021 being a lockdown period. And, now spring is in full swing, both the country’s gardens and franchises in this sector are expecting even more growth! “The gardening sector has experienced a real boom over the last 12 months and as we enter into spring, there’s no signs of it slowing down. According to the Bank of England’s chief economist, Andy Haldane, there’s £100 billion in savings sat in peoples bank accounts which would usually be spent on holidays abroad and other luxuries which haven’t been accessible recently. However, it’s evident people are now turning their attention to home improvements,” said, David Truby, the MD of Greensleeves. “UK homeowners have had far more time to focus on home renovation and their outside spaces during the pandemic. Gardening franchises have significantly benefitted from this home improvement spike. Of course, there are some gardening projects homeowners just can’t do themselves. Most people don’t have the skills or tools to complete their own lawncare treatments. So, homeowners who wanted to refresh their gardens by updating their landscaping or improving their home appeal before putting their house on the market rely on professional lawncare services like ours. In fact, Greensleeves’ first-quarter revenue this year was 43% higher than what it was in 2020, when we weren’t in a lockdown, which demonstrates the increased passion Brits have had for their gardens. “Many businesses in our sector have proved themselves recession proof over the past year, helping people save time and achieve their gardening goals by delivering a professional service they couldn’t do themselves. And, because outdoor operations were relatively untouched by government restrictions, gardening franchises like Greensleeves have been able to flourish during the lockdowns.” According to TechNavio, the landscaping and gardening services market is poised to grow by £79 billion between 2021-20251 and with spring here, even more people will be thinking about giving their garden a tidy up or even a full makeover ahead of spending more time socialising out there with friends and family. “The garden was a welcome sanctuary for many people throughout 2020 and spending time outside looks set to be even more popular this year. It’s essential to look after your lawn all year round, especially during springtime, the grass is coming out of winter dormancy and starting to grow, so correct lawn care is vital. By providing these garden-loving Brits regular advice and professional customer service, gardening franchises will continue to flourish in 2021,” added David. 1Technavio, Global Landscaping and Gardening Services Market 2021 – 2025 Greensleeves reaches a century as 100th franchisee joins - 24-March-2021 Greensleeves is celebrating hitting the remarkable milestone of 100 franchisees, rounding off a successful start to 2021 for the lawncare company. This month, Greensleeves welcomed four new starters, including their 100th franchisee, Neil Grainger. The quartet of franchisees, who are all either new to the gardening sector or new to business ownership, have just completed their franchisee training. Keith Fox and Radko Yordanov both launch new territories in Derbyshire and Brentwood respectively, while Ryan and Laura England will be taking over Durham’s existing territory. Investing in the fabulous coastal town of Bournemouth, Neil’s new Greensleeves business makes him the 100th franchisee to join the popular lawn treatment provider since the company began in 1998. “The fact Greensleeves has reached 100 franchisees is a real testament to the team at head office. I’m really excited to get started. It’s great that we have so many people in the network and I’m just proud to be involved. I have an established group of supportive franchisees around me that are just an email away if I ever need any help,” said Neil. Formerly a precision engineer, Neil decided that he no longer wanted to work in a factory and looked for a complete career change. He explored several franchise opportunities before finally opting for Greensleeves. “Back in my younger days, I worked outside. I just wanted to get back to that and do something I enjoyed. After doing some digging on Greensleeves, I noticed their reviews were excellent and that they had a territory open in my area. So, I plucked up the courage to make the initial enquiry. “I’d considered starting my own business, but I didn’t have any qualifications outside of engineering. Greensleeves offered the training I needed to run a territory which meant I didn’t have to be experienced in lawn care to join the network. I’m surprised more people don’t look at becoming franchisees. “I’m planning to take the business as far as I can over the next five years and establish Greensleeves as the go-to lawncare provider here in Bournemouth. If all goes to plan, there’s potential for me to pass the business on to my son when he’s old enough, although that’s a long way off!” Greensleeves has proved itself to be recession proof even in the most trying of times. Last year was record-breaking for the franchise network and as the spring weather breaks through, both enquiry levels and new customer acquisition is up on this time last year. “It’s been an incredible start to the year and reaching 100 franchisees is certainly something to celebrate! The market is buoyant and with people feeling spring is in the air, it’s a great time for our latest franchisees to launch,” said David Truby, MD at Greensleeves. Learn more about franchise opportunties with Greensleeves Lawn Care here. How landscaping businesses can flourish in 2021 - 15-January-2021 Despite the negative consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, and there have been many, there have been some businesses in the outdoor sector with plenty to celebrate. Lawn care company Greensleeves achieving a record-breaking year in network turnover over 2020 is one. David Truby, MD of Greensleeves, has some advice for landscaping businesses on how they can push on into 2021. At Greensleeves, we’ve had a fantastic end to 2020 having welcomed new franchisees and seen six consecutive months of record-breaking income but we won’t rest on our laurels as we head into 2021. So, here are my top tips on ensuring that your landscaping business can be successful in pushing on into the new year. Add value instead of discounting What does ‘adding value’ mean? Well, adding value to your service means going the extra mile for your clients. Discounting only lessens the perceived value of your product or service to the customer and if you need to cut corners to recoup the value of the discount, your chance of a positive review or repeat custom will reduce significantly. Listen to your customers’ concerns and understand what their motivation is to buy from you - what could you do to add the cherry on top? Ensuring you deliver your services quickly and efficiently is another excellent way to add value to your service - will it give them that extra day to enjoy their garden or mean they don’t have to brush the cobwebs off that old trowel? Provide exceptional customer service In the world of lawn care, we rely heavily on repeat business and referrals, so ensuring good customer service is essential to our success moving into next year. You can provide exceptional customer service by using positive language, turn your 'maybe' into a 'definitely' and your 'I'll try to do that' into an 'I will do that'. This language lets the client hear that your goal is to fulfil their needs. Providing exceptional customer service is vital both in person and online. Making sure that you answer customers’ questions over the phone and via email without long delays leaves them feeling that you care about them as individuals. Businesses who master this side of customer service will benefit in the new year. Investing in marketing rather than cutting back on budgets Investing in your marketing going into the new year is a must if you want your business to make an impact. If you’re looking for new clients, remember it can take them coming into contact with your brand up to seven times before they will buy from you. So, when it comes to deciding where your money goes, marketing to create those seven touch points should be at the top of the list. Marketing activity can also help keep existing clients engaged. If you reduce your marketing, you’re leaving the space for competitors to grab their attention, this isn't something any business can afford post-pandemic. Landscaping businesses which add value to their services, provide excellent customer service and also market themselves to their core customer demographic won't just survive in the new year, they’ll flourish. To learn more about franchise opportunities with Greensleeves, click here! Greensleeves welcome two new franchisees during record-breaking year - 27-November-2020 Despite the difficulties posed to businesses over the course of 2020, Greensleeves has welcomed two new franchisees to their network capping off a record-breaking year for the lawn care company. The new franchisees, Dan Anslow and Richard Howell, will be taking over existing territories in this established franchise network. The pair, who are new to the gardening sector, have just completed their initial franchisee training with Greensleeves. Due to social distancing restrictions, the two-week training programme looks a little different to usual. The first week of theory in lawn-care techniques, brand standards, customer service and business administration were delivered over Zoom. However, the second week, which includes practical training for the certification required to handle and apply pesticides, was delivered in-territory in a safe environment and in adherence to government guidelines. Richard is taking over the Eastbourne franchise territory, “I was worried about training online to begin with, but actually I was so used to doing virtual meetings over the last eight months that it didn’t really matter in the end. It would have been nice to see everyone at head office but with a young family at home, it actually seemed like the sensible option to use Zoom in the current climate. There was a lot of information and advice to take in but having Dan training with me brought the intensity down.” After working in the travel industry for the last 20 years, Richard was made redundant due to COVID-19. It wasn’t just his own research on starting a business that gave him the confidence in choosing Greensleeves. “After lots of research and liking the support I would receive as a new business owner from a franchisor, I found Greensleeves on Franchise Direct. But it was actually my Dad, a Greensleeves customer, who sang their praises and gave me the confidence to make the initial enquiry.” Dan had worked in recruitment for over two decades with his own business for 18 of those years and is taking over the Sutton Coldfield territory, “My recruitment agency specialised in recruitment for manufacturing. When Brexit made a huge dent in our numbers, I decided to look for a business that would be less affected by a changing political and economic landscape. When I found Greensleeves during my research phase with several other franchise brands, I could see their strong response within a challenging pandemic environment. Even though I know this is a management franchise and I won’t be personally treating lawns every day, I’m really looking forward to getting out from behind a desk after a long career of being office bound!” Greensleeves has proved itself to be recession proof even in the most trying of times with October’s performance solidifying 2020 as a record-breaking year for the franchise network. David Truby is MD at Greensleeves and was delighted to welcome two new franchisees, “It’s great to get Richard and Dan on board. The fact that Greensleeves is able to keep expanding despite a really tough economic climate is a real testament to our team across the UK. “Like many businesses, we’ve had to pivot to ensure we can support our franchisees with less in-person interaction. In place of our annual conference, we’re currently holding Winter Workshops, six virtual seminars with different development focuses. Franchisees can pick and choose which workshops are most beneficial to them plus they’re an important opportunity for the team to network and share best practice.” Greensleeves are actively recruiting new franchisee partners across the UK. To learn more click here. How customer service makes the difference - 06-November-2020 The past six months have been difficult for franchises up and down the country, but those in the best position all have one thing in common – excellent customer service. With 56 per cent of people around the world having stopped doing business with a company because of a poor customer service experience1, it’s more important than ever to ensure your franchise is on top form. In the world of gardening franchises, franchisees rely heavily on repeat business and referrals – two things you can only achieve through exceptional customer service. Greensleeves has consistently provided lawn care assistance and advice to our clients for 22 years and, because of this, we have reaped the rewards. This September saw the most turnover in a single month in the history of the company, up 45 per cent on September last year. The reason for this? Customer service. Here are my five top tips to franchises to provide first-class customer service… First (online) impressions count Good online customer service is essential to growing a franchisee’s business. With 90% of consumers using the internet to find a local business, having a good website and reviews are invaluable. The better the online experience you offer, the better your business will do. Eighty-nine per cent of consumers will shop with a competitor after a poor user experience2, so making your website more customer-friendly, easier to navigate and informative is essential. It’s also important to provide your contact information as 51 per cent of people state they believe complete contact information is something many websites are missing3, so make sure your customers can find everything they need – not just a contact form. Testimonials from satisfied customers are a fantastic way to build trust with your online audience, highlighting your track record and reputation. Build up a great reputation And that leads me nicely on to reputation and how to build it consistently. Great online reviews will give a new customer the confidence to pick up the phone to you. A study by Zendesk found that 88 per cent of consumers are influenced by online customer service reviews when making a buying decision4. A recent poll from online marketing experts Bright Local revealed that 82% of consumers read online reviews on local businesses before using them5. The same poll showed the average consumer spends 13 minutes and 45 seconds reading reviews before deciding on doing business with a company, so it’s clear how important an online review can be. A way to boost your reputation online can be as simple as asking your current clients to leave you a review once you’ve finished a job or project. At Greensleeves, we practise what we preach – I’m convinced our 4.9/5 rating on Trustpilot is one of the major reasons we have thrived over this really challenging period. The way you communicate is key When talking to a customer use positive language, turn your ‘maybe’ into a ‘definitely’ and your ‘I’ll try to do that’ into an ‘I will do that’. This language lets the client hear that your goal is to fulfil their needs. A customer wants someone who is as passionate about their needs as they are – that stays true whether you are a franchisor supporting a franchisee or a franchisee delivering to your customer. Positive language and a glass-half-full mentality will allow you to develop a healthy relationship with your customer. How you communicate with your customer over an email or on the phone is also essential. Make sure you respond to emails in a timely manner, I’d recommend within the same day of receiving the email at least. Try your hardest not to miss calls, because the likelihood is if you miss a call from a potential new client that they will take their business elsewhere. Customers want to buy from suppliers who are attentive and eager to help. Being switched on when it comes to response times will go a long way in proving this. Be on time, every time It’s not uncommon for a franchisee to have numerous clients over their territory. The bigger a territory and the more clients a territory has, the harder it becomes for a franchisee to manage their time, even when they have a reliable team. Learning how to prioritise and staying on top of your calendar is key to keeping your clients happy. Taking 15 minutes at the end of each day to plan for the next one is crucial. Doing this is proven to help you digest information and go into the next day feeling more productive. Learning how to not over commit yourself is also an important time management technique to help you from slipping into a negative ‘I’m too busy mentality’. The better you manage your time, the more positive and clearer headed you will be, resulting in better customer service. Don’t over-promise and under-deliver In the business world, promising something you can’t deliver is an easy way to lose business and a client’s trust. In our world of lawn care, this may be ensuring you arrive when you say you will or give the lawn treatments on the day that you promised you would. Knowing your services inside and out is also important as that way you or your team won’t offer something you can’t deliver. Talk through the process of your service step by step. Once you have established this, the client can’t be disappointed because they know exactly what they are getting and why – that’s particularly important for us when someone might not understand the seasons of lawn care. Franchising may encompass a range of sectors, but one thing they all share is a need for great customer service. A friendly, familiar face is what every franchisee should aim to be to a client. Greensleeves has proved to be resilient against recent economic pressures and, despite the fact we can’t sit and have a cup of tea with our clients as easily anymore, having that reliable familiar face in the garden has been another reason why they have booked our services over the pandemic. Greensleeves are actively seeking franchise partners across the UK. To learn more of these opportunities, click here. About the Author David Truby is the MD of Greensleeves. Established in 1998, Greensleeves is a lawn care franchise with 96 territories in the UK. Data Sources: Microsoft, State of global customer service report 2017 Webfx, Website Statistics For 2020: 10 Critical Stats to Know for Web Design Komarketing, B2B Web Usability Report 2015 Zendesk, Customer service and business results: a survey of customer service from mid-size companies Bright Local, Local Consumer Review Survey: How Customers Use Online Reviews 2019 Latest Greensleeves Franchise News - Nov 2020 - 04-November-2020 Franchise enquiries at an all time high Greensleeves are currently getting unprecedented demand for franchise territories due to furlough ending and redundancies gaining speed. People are looking at businesses – Lots of the enquiries received have been progressing to meetings; since lockdown began 6 new franchisees have decided to join the franchise. Record months for customer enquiries too! On the customer front, Greensleeves have had a record June, July and August – Averaging 20% increase in sales on prior year across all franchise territories: September was an all time record - sales were 45% higher than last year and made it the best month the company has ever had! Better intake of new customers this year than in previous years ; Greensleeves were 15% up on customer numbers from the previous year. 96 trading areas with c.150 vans create more visibility and generate more customers. Due to there being more people working from home they are now seeing the liveried company vans on their streets, or at their neighbours, and are asking for Greensleeves to care for their lawns as well. COVID-19 Response In early April more or less the entire network ceased work in support of the NHS and as requested by the Government. After a few weeks they resumed working in a safe manner. Because the franchisees work outside in the fresh air 100% of the time no direct customer contact is required. Email reminders of treatment dates were sent; customers were emailed invoices and with direct debit and bank transfer as a contact free method of payment, there couldn't be a safer environment to run a business. Greensleeves have also noticed that people have more of a focus on their own homes as they're not travelling as much, and they've obviously been spending more time in their garden and deciding now is the time to get it looking its best. Time saving and environment saving - reduced carbon footprint Greensleeves commitment to the environment continues, with two new electric cars at HQ. More meetings (and training) are being done online and they are now working with fleet suppliers to get the best deals on electric vans for their franchisees. Latest franchisee to join - Craig Boulton, Essex Craig had wanted to have 100 customers in Autumn - by the end of September he'd acquired his 100th customer which he (and Greensleeves) were thrilled with! Craig has a high percentage of these customers paying by Direct Debit which gives him a regular monthly income and a higher than average customer spend. He joined during lockdown with all of his training done by Zoom, which actually worked out really well and was more convenient for everyone. He’s really happy with how quick and efficient the whole process was; from his initial enquiry to his commencement, and knowing that the support is there whenever he needs it is priceless. He is already receiving positive feedback from his customers regarding the improvements he has made to their lawns; having come from a high-pressure corporate life he absolutely loves the new direction that his Greensleeves franchise has taken him in! Greensleeves are actively seeking franchisees across the UK, to learn more click here. Greensleeves goes for growth, in partnership with Mercedes-Benz Dealer Rygor Commercials - 27-November-2018 The recent scorching summer may have turned our ‘green and pleasant land’ a golden shade of brown, but Greensleeves’ experts still went out and about. In their new Mercedes-Benz vans they tended customers’ lawns to ensure the best possible results. The fast-growing lawn care specialist, established in 1998, has entered a new alliance with Dealer Group Rygor Commercials. This gives the Greensleeves franchisees access to premium-quality Mercedes-Benz Citan and Vito models at highly attractive rates. At the Greensleeves annual franchisee conference, held at St George’s Park national football centre near Burton-on-Trent in July, the new vans were revealed. Managing Director David Truby was joined by Rigor’s Van Business Development Manager, Dawn Smith. She presented the vehicles, the deal and was on-hand to offer advice and answer questions franchisees had. One of the UK’s longest-established lawn treatment providers, Greensleeves celebrated its 20th anniversary in May. The company operates from headquarters in Huddersfield and serves 60,000 customers through its nationwide network of 90 franchises. David Truby observed: “We have always allowed our franchisees to run any van of their choosing, provided it is less than five years old, white and wears the Greensleeves livery. This remains the case, but we are now seeking to consolidate our vehicle strategy. As the business comes of age, we want to achieve a greater degree of consistency across our network. Dawn approached us at just the right time and has done a great job of developing Rigor’s Mercedes-Benz offer.” He continued: “Our initial presumption was Mercedes-Benz vans would be too expensive – ultimately, these are working vehicles, so they have to stack up from a financial perspective for our franchisees. So, we were pleasantly surprised to discover what great value for money the Citan and Vito represent, especially when you consider them on a ‘whole-life’ cost basis.” With competitive, flexible funding support from Mercedes-Benz Financial Services, Rygor Commercials has compiled an exclusive offer for the Greensleeves network. It is designed to allow the Greensleeves’ lawn treatment experts, who are building their multi-van operations, to run a fleet of fuel-efficient Citan or Vito vans, at an exceptionally low monthly rate. “The small Citan and mid-sized Vito are attractively priced and fully supported by Rygor and the entire Mercedes-Benz UK Dealer Network. They will meet the requirements of our franchisees perfectly,” explains Mr Truby. “Mercedes-Benz is certainly our own preferred option. Its products are renowned for being the best on the market, while Greensleeves also provides a premium quality service. We’d like to think this alignment of our two brands adds up to a powerful double-act.” One of the first Greensleeves franchisees to take advantage of the new partnership with Rygor is Oliver Wood, whose business tends customers’ lawns in West Yorkshire. His team are currently running two Vito 111 CDIs and a pair of Citan 109 CDIs. “They’re great vehicles, and excellent value for money, when you consider the overall package,” enthused Mr Wood. “Dawn was extremely helpful, and I was impressed that she was able to deliver all four vehicles, fully liveried, within just two weeks of receiving my order. The Mercedes-Benz service intervals are very long, and the running costs look good, while the lads who drive them also feel proud to be driving a nicer vehicle.” Dawn Smith added: “Rygor is committed to setting standards. In Greensleeves’ case, we were able to develop a carefully tailored solution. Franchisees are able to acquire and operate premium quality Mercedes-Benz vans at low monthly costs, with the option of either owning or returning those vehicles at the end of the term.” To learn more about franchise opportunites with Greensleeves Lawn Care, download an obligation-free prospectus here! Greensleeves Lawn Care franchise growing from strength to strength - 27-March-2013 Whist the UK has experienced a rather dismal start to the year weather wise, with the bad conditions keeping most of us in hibernation mode, Greensleeves Lawn Care has been experiencing an extremely busy start to 2013. The company, which will this year be celebrating its 15th anniversary, has been planting some new roots of its own – in the form of the four new franchisees that it welcomed on board in February. Greensleeves is delighted to announce that its ever expanding territory now covers even more of the UK, treating lawns up and down the country. Thanks to the new franchisees the service area now spans into Edinburgh in the North, Winchester, Salisbury and Andover in the South and even as far west as South Belfast in N. Ireland. The influx of new franchisees now brings the total number to 64 servicing the UK but as ever Greensleeves is keen to grow further; with many territories still available they have high hopes for this year. David Truby Managing Director states “These are really exciting times for Greensleeves, we are extremely proud of the levels of growth that we have managed to achieve so far but we are by no means at saturation point. We are looking forward to welcoming more franchisees on board this year and being in a position to service even more lawns across the country. The potential is huge, one of our new franchisees from last year Jim Stewart (Aberdeen) has exceeded the targets that he set for himself for year one, surpassing the £35,000 mark. The way he has established and built his business within the first year is a true reflection of what an excellent business model we have.” Growth is not the only reason that Greensleeves have to celebrate. Last week saw the company awarded with full membership status of the BFA. This is a great coup for Greensleeves and now formally recognises the credibility, strict ethics and standards that they adhere to as a franchise. Caroline Keenan, Administration Manager for Greensleeves states “As a franchise we are extremely aware of how important it is to act in an ethical manner and take care of our franchisees, this is something that we pride ourselves on. Whilst our franchisees are committed to providing their customers with excellent levels of service we at head office in turn are committed to ensuring that our franchisees receive the best possible levels of service and support from us. The accreditation from the BFA really is special as it acknowledges all of our hard work and allows us to really stand out as one of the franchises in the UK that complies with their strict standards. We really couldn’t be prouder.” We are extremely pleased with the results so far and hope that 2013 continues to bring us as much success as we have experienced in the first quarter. Watch this space. Greensleeves Lawn Care Franchise News Feed Last updated: 10-August-2021
