Asset™ Allows Mulch Solutions to Recapture Lost Delivery & Installation Costs

The Challenge

What problems were you having prior to using Asset?

Our company consists of two distinct operating units, Envirogrow and Mulch Solutions. Envirogrow is a landscape maintenance and snow-removal operation in business since 1991, and Mulch Solutions is a fast-growing operation focused on delivery and installation of bulk materials, such as mulch, compost, and playground chips, primarily by blower truck. Mulch Solutions started in 2000. We were using multiple software programs, such as QuickBooks, Act!, and Excel, and we were wasting valuable time and resources on double-entry and clerical errors. We needed a comprehensive, integrated software solution that could work for both operations and improve our efficiency, and also give us a better understanding of our profit structure.

The Process

How did you go about selecting new software? How long did the process take and who was involved?

In 1997, we purchased CLIP to help us get a better handle on the business, but it was not enough. We realized that we needed something truly integrated to eliminate the use of so many different software programs. Also, because of the rapid growth of Mulch Solutions, it soon became apparent that we needed a more robust system that could accommodate our growth. We also wanted something to help with our marketing. Being a small company, we had concerns about the implementation process of moving from QuickBooks to a totally new system, so we looked at Real Green Systems as well, but our review confirmed that we really needed a fully-integrated system. We read about Asset in a Lawn & Landscape article and soon learned that it was the only software in the landscape industry that met all of our criteria.

The Solution

How did you decide? What did Asset have that the others didn’t?

We switched to Asset in 2009, which allowed us to:

The Implementation

How would you describe the implementation process?

We opted for a slow and steady implementation over about two months so we didn’t overwhelm the staff. There is so much you can do with Asset, but we have prioritized which components we fully utilize now versus the ones we’ll use in the near future as we grow. We’re definitely saving time in not having to bounce back and forth between different programs. Everything we need is right there in CX. We’re just now starting to use all the email capabilities, and already see that the marketing tools are keeping us in better communication with our clients.

The Results

How has Asset saved your company money?

We know much more about the details of our business now, because we can really drill down into the details of costs, revenues, and profits. For example, with our delivery and installation of bulk materials via blower truck, we were previously absorbing all the extra costs involved in conveying the materials longer than average distances. The longer the hose, the lower the pressure, and the longer the job takes. Now we are able to recapture all those costs.

The added information has also shown us that one bulk material is much more profitable than the others, so are now focusing our efforts on those jobs, which is transforming the business. We’re also better able to compete with some really large companies that might be able to undersell us, because Proposal Manager gives us such a great handle on our numbers.