The business of being a landscape contractor dates back decades. Many contractors still operate in the same fashion using things such as pen and paper for all their tracking as if they are operating in the 1850’s, (they made even need a feather and ink). However, with the rapid advancement in mobile applications and software, even landscapers that were once stuck in the past with wooden wheels on their vehicles, have interest in using technology to operate more efficiently because it allows them to increase profits.

Here are four different methods that tech is helping landscapers leverage technology:

1. Fleet Tracking and Lawn-Care Field Software

We spoke with the owner of a landscape design company that offers landscaping in Stillwater, MN, he stated that “Simply keeping track of where the crews are at can be a challenge. What used to be managed with phone calls and yelling, can now be handled from the single screen of a mobile device or computer thanks to fleet tracking and field-service technology.”

Mobile application technology allows you run the entire business from your phone, meaning you could be on the beach while your crews are out producing revenue because you can track it all, including:

• Scheduling services in a way that best manages your staff’s time and resources
• GPS tracking to see where the crews are at in realtime
• Track how long the crews spend on each job or between jobs – no gas station stops between each mowing job
• Communicate with the crews in the field to troubleshoot problems, update assignments and answer questions that may arise
• Accept in-field payments or issue quotes, contracts or invoices from your truck (great for owner-operators)

2. Robotic Mowers

Get ready to replace the old methods of having to hire laborers. Their robotic counterparts do great work and we predict seeing customers potentially using a Roomba-style lawn mower that they keep at their home, whether they pay a contractor a rental fee each month or just own it outright is to be determined. However, they rely on sensors to guide them through the lawn as they cut the yard. They are equipped with sensors if obstacles are encountered, and alert via mobile app if such activity occurs.

Lawn companies can also implements these for their larger properties while their human crews do the more intuitive work that requires attention to detail such as planting, spraying, fertilizing and more, all while the lawn is getting cut in the process. This essentially doubles your revenue overnight.

3. Landscape Design Software

Designing landscapes is nothing new. But the recent advancements in landscape design software allows design firms to prepare professional and highly interactive designs to their clients.

In years past, designers had to draw by hand to create mockups of what the landscape would look like. These hand drawings would take dozens of hours, meaning either making no money from doing so or having to charge an arm and a leg.

As landscape design software programs came out, the landscape design process and how it was learned, completely changed. Drawings that took weeks to complete, took hours to build out on the computer. In more recent times, there are smart phone applications that can take photos of a home and the user can drag and drop plant designs and other features onto the photo and show the prospect what their home could look like. This makes it much easier to sell not only the design but also the installation project which is where the money is made with landscaping services.

4. Automate The Administrative Tasks

A lot of this technology has been around a while, however there are certain tools that really click well with landscapers, such as:

• Invoicing and payment processing
• Answering simple customer quote requests
• Routing and managing workflow
• Scheduling projects and meetings
• Inventory and equipment maintenance tracking

Learn more about the technology with horticulture and landscaping: