If you’re reading this, chances are you’re a commercial landscaping contractor, or outdoor power equipment fan, and curious about how Exmark’s ground-breaking autonomous mower will change the lawn care industry.
Exmark released the first prototype of their autonomous mower in 2021, but the most updated version of their unmanned, zero-turn mower (with an exceptionally strong stripe game) is generating curiosity and concern over how the technology will impact the future of the lawn care industry. As experts in the outdoor power equipment industry, backed by decades of experience, our instinct says this new mower (and other commercial mowers like it) will provide a number of opportunities for landscape contractors to improve their business models and deliver a more consistent and reliable service to their customers.
3 Ways High-Powered Autonomous Mowers Will Enhance Your Business
Here are just three of many ways a commercial-grade autonomous mower can increase predictability within your organization.
1. Improved Reliability
Scroll through any comment section of a YouTube video featuring the Exmark Autonomous mower and you’ll read the same concerns and fears that this mower will put landscapers out of business. Yet, staffing is one of the most challenging and variable components of owning a business. All of the landscaping contractors that partner with Carl’s Mower & Saw (nearly 70% of our business) struggle with reliable staffing. If you run a landscaping business, it’s safe to say you’ve experienced long, back-breaking days where you’re doing the work of two or three people because someone called out sick or because you can’t find a good hire. Adding one or a few high-powered autonomous mowers to your fleet creates predictability and consistency in your business, allowing you to reliably commit to new jobs so you can increase your business’s revenue.
2. More Efficient Operations
With an autonomous mower in your fleet, you can streamline your operations. The new commercial grade zero-turn mower lays down some seriously perfect stripes– beautiful, straight lines every time. After your crew member programs the boundaries of the property and inputs the desired cutting height and patterns, the mower can go to work leaving your technicians to focus on caring for and maintaining flower beds, shaping hedges and shrubs, limbing back branches, and creating those “extra crispy” edges your customer wants. It’s an opportunity to show your customers how the quality of your work differs from your competitors.
You may be able to more thoroughly and efficiently complete property care for your customers with fewer people, but instead of downsizing your operations you now have an opportunity to upsize.
3. Expand Your Service Area & Offerings
The introduction of the autonomous mower provides a more predictable element to aid in your annual forecasting and business projections. It also enables you to grow your list of offerings to include higher dollar services.
With the mower doing its job, and your technicians focused on the skilled, detail-oriented work of hedging, trimming, edging, etc., you should need fewer people to care for each property (depending on the size and scope of the job). This means you can send team members to care for new properties, expanding your service area. It is also an opportunity to expand the portfolio of services you offer to meet the demand in your area. Services like landscape design and installation, hardscaping, and more can increase the revenue your business earns opening the door to new opportunities for growth.
Change is the Only Constant
When there’s a shake up in the marketplace, like the introduction of autonomous commercial-grade mowers, it’s an opportunity to adapt and prove to your customer base that you’re committed to embracing the technological advancements in your industry. As Charles Darwin said, “It is not the strongest or the most intelligent who will survive but those who can best manage change.”
At Carl’s Mower & Saw we’ve been adapting to the changes in the outdoor power equipment industry since 1990. Over the decades we’ve watched brands come and go and new technology fail and succeed. That’s why our dealership is committed to researching, testing and investing in the brands that have proven to be dependable and reliable for our customers. We’re not just here for the sale, we’re here to support the longevity of your equipment to help you maximize the life of your machine. When your business is ready to think about adding high-powered autonomous mowers to your fleet, stop in or give us a call and we’ll help you learn everything you need to know.
About
Established in 1990 by Carl and Beth Levien, Carl’s Mower & Saw remains a family-owned and locally operated business to this day. We’re committed to providing an exceptional customer experience to both contractors and homeowners. Whether you’re looking for sales, service or rentals, you’ll find quality outdoor power equipment brands known for their durability and dependability, including Exmark, Gravely, Honda, Husqvarna, STIHL, and BCS America. For inquiries, feel free to reach out by calling 360-384-0799 or emailing info@carlsmower.com.
