GreenCare for Troops You Move, We Mow challenge
Project EverGreen revealed a new fundraiser, the GreenCare for Troops You Move, We Mow challenge. By participating in the challenge, you can support military families and promote a greener, healthier, cooler Earth.
During GreenCare for Troops Awareness Week, June 23-29, 2024, participants will walk, run, bike or hike in support of our deployed military families. In celebration of the program’s 18th anniversary, the challenge is simple – record 18,000 steps during the awareness week through an activity of your choice.
“Behind every uniform is a family that sacrifices alongside them,” said Ki Matsko, program manager for GreenCare for Troops. “Participating in the You Move, We Mow Challenge is a way to honor their service, showing them that their sacrifices are seen, appreciated and are never forgotten.“
Those interested can register online now here. The cost is $25 per participant and the first 100 participants to register will receive a pair of limited edition GreenCare for Troops garden gloves and a packet of carbon converter wildflower seeds.
Halstead Media co-founder launches Planting Acorns platform
Corey Halstead, co-founder of Halstead Media, launched of Planting Acorns, a new educational and training platform specifically tailored to support landscape and outdoor living contractors on the road to $3 million. Planting Acorns provides specialized training, courses and ongoing coaching designed to empower companies to implement and manage marketing strategies that drive consistent leads, secure better projects and accounts and achieve sustainable revenue growth.
“There are over 600,000 landscaping companies in the US, with more than 85 percent failing to reach $2 million in annual revenue,“ said Corey Halstead. ”Why do the top 8 percent skyrocket to $3 million-plus while the large majority struggle to scale year after year? It certainly takes many pieces all working together, but we’ve proven that marketing plays a massive role in this journey.“
According to Halstead, landscape companies face significant marketing challenges as they work to scale, often falling prey to budget-friendly marketing agencies that overpromise and underdeliver or they are overlooked by top-tier agencies catering to larger companies. He adds that Planting Acorns offers a clear, step-by-step marketing roadmap based on the acclaimed Halstead system, which has been proven effective for industry leaders. Through bite-sized education segments, free actionable weekly marketing tips, detailed training classes and hands-on coaching from industry veterans like Corey Halstead himself, members can effectively implement strategies that drive growth.
“I am at a point in my career where I want to give back and help more landscape contractors,” added Halstead. “With now over 10 years at Halstead driving growth and results as the marketing agency for the top 10 percent of contractors, I feel that we owe it to share what actually works today. We’ve got so much data and so many proven learnings. I’ve never lost my passion for what I am calling ‘The Road to $3M,’ and I’m super excited. Halstead can continue focusing on being the absolute best marketing partner for the top 10 percent, and now with Planting Acorns, we can help equip contractors with the marketing knowledge, tools, and support they need to unlock their full growth potential. I grew up in this industry, working much of my early career with the very same companies Planting Acorns is designed to help. It’s a full-circle day for me in many ways.”
Takeuchi dealer Alta Equipment opens Tallahassee location
Takeuchi-US added a new Alta Equipment branch in Tallahassee, Fla. to its growing North American dealer network. This is Alta’s ninth construction equipment Florida location and its first in Tallahassee.
The new location will now carry Takeuchi’s full line of compact excavators, wheel loaders and track loaders for sale and rental. This additional location will also offer replacement parts and serve as an authorized Takeuchi equipment repair center for customers throughout the surrounding area.
“Tallahassee is a pivotal market for Alta Equipment, embodying growth, and opportunity in the Florida Panhandle,” said Chris Waters, branch manager for Alta Equipment. “We’re excited to showcase Takeuchi’s equipment in this new region. With our company-wide commitment to excellence, we plan to elevate the customer experience and exceed expectations in this dynamic market. From construction to landscaping and beyond, our wide range of equipment ensures that every job is done with precision and power.”
Alta began in 1984 with a single location in Detroit and has grown to 80 locations throughout the Midwest, Northeast and Florida. The company cites service as its primary focus backed by an unwavering commitment to helping customers have confidence in their equipment to help them achieve their goals.
“Alta Equipment Company is an outstanding company, and we’re very pleased that they’re now representing the Takeuchi line at this new location in Florida,” said Eric Wenzel, regional business manager for Takeuchi-US. “Their dedication to service is backed by many years of expertise, helping their customers get the right equipment solutions for their unique needs. We’re excited to help them introduce Takeuchi to new customers in the Tallahassee metro area.”
Fleetio wins Stevie award
Fleet maintenance management software company Fleetio won a 2024 Silver Stevie Sales & Customer Service Award for Customer Service Department of the Year. This marks the third consecutive year that Fleetio has earned a Stevie Award.
The Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service are the world’s top honors for customer service, contact center, business development and sales professionals.
“We’re honored to receive this Stevie Award,“ said Jessica Underbrink, vice president of customer experience at Fleetio. “It’s a recognition of our team’s exceptional customer service and dedication to helping a diverse range of fleets operate more efficiently. With a presence in over 100 countries, we’re continuously improving our services to ensure every customer gets the most out of Fleetio.”
For 2024’s competition, seven specialized judging committees composed of more than 200 professionals worldwide evaluated over 2,300 nominations from 44 nations and territories to determine winners.
“The high scores given the winning nominations in this year’s competition are evidence of the high levels of achievement portrayed in them,” said Stevie Awards President Maggie Miller. “We join with the judges and all members of the Stevie Awards community in congratulating and celebrating the winners for their accomplishments.”
Fleetio demonstrated customer service excellence by maintaining a 93 percent customer satisfaction rating while effectively resolving approximately 3,000 email and live chat cases and 1,900 phone calls per month. With a first response rate of 20 minutes, Fleetio significantly beats the industry average of two to five hours. The Fleetio team also executed a meticulous revamp of its customer-facing knowledge base, publishing 1,754 major updates across 448 separate articles.
