Promises delivered
BY LEE ANN KNUDSEN
Professionalism is a way of life for Gerald Boot of Boot’s Landscaping & Maintenance of Richmond Hill, Ont. His commitment and values led him to a distinctive industry leadership position: one of Canada’s pioneer Certified Landscape Professionals.
Gerald is the antithesis of glitz and glamour. He is a proud professional. He takes pride in every job he does, regardless of the size. There is no pretense about him, and I admire him for it.” This testimonial to Gerald Boot comes from an informed source, Harold Cipin of Times Property Management, a condominium management firm also based in Richmond Hill. Cipin has been Boot’s client for a dozen years.
BUILDING ON FAMILY
A visitor to Boot’s Landscaping, being introduced to staff, notices relationships that extend way beyond the company’s structure. Key personnel share a common background – they were together in church, school and hockey – and have built efficiency and loyalty over a 35-year history. The company employs 25 year-round, and about 20 more in the summer. Many in the core group share family ties, and now their kids are on the same team. “Our staff is one reason we are successful,” according to Boot. “We all like each other, and care about each other. You have got to enjoy your work.”
Company values at Boot’s exist on the wall as a mission statement, and Gerald Boot is happy to outline them in his own words. “What goes around, comes around, and when you are not above board, it catches up with you. We are Christian, we believe in being honest and open. If we make a mistake on an estimate, we will still do the entire job as we committed. We may take a hit, but the customer will walk away happy.”
VOLUNTEER CAREER PART OF THE PICTURE
Boot has a parallel career to his landscaping business, which is volunteer involvement with Landscape Ontario and now the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association. He has served his provincial association in wide-ranging roles, including president. Boot is also a leader in Canada Blooms. Cipin observed that Boot is not about glitz, but he moves in Blooms circles with ease, clearly respected by all.
Boot was asked to review and edit the revitalized CLP program when Canadians led that effort several years ago. He was among the first handful of Canadians to receive the designation in 2005.
PROMOTING VIABLE BUSINESSES
Association involvement and earning CLP status are not the sole aspects of Boot’s efforts to raise professionalism for his industry. He is committed to helping fellow tradesmen improve margins by learning how to know their costs. In his own case, Boot says he somehow was motivated to analyze costs for every job right from the beginning. “I was always doing math in my head, figuring how much I was making,” he says. “Starting out, I worked out of my parents’ home, so I had no overhead, and I never had to borrow.” Boot sold his car, bought a truck and was launched on a career.
Gerald Boot recommends that every small business owner take a Paul Lamarche seminar (www.jplbiz.ca). He says that reviewing the CLP material was, “a good refresher, and a good reminder of why we are doing stuff. I learned some new things, too.” Boot reviews his financials twice monthly. He looks at every invoice run, “I want to make sure we are not overcharging,” he reviews every payable and signs all the cheques.
Operations are the key, and Boot counts off the three components of a successful operation: you have to charge enough, you have to be effective and you have to operate as planned. “If you get behind, it costs money. It’s that simple.”
The CLP designation appears in Boot’s marketing materials, and he is pleased that customers are asking what the letters mean. He believes the designation becomes more important for companies as they grow. Boot enhances the value of his CLP designation by teaching the material. He has led seminars on two of the CLP modules, and uses teaching to help keep the material fresh in his own mind. Boot offers this advice for peers considering the CLP challenge: “If you want the designation, don’t get it too soon. When you are spending more time managing than behind a shovel, go for your CLP.” He adds that prospective CLPs should not lose sight of the designation’s objectives, to help business owners know costs, know overheads and make money.
Boot cites one easy indicator, in his opinion, to judge whether or not a company qualifies as professional – whether it gives employees a company handbook, including a safety policy. After all, Boot says, employee retention is essential to client retention. He is encouraged by a feeling that the overall quality of landscape maintenance and construction work is improving.
Boot revisits his ethical views in discussing CLP. “Ethics are built into the CLP program. The material is a roadmap for success.”
CLIENT’S PERSPECTIVE
From the customer’s point of view, Harold Cipin named some specific reasons why the professional label fits Boot. “I first met Gerald Boot about 12 years ago, and watched him give a presentation to three condo boards. His slides were beautifully done, showing before and after shots of his property maintenance work. He did not pat himself on the back, he simply showed what the grounds looked like before, then three years later.
“Since that time, I have watched him take over properties, and he never disparages the previous contractor. He just brings things up to his level.
“Gerald Boot has the vision to see beyond the one-dimensional, paper aspect of a property, to say what his vision will look like and to make it happen. Every time, he delivered what he said he would deliver.” LT