In business only nine years, this young entrepreneur already maintains some of the highestprofile properties in and around Lafayette, Louisiana. “It’s all about projecting the right image, catering to customers,” says Brad Breaux, referring to working with high-end accounts.
Along with his brother, Ross, Brad operates Greenscape Grounds Management, a full-service landscape management company. The brothers maintain approximately 110 accounts, with 13 full-time employees and four crews. The business mix is 50/50 residential/commercial with annual sales approaching the $1.5 million mark.
“Like most landscape contractors, we started out mowing residential properties and took nearly any job we could get,” says Brad. “Over the years, we’ve made a concerted effort to target both the high-end residential and commercial markets, and now we’re in a position to actually be able to pick and choose our customers.” This is a nice position to be in, but it’s something Brad and Ross have worked hard to achieve over the years. You can almost say they are students of the industry.
“No matter where my wife, Kerri (office manager), and I go on vacation, I’ll take a day to visit shopping malls and corporate centers to see how they’re being maintained,” Brad relates. “I look at the plants and notice how the turf is being maintained. If the contractor is on site, I’ll take note of his equipment and the demeanor of his employees, including how they’re dressed. By doing this, I get a chance to benchmark our company—to see where we stand against others, along with where and how we need to make improvements.”
One look at his operation suggests that this contractor has been an excellent student. Trucks are neat and clean, Brad and Ross are attired in sharplooking polo shirts and khaki pants, and all employees are in uniform, looking and performing their roles.
“I just can’t stress enough how important appearance is in this market,” Brad adds. “Our customers expect us to be neat and actually blend in, just as if we live in the neighborhood. That goes for both our homeowner and commercial customers. When they pay a premium price for the service, they expect quality all the way around.”
Learning Curve
Greenscape’s owner got his start in the industry working for his uncle and cousin in nearby Baton Rouge. He moved there right out of high school and stayed for a couple of years before moving back to his hometown to start his own lawn maintenance business.
“That’s where I learned about the Walker Mower,” Brad says, referring to his Baton Rouge stay. “I purchased two used models from my relatives shortly after I started my company in 2000.” Today, Greenscape crews operate seven models, two Super B’s with 52- and 60-inch decks, one MB, two MTSDs and two MTGHS units, the latter with 42-inch decks.
“The Walker Mowers are ideal for our application,” Brad relates. “They’re compact, maneuverable , and nothing on the market leaves a nicer-looking cut, something our upscale customers appreciate. I also like how easy the decks can be interchanged, something that’s very useful when going from larger areas to smaller areas on the new Super B’s.
“I purchased the Super B’s because they had a little more power and speed than my older models, and I just liked how compact the earlier MB was,” Brad continues. “Still, when I hear other contractors talk about speed, I wonder just how important it is. One can only go so fast mowing turf, and we hardly ever mow at top speed. The only benefit I can see from having a faster ground speed is moving between properties or getting back to the trailer once the job is finished.”
The Breaux brothers are as focused on their customers as they are on their equipment. While showing the Walker Talk editor several properties, Brad’s cell phone rings constantly. He answers calls from his customers; others will get a return call later. “You have to be responsive,” he explains. “We’re there for our customers virtually every day, and we strive to do everything related to grounds maintenance, which includes sweeping parking lots for a few clients.”
When it doesn’t have the expertise or equipment, as in the case of fertilizing and weed control, Greenscape subs out to a veteran contractor who treats the company like it’s his only customer in Lafayette.
Sharp focus
One of Greenscape’s largest commercial accounts is River Ranch, what Brad calls a TND (traditional neighborhood development) community. The upscale property is a pleasing mix of retail and residential. Crews maintain the common areas, along with several single-family homes within the development.
“This is one of those properties we wanted from the start,” Brad recalls. “My brother and I said we wanted to be there, and here we are.” It’s about being focused and doing what it takes to please the customer, in this case two primary customers: a retailers’ association and a homeowners’ association.
This 32-year-old is focused. He’s there for customers virtually 24/7, although he admits to sometimes being too accessible. He doesn’t worry about maintaining his equipment; nearby dealer Southland Engine handles everything but basic preventive maintenance. Vehicles are washed weekly by a local firm, too.
“I’ve learned quite a bit over the years just by observing how other toprated companies perform,” Brad emphasizes. “One of my favorite ones to study is Valley Crest, one of the largest landscape contractors in the country. Obviously, we are very small compared to them and other contractors that work in large metropolitan areas, but that doesn’t mean we cannot learn from them.”
Over the last nine years, Brad’s company has grown with Lafayette and looks to continue growing with the city. In the meantime, Greenscape will focus on growing its upscale niche and providing a onestop service for customers. “We don’t advertise,” Brad says. “We try to let our image, our work and our customers talk for us.”
Site Search
