Jacquie Talks Landscaping Sales & Workforce Diversity

Leaders like Jacquie O'Connor are leading the way as commercial landscaping & facilities maintenance businesses innovate and adapt today. As the CEO of Leo Exterior Facilities Maintenance, Jacquie has demonstrated a keen understanding of the industry's complexities and challenges.

In the latest episode of Attentive.ai's Fuel Up Webinar Series, titled "Mastering Landscaping Sales: Challenges & Strategies For 2023-24," Jacquie shared her valuable insights, drawing from her extensive expertise in the field. We get her perspective on the current challenges and opportunities within the industry and the practical strategies for professionals looking to excel in their roles.

Throughout the webinar, Jacquie touched upon several key areas:

• Handling customer uncertainty
• Expanding labor pools
• Cultivating a diverse workforce
• Importance of technology in streamlining operations. 

Her approach to these subjects is informative and inspiring, making this webinar a must-watch for landscaping industry professionals seeking to stay ahead of the curve.

Jacquie Talks Navigating Uncertainty in Sales

Jacquie highlights the prevalent uncertainty in customer budgets and emphasizes the importance of serving them effectively. She suggests working hand in hand with customers, solving their problems, listening, and educating them. This approach includes investing a little upfront to achieve long-term benefits and building strong customer relationships.

"Sometimes a little bit of money upfront will actually help them in the long run."

Expanding the Labor Pool

She addresses the labor shortage in the industry, viewing it as an opportunity to diversify the workforce. Jacquie specifically focuses on tapping into underutilized demographics like women, bringing new perspectives and modernizing the industry.

"It's a huge opportunity for us to look outside of that team, to different backgrounds, to different demographics."

Jacquie Emphasizes On Positioning Landscaping as a Fulfilling Career

O'Connor passionately talks about landscaping as a cool and honorable profession. She stresses the need to recognize the dignity of the profession to attract a broader recruiting pool.

"We are smart, we are educated, we work crazy hard, and we do really great work."

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Objective Approach to Performance Reviews

Jacquie advises on the importance of an objective scorecard for performance reviews, promoting equity and opportunity in the workplace. This approach helps in recognizing and rewarding hardworking individuals based on their achievements rather than biases.

"When you're comparing fact to fact, you know, instead of face to face, well, then you actually begin to see a lot of progress."

Leveraging Technology in Landscaping

She discusses the significance of choosing the right software for business efficiency. Jacquie shares her experience with Attentive.ai, highlighting how it transformed their operations from a manual, slow process to a more efficient, reliable one.

"It's been a real game changer just not having to wait on, you know, everybody else to get through their day job before measuring."

Over to you

Jacquie O'Connor's discourse during the "Mastering Landscaping Sales" webinar offers the ultimate blend of knowledge, strategies, and passion, essential for anyone in the landscaping industry. Her insights reflect a deep understanding of both the challenges and opportunities present in today's market. 

As our webinars continue to evolve, they have become the go-to resource for industry professionals, providing a platform for learning, innovation, and growth. Jacquie's contribution to this episode further cements its status as a valuable asset for anyone looking to excel in the field of landscaping and facilities maintenance.

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