The business of keeping lawns and trees green and healthy may be a more evergreen endeavor than you realize. The average Spring-Green franchisee provides active lawn, tree and landscape care to customers for eight to 11 months of every year, all the while enjoying a flexible schedule and the fresh air and open spaces that come with a job that transcends office walls.

Spring-Green’s industry and the business itself boast impressive credentials. According to a Gallup poll, more than 20 million households in the United States sign up for professional landscape services and more than 80% of Spring-Green clients renew their services. Low product and labor costs contribute to higher gross-profit margins, expansion opportunities are available for a minimal cost and, after more than 20 years in the business, the Spring-Green system is experienced in handling greenery quirks and demands in a variety of climates.

Spring-Green does not require franchisees to have any previous experience in the landscape-care industry. Services offered by Spring-Green include lawn fertilization and weed control, disease and insect control and root feeding.

 

Investment Required
The fee for a Spring-Green franchise ranges from $25,000 (for an area
containing 40,000 single-family homes) to $36,000 (for an area containing a maximum of 60,000 single-family homes).

Spring-Green provides the following range of investments required to open your initial franchise. The range assumes that all items are paid for in cash. To the extent that you choose to finance any of these expense items, your front-end investment could be substantially reduced.

 

On-Going Expenses
The royalty fee paid by Spring-Green franchisees is 9% for the first $50,000 in gross sales every year, after which the fee declines by 0.5% for each additional $50,000 in gross sales until it reaches a yearly minimum of 6%. Other costs include an advertising fund contribution equal to 2% of gross sales, a software support fee of $95 to $125 per month, an online learning center fee of $132 a year and a franchise advisory council assessment fee of $20 per month from April to November.

What You Get—Training and Support
Online pre-training following by one week in the classroom at Spring-Green’s corporate headquarters acquaints franchisees with the following: marketing and operating systems, business development, the technical aspects of lawn and tree care, equipment operation and maintenance. After initial training, field support representatives meet with franchisees in their own territories to go over sales and lawn and tree treatments. Regional meetings, national events, development seminars, publications, an intranet system and an on-line learning center round out Spring-Green’s support resources.

On the technical side, franchisees benefit from computer-software automation that efficiently manages marketing, customer service, production management and office operations. Spring-Green also develops marketing supplies for franchisees that include items such as direct mailings, brochures, newspaper ads, special customer promotions, seasonal campaigns and door hangers.

Territory
Spring-Green grants territories in which franchisees have the exclusive right to serve residential customers. The definition of the area could be based on factors including population density, market statistics and competition.