During periods of intense economic upheaval, it becomes necessary in the business model for an entity to adapt or expire. The go-go years of the mid decade have disintegrated and gone up in a puff of smoke along with the housing bubble. Left in it’s wake are vacuums in the irrigation industry that will only become filled once demand increases. It’s unfortunate that our industry is so connected with the housing market. It’s even more unfortunate that our product is considered by many homeowners to be a luxury item. Many small and medium sized irrigation contractors have closed their doors over the last couple of years. Even the large suppliers are closing branch offices and slashing prices.

What then to do about the lost revenues and cash flows from new installations that are the bread and butter of every industry contractor? Just as subtle changes in Darwinian Theory have allowed species to adapt to changes in their environment,  so too must the business diversify in order to exist in harsh economic conditions. In this changed economic climate, emphasis must be transferred to other parallel business products. Service policies, extended warranties, and overall general consumer satisfaction and atonement must become your life blood. Additionally, every existing client per se must become a salesman. This means that every word out of an existing client’s mouth must be positive. While exact marketing procedures regarding referral programs remains proprietary in nature, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand that what clients say about you affects your overall market position. This is why EcoLawn Sprinkler System of Springfield Virginia takes such time to insure that their systems run continuously and non stop; even after a client’s service policy or manufacturer’s warranty expires. If the system is not running properly ten years after an installation, what then is the point of installing them. The irrigation industry in general touts that the installed system has longevity; however, many contractors do not perform to this latitude. They are interested in the immediate installation and immediate performance. TBC…

Multi-stream, multi-trajectory rotating (MSMTR) sprinklers represent an alternative to the irrigation of small to medium size landscapes with traditional fixed spray heads and rotors. Preliminary investigations have suggested that MSMTR sprinklers can apply water with higher distribution uniformities than traditional heads, offering the potential for significant water conservation.

Urban water use is an increasingly significant portion of total water use, particularly in the arid West. A major component of urban water use is for irrigation of the urban landscape. Across North America, 60% of residential water use can be attributed to outdoor water usage, primarily for landscape irrigation. California’s Dept. of Water Resources (1998) has noted “The greatest potential reduction in urban water use would come from reducing outdoor water use for landscaping.” Improvements in the efficiency of landscape irrigation could offer considerable potential for water conservation in the urban sector.

Scientific studies by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers have proven that MSMTRs achieve higher uniformity than traditional sprinkler heads. Furthermore, studies have shown that MSMTR application rates are approximately 60% less than tradditional sprinklers for any given time period, allowing water to penetrate the soil at a slower rate and hence reducing run off. An irrigation manager’s response to dry spots and turf areas of poor visual quality should make changes that result in higher uniformity, rather than to increase run times. Higher uniformity will enhance water conservation and reduce deficits as well. Presented with this information, does it not make sense for EcoLawn to retrofit as many client systems with this technology as possible? Will Clients understand the operating cost reductions in the long term and spend the necessary amount of funds now to make the change? This is the task ahead of us. Every year of increased awareness by  the homeowner of the shortage of this natural resource will drive the market to this final affirmation.