The Beer Garden

This week, we’re talking about one of the biggest game-changers for growing businesses: outsourcing your customer service. If you’ve ever wondered how to get yourself out of the phone-and-email whirlwind without sacrificing customer satisfaction, this episode is for you.
Whether you’re curious about virtual reps, tired of being the complaint department, or ready to reclaim your day — we break down the pros, cons, and must-knows of two popular outsourcing models. Plus, you’ll hear how Brandon and Jason have personally structured, trained, and scaled their customer service teams (with a few war stories along the way).
 
🧩 What We Covered:
Overview of The Two Main Outsourcing Models
Call Center Model
Dedicated Outsourced Representatives
Training & Onboarding
Role & Responsibilities
Cost Comparisons
Where to Find Representatives
 
🍻 Featured Beers:
•Michelob Ultra
•Knotted Root Brewing: Moist Green Organic
https://www.knottedrootbrewing.com/contact
 
📚 Resources Mentioned:
Loom – For screen-recorded training
Trainual – For building onboarding systems
OnlineJobs.ph – Trusted Freelance Classified
Go2 - Outsourced CSR Agency
Market Hill - Executive Assistant Agency
 
📩 Got questions or want help implementing? Hit us up: 
Facebook Group: The Beer Garden: Landscape Leaders Roudtable
Facebook Page: IssueID
Youtube: The Beer Garden
Instagram: IssueID
Website: IssueID.io
Email: thebeergarden@issueid.io

🎙️ Episode Description:
Let’s face it, great workmanship alone won’t win you lifelong customers anymore. In this episode of The Beer Garden, Jason and Brandon crack open a couple of cold ones and dive deep into the art (and science) of creating an exceptional customer experience. From Disney’s trash can placements to crafting a landscaping version of a blockbuster movie plot, this episode is all about going beyond good service, and into the territory of unforgettable, loyalty-building experiences.
We explore what makes for exceptional vs expected, how to create systems and culture around wow-worthy moments, and how small tweaks in personalization, communication, and staff training can make a massive difference in customer retention, referrals, and your reputation.
So pour yourself something cold, and let’s talk about trash cans & renewal rates.
 
⏱️ What We Covered:
•The Power of Exceptional Customer Experience
•Attention to Detail
•Personalization
•Continuous Improvement
•Create an Effortless Experience
•Build Your StoryBrand
•Training for Consistency and Excellence
•Strategies to Elevate Customer Satisfaction
•Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
•Last Call: Speed Round
 
🍺 Beers of the Week:
•Half Hitch Brewing – Papa Bear Prairie Ale
•Emporium Brewing – Dope IPA
 
📚 Resources Mentioned:
•Be Our Guest – Disney Institute
•Building a StoryBrand – Donald Miller
•The Effortless Experience – Matthew Dixon
•DisneyU – Doug Lipp
•Breakthrough Academy (BTA) – https://www.btacademy.com/
 
💬 Connect & Share:
If you found this episode valuable, share it with your team or tag a fellow pro in our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebeergardenlandscape
And if you want to keep turning jobs into long-term relationships, don’t forget to subscribe and leave us a 5-star review wherever you listen.
 
📩 Got questions or want help implementing? Hit us up: 
Facebook Group: The Beer Garden: Landscape Leaders Roudtable
Facebook Page: IssueID
Youtube: The Beer Garden
Instagram: IssueID
Website: IssueID.io
Email: thebeergarden@issueid.io

Most of us have been guilty of it—handing a new hire a shovel and saying, “Follow this guy.” That might get the job done (barely), but it won’t build a high-performing team. In this episode of The Beer Garden, we dive deep into how to build a real-deal training program that actually develops your people—and your business.
We’re breaking down how to create a scalable, repeatable system that trains new hires, grows future leaders, and builds a strong culture of excellence. From onboarding to ongoing skill development to performance-based certifications, we lay out the full blueprint. Whether you're building a training program from scratch or upgrading your current system, this one's packed with practical strategies.
What We Cover:
Why throwing new hires to the wolves isn’t a strategy
What to include in your first 30–90 days of training
How to build ongoing training that keeps your team engaged
Designing a skill progression system with certifications and raises
The DORAGI method for hands-on learning
How to track training progress and ensure real results
Why training is just as important for managers as it is for technicians
🎧 Whether you're a growing landscape business or a snow removal crew looking to level up, this episode will give you the tools to go from chaotic onboarding to a well-oiled training machine.
 
📚 Resources Mentioned:
•Quality Driven Software - https://www.qualitydrivensoftware.com/
•Trainual - https://trainual.com/
•Greenius - https://gogreenius.com/
•The Art of Learning by Joshua Waitzkin
•Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
 
🍺 The Beverages:
•Banded Peak Brewing - Mount Crushmore
•Ommegang Brewing - Cooper's Hop

If your idea of a financial system is just “hoping there’s money left after payroll,” this one’s for you.
In this episode of The Beer Garden, we’re joined by Michelle Ennis, Chartered Accountant, co-founder of Landscapers By Nature, and Head of Finance at Hypha Dynamics, to talk about transforming your company’s financials from a black box into a leadership tool.
Michelle shares how she went from being the only person reviewing financials to building a system that involved the entire leadership team, and how that shift led to faster decisions, more accountability, and major wins for the business.
We cover:
Why Financial Structure Matters
Setting Up Your Chart of Accounts
Monthly Financial Review Meetings
The Monthly Financial Cadence
Tips for Involving Your Management Team
Action Steps
🍺 The Beverages:
Loveland Aleworks - Haze Bros of the Galaxy
2 Towns Ciderhouse - Pacific Pineapple Cider
Knotted Root Brewing - One Million Dollars
 
📩 Got questions or want help implementing? Hit us up: 
Facebook Group: The Beer Garden: Landscape Leaders Roudtable
Facebook Page: IssueID
Youtube: The Beer Garden
Instagram: IssueID
Website: IssueID.io
Email: thebeergarden@issueid.io

Ever feel like your crews spend more time in traffic than on turf? Then this episode is for you.
In this week’s episode of The Beer Garden, we’re breaking down one of the most overlooked levers of profitability in landscaping and snow: route density. That’s right, how close your job sites are to one another can make or break your bottom line.
We’ll crack open a cold one and dive into:
Why route density is your best friend when it comes to labor efficiency, fuel costs, and scheduling sanity
The hidden (and expensive) costs of poor route planning
How to build tighter routes using tech, service zones, and territory-based marketing
The micro-shop strategy: how satellite yards can transform your ops and hiring
Metrics that matter: How to actually measure your route efficiency
Real-world tips to avoid common route planning mistakes
We also chat through examples, tactics, and some near-disasters from our own businesses.
If you’re looking to grow smarter, not just bigger, this one’s a must-listen.
Remember, tighter routes = fatter margins!
 
The Beverages:
•Wild Rose Brewery - Big Hoodoo Lager
•TRVE Brewing Co. - Tunnel of Trees
 
📩 Got questions or want help implementing? Hit us up: 
Facebook Group: The Beer Garden: Landscape Leaders Roudtable
Facebook Page: IssueID
Youtube: The Beer Garden
Instagram: IssueID
Website: IssueID.io
Email: thebeergarden@issueid.io

In this episode of The Beer Garden, we’re tackling one of the most chaotic (and costly) problems in many landscape and snow companies: inconsistent, unstructured pay.
If your crew members are randomly asking for raises… if your hiring conversations feel like a poker game… or if payroll feels more like a monthly gamble than a strategy—this episode is for you.
We break down exactly how to build and implement a standardized pay structure that improves morale, simplifies hiring, and ensures your payroll actually makes sense for your margins.
You’ll learn:
Why standardized pay reduces drama and turnover
How to build role-based compensation with clear skill expectations
How to handle top performers and low performers within the system
How to roll out your new system (without blowing up your team)
How to make it part of your hiring, training, and performance management
We even share a real-world example wage sheet and give actionable steps you can take this week to start building or refining your own system.
📎 Mentioned in This Episode:
✅ Download the Sample Wage Sheet✅ Book: Simple Numbers, Straight Talk, Big Profits by Greg Crabtree✅ Book: The Great Game of Business by Jack Stack
 
The Beverages:
Banded Peak Brewing - Mount Crushmore
New Image Brewing - Quad Dub
📩 Got questions or want help implementing your own system? Hit us up: 
Facebook Group: The Beer Garden: Landscape Leaders Roudtable
Facebook Page: IssueID
Youtube: The Beer Garden
Instagram: IssueID
Website: IssueID.io
Email: thebeergarden@issueid.io

In this episode of The Beer Garden, we’re digging into one of the most misunderstood—but most impactful—tools in your estimating arsenal: production rates. Whether you're still eyeballing bids or operating off tiered pricing, understanding production rates can help you price more consistently, boost profitability, and simplify performance conversations with your team.
What we cover:
What are production rates
Why production rates matter
Sales & production team tensions
How to determine your production rates
Why being too specific with your production rates can cause trouble
How production rates differ based on average job size (AJS) 
 
📈 Whether you're just starting to formalize your estimating process or ready to fine-tune your numbers like a pro, this episode has something for every landscape or snow removal contractor.
🎧 Tune in, take notes, and let’s finally stop guessing our way through job pricing.
 
The Beverages:
Crooked Stave - Nightmare on Brett
Jasper Brewing Co. - Crispy Tall Bois
 
Get in touch: 
Facebook Group: The Beer Garden: Landscape Leaders Roudtable
Facebook Page: IssueID
Youtube: The Beer Garden
Instagram: IssueID
Website: IssueID.io
Email: thebeergarden@issueid.io

Still sending quotes into the void and hoping for the best? It might be time to stop bidding and start building value.
In this episode of The Beer Garden, we're doing a deep dive into how to improve your close rate for landscape maintenance contracts—without lowering prices, adding services, or spending more time on-site. Just smart strategy and better presentation.
We share a real-life example of a contractor who stopped competing on price and started winning with value. By revamping their proposal, conducting proactive site inspections, and using personalized video walkthroughs, they began closing high-quality clients—even when they were the most expensive bid on the table.
This episode breaks down:
✅ What your close rate says about your business✅ How to qualify leads and target the right customers✅ Why your proposal should act as a sales and marketing piece✅ The game-changing impact of proactive property inspections✅ Using tools like IssueID to show your value✅ How a short video can build trust and help you stand out✅ Follow-up tips and how to avoid ghosting✅ How to track, measure, and improve your sales process over time
Whether you're closing 10% or 80%, this episode will give you practical tools to improve your win rate—without sacrificing your margins.
The Beverages:
Wild Rose Brewing - Electric Avenue
Outer Range Brewing - Colorado Cou Cou
Get in touch: 
Facebook Group: The Beer Garden: Landscape Leaders Roudtable
Facebook Page: IssueID
Youtube: The Beer Garden
Instagram: IssueID
Website: IssueID.io
Email: thebeergarden@issueid.io