New Hope landscaping firm thrives by changing with the times

When the pandemic began in spring 2020, business was good for Best Buddies Landscaping and there were plenty of workers available to meet clients’ needs.
It wasn’t until late 2020, that the 11-year-old New Hope business experienced a labor shortage, said Best Buddies owner Dave Gates.
“Last year, even with the pandemic we had all of our employees. We were really cooking full steam with lots of work everywhere because everyone was home,” he said. “Toward the end of 2020, we saw a labor crunch. We knew 2021 was going to be tough.
When March 2021 rolled around, hiring became even tougher. A team of 15 last year was down to eight this spring.
“We’re reaching out and guys aren’t answering their phones,” Gates said. “Those that are (said they) are going into construction and roofing.”
An added problem was workers being hired away by other landscapers. “If we sent someone to pick up materials, another owner might see them at the mulch farm and ask how much they’re making and offer them more on the spot,” Gates said.
Gates said he believes the extra unemployment compensation being offered due to the pandemic was an issue. “I think that was the biggest problem,” he said. “We never had a problem of companies trying to steal your employees like that.”
Gates said job postings that would normally result in 20 applicants brought in zero or one at most.
“No one was applying to our jobs until we started putting out signing bonuses, offering unlimited flexibility in the schedule, paying for sponsored ads, and understanding it was more important to not lose customers than to make profits at this moment.
“We asked our management what they need to be happy working here and started paying our laborers 10-20% more than our competitors. Yes, it cut into the profit margins at first but clients were happy, we’re paying the bills, and now all of our team is firing on all cylinders with good attitudes.
“It wasn’t so much about money at that time. It was about not losing customers because for the first time in 11 years our business was starting to contract,” Gates said, adding he was getting calls but had to turn down business for lack of staff. “When you start seeing your business contract at (age) 35, it really wears on you.”
Gates also turned to technology to aid the business. He hired a director of operations, Laura Niedziocha, “to help bring us into the 21st century and build our infrastructure.”

“She taught our team how to use the landscape service apps, updated our billing services, and streamlined the entire company.
“Before, we were just paper and pen (out on a job),” he said. “We wasted a lot of time entering (information) into the computer.”
Now, employees can clock in on the job via the app, and when they finish a job, they type in their notes, and everything goes into Best Buddies’ system, Gates said. They can also upload before and after photos, showing the work they completed, and work they think needs doing. And the photos can be shared with clients. Gates’ employees, who are generally younger, love it, he said.
They also love the Best Buddies swag the company offers, he said of the company shirts, hats and jackets employees are given. And they appreciate the flexibility given to them when they need a day off. “Not working to live is super important.
“I want to be a place that people like to work at. If you stay long term, you have a great future. We give a lot of vacation time. We do pizza on Fridays. … I really try to make Best Buddies their company as well.”
To fill the void when hiring was roughest, Gates turned to college students, who he knew weren’t getting the extra unemployment. His workers are now half college students and half long-term, full-time employees. Some of his workers, which include both office and landscaping staff, are salaried and some are hourly.
“It was the perfect stop-gap because the extra unemployment’s going to stop and these guys can’t get unemployment because they’re going back to school.”
Now that they are returning to class, however, there’s a need once again for more workers.
“We’re (ramping) up a hiring blitz for the fall,” Gates said.
jarthur@buckscountyherald.com

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