Feeling jaded about a bad experience you had with a nationwide lawn care service? You're not the only one. Nationwide lawn care service providers expand into new territories, bringing their recognizable logos and big marketing budgets but often don't have the goods to back up their claims, leaving you frustrated and dissatisfied. This doesn't have to happen to you, though. By carefully investigating a lawn care service and knowing the ways nationwide lawn service providers sometimes fall short, you can hire a local service that will serve you impeccably and faithfully year in and year out. 

Here are four ways national brand lawn care service providers fall short:

1. The Bottom Line Overshadows Customer Service. A large, nationwide corporation is more concerned with numbers than it's concerned with its individual local customers. To them, you're nothing more than a contributor to their bottom line. They may offer the lowest price in town, but they're able to do that by providing the bare minimum when it comes to attention to detail and the health of your lawn.
2. Inappropriate Certification Translates to a Lack of Local Knowledge. Nationwide lawn care services will tell you that their technicians are certified. They probably are. But they may be certified by in-house trainers who have broad-based knowledge suitable to technicians from coast to coast. The problem with this is that a lawn maintenance technician in the southeast needs different training than a technician in Ohio. It's important to find out if your lawn service is certified by your own state. State certification ensures that the technicians know all about the local climate, common pests, plant diseases, and growing conditions that affect your home's landscaping.
3. You May Pay More Than Other Customers Across Town. Nationwide lawn service providers have been known to charge different prices depending on their locations. Those fortunate enough to live close to the company's base location get priced lower than those living a few miles farther down the road. We realized that gas is expensive, but we feel that all of our customers should pay the same prices for our services, no matter where they happen to live.
4. Poor Communication Leads to Mistakes and Poor Service. To keep their business model as efficient as possible, national brands often stop at a residence, apply chemicals to the lawn, stick flags in the lawn, and then move to the next stop. Instead a local company with a customers focus should make it a point to knock on your door each time they stop by. It should be a priority to know about any new concerns you may have, and they should point out any potential problems that needs to be addressed before they become larger issues. Good communication is crucial for keeping your lawn healthy and looking great all season long.

For these reasons, it's wise to take a look at your local lawn care service options. Look for a local company that has provided lawn care services that have worked in your area for many years. They should offer insights and experience that national lawn care services just don't provide.  

Photo Credit: Joe & Jeanette Archie

Robert Palmer is the founder and owner of Weed Pro Lawn Care. Since opening in 2001, Weed Pro Lawn Care has become one of the nation’s leading lawn care companies. A respected leader in both the local community & industry, Rob has received many industry awards, such as the OTF’s Lawn Care Professional of the year. Additionally, Rob is a regular contributor to the Weed Pro Blog, and other industry magazines and blogs.  Rob on Google+     Rob on LinkedIn     Rob on Twitter