2011 Newsletter

Well it is late February and we have had warm and cold snaps, snow in abundance and now as I look out my window rain. Although the official opening day for Ecoman is April 1st, we may be starting earlier weather dependent of course. So be sure to book early for your spring cleanups. I am writing to update the changes for 2011 including personnel, pricing and technology.We are very happy to announce that Rohan, Rachel, Mike and John are all coming back this year. We are sad to announce that Tinka will be leaving to pursue a managerial position at an upscale flower shop.Last year we rolled out our new timekeeping technology on the gardening side and were very happy with the result. This year we plan to expand the use of electronic timekeeping on the landscaping side. Although the use of electronic timekeeping resulted in savings for our clients we are aware that in spring and fall the addition of a third crewmember did add substantially to the bottom line.That is why we are adopting a small change in our pricing on the gardening side to help alleviate this concern. The new pricing system will be $45 for the crew leader and $25 for each member of the crew. This will result in no change to your hourly cost (since we always work as a two person crew therefore the hourly rate stays the same at $70). The savings will accrue when a third crew member charged out at $25 is added for large jobs and fall cleanups. The savings amounts to $10/hr compared to last year pricing for every hour we charge at the 3 person crew level. If you are wondering about our services and would like to see pictures of our work please follow the link provided here: http://bit.ly/9HeceO. This site is updated often so feel free to visit again soon. You can also search on the right hand side by category for specific topics such as landscaping or green roofs. Look out for a new feature that will show video footage of exterior home and garden inspections showing what we look for and recommendations.So there you have it, our core crew has returned for another season, electronic timekeeping has helped to improve service, our new pricing system will ensure cost savings on larger gardening jobs and our blog will keep you up to date on new projects, pictures and stories. I am looking forward to spring and hope to hear from you soon.Cheers,Jonas

2010 Newsletter

Yet another spring is around the corner and the phone is ringing already due to the warm weather. We have begun scheduling spring cleanups so give us a call or email at your earliest convenience. This year is filled with changes and we would like to take a moment and share them with you. We have new developments in our services, personnel changes, new updates for the blog, and of course HST to discuss.

Although we have some changes in personnel, Rohan is back for another season to head up the gardening crew. We have recently added Rachel who is in her second year horticulture diploma at Humber College. On the landscaping side we are sad that Brandon has moved on (he is travelling the world and as we speak is somewhere between Thialand and Australia). We are happy to have Mike back for another season, and of course we still have Tinka for containers, plant selection and design. Along with changes in personnel we are proud to announce the introduction of a new technology.

This year we are implementing electronic timekeeping to help improve accurate billing and keep better records of what services we provide. The new technology is also the foundation of a new service we are introducing this year. Ecoman's Exterior Property and Garden Inspection is a comprehensive detailed assessment that covers gardens, plants walkways and patios. Our paperless report provides you with a status report of the garden including detailed recommendations regarding key priority areas. We are offering this service for a flat rate fee of just 199.99. Clients that hire us to carry out work based on our recommendations will receive a refund up to the full amount. In order to properly test out the new service we are offering our existing clients a no obligation inspection absolutely free to the first five callers.

In addition to the new software upgrades we have recently updated the blog to include pictures of landscaping projects from last year. Please click the http://ecoman-ecoman.blogspot.com link to see what the landscaping crew has been up to. In addition to all the technological changes and personnel changes we need to update you on new legislation that will impact you.

The introduction of the HST in the middle of the season means that starting July1st we will be required to charge 13% tax for all gardening and landscaping services. If you would like to prepay for the entire season before July 1st you can avoid HST for this season. If this is not an option for you, take small comfort in knowing that you already paid GST and PST on materials for our jobs, the HST only impacts the labour portion of your bill. Furthermore you will be receiving reductions in your income taxes to offset the additional charges.

So there you have it new season, new personnel, new technology, new services and new taxes. We look forward to hearing from you and working with you on your gardens in 2010!

2009 Newsletter

The spring 2009 Ecoman update is here! So much has happened since the last newsletter that we have decided to provide regular updates that can be accessed online by going to: http://www.ecoman-ecoman.blogspot.com/. Here you will find information about who we are, pictures of work we have done and information about new projects, such as green roofs.

Our capable and friendly crew is back for another season. Rohan will heading up the gardening crew, Tinka will be helping with annual containers and planting, Jeff and Brandon are back doing design and build for residential landscape installations and Brian will still be making appearances as he slowly slips into retirement.

We have decided to phase in the hourly wage increases to all customers, due to the rising cost of doing business, the new rate is $35/hr. We have made payment options very convenient by adding Visa. You can still mail your check the old fashioned way or if you are internet savvy, we continue to accept email money transfers.

We have had several clients approach us regarding ways to reduce costs for the season. Maintenance and monitoring of your garden is critical for identifying problems before they become expensive (just think of all the trees seedlings we pull out your gardens annually). Investing in the health of your property can increase the value of your home. That being said, you may wish to look at the overall amount you spend in a year and discuss an upper limit to your budget for the year. If you would like to know how much you spent in previous years, create a reasonable budget and and/or save on maintenance costs, give us a call.

This year we are looking to expand our business in the downtown area. If you have friends or family that you would like to refer our services to, please feel free to ask us for our new fridge magnets, business cards and/or postcards to spread the word.

We will continue to offer bicycle gardening services for those in the areas between Dufferin and St.George, Davenport and Dundas. In addition we have added a small cargo van that runs on biodiesel to help with delivering high quality annuals and perennials to your garden. This year we hope to improve our customer service with better communication, payment options, and vehicles. Book your spring cleanup soon! Opening day is April 1^st.

2008 Newsletter

Another Spring appears to be upon us, although you wouldn’t know it from the mounds of snow in front of our house! This note is to remind everyone that we are booking spring cleanups and gardening services beginning April 1^st. Unfortunately, due to the large amounts of snow coupled with cool temperatures, it is likely that many gardens will be too wet to work in for several weeks. Please feel free to call or email and discuss your specific situation regarding your garden. I thought I would also take this opportunity to update you regarding Ecoman for the coming year.

Most of our crew from last year will be back, Rohan, Brandon, Tinka and of course Brian are all confirmed. In addition, we have added Jeff, who will be providing our clients with design and build services for landscaping projects. Several new and interesting projects are in the works for this season.

As you may know Ecoman has been involved in quite a few green roof projects over the past several years. This year we are set to install our second residential greenroof in the beach, that involved retrofitting the structure of the roof to allow for the increased weight. We have also begun a grey water project in the Annex, that will involve the capture and use of waste water from sinks in the house for watering in the garden. Other efforts regarding the environment include continued use of biofuel in the dumptruck and membership to Autoshare. Rising gas prices may well increase our costs this year, however, rather than pass this additional cost to you, Ecoman has embarked on a new pilot project set to launch this spring.

If you live within the area delineated by Davenport and Dundas on the north and south, and by Dufferin and St. George on the east and west, you may be eligible for our calorie powered gardening service. A new crew will be formed that will include all the standard features and capabilities of our regular gardening crew, only they will arrive by bike pulling a customized cart. The bike cart crew is being mobilized to tackle light gardening tasks such as pruning vines, shrubs and roses, sweeping and raking, transplanting and dividing perennials and planting. If you live outside the area mentioned above but still want to be serviced in this way, please contact us and we can discuss your situation.

Although costs of fuel are rising and will likely continue to rise throughout the summer we have decided to keep our pricing the same for our clients from previous years. New clients will be charged out at 35$/hr plus materials to reflect our rising cost of doing business. This price will likely be phased in for all our clients as of spring 2009. Speaking of pricing we will continue to send out invoices by email and will also introduce email payment options for your convenience.

I have tried to keep this note brief but so much has happened since last fall! With spring cleanups around the corner, green projects on the go, a calorie powered gardening crew and a new improved payment options we have been busy this winter. Please contact us to book your spring visit, discuss special needs or begin a new project in the garden. I look forward to hearing from you.

Cheers,

Jonas

(416) 556-5516