A GIANT of the lawn care industry is sowing the seeds of future growth with plans to expand further post-pandemic.
GreenThumb is the market leader for lawn treatment services with 220 branches nationwide and a network turnover of more than £48million.
Founded by CEO Stephen Waring in 1986, the business employs more than 100 staff at its St Asaph headquarters and is now led by Managing Director Paul Edwards, who took the helm just months before the onset of Covid-19 in the UK.
A former lawyer, he is focused on further improving the customer experience and building on the solid foundations which have positioned GreenThumb as one of the country’s most reputable, sustainable, and responsible organisations.
“Like all industries we faced challenges over the last couple of years, but our incredible team and service operatives worked hard to ensure health and safety were paramount, and that the standards we set were as high as ever,” said Paul.
“As a result, we managed to keep growing and have invested heavily in the wellbeing of our staff and the culture of GreenThumb, which is, and will always be, about people.”
Servicing more than three million lawns every year, operatives were able to continue working when other sectors ground to a halt, and Paul says they received many letters and messages from customers, thanking them for their support and reassuring presence.
“During lockdown, a lot of more vulnerable householders were in isolation and didn’t see anyone for days or even weeks, so having our vans in their local area helped them return to some semblance of normality,” he said.
“That feedback makes us proud and spurred everyone on to look at the long-term vision of the company, where we are heading and what our priorities are.
“More GreenThumb franchisees and the unveiling of new machinery and treatments will ensure we remain at the forefront of advances in lawn care.
“When we connect our people with great products, equipment and new technology it will take the experience of our customers to a whole new level.
“That will be pivotal, as is the continued development of our service to our customers.
“Ultimately it’s about continuing to enhance and improve the customer’s end to end journey, from booking a consultation to treatment of their lawns.”
Paul, an ex-semi-professional rugby player who lives in Cheshire with wife Nicole and son Harry, added: “We have plans to streamline our commercial and scheduling processes online, including a self-service portal that will make a big difference in terms of flexibility and efficiency.
“It will be more personalised, make recommendations and be tailored to their needs; it’s not about sales it’s about striving for an even better experience, something GreenThumb is renowned for.”
A winner of countless awards, the firm is also looking to forge new partnerships over the months ahead.
“I have an ambitious plan for the business, supported by what is a strong and experienced leadership team,” said Paul.
“We are already trusted by hundreds of thousands of people across the UK and want to see that rise further, so there is an opportunity to attract new franchise partners who can see the benefits of being part of what is an established, successful working model.
“The GreenThumb culture is also a major USP, our operatives are fantastic ambassadors and have long-standing relationships with our customers, they genuinely care and that’s why we continue to grow and improve.”
He added: “The main thing for me is keeping our promises and coming from a legal background the integrity and attitude we display is crucial to our success.
“Every day is something new, we want to keep delighting our customers and that involves significant investment in the development of our products and our workforce, so they continue to see even better results.
“Lawns are living, breathing things and with proper care they will thrive; that’s our ethos for the service we provide and the people who represent GreenThumb – long may that continue.”
