Navigating COVID-19: How Aspire is working for you

Here at Aspire, we’re continuing to watch developments related to COVID-19 and adapting as details emerge. We know this isn’t business as usual and many of you are feeling anxious about what comes next.

That’s why we’re doing everything we can here at Aspire to keep things running smoothly so you can take care of the things that matter most: yourself, your family, your employees and your business.

Here's what we've heard from you, our customers

Our teams have been talking to companies across the industry spectrum. Here's what you're telling us you're facing right now:

1. 1. You're getting customer requests to cut back services.
      Some of your clients are asking for cutbacks on their spring services to save money at this time. As you know, these services are important to the health and beauty of the landscape, and guidance on providing as many of these services as possible is important.
   2. Add-on services are being canceled by customers.
      Since everyone is dealing with the unknown, this is probably to be expected. Ask if these can be postponed rather than canceled, since there will still be plenty of opportunity to provide these services this summer or even in the fall.
   3. You’re uncertain what to do with your labor force so you’re labor ready when things return to normal.
      This is a difficult thing to do since there may not be a lot of work when things get moving—nor will there be the capital to pay them. It’s important to manage capital through collections and spending reductions, but the last thing you want to do is lose labor. The best approach is to find other areas to cut and keep people busy around the shop and yard when work gets light.
   4. You’re not sure which fixed costs to look at to help.
      There are really only two areas where significant savings can be realized quickly: overhead staffing (people) and vehicle/equipment/shop. These two categories comprise 70 +% of overhead expenditures. It’s difficult, if not impossible, to suspend rent, insurance premiums, debt service, and utility expenditures. Again, the sooner America gets back to work, the less severe the cuts. An interesting dynamic occurs in good times. Managers become less disciplined about expense management as revenue covers many bad expenditures. Now is as good as time as any to re-instill this psychology and discipline.

Here's what we're doing to help

Right now, everyone is trying to figure out: 1. How long will this last; and 2. What will the net effect of this be to my business?

Some questions don’t have an answer right now, but here at Aspire, we’re taking measure to help you prepare and minimize the effects as best you can as we all face the unknown:

1. Working harder and longer to make sure we're here to help when you need it.
   Just like your office and sales staff, we're all working from home, but we’re also "all-hands-on-deck"—and then some—working longer hours and keeping our phones on all day so that we can help when you need it. If you’re looking for advice, schedule a one-on-one call with your Customer Success Manager (CSM), an AspireCare rep, or the implementation manager you developed a relationship with during your deployment. No is not in our vocabulary when it comes to helping our clients learn the software, understand the best reports to look at, or just offering business advice.
2. Proactively reaching out to our customers.
   Our CSM team is proactively reaching out to all our clients to answer any questions you may have on running your business or training on Aspire. Please spend a half to a full hour with them. The information they have to offer can be of great value.
3. Curating a COVID-19 resource section within the User Knowledge Base.
   We've created a ‘COVID-19 Help’ section within our Knowledge Base, containing helpful tips from Aspire as well as up-to-date links to articles or websites, like the Small Business Administration (SBA), where you can go to find ways to help your business run during these difficult times. We will continue to add documents and links as we get them, so please use us as a resource for understanding how this effects your business.
4. Offering a webinar series on navigating the business challenges of COVID-19.
   In our webinar series, long-time industry consultant Kevin Kehoe will provide guidance on keeping your business healthy during this uncertain time caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The series will detail actions you can take immediately to alleviate the effects of the current downturn on your business and address hard questions about cutting back on overhead as well as preparing for 2021 and beyond.
5. Connecting to share knowledge and resources via social media.
   On the social media front, we’ll be sharing details about our COVID-19 webinar series, including related blog posts, as well as other relevant content you may find useful. We're also creating an “Ask the Expert” group on LinkedIn where you can submit questions or share information related to steps your company is taking to weather the COVID-19 situation. Industry expert Kevin Kehoe, among others, will weigh in to provide his insight.

We're here for you. Please don't hesitate to reach out when you need us.

We sympathize with you during this difficult situation and want you to know we’re staffed to help you during this time of need. Whether you’re moving full steam ahead to adjust your approach or taking a necessary break to ensure your own health or that of your family, we’re here with you.

Stay safe and healthy!