fbpx

Simplify Risk Management

by | Apr 11, 2023 | Risk Management | 0 comments

Simplify Risk Management

Written by Eric Petersen, CIC

Whether you’ve been following ArboRisk for a while or are fairly new to our weekly business tip, you’ve probably noticed that we like to talk about Risk Management a lot! The main reason is that while as a concept it is fairly easy; the process of preventing or minimizing injuries and accidents, in practice it can feel overwhelming at times. 

In this article, I will give a way to simplify risk management for your tree care company so you are prepared before something bad happens. 

With your leadership team, take each of the categories below and think about each of them as they pertain to your business. Think about what could go wrong in those areas and what could be (or is currently being) done to minimize the risk. I have included examples inside of each category to help you get started. 

 

Five Categories of Risk for your Tree Care Company:

1. Other People – How can other people affect your business? Think about your customers, the general public, state and federal governments. Common exposures result from injury or property damage to others, lawsuits and penalties and fines. 

Ex: Customer – their property is damaged while working on their tree in their yard. 

Risk Management Solution: Create/review job briefing to ensure proper jobsite set up to minimize property damage while the work is being done.

2. Your People – How can your people affect your business? Think about your employees and subcontractors that you work with. What happens when they get injured, leave unexpectedly or file an employment lawsuit against you? 

Ex: Employee – a group of employees decide to leave your company unexpectedly to start their own business. 

Risk Management Solution: Create a career path to show employees how they can advance within your company to build loyalty. 

3. Your Stuff – What physical assets does your business own? Think about your shop, equipment, tools, your brand, etc. 

Ex: Building – fire or tornado damages your shop building 

Risk Management Solution: Purchase an insurance policy with property limits to cover the building and all items inside. Make an inventory list to assist in the recovery process.

4. Your Vehicle(s) – What vehicles and trailers does your company own or use? Think about all vehicles including rented trucks and employee’s vehicles. 

Ex: Flood – major storm enters your area and floods your yard which damages vehicles

Risk Management Solution: Create an emergency plan to move vehicles to a safe spot before the storm hits your area. 

5. Yourself – What could happen to your business if you, the owner, are not around or not physically able to do everything that you do for the business? Think about each of your responsibilities and how someone else would have to take them on for the business to continue.

Ex: Disability – a work related injury causes you to be physically unable to work for 3 months

Risk Management Solution: Create an internal employee development plan that teaches certain team members how to do the physical tasks that you are responsible for.

 

And this list is the start to your risk management program! 

If you want to dig into it deeper, you can rank each risk that you have listed from the most likely to happen to the least likely to happen. It also may help to put a severity rating on them; something that is most likely to happen, that has potentially severe results, should be dealt with right away. A severe auto accident is an example of this type of risk to your company. For more information on categorizing each risk, read our article on Insurance is NOT Risk Management to find a risk matrix. 

After you have the risks ranked, delegate each of them to your team members to begin to manage. This is now the beginning of your risk management plan! The only thing left to do is to set a follow up time for your leadership team to circle back on these items to ensure they get taken care of or to make adjustments where needed.

Taking risk management seriously will help you build a stronger company that will be more resistant to negative situations that arise. If you are struggling with developing a risk management program for your company, please reach out to an ArboRisk team member or sign up for our Thrive New Heights Risk Management Package today!

Safety Happens at the Individual Level

by | Mar 10, 2023 | Safety | 0 comments

Safety Happens at the Individual Level: Q&A With AManda Carpenter

Written by Eric Petersen, CIC and Amanda Carpenter

Like many in the tree care industry, I have been very fortunate to have become friends with so many passionate people who want to help make the industry safer. One of those friends is Dr. Amanda Carpenter. Amanda’s enthusiasm for helping arborists make it home each night comes through in every conversation she has. She has dedicated her professional career towards helping businesses truly create a culture of safety and helping the leaders of the organization understand that safety happens at the individual level. 

I recently had the chance to speak with Amanda and get her insight on this concept and how tree care companies can implement true change within their safety culture. 

Q: You’ve often said that regulation and training alone will not change the safety outcomes of the tree care industry, focus needs to be put on individuals and how people respond to stressful situations. How does a tree care company begin to train or focus on the individuals within their team and their stress response?

A: Human behavior is at the root of safety, and it can’t be engineered. How humans act and react is a result of the wiring of their autonomic nervous system as uniquely wired as the electrical in each house. Previously human behavior was most often trained using fear and focusing on what not to do. However, when we focus on what not to do, a picture becomes anchored in memory. Much like telling you not to think about a red car….. The nervous system is wired for reaction based on experience and memory, so we must train and learn from a place of how we want to respond. Safety is best when memory is accessed in a regulated nervous system. A tree care company can begin to train and focus on supporting a healthy nervous system for its individuals by creating a grounded, psychologically safe work environment. This all begins with the most powerful leader in the organization.  

 

Q: A lot of tree care companies discuss near misses during a safety meeting, however, you have mentioned that it could actually create the opposite effect within their team unless the discussion is handled appropriately. What is the best way to discuss past accidents and near misses?

A: Much like the example of not focusing on a red car, when we discuss what could have happened while the nervous system is in a heightened state, the memory that it actually happened gets anchored. This can cause a PTSD type response in some individuals and instead of learning from the near miss, fear and anxiety now interfere with the individual’s ability to work safely. The key to learning from an accident or a near miss is to discuss in detail only once the nervous system has come back to baseline, which requires at least 12 hours.  

Additionally, an individual who shares a near miss story, must be brave and comfortable enough that they know they will not be reprimanded or ridiculed. Listeners must support the individual who is sharing and if anyone responds, they must embody emphatic energy towards helping the individual and learning from their sharing. The nervous system reacts to thoughts and feelings, not just words, so the key here is that each individual and the organization must hold a core belief that it is ok to make a mistake.  

 

Q: What other tools can a tree care owner use to further their focus on individual stress response training

A. We want each individual to be aware and manage their stress response and recognize how their reaction impacts themselves and others. Creating safety cultures with authentic core beliefs is a great place to start. Safety cultures that have a ‘zero tolerance for accidents’ or ‘no injury is acceptable’ mantras are diminishing the safety effort rather than enhancing it. When an employee does not have room to make a mistake, the increased stress on their nervous systems can result in a greater number of mistakes that go unreported and covered up.  

People make changes for one of two reasons….from a place of desperation or a place of inspiration. In the safety world, we want to inspire change to prevent a desperate moment, which ultimately could be severe injury or death. This inspiration must come from the most powerful leader. I’m not talking about inspiring a culture of safety through an incentive program, rather shifting the energy of workers to be safer because the company cares about them. Tree care company owners must fully commit to everyone on their team and begin to build a culture of acceptance, understanding and camaraderie towards each other, including themselves. The leaders must also consciously acknowledge the subconscious limiting beliefs inside their organization, such as “you’re weak if you ask for help” or “just suck it up and move on”. The most powerful leader sets the tone of culture, so the limiting beliefs of that individual need to be discovered and dissolved for an organization to thrive in an authentic culture of safety.   

 

For more specific, one-on-one training, Amanda has a great Transformational Leadership Coaching program to help leaders understand their own limiting beliefs and then be able to discuss it throughout the organization. 

Lastly, make sure to check out the March 2023 episode of The IndusTREE Podcast to hear a half hour conversation with Amanda that digs into this topic at much more length. 

Amanda A. Carpenter is a transformational leadership coach specializing in the science and practice of human performance. To learn more about Amanda’s transformational coaching program Leadership Performance Mastery: Uncovering the Leadership of Vital Energy, visit her website or watch this short video.

Crane Capacity Explained: Knuckle Boom vs. Telescopic Crane

by | Mar 7, 2023 | Risk Management | 0 comments

CRANE CAPACITY EXPLAINED: KNUCKLE BOOM VS. TELESCOPIC CRANE

Written by Hans Tielmann

When it comes to tree removal, having the right equipment can make all the difference in the world. Two types of cranes that are often used for tree removal are knuckle boom cranes and telescopic cranes. Both have their own unique features and capabilities, and each has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. In this blog post, we will compare knuckle boom cranes that are measured in meter/tons to US ton telescopic cranes and how they relate to the tree care industry.

Knuckle boom cranes are a type of crane that uses a series of articulated joints, or knuckles, to bend and move the boom. These cranes are typically measured in meter/tons, which refers to the length of the boom and the weight it can lift. Knuckle boom cranes are known for their flexibility and versatility, as they can reach into tight spaces and move in multiple directions. They are also relatively compact, making them easy to transport and maneuver on job sites.

US ton telescopic cranes, on the other hand, are a type of crane that uses a series of telescoping sections to extend and retract the boom. These cranes are typically measured in US tons, which refers to the weight they can lift. Telescopic cranes are known for their strength and stability, as they can lift heavy loads and maintain a steady position while doing so. They are also relatively large and heavy, making them more difficult to transport and maneuver on job sites.

In the tree care industry, both knuckle boom cranes and telescopic cranes have their own set of advantages and disadvantages. Knuckle boom cranes are ideal for tree care professionals who need to reach into tight spaces, such as between buildings or under power lines. They are also great for working in urban areas where space is limited. On the other hand, telescopic cranes are ideal for tree care professionals who need to lift heavy loads, such as large tree sections or move heavy equipment. They are also great for working in rural areas where space is not an issue.

Let’s wrap it up! both knuckle boom cranes and telescopic cranes have their own unique features and capabilities that make them ideal for different types of tree care work. Knuckle boom cranes are great for reaching into tight spaces and working in urban areas, while telescopic cranes are great for lifting heavy loads and working in rural areas.

Ultimately, the choice between these two types of cranes will depend on the specific needs and requirements of the tree care professional.

Original Printing Source

How to Hire a Digital Marketing Firm

by | Jan 26, 2023 | Marketing | 0 comments

How to Hire a Digital Marketing Firm

Written by Katie Petersen

Are you thinking of outsourcing your social media and marketing to an outside digital marketing agency? 

The decision to do so is a big one, and is not something that should be taken lightly. This agency will have full access to your business and a direct line to your customers – so you want to ensure that the company you do hire understands your business, your message, your voice and continues to uphold the marketing standard that you have created for your business.

Many of these agencies can actually help your company. They understand marketing and can bring fresh ideas and campaigns to your team. They can help grow your business quicker and will give others on your team time to focus on other projects. 

On the other hand, if you do not research effectively, you may get stuck with an agency that over promises and under delivers. They may not effectively get to know your business and thus result in a loss of revenue as opposed to a surplus. 

To ensure that you are choosing the best digital marketing agency for your business, follow these simple steps:

1. Determine What You Need

What are you looking to accomplish by hiring a digital marketing agency? Do you need help with your social media? Do you need assistance with email marketing or creating a funnel for your customers to move through? What about a website re-design or help with SEO? Figuring out what you need help with first will help you determine what to look for in a digital marketing agency and how they could help your business. 

2. Look for an Agency that Knows Your Business

You wouldn’t want to have brain surgery done by a car mechanic so why would you hire a digital marketing agency that doesn’t specialize in your industry? Treat your first meeting with an agency like an interview. Ask them questions specific to your industry. Ask for examples of previous work they may have done. Make sure that they understand what your industry is first before you commit to working with them. If they seem too good to be true, unfortunately, they probably are.

3. Are The Tools and Reporting They Use Effective?

What does this agency use to enhance your marketing and how do they keep you abreast of what is going on with it? Ensure that the tools they are using will give you the results you are looking for. If they promise email marketing, are they using a reputable platform for this? What system do they use to monitor your SEO? How often do they pull reports for you and are these reports easy to digest? 

Knowing what type of information you will get will give you a better understanding of what is going on with your marketing and will help keep you in the loop as to your marketing.

4. Is Their Pricing Fair?

It’s no secret that some marketing agencies will price gouge you and then fail to deliver on promises. Make sure that what they are promising seems feasible within the agreed upon terms. What are they going to be doing for you? Do they have the staff to efficiently and effectively deliver on their promises? What is the timeline for the products that they will deliver on? This is a good one to look into other options for as well. If you know the average price of a few agencies, you can easily tell if one is either too low or too high.

Hiring a digital marketing agency can greatly benefit your business if done correctly. Like any business decision, it is important to do your due diligence and hire an agency that is a good fit for your company. Remember – even if an agency comes highly recommended does not always mean that they will be the best fit for you.

If you have further questions or need assistance with your sales and marketing, contact ArboRisk Insurance and learn more about our Thrive Sales & Marketing Package.

Source

Influencer-Brand Relationships

by | Jan 26, 2023 | Marketing | 0 comments

Influencer-Brand Relationships

Written by Katie Petersen

Think about the last time that you bought a product. What steps did you take prior to purchasing? Perhaps you Googled alternatives, compared pricing online or in-store, or maybe you watched a video from a local personality on Instagram or Facebook where they talked about the specific product and shared the pros and cons of it with you. Based on this information that you gathered, and the trusted voice from the local personality, you then went out and purchased the product. Whether you realized it or not, you had made this purchase as a result of influencer marketing.

Did you know that almost 70% of consumers turn to influencers online when making a decision? Because of this, influencer marketing has seen a definite rise in the last few years. While this type of marketing can seem daunting, this trend may not be going away and is something businesses that are serious about their marketing may want to dive into.

A lot of times when we think of influencer marketing, we think of individuals with millions of followers; but in actuality influencers with a smaller following (<1000) have just as much influence, if not more. With fewer followers, these “micro-influencers” tend to have more engaged audiences that are more likely to take action on products. This brings me to my next question: How could an influencer help impact your tree care company?

When beginning to look at influencer marketing as an option, it is important to decide how you will measure success. Many influencers often have a specific audience, with a specific age and lifestyle choices. Choosing the right individual to help you is crucial to reaching the correct audience that will purchase your services. Ask yourself the following questions:

  1. Does this influencer live in my area?
  2. Is their audience my target demographic? 
  3. Is the influencer in question active on the channel (Instagram, Youtube, TikTok, etc.) that will work best for my messaging?
  4. Will their services fit within my budget?
  5. Will they work with me to correctly share my website, services, their experience, etc.?
  6. Will my audience react positively to the form of content used (i.e. video, post, story)?

Influencers are successful for a reason – they know what type of content to promote to get their audience to react. Therefore, it is important to keep in mind that giving them creative freedom with your information may provide you with better results. For example, video is still consistently the top engagement content. If you do not currently incorporate video into your marketing, perhaps working with an influencer is one way to reach your audience with this form of media!

When used correctly, influencer marketing can be highly effective. It is also important to keep in mind where marketing trends are headed. There are many ways to reach your audience and influencer marketing is rooted in relationships – if you have a trusted influencer vouching for your product, you are more likely to gain customers that will trust you and work with you again and again.

If you need additional help with influencer marketing or your marketing efforts in general, reach out to ArboRisk to learn more about our Sales and Marketing Thrive Package!

Source 1

Source 2