For years, Cape Coral, Florida, neighbors could say that their lawn maintenance contractor was fussy. Indeed, because that was the name of the company, Fussy Lawn Care, owned and operated by Roger Ross.
Things are a bit different today. Some 25 years later, Roger is joined by his son, Bruce, in the operation, and the name has been changed to Ross Lawn and Landscaping. But don’t think for a moment that fussy Roger still isn’t fussy, because he is. “I can remember helping my father after we had moved here from Michigan,” says Bruce. “After the lawns were mowed, he made us go out with shears to trim straggling grass plants. He’s still just as meticulous now.”
Roger just laughs, and then tells the story of moving to Cape Coral to get out of the cold. Once here, he worked retail before launching his own mowing and maintenance business. “I started with a Gravely, but soon traded it in for a 16-hp Walker Mower with a 42-inch GHS deck,” he recalls. “Everyone wanted their grass caught back in the mid-1980s. Then, in the early ’90s, that all changed when the city banned grass clippings from the landfills.”
Fussy started to transition his small fleet of yellow mowers to mulching and sidedischarge decks, although he still operates the first Walker Mower he purchased in 1986. It logged 3,500 hours before the engine was replaced. He upgraded to a Walker diesel in 1997, with a 52-inch side-discharge deck. The mower, he says, has somewhere between 5,000 and 6,000 hours on it, having outlived a couple of decks. In addition to these stalwarts, Ross Lawn and Landscaping operates two other Walker Mowers, each equipped with 25-hp liquid-cooled engines and 42-inch side-discharge decks, and two Scag zero-turn riders with 52-inch decks. Last year, the company purchased a Super B with a 60-inch deck.
“The Super B is fast, the foot control to raise and lower the deck is very convenient, and two back wheels instead of a single caster wheel straddle sprinkler heads,” adds Bruce. “We use the Scag for rough terrain and the Walker Mowers for finish work. Our Walkers will go anywhere, too—up, down and sideways. They are balanced just right and the machine’s design allows for the perfect transfer of weight necessary for negotiating the hills.”
Economic Impact
Cape Coral is literally a huge housing project with 500 canals stretching to the Gulf and a landmass second only in the state to Jacksonville. Houses that seem like they’re right next door are likely separated by a canal, with two homes sharing a rather steep canal bank.
“The collapsed housing market hit us fairly hard,” says Bruce. “Houses that originally sold for several hundred thousand dollars can now be purchased for $100,000 or less. In fact, housing developments remain partially completed while never-occupied new homes for sale are easy to find.
Still, the father-and-son team is doing well, although the customer count is down 30 from a peak of 200 two years ago. “Mowing lawns is very competitive right now,” adds Roger. “Everyone is trying to get into the business. We’re charging our homeowner customers an average of $25 per cut, which comes to about $90 to $100 a month. What saves us is the close proximity of customers and our Walker Mowers that cut down on trimming and cleanup time.”
The fact that the company offers a complete lawn maintenance package, including applying fertilizer three times a year, helps to differentiate Roger and Bruce from the competition. They also lay sod, install flower beds, do some hardscaping and install sprinkler systems. “If they want it, we can do it,” says Roger. “If we don’t have the equipment to get the job done, we will rent it. If we don’t have the expertise, we will subcontract-out the work.”
As Roger points out, having a solid relationship with customers is always important, but in a down economy, it’s absolutely necessary. “I’ve had some customers who’ve been with me for 25 years. They know we offer quality service and that we can take care of most any of their landscaping needs.”
Thinking back, Bruce says his dad has unknowingly helped their dealer, ABC Lawn Equipment, also in Cape Coral, sell more than a few Walker Mowers over the years. “Fussy is one of our long-time customers, and a good one at that,” says ABC parts manager Craig Simpson. “We provide the service when they need it, and they keep the machines maintained.”
One new customer on the horizon is former Fussy employee Mike Porter. His dad dug most of the canals in the area, and Mike later operated a trucking company hauling landfill to building sites. During Cape Coral’s growth spurt, he would draw enough fill to start 25 homes a week. Last year, after his company fell on hard times, Porter took a job with Ross Lawn and Landscaping. This year, he started up his own lawn maintenance company.
“Roger and Bruce direct work my way when they can,” says Porter appreciatively. “I’m gradually building my book of business and will buy a Walker Mower as soon as I can. That machine is ideal for the application.”
Roger and Bruce agree. For Mr. Fussy, it’s a finish machine that aligns perfectly with his meticulous maintenance practices. For his son, it’s a machine that will deliver a quality cut while cutting costs. “In the early years, we used to make more money mowing 50 accounts than we currently do mowing 170,” adds Bruce. “It’s so competitive here that you have to be both quality and cost-conscious at the same time.” I guess one can say it makes this father-and-son team fussy about the equipment they use, too.
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