Get Ready, the Robots are Coming!
It is sometimes said that – other than death and taxes – the only constant is change. Change is inevitable. It is human nature to resist change, primarily because of its threat to the status quo – which is known and at least tolerated. There is even more resistance because of fear of the unknown which change brings.
Unfortunately, fighting change is an unwinnable battle, and eventually most businesses accept it or face the danger of the world – and their customers – passing them by.
Today, the areas of life most susceptible to change are those connected in any way to technology, like the Green Industry, for example. Thankfully, those of us involved in landscaping and related fields are very familiar with change – and have learned to adapt to it – since the industry is organized in part around the four changing seasons.
Although we are a flexible bunch, it doesn’t mean that we happily accept every change that comes down the pike – especially MANDATED CHANGE. From calls to “ban the blower” to increasingly restrictive irrigation laws, we’ll reluctantly accept sensible proposed mandated changes and continue to resist – through CLCA’s lobbying efforts and other means – changes that threaten the viability of our industry, or any part of it.
Every change brings with it winners and losers. Those businesses that quickly took advantage of the CORE program that paid a percentage of the cost of battery-operated landscape equipment are winners. Those who were reluctant to enroll or too late to enroll are kicking themselves as they saw CORE’s funds dry up. If this is you or your company, don’t miss out on the next big landscape equipment opportunity. Which leads me to my comment about the robots…
I recently met with individuals from Husqvarna who were here from Europe to discuss their robotic battery-operated lawnmower that is gaining popularity in several European countries. GPS guided, this lawnmowing wonder maps out the landscape and proceeds to finely cut it on its own – no basket and no operator! Similar technology is being used on athletic fields here in the U.S., but not at this scale and detail.
The potential cost savings using this technology are significant. You can already see the writing on the wall. If those robots are working well in Europe, it’s just a matter of time before they’ll be working here. Get ahead of this coming change. I will keep you posted. Like I said, Get Ready, the Robots are Coming!
– José Robles, owner, Landscape Warehouse