Team Grunder works on multi-year plans so that they can project growth and know what investments are needed now for it to be possible later. In this episode, the team talks about what goes into making equipment purchase decisions.
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00:00 - Introduction & Welcome
02:18 - Introducing Bill Rosell - Grunder Landscaping
02:55 - Managing the Fleet with Aspire
04:06 - Equipment Purchasing & Insights
05:57 - Truck Types and Their Uses
08:07 - Box Trucks for Mowing Crews
08:58 - The Benefits of the Box Truck
10:28 - Land Keeping Trucks
13:27 - Heavy Construction Trucks
15:20 - The Switch to Isuzu Trucks
16:43 - Training and Maintenance Procedures
17:11 - Monday Morning Truck Checks with Aspire
21:17 - Sales Vehicles & Their Importance
22:56 - Mini Skids and Loaders
23:40 - Mower Brands and Outsourcing Repairs
25:02 - Stihl Products at Grunder
25:19 - Final Thoughts on Fleet Management
Show Notes
- Always Look Forward, Not Backward – Bill's philosophy: "You always have to look forward and see what you need to change... what we did three years ago is not gonna work for us next year." Growth requires constant adaptation, not rinse-and-repeat approaches.
- Test Before You Invest – When considering new equipment, "we will at least bring in one as a pilot and put it with one of our experienced crews to get the feedback before we go and make a big purchase."
- The Box Truck Revolution – Switched from pickup trucks with trailers to self-contained box trucks. Benefits: mobile billboard, storage, no loading/unloading, better maneuverability, first in/last out efficiency.
- Aspire Integration for Fleet Management – Using Aspire software to track maintenance, mileage, and vehicle status in real-time. Enables immediate access to fleet data and automated maintenance scheduling.
- Monday Morning Truck Inspections – Mandatory weekly inspections using Aspire tablets. Team leaders check fluids, lights, tires, etc. Issues automatically report to fleet manager for prioritized repairs.
- Specialized Trucks for Different Functions:
- Group Leaders: Ford F-250 4WD with toolboxes/winches
- Mowing: Isuzu box trucks (18-20 feet) with fuel tanks, air compressor
- Land Keeping: Specialized trucks with enclosed storage and dump beds
- Heavy Construction: Kenworth trucks with aluminum EV beds
- Landscape: Isuzu cab-over trucks for maneuverability
- Sales: Black Toyota Corollas for reliability and efficiency
- Road Testing Every Driver – Zach conducts thorough walkthroughs and road tests for anyone assigned a new truck, regardless of experience level.
- Change Management Philosophy – "People don't fear change as long as there's direction... if you can show the direction you're going and get everybody to buy into it, then change is exciting."
- Buy vs. Lease Strategy – Purchase all vehicles rather than lease because "they are specialty trucks" that will be kept 15+ years. Leasing doesn't make financial sense for specialized equipment.
- Cleanliness Equals Safety and Pride – Lorenzo's wisdom that "cleanliness is safety" combined with daily cleaning routines using provided supplies (cordless vacs, cleaning kits) builds ownership and professionalism.
- Outsource What You're Not Expert At – Grunder doesn't employ mechanics, instead using mobile fleet services, local tire shops, and dealer relationships. "We wanna be in the landscaping business, not the truck repair business."
Resources:
Virtual Sales Bootcamp
Grunder Landscaping Field Trips
The Grow Group
Grunder Landscaping
Marty Grunder LinkedIn
Stihl
