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Ask Tom Heaviland, president of Heaviland Enterprises, Inc., in Vista, California, what his secret to success is, and he says simply, “Staying focused and taking care of employees.” Since he and his father, Ron, launched their business in 1985, the commercial maintenance market has been the company’s mainstay, and throughout the years, keeping employees satisfied has been a big part of its culture. “We have always felt that if we invest in our employees first, they will take care of our customers,” says Tom. “Thanks to them, our company has had strong, controlled growth over the years, and today 90 employees service 200 commercial accounts out of two locations, in Vista and in Poway.”

Heaviland Enterprises’ beginnings were modest. Its production staff included only four employees who operated a maintenance fleet comprised of one truck. In the early years, the crew visited a handful of commercial accounts, but business grew steadily in the fertile San Diego market. Seven years ago, 12 years after the Heavilands serviced their first account, Ron passed away unexpectedly. “His passing was traumatic for me and the business,” Tom recalls. “I had worked closely with my father for years, and he had been instrumental in the business from day one.”

After his father’s death, Tom became company president and assumed more of an administrative role. He began to spend more of his time visiting other landscape maintenance companies and sharing ideas and best practices with the owners. “Our organization is a learning organization,” he explains. “I would be the first to admit that I don’t have a lot of original ideas. Then, again, why spend time reinventing the wheel when so many smart operators are willing to share their successes?”

Over the years, the owner has shared the knowledge he has gained with his managers, and he has brought in training programs designed specifically to help crew leaders set goals, provide excellent customer service, and build more effective teams. “Our crew leaders are a big reason for our success,” Tom emphasizes. “They’re the ones in the field getting it done for us. It just makes sense for them and for us to make sure they have the skills they need to become more proficient at their jobs.”

He continues, “Training is costly, but it falls under the big heading of investing in your employees. Southwest Airlines is a good example of a company that puts an emphasis on its people. They make more money than all the other airlines combined, and the reason they do is because they put their employees first.”
 
How does Heaviland Enterprises take care of its employees? In addition to ongoing training, the company does little things like giving employees birthday cake on their birthdays. “Our production staff is 100 percent Hispanic,” Tom relates, “and many of them have never even had a birthday cake prior to working here. Now, if we happen to forget a birthday, they will quickly remind us.”

The company also provides tax services for its employees, supplements the purchase of work boots, and has a bereavement program to assist employees who need to travel back to Mexico for family emergencies. Just this year, the company held the first annual Heaviland Cup soccer tournament that pitted employees from the Vista branch against their Poway counterparts. Sodas, snacks, and the presence of family members helped turn a soccer match into a team-building exercise.

“I cannot overstate how important our company culture has been to our success,” Tom adds. “It is no coincidence that our mission statement begins with the words ‘our employees serve as the foundation for our success.’ We care about our managers, our crew leaders, and all our people. We genuinely care about their well-being. We’re kind of touchy/feely here, too, meaning we are not afraid of showing our emotion or letting people know that we love them.”

Tom is also not shy about listening to his employees, who recently voted on the company’s corporate value system. They voted for five key values — accountability, respect, trust, teamwork, and communication. “I don’t think a company can truly be successful unless its employees buy into its culture,” he emphasizes. “It probably goes beyond that, too, because if you believe your employees are your foundation, then they have to assume an active role in shaping the culture.”

This perspective has been validated by the company’s growth and employee loyalty. In 2002, Heaviland Enterprises was awarded the Better Business Bureau Torch Award, given to companies that exhibit exemplary marketplace ethics. “Knowing that others recognize that what we are doing with our employees, our customers, and our suppliers is done ethically is a good feeling,” says Tom. “One of our long-term goals is to expand on our regional, family-owned business by building a successful branch model. After all, we have to grow if for no other reason than to give our employees more opportunity to grow with us.”

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By Rod Dickens, ALCA Contributing Writer