Why Prescriptions?
Written by: Jeff Wilson, Certified Arborist IL-0099A
Posted: 2016 | Consulting | Winter
Each year, sometime between early January and the end of March, most of you receive a special mailing from us. Inside the pale green envelope is a document that says “2016 Plant Health Care Prescription”.
Have you ever wondered why we use that word? Each year my lawn company sends me a similar letter that is labeled Annual Contract. I have seen these recommendations labeled by other tree care companies as Annual Recommendations, Continuing Services or Tree Care Recommendations.
So, who cares what we call them? I would guess that most people really don’t care. What you want is the proper recommendations to help you keep your trees as healthy as possible, correct?
To be honest, our entire staff cares. We have the privilege to be the stewards of this 81 year old company and we believe that words create action and proper words create proper action. Our entire staff looks at this word and acts as it is defined:
pre•scrip•tion – noun
An instruction written by a medical practitioner that authorizes a patient to be provided a medicine or treatment.
Although we are not medical doctors, we are highly trained professional arborists. More important than the word, is the action that occurs prior to the prescription. We do what the medical doctor does. We exam the patient, in this case your trees. Then we write the prescription for its care. Each and every one of our prescriptions is written by the arborist in charge of your property after a review of your records. We use the word Prescription because we would never make a recommendation for your trees without first examining the patient.
A couple of changes you may notice this year is the look of your prescription, and that it may be arriving a bit later than normal. Both of these changes are a result of a change to a new computer database. We are very excited about the features it provides. We will now be able to easily store pictures in your electronic file and make helpful maps and diagrams with the use of iPads. Also, for the first time, we will be able to access your records as we stand in front of your trees! Later this year, we will have another newsletter article detailing other benefits that we will use to manage the health of your trees.
As with any new software, it does take time to learn the ins and outs of a new operating system. Please be patient with us while we learn this new tool and be aware that it does not take the place of the examination of your trees. We will be sure to live up to the definition of the word Prescription.
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