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That’s a Wrap! Beyond Service 2024

Beyond Service 2024 header

We just wrapped up our latest Beyond Service User Conference, and once again, it was a great success! Over the four-day event, more than 1,200 attendees from across the field service industries had the chance to network, attend hands-on learning sessions, check out customer panels, and rub shoulders with other users and product experts from across North America and even the United Kingdom, building the kind of peer relationships that make the green industry stronger.

“We have used RealGreen since 2005, and we’ve been going to the conference most years since then,” said Katie Arnold, COO of the UK-based TopGrass. “Some years we’ve sent up to five team members! The best thing about the conference is the networking. We get to meet lots of companies from across the pond, some in similar environments to ours, some in vastly different ones, but there is always something to learn. This year was no different. We learned a great deal and sparked some ideas for us to bring back for 2024!”

Beyond Service 2024

In addition to the valuable networking opportunities, users had their pick of more than 150 learning opportunities, including several customer-led sessions. Here are a few highlights:

Body Cameras: A Good Investment

Josh Wise, CEO of Grassroots Turf, spoke about the benefits of investing in body cameras for all of his technicians – a move that has resulted in improved customer retention, fewer unnecessary service calls, and the added bonus of before-and-after videos and images to use in marketing.

Senske Talks Acquisition Lessons

In a session focused on navigating acquisitions, representatives from the Senske Family of Companies shared their insights on the lessons learned post-acquisition from the data migration, marketing, and HR perspectives. Director of Business Solutions Richard DeWolf noted that there are major benefits to acquired companies operating on a WorkWave platform – data migrations from one instance of RealGreen to another are definitely more streamlined. 

VP of Marketing Becca Presley talked about the importance of getting as much information as you can pre-acquisition to ensure a smooth transition, and Maila Goes, VP of Human Resources, talked about how essential it is to retain technicians and key employees.

The Importance of Constant InnovationBlair Matthews Session

Blair Matthews, Head of Sales and Marketing for American Turf and Tree Care, spoke about the importance of modernizing your services and keeping your company forward-thinking. He gave several examples of key innovations his company implemented and how they profited as a result.

Maximizing RealGreen’s Growth Tools

On a panel led by RealGreen product experts Mike Carden and Elizabeth Hlavaty, Bob Brower, GM of Lawn Plus, and Rob Palmer, President of Lawn Squad shared not just their general industry expertise, but the many ways they use reporting and tools within Service Assistant 5 to facilitate growth in their companies.

Women in Field Services

One especially exciting session focused on the role of women in field service, a panel moderated by WorkWave’s Chief Customer Experience Officer Jill Davie and featuring women from across the industry including RealGreen customer Sandi Mitchell, Branch Manager at Lawn Pride. The panelists shared their experiences as women in a traditionally male-dominated industry, offered insights on how women can gain leadership skills, and shared advice for those looking to advance in their field.

It was definitely an action-packed few days – check out our recap video to see more!

Wayne Brockman, Co-Owner of Brockman Tree & Lawn Care, sums it up: 

“My favorite part of the conference is networking and seeing so many familiar faces. We’ve grown to become great friends and we help each other grow our businesses. If you get up from the table at one of the evening events, you’re gone for an hour because you stop 10 times to talk to people!”

people networking

Next year’s Beyond Service promises to be just as valuable – we’ll be gathering in Dallas from February 2-5, 2025. Stay tuned for more details!

Watch the 2024 video recap below!