Real Green: Business training in the Sunshine State

January 12, 2017

This week, pest management and lawn care business software company Real Green Systems is hosting approximately 700 customers, potential customers, vendors and this editor in Orlando, Fla. The annual user conference boasts the theme “Solutions 2017: The Magic of Marketing,” playing off the Magic Kingdom locale (Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort, to be precise).

: Locals thought it was chilly. This Ohioan thought it was heaven. Photo: PMP Staff

: Then again, signs like this one are one benefit to living up north: No alligators. Photo: PMP Staff

While airport woes caused me to miss the Tuesday night reception that included an appearance of Mickey himself, I was able to attend Real Green CEO Joe Kucik’s opening remarks Wednesday morning. During his keynote, Kucik, who founded the Walled Lake, Mich.-based company nearly 40 years ago, unveiled Real Green’s next-generation software: Service Assistant (SA) 5.

“It’s our goal in 2017 to make it easier to see what is and is not working in your marketing and sales, and what the return on investment is on all facets of your business,” he explained.

Kucik also took the time to recognize longtime Franchise Business Coordinator Valerie Magnaghi for her dedicated service with a beautiful glass award. She has chosen to go part-time in 2017 so as to spend more time with her family. Clearly touched by the gesture, Magnaghi said later, “I live five minutes away from the office — I’ll still be around quite a bit!”

: Valerie Magnaghi gets a hug onstage from longtime boss Joe Kucik as she accepts her award. Photo: PMP Staff

: Steve Katz noted that SA 5’s updates are being highlighted in detail throughout the week’s breakout sessions. Photo: PMP Staff

PMP’s sister magazine, Landscape Management, is among the vendors present. Photo: PMP Staff

Real Green Software Development Vice President Steve Katz later took the stage to go over SA 5’s benefits in detail, and even do a live demo. Among the chief changes of SA 5 from the current SA 4 are:

Completely rewritten from ground up, it no longer needs Windows or server access — just Internet access. The cloud-based hosting means updates and backups can be done automatically.
It’s designed to be easier to learn and use than previous editions.
It continues to work with all of the other Real Green systems.

Katz stressed to attendees that SA 4 users won’t be left unsupported: “A definite end has not been determined yet, but it will not be before January 2019.”

After the general session, attendees were encouraged to join breakout seminars, network in a couple of rooms set aside for discussions and browse the vendor booths.

There are 140 concurrent sessions over the course of three days. Three I had the pleasure of attending on Tuesday included:

: Beth Berry, Real Green’s vice president of business development, wove in the wisdom of Walt Disney with several tips for perfecting one’s elevator pitch. “Attention is the new currency,” she advised, so keep your story brief, yet interesting. Photo: PMP Staff

: Dave Boulter, vice president of Real Green’s Forms division, shared his expertise in printing with tips on maximizing your print, direct mail and digital marketing budgets. “It starts with data,” he told attendees. “Build it, and they WILL come.” Photo: PMP Staff

: Real Green’s Digital Marketing manager, Jennifer Peitz, left, and Digital Marketing Specialist Kim Briggs engaged in a lively discussion about how to maximize your Google AdWords budget. Photo: PMP Staff