Condo Media - March 2018 - 29

questions other vendors ask. "Everyone
hears the same information," McGowan says. "And the manger doesn't
have to go to five different meetings
with five different vendors."
The biggest mistake boards make
in comparing contractors, McGowan
believes, is focusing entirely or almost
entirely on their fees, putting the priority on controlling costs. "The savings
on a lower-priced contract will be
short-lived," he notes, "compared to
how disappointed boards and owners
will be when they don't get the services
they expected."
THE FOUR Cs
Industry experts suggest that you compare vendors based on four Cs.

COST

Cost is one, but the other three are
more important: Capacity, Competence, and Compatibility.
Capacity. You want to know if vendors you are considering have adequate
resources-staffing and equipment-to
serve your community. Do they have an
office staff to handle billing and provide
administrative support? Do they have
design professionals on staff-an important consideration if you are considering a major landscaping project-less
so if that's not on the association's
to-do list.
What kind of equipment do they have
and how much of it? What condition is
it in? Do they have a mechanic on staff
to maintain it? The questions about
equipment are particularly important

C A PA C I T Y

if your landscaping company is also
going to provide snow removal services,
which many associations prefer. A
broken mower means your grass gets
cut on Thursday or Friday, rather than
Wednesday; a broken snow plow means
something much more distressing.
You also want to know to what
extent, if at all, vendors rely on subcontractors to supplement-or substitute
for-in-house staff ? The arguments for
and against subcontractors have to do
with reliability and control, McGowan
says. "The board knows its landscaper
has insurance, because the board has
verified that," he notes. "But you're relying on the vendor to do due diligence
on its subcontractors." There's also a
question of commitment. A landscaper

COMPETENCE

C O M PA T I B I L I T Y

March 2018

29



Condo Media - March 2018

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Condo Media - March 2018

Contents
Condo Media - March 2018 - Cover1
Condo Media - March 2018 - Cover2
Condo Media - March 2018 - Contents
Condo Media - March 2018 - 2
Condo Media - March 2018 - 3
Condo Media - March 2018 - 4
Condo Media - March 2018 - 5
Condo Media - March 2018 - 6
Condo Media - March 2018 - 7
Condo Media - March 2018 - 8
Condo Media - March 2018 - 9
Condo Media - March 2018 - 10
Condo Media - March 2018 - 11
Condo Media - March 2018 - 12
Condo Media - March 2018 - 13
Condo Media - March 2018 - 14
Condo Media - March 2018 - 15
Condo Media - March 2018 - 16
Condo Media - March 2018 - 17
Condo Media - March 2018 - 18
Condo Media - March 2018 - 19
Condo Media - March 2018 - 20
Condo Media - March 2018 - 21
Condo Media - March 2018 - 22
Condo Media - March 2018 - 23
Condo Media - March 2018 - 24
Condo Media - March 2018 - 25
Condo Media - March 2018 - 26
Condo Media - March 2018 - 27
Condo Media - March 2018 - 28
Condo Media - March 2018 - 29
Condo Media - March 2018 - 30
Condo Media - March 2018 - 31
Condo Media - March 2018 - 32
Condo Media - March 2018 - 33
Condo Media - March 2018 - 34
Condo Media - March 2018 - 35
Condo Media - March 2018 - 36
Condo Media - March 2018 - 37
Condo Media - March 2018 - 38
Condo Media - March 2018 - 39
Condo Media - March 2018 - 40
Condo Media - March 2018 - 41
Condo Media - March 2018 - 42
Condo Media - March 2018 - 43
Condo Media - March 2018 - 44
Condo Media - March 2018 - 45
Condo Media - March 2018 - 46
Condo Media - March 2018 - 47
Condo Media - March 2018 - 48
Condo Media - March 2018 - 49
Condo Media - March 2018 - 50
Condo Media - March 2018 - 51
Condo Media - March 2018 - 52
Condo Media - March 2018 - 53
Condo Media - March 2018 - 54
Condo Media - March 2018 - 55
Condo Media - March 2018 - 56
Condo Media - March 2018 - 57
Condo Media - March 2018 - 58
Condo Media - March 2018 - 59
Condo Media - March 2018 - 60
Condo Media - March 2018 - 61
Condo Media - March 2018 - 62
Condo Media - March 2018 - 63
Condo Media - March 2018 - 64
Condo Media - March 2018 - 65
Condo Media - March 2018 - 66
Condo Media - March 2018 - 67
Condo Media - March 2018 - 68
Condo Media - March 2018 - 69
Condo Media - March 2018 - 70
Condo Media - March 2018 - 71
Condo Media - March 2018 - 72
Condo Media - March 2018 - Cover3
Condo Media - March 2018 - Cover4
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