The Great Re-Invention of 2023?

For many years, people and companies have spent countless hours and dollars on re-inventing themselves. We’ve witnessed changing logos, hairstyles, business practices, flavors, and cultures. But did they really re-invent anything, or were they just bored?

This winter, Christensen’s updated our point-of-sale system to the current model. There was nothing wrong with the version of the software we were using, except that it was older, and the manufacturer would no longer support the old version with updates to keep it credit card compliant. In other words, a forced upgrade. So here we are with the new version. It looks almost the same as the old version. The colors are different, and there are some buttons in different places. But overall, the systems operate the same and look very similar.

Like Coca-Cola becoming New Coke and then going back and becoming Classic Coca-Cola. Nothing really changed, and perhaps it never should have. Frequently, we are asked to look and see the newest, latest, and greatest shiny thing. However, very often, the original is way better, works more effectively, and did not even really go out of style.

Much of the nursery and landscape industry is just this way. We do many of the same tasks that we have done for 100 years because it is the right thing to do. Pruning, mulching, plant care. It is wise to make sure, in your company, you are not changing just to change. Some of our industry’s greatest strength comes from the fact that we perform time-tested services to ensure the best possible outcomes. It is also wise to avoid the fad that only looks good for the moment. I think that it is time that our industry celebrates our endurance and stability. We should be telling our clients that what we do has stood the test of time. While we may tweak what we do, our history is what makes us stand apart from others.

For our 92^nd year in business, Christensen’s is maintaining itself as your premier partner in the landscape industry in Michigan. And this year is starting out with a good outlook. Fuel prices are beginning to stabilize, and even drop in some areas. This is allowing freight to stabilize across the country. Hardscape material shortages of the past years have been dealt with and the manufacturers are not anticipating large issues in supply this year. Plant material remains in tight supply. The past several years of sales have not allowed the supply of plant material to catch up to the demand. And unfortunately, it will take years for this to catch up. But rest assured that our team of professional buyers are doing their very best to find all of the material that you need for this year. After all, it is what we do.