Maintenance Agreements 101

Now is a great time to contact your customers and remind them of the value of routine maintenance on their lighting system. Regular maintenance will ensure their lights look great for years to come. And, of course, it's a great way to stay in front of your customers, it provides extra revenue over the course of the year, and it can be a great opportunity to offer discounts on new work!

Why should your customers sign up for a maintenance plan?

Here are some key service benefits you can offer them:

1. Averting system problems early

Maintenance can reduce the possibility of a breakdown. While it's impossible to avoid every repair, preventive care can save a lot of money on unanticipated landscape lighting emergencies, especially those last-minute service calls just before a big backyard BBQ!

2. Clearing away the junk

Over the course of the summer, grass clippings, mulch, silt and growing plants can block or limit light output. Uncovering luminaires, trimming plants and cleaning lenses ensures the system shines.

3. Improved efficiency

This is specifically for customers who still have halogen systems. Did you know that if one halogen lamp fails, the other lamps on the system are put under greater stress and could fail prematurely? Keep the lamps up to date and keep your customers delighted.

4. Identifying faulty parts

Over the summer, a system can experience wear. Even with high-quality products, lights can get bumped out of alignment, or wires and connections can be exposed or broken. A quick trip lets you repair or replace parts as needed. In the end, maintenance visits don't just keep a system looking great all year long, they also help you avoid unhappy customers.

What to include

When preparing your agreements, here are a few specifics you can include so you're sure to be the hero!

• Inspection of all parts, noting those that may need to be replaced or repaired
• Inspection for moisture intrusion
• Inspection and adjustment of tree and cable mounts as needed
• Inspection of fittings and connections
• Inspection and cleaning of LED components
• Cleaning of all luminaire lenses
• Cleaning all luminaire finishes (we recommend Sheila Shine for our brass products)
• Adjustment of luminaire positioning to ensure proper illumination
• Minor plant and tree pruning around luminaires to optimize the night effect
• Testing and resetting of system controls (timers and photocells)
• Testing amperage at the transformer
• Evaluation of overall system performance

With all these things in mind, you can go out there and keep your customers happy with their outdoor lighting for many years to come. For pricing and a sample agreement, read setting up maintenance agreements.

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About the author: Patrick Harders, LC, is co-founder and CEO of Sterling Lighting and founder and principal lighting designer of Dayloom. He has more than 25 years of experience designing and installing outdoor lighting, and he's one of only five landscape lighting designers in North America with Lighting Certified (LC) accreditation. His projects have won multiple international lighting awards, including landscape lighting winners in 2018 and 2021, and he leads design of Sterling's luminaires.