GreenPal, a Nashville-based app developer that connects homeowners with local, vetted lawn care vendors, has expanded into Chattanooga.
GreenPal launched its web site in 2014 to link homeowners wanting lawn service with available nearby lawn mowers who are pre-screened by the company. Vetted lawn care pros can then bid on their properties based on the Google street and aerial images and any other lawn details the homeowner provides. Homeowners select who they want to work with based on vendor's ratings, reviews, and price.
Once a vendor has completed the service, the lawn care company sends a time-stamped photo of the completed work. Homeowners then pay via the app and can set up more appointments.
Over the past five years, the business has expanded to major markets from Baltimore on the east coast to Los Angeles on the west coast.
"After successfully launching in 75 other markets, we are excited to help homeowners in Chattanooga find reliable, local lawn care," said Gene Caballero, one of the co-founders of Greenpal who said the company already has pre-screened more than 25 local lawn care companies for service in Chattanooga. "Nashville has been our top grossing market so far with more than 300 lawn care specialists and landscapers on our app here, but Houston will probably swamp that number this year."
Although most of the work booked through Greenpal involves cutting grass, Gaballero said homeowners have contracted with vendors for cleaning gutters, spreading mulch and landscaping work.
"For the vendors, it's great because they know they are going to get paid after the job, and for the homeowner it's great because they don't pay until the work is done and they are happy with the jobs," he said.
Once a homeowner provides a few details about the requested lawn work, vendors bid for the job and the homeowner selects his or her preferred lawn care pro. The homeowner then enters credit or debit card information to book the service, similar to making reservations at a hotel, but they payment is not withdrawn until the homeowner approves the work via a photo of the completed work.
Greenpal charges a 5 percent commission for its services in booking the business.
Caballero said Greenpal helps small lawn mowing companies pick up additional business and handles much of the bill-paying and collecting through its app. The business aids homeowners select from a number of competing pre-screened vendors for lawn care and related work.
Tony Stanley, who has operated Williams Lawn Care in Nashville for the past four years, said GreenPal helped him find 382 lawns to mow over the past two and half years years.
"Over 75 percent of my business comes through GreenPal and they handle all of the scheduling and invoicing so it's been a great addition to our business - much better than some of the other apps out there," he said. "Eight-four percent of the business I have gotten through GreenPal has been recurring so I honestly don't think I would have been able to build my business like I have without them."
GreenPal currently operates in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Los Angeles, Tucson, Orlando, Houston, OKC, San Antonio, DFW, San Antonio, Corpus Christi, Phoenix, San Jose, Jacksonville, Ft. Myers, Fresno, New Orleans, Sacramento, Miami, Ft Lauderdale, Louisville, Cincinnati, Columbus, Cleveland, Kansas City, Pittsburgh, Denver, Baltimore, Detroit, and St. Louis.
Find out more at www.yourgreenpal.com/local/lawn-care-chattanooga-tn
Contact Dave Flessner at dflessner@timesfreepress.com or at 757-6340.