A year before the pandemic, Evergreen Pros could not find a pool company for a customer's backyard transformation. The South Jersey company had already expanded from the landscaping and curbscaping that defined its earliest days four decades ago, able to deliver everything from pavers, outdoor kitchens and hardscaping to fencing, decks and landscaping, but hadn't yet added pools to their areas of expertise.

The solution, of course, was to keep expanding their suite of services and enriching their in-house talent.

"We were getting together with a client and going over project planning about four years ago, and we could not get a pool company to show up," recalls Nick Erman, Evergreen's co-owner. "So I ended up going to school to learn how to become a fiberglass pool installer."

Resolving a problem both proactively and with education is, Erman observes, pretty on-brand for Evergreen and its determination to go above and beyond for its residential and commercial clientele.

"The whole point of us turning into a pool company was that we didn't want to lose the customer who's looking to have this beautiful backyard oasis but we're stalled at the pool," he says. "We decided to strictly do fiberglass pools because they're less maintenance, less of a worry for the client 10, 20 years down the line, and warrantied for life."

It's a business philosophy befitting a company that thrives on being truly comprehensive backyard experts, walking with the client every step of the way from design conception to site cleanup, all performed by its own hand-picked team.

"No one wants to be calling 10 different contractors so, whether we're putting in a pool, patio, kitchen, irrigation, all the way down to planting the sod, it's a one-stop shop," Erman explains. "From the irrigation from the pavers to the shrubs, you're dealing with one person, the main project manager, through the entire project."

It's not just convenience and streamlined communication that the Evergreen team offers by being total backyard experts, though: It's harmonious, thoughtful design and far-ranging expertise, too.

And while Erman is proud of the talent comprising Evergreen's team—one so comprehensively assembled that the only subcontractors it calls in are plumbers and technicians—they never rest on their laurels. A constantly-changing industry that's always touting new trends and technology means that ongoing education is critical.

"Our guys are trained every year through certifications," he affirms, noting accomplishments like Evergreen being named an Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute-certified paver installer. "We're very much up on today's building techniques with installing pavers, pools and porcelain, all the way to building fireplaces and firepits and everything else. That continuing education for our workers makes sure they're at today's level with their installation techniques."

An education-first approach extends to Evergreen's clients, too. The two stores it's opening soon—one for pavers and porcelain; the other, a retail shop showcasing the products customers can choose from—will provide an up-close, hands-on opportunity to interact with and compare project materials, while bringing pool clients directly to their fiberglass pools manufacturer ensures proactive involvement.

"We're very big on educating our customers," says Erman. "Not only do we educate them on the pools themselves and why they should choose fiberglass, but we educate them on what this body of water needs to be taken care of, including the chemistry involved. ... We even take them to the facility and we show them the pool actually being made."

After all, being at the top of their game means nothing without earning clients' trust, which Erman, who spent 27 years in law enforcement, knows all too well.

"There's a loyalty and a trust factor: People know they can get scammed by contractors, so we tell them right upfront that we're prior law enforcement, all we know is trust, honesty and integrity," he says. "People don't give us access to their homes because we're contractors, they're giving us that access because they know where we were employed in the past."

That integrity also means working with any budget. Not wanting to deny any homeowner the joys of a lovingly designed and stunningly executed backyard, three- to five-year installation plans offer an affordable process that locks in the project price at the time the order is made. Additionally, the team will tap its far-reaching relationships throughout the home improvement industry to "surround clients with our network" and connect them with qualified, well-vetted contractors outside of Evergreen's expertise.

Because for the Evergreen team, customer service that dazzles is all part of delivering the "Wow!" factor they strive for with every job.

"If the client isn't satisfied, I'm not satisfied," says Erman. "We want the husband and wife to both have tears in their eyes because they're so happy. It has to be everything they've ever dreamed of."

Evergreen Pros
627 W. White Horse Pike, Cologne, N.J.
(609) 214-8552
EvergreenPros.com

Published (and copyrighted) in House & Home, Volume 23, Issue 6 (April 2023). 
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