Everett’s Landscape Management, Inc. makes the switch to Switch-N-Go®

Everett Diemer returned from the service to Grand Rapids, MI in 1956. Not content with idly standing by, he realized a need in his community for landscaping and lawn maintenance. Everett’s tenacity outweighed his lack of knowledge, and he dove into the industry headfirst and with a smile. He purchased a 1946 International truck, a trailer, and some lawn mowers. After hiring a few employees, including his lovely wife Linda, he secured a small base of customers and Everett’s Lawn Service was born. He was well loved by his customers and happy to help wherever he was needed, and would often be spotted carrying in groceries and washing windows. Everett was the embodiment of “the customer is always right.” Exceeding customer expectations became his hallmark and the catalyst to his company’s continuous growth.

Over the years, as business grew, they made the decision to rebrand as Everett’s Landscape Management, Inc. (Everett’s). On the home front, Everett and Linda started a family and as the children grew, three of them took an interest in the business as well. His daughter, Ellen, originally joined the company as a secretary, making sure the customer experience started with the first ‘hello.’ His sons, Brian and Brent, worked alongside the crews and showed a passion and eye for landscape design. Everett fostered this path and it eventually blossomed into a great success. More services were added to Everett’s portfolio in this time as well, such as snow and ice management and landscape construction and renovation. In 1997, Everett and Linda retired, finalizing the transition of the company to Brent, Brian, and Ellen. They continued to set and achieve new goals and ultimately continue the growth of the business. In 2013, the third-generation joined the ranks. Their most recent expansion of a retail plant center for customers, Everett’s Gardens, opened in 2018.

One thing that never wavered over the 67+ years of Everett’s Landscape Management, Inc. being in business, was the need for efficient equipment. Their fleet has changed a lot since Everett bought that 1946 International truck back in 1956. They had trucks with salt spreaders, flatbeds, pest control sprayers, hydroseeders, permanent mount dump units, and even a few roll-off trucks in their fleet. In 2012, they took a long look at their fleet. How could they get more out of those trucks? Many were relegated to one single purpose and would often sit idle for several months out of the year. Everett’s reached out to their long-time truck dealer, B&B Truck Equipment, who recommended the Switch-N-Go® interchangeable truck body system.

It turns out, the Switch-N-Go® system is ideal for customers who want to utilize a single truck for multiple applications. Designed for Class 4-7 truck chassis, Switch-N-Go® provides electric-over-hydraulic and full-electric hoist systems and nearly 30 different work truck bodies to fit a variety of business needs. The system can be added to a new or used vehicle, and be a complete replacement solution for a permanent mount chassis. That’s exactly what Everett’s was looking for. They had a current medium duty permanent mount dump body that was sitting idle for half of the year. Opting for a Switch-N-Go conversion would allow the truck to provide solutions for each aspect of their business, all year long.

The process was simpler and more successful than expected. They delivered their permanent mount 2012 Isuzu dump truck to B&B Truck Equipment, who removed the dump body and replaced it with an electric-over-hydraulic hoist system. Once complete, Everett’s picked it up, along with their four interchangeable bodies; a Storage Body, a Dump Body, a Drop Box, and a Standard Subframe (upfitted with a Salt Spreader).

With this initial purchase, Everett’s saw an immediate change in their business. Before Switch-N-Go®, once Everett’s transitioned to their winter fleet, it would be a large and cumbersome task to switch a truck to perform landscape jobs. Even on good days this task deterred them from taking advantage of the weather to increase revenue. Now, they had the ability to switch back and forth within just a couple of minutes and take advantage of late fall and early winter landscape jobs.

Fast forward to 2023 and Everett’s has a busy fleet where they mobilize 6 trucks, all with the Switch-N-Go® system, and more than a dozen interchangeable truck bodies. Their current fleet is more efficient and tailored to their ever-changing needs and seasonal flexibility. They are doing more work than ever and completing it in a short amount of time.

Everett loved working with people and pleasing his customers. He spoke truthfully, followed through on his promises, and provided his customers exceptional care that resulted in immediate satisfaction. His children kept those values alive when they took over. Switch-N-Go has been a huge help in making that happen. As the business continues moving forward, Everett’s continues to add more Switch-N-Go trucks to their fleet and see the benefits every single day!