Wilson Landscaping Services
Sacramento, CA
How a regional landscaping company reduced labor costs by 52% and expanded to 35% more accounts without adding headcount.
Employees
45 employees
Fleet Size
4 autonomous units
Founded
1998
Industry
Commercial Landscaping
Wilson Landscaping Services
Annual Labor Savings
Payback Period
New Accounts
Fleet Size
Uptime
Safety Incidents
The Challenge
Wilson Landscaping Services had been a Sacramento staple for over 25 years, but by 2024, owner James Wilson was facing an existential crisis. The company managed grounds for 67 commercial properties across the greater Sacramento area, but finding reliable workers had become nearly impossible.
"We were turning down contracts because we couldn't staff them," Wilson recalls. "I had three crews that should have been four or five. Every Monday felt like a gamble—would everyone show up?"
The labor shortage wasn't just a staffing problem; it was costing real money. Wilson was paying 40% above market rate just to retain workers, and overtime costs were eating into margins. Meanwhile, competitors were underbidding contracts, creating a squeeze from both sides.
The Solution
Wilson discovered AutoMow through a trade show in late 2023 and was immediately intrigued by the retrofit approach. "I wasn't about to replace my entire fleet of Scag mowers," he explains. "They're workhorses with years of life left. The conversion kit made sense."
After a pilot program with one unit, Wilson expanded to four autonomous mowers by mid-2024. The implementation process took approximately two weeks per mower, with AutoMow technicians handling the installation and training.
The key insight: Wilson didn't eliminate crews—he multiplied their effectiveness. Each operator now supervises two autonomous units while handling edging, trimming, and detail work manually. Properties that required a three-person crew for half a day now require one supervisor for two hours.
Implementation Timeline
Pilot Program
6 weeksSingle unit testing on 8 properties
Evaluation
2 weeksROI analysis and crew feedback
Full Deployment
4 weeksAdditional 3 units installed
Optimization
OngoingRoute optimization and expansion
"The ROI calculator was actually conservative. We hit our payback in 14 months instead of the projected 18. The labor savings are real, but the ability to take on more accounts without hiring was the game-changer. I'm not competing for workers anymore—I'm competing on service quality."
James Wilson
Owner & Founder
Key Takeaways
Retrofit approach preserved $80,000+ investment in existing Scag mowers
One supervisor can effectively manage 2-3 autonomous units
Night and weekend mowing capability expanded capacity without overtime
Customer satisfaction increased due to consistent cut quality
Crew retention improved—employees prefer supervision over operating