Top Notch Tree Care Customer Testimonial: Finding a Competitive Advantage

When Joe Pipitone founded Top Notch Tree Care right out of college in 2009, the certified arborist quickly identified pillars the Northern Pennsylvania business would be built on. He knew that professionalism and productivity would be important, but in an industry that is inherently risky, safety was his top priority.

“We were a small residential tree care company and we started small with what we had—which was nothing,” Pipitone said. “But, we were always focused on safety and productivity. It was really important to me that in everything we did, we focused on safety number one.”

Improving productivity and potential

As his company grew, Pipitone sought ways to increase productivity while keeping that focus on safety front and center. He segmented and evaluated the tasks his team performed daily, looking for a way to mechanize them.

To achieve this goal, Pipitone purchased an Altec Heartland knuckle boom mounted grapple saw, revolutionizing the way his company does business. Working with Altec Capital, Altec’s single source solution for all financing needs, Pipitone was able to establish a payment structure that allowed him to purchase the truck and plan for seasonal ebbs and flows of the business.

Initially, Pipitone and his team were excited to have the truck take down trees. Once they started using it, they quickly realized that truck came with many additional benefits. Because of the crane’s reach, materials could be moved directly to a staging area, skipping a stop altogether.

“If it was a muddy lawn and we were set up on the driveway, we could reach the tree and skip all the nonsense and put it down in the middle of the driveway,” Pipitone said. “We realized this truck was going to help us move material and aid in logistics in a way we didn’t even recognize at first.”

Benefits beyond business

The benefits of the truck didn’t stop when the workday ended, either.

The increase in productivity meant Pipitone and his team were able to wrap jobs faster, which allowed Pipitone more time to meet with customers for quotes and, most importantly, allowed him to spend more time with his family.

“I come home more refreshed because haven’t been put through the wringer doing a project,” he said. “I get to help cook dinner or relax with my baby, go fishing, go for walks … Even if it’s just two hours a day, that’s a lot, and it adds to my quality of life.”

A former wrestler and coach, Pipitone taught many of his wrestlers the importance of finding a competitive advantage to gain the edge over opponents. For Top Notch Tree Care, that advantage is the Altec Heartland.

“For many years, our competitive advantage was our safety protocol and the fact that we took our jobs very seriously,” Pipitone said. “Within the last three years, this truck has become our competitive advantage. It’s been able to diversify what we do, how we do it, and why; and it’s given us a leg up on our competition.”