Digital platforms now enable estimators to map every tree on a property, give crews clear job details aligned with customer expectations.
ness,” Buell said. “Customer satisfaction will increase. Profitability will increase.” RAISING THE BAR WITH BETTER SPECIFICATIONS A300 standards continue to be un- derutilized in the industry despite the benefits they bring. Buell suggested that culture is one main reason for this. “This is a very vocational field,” he said. “We’re kinesthetic learners. We’re out in the field. We like to be active. We want to do things, not talk about them.” When tree care teams run into prob- lems with customer expectations, it can be easier to fix the issue as a one- off than to step back and identify the root cause of the miscommunication. But failing to examine how language af- fects performance, the industry misses opportunities to improve professional- ism and customer satisfaction. “If we as an industry would be more accountable to raising the bar in this way, it could raise the tide around our culture dramatically,” Buell said. Fundamentally, the A300 standards of- fer a simple but necessary resource: a shared language for the business of caring for trees. When arborists use that language to create clear, detailed specifications, they promote clarity, protect customers, enable crews, and elevate the profession.
Tree care companies of all sizes can benefit from applying the A300 standards to create specifications that consumers understand and crews can execute.
embed the structure of A300 standards into their systems, enabling dropdowns and templates that guide estimators through setting out appropriate lan- guage for objectives, methods, and measurements. “The specifications have become much more layman-friendly,” said Hank Or- tiz, CEO and founder of leading arborist soware company ArborNote . “They’re a lot more understandable to Mrs. Jones than they used to be.” Still, Buell cautions that the standards aren’t prescriptive but instead meant to
guide arborists in defining the specific language that works best for their oper- ations. “The standards were not made to just be plug-and-play,” he explained. “The language in the soware oen has to be built out by the company.” The result is consistency and accuracy. When estimators, crews, and managers work from the same framework — and customers understand exactly what they’re paying for — benefits follow.
“You’ll have a more predictable busi-
68 | Spring 2026 ArborTIMES ™
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