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News and Blog Articles
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 One of the main concerns we hear from potential customers is that our equipment will leave tracks on their yard or tear up existing landscaping. After all, even our smallest motorized vehicle weighs in around 3,000 pounds! Surely that can do some serious damage to your newly-laid sod? And these customers are right – without the proper precautions, it would be easy for our industrial equipment to cause problems. But at Classic City Arborists, we truly believe that age-old adage of “leave it better than you found it.” We take a range of steps to ensure that, aside from the tree we take down or underbrush we clear away, you won’t be able to tell we were there! EquipmentThe gear, tools, and vehicles needed to do any kind of tree work come in many shapes and sizes, and every arborist has their preference. One of the main considerations we keep in mind as we choose what to use (aside from making sure the thing can actually get the job done!) is the impact it will have on the environment around it. For example, one common vehicle used in tree work is a bucket truck. These help workers get up close and personal with higher limbs, which is very important to most all kinds of tree work. Unfortunately, bucket trucks can weigh around 26,000 pounds or more on average. All that weight will definitely leave some gouges in soft ground.
Our other major piece of equipment we use on a frequent basis is our miniature skid steer. This compact vehicle allows us to clear away limbs, trunk sections, and other debris from an area in larger loads. While actually cutting down or pruning a tree is the main part of any job, that’s only half the work. Cleaning a tree up from a hard-to-access site is a physically-demanding process, and the miniature skid steer helps cut down on the time and effort needed to get everything spick and span. The miniature skid steer only weighs around 3,000 pounds, and is also on tracks like the lift to protect your ground. Preventative SafeguardsWhile having our equipment on tracks definitely helps reduce any wear and tear on the ground, we still take certain measures in special circumstances. For example, if you’ve just laid down delicate sod, or if it’s been raining and the ground is wet. In cases like this, we will lay down simple ¾-inch plywood for the machinery to drive over. Sometimes, we only need to lay plywood over certain areas. Other times, we might lay it all the way from the road to the tree we’re cutting down!
The pictures here show a job where we used our miniature skid steer, SK, and self-propelled lift steer to remove and clean up numerous cypress trees from a backyard. We laid down plywood in strategic areas to protect softer ground, especially over areas where the machinery would need to pivot. After over 20 trips back and forth, you can see that the sod was virtually unaffected – even in the areas where we didn’t lay down plywood. For more images and videos showing us using our equipment, check out our Photo Gallery! Initial AssessmentWhen Scott (our certified arborist and co-owner of Classic City Arborists) comes out to your property to give you an estimate, he isn’t just looking at the work you want done. He’s also looking at factors like how crowded the area is (which will impact how easy or hard it is to get the work done), and what the access to the work site looks like. There may be multiple ways to get from the road to the site, and Scott will consider all of them before deciding which they will use. Now, the route he recommends may not be the shortest or most efficient path from the road to the work site. The equipment we use is, for the most part, big, bulky, and heavy, and Scott takes these things into consideration when planning out a job. Whatever route he decides on will be noted on your estimate. This lets you know the plan, and also gives you the chance to weigh in. If you still have questions or concerns regarding our equipment, your yard, or our methods, please don’t hesitate to contact us! We’re happy to walk you through the process more thoroughly and discuss any thoughts you may have. Or, check out our other Frequently Asked Questions, to see if we’ve answered your question before! AuthorEmily Casuccio is sister and sister-in-law to Rebekah and Scott Rushing, and has over half a decade of experience in copywriting, copyediting, proofreading, and developmental storyboarding. She's worked with both published and undiscovered authors on both fiction and nonfiction, and takes pride in supporting local businesses. Her passion lies in the written word and helping authors of all capacities realize their dreams and achieve their fullest potential. To learn more about her, read samples of her work, or contact her, visit her online portfolio.
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 Yes, you read that right. Thanksgiving tree. If you’re anything like us, you’re currently picturing something like a plain old Christmas tree, just with Thanksgiving ornaments on it. You know, a glass turkey here, a ceramic pilgrim hat there. And sure, there are plenty of those out there, as fun decorations for the season.
AuthorEmily Casuccio is sister and sister-in-law to Rebekah and Scott Rushing, and has over half a decade of experience in copywriting, copyediting, proofreading, and developmental storyboarding. She's worked with both published and undiscovered authors on both fiction and nonfiction, and takes pride in supporting local businesses. Her passion lies in the written word and helping authors of all capacities realize their dreams and achieve their fullest potential. To learn more about her, read samples of her work, or contact her, visit her online portfolio.  Whether it’s the bottom or your restaurant receipt offering a discount on your next visit if you leave some feedback at the link, or Amazon emailing you about your most recent purchase, it seems like someone is always asking you to write a review. It might seem like a trivial thing to you, but businesses—especially small businesses, like ours—thrive on reviews. At Classic City Arborists, we rely on feedback to ensure we’re doing everything we can to leave each and every customer completely satisfied. To explain why reviews are so important to us, we wanted to take some time to answer your questions:
What About Bad Reviews?We’ll be honest: no one likes getting a bad review. But at Classic City Arborists, while we recognize that it may not be fun, we still value negative reviews. They show us what we can do better, and how we can improve moving forward. They’re also a channel for customers to let us know if they weren’t 100% happy with the work we’ve done—which gives us the chance to fix it! We want to do anything we can to make everything right. Do You Approve or Alter Reviews Before They’re Posted?We never alter a customer’s review. However, all reviews on any of our platforms do require administrative approval before they’re posted. One of the biggest reasons we do this is just so we don’t end up with any inappropriate comments. But it does also give us the chance to reach out to a dissatisfied customer, so we can try to resolve any issues. Your satisfaction is our focus, so we will do everything in our power to make sure you’re happy with the work we’ve done! How Can I Leave A Review?Leaving a review is super easy! The best places to review to help small businesses are Facebook and Google. We also have a form where you can leave a review directly on our website. There are other review platforms, of course, like the Better Business Bureau, Angie’s List, Yelp, and Nextdoor, and we’d also be happy to hear from you there.  If you have trouble with any of those, or can’t figure them out, you can also submit reviews directly to our email address at classiccityarborists@gmail.com. Short blurbs like “great service!” or “friendly people!” are just as important as longer, more personal reviews of your experience, and we would be honored to read whatever you have to say. Where Can I Read Reviews?We list our most recent reviews on our website, but you can also read reviews on our Facebook page, on Google, and any of the other review platforms we already mentioned.  So there you have it! Hopefully, this helps you understand why everyone is always bugging you to leave reviews, and maybe even convinced you to leave us a review yourself! Either way, thank you for taking the time to learn a little more about our small family business. If you’re interested in working with us, feel free to give us a call or schedule a free, no-strings-attached estimate! If you have any questions, concerns, or need any kind of help whatsoever, you can reach us by phone, email, or the contact form, all of which you can find on the contact tab above! AuthorEmily Casuccio is sister and sister-in-law to Rebekah and Scott Rushing, and has over half a decade of experience in copywriting, copyediting, proofreading, and developmental storyboarding. She's worked with both published and undiscovered authors on both fiction and nonfiction, and takes pride in supporting local businesses. Her passion lies in the written word and helping authors of all capacities realize their dreams and achieve their fullest potential. To learn more about her, read samples of her work, or contact her, visit her online portfolio. Sources:
The Importance of Reviews The kind of work we do here at Classic City Arborists varies from job to job, and includes everything from pruning to cutting down trees to cabling. Even so, we’ve gotten a lot of similar questions from customers and potential customers over the years—that’s why today, we’ve decided to round them all up and answer them! How Do Free Estimates Work? One of the services we are proud to offer is free estimates. This basically means that our certified arborist, Scott Rushing, will come out to your property to get a look at whatever it is you’re wanting done—whether that’s pruning back some undergrowth, trimming a few limbs away from your home, or cutting down a tree altogether. Scott will assess the situation and offer his professional advice. After the appointment, you will receive an estimate that details the work you and Scott discussed.
What’s the Difference Between a Free Estimate |
How Do I Accept the Estimate? To accept an estimate, you can:
“I accept the estimate [list your estimate’s number], and would like to be added to the work calendar.” Your estimate’s number can be found in the Customer Center or in the emailed estimate. I’ve Accepted the Estimate. |  |
Once you’ve accepted your estimate, you will be added to the next available date on our work calendar. Every week, we’ll send you an email with a tentative 2-week window for your work to be completed. Once the week of your work arrives, we’ll contact you to schedule a specific date and time.
Please keep in mind that these dates are only tentative, and are subject to change due to emergency jobs, inclement weather, and other delays.
Please keep in mind that these dates are only tentative, and are subject to change due to emergency jobs, inclement weather, and other delays.
Do I Need to Be Present When You Do the Work?
If you would like to be home to monitor our progress (or just see how cutting down a tree works!), you are more than welcome to stay and watch us go. Some customers like to arrive towards the end of the job so they can make sure everything looks good before we leave. However, you do not need to be there for us to work. We will follow everything as stated in the estimate and let you know when we’ve finished. We are always available by phone or email if you have any questions or concerns after a job has been completed.
Do I Have to Make a Down Payment?
We do not require down payments to schedule you on our work calendar. On the day of your work, you will be emailed an invoice that will be due in full that same day. Most customers wait until the job is done and then pay via cash or check in person, but you can also follow the link on your invoice to pay online. Late fees will be charged if payment is not received within 24 hours of the completion date.
How Do I Pay?
We accept payment via cash or check handed to a team member on the day of the work, or payment online through a link on your emailed invoice.
Do You Offer Discounts for Paying with Cash?
Unfortunately, we do not offer discounts for cash payments. Please note, however, that there is a 3.6% charge for online payments made with a credit or debit card. It is more cost-effective to either pay with cash or check in person, or pay online with an e-check to avoid any fees.
Will the Equipment You Use Mess Up My Yard?
All of our equipment is outfitted with large tracks rather than individual tires to minimize any wear or gouges on the ground.
| In some instances, we will set up plywood platforms to drive over to prevent damaging soft ground or sod. Our philosophy at Classic City Arborists is and always has been to “leave it better than we found it.” Our goal when we finish a job is to make sure you can’t even tell we were there, other than the now-missing tree, or now-cleared underbrush! |  Before |  After |
Are You Insured?
Classic City Arborists is proud to be both licensed and insured. We maintain Worker’s Compensation, General Liability Insurance, and Auto Insurance to protect our customers, our employees, and our company from any incident.
How Do I Get a COI (Certificate of Insurance)?
If you would like a copy of our Certificate of Insurance, send us an email at classiccityarborists@gmail.com and we’ll be sure to get you one!
What Does “Disclose Underground Utilities” Mean?
This addition is to remind customers that we have no way of knowing what’s underground in your yard, unless we are otherwise informed. Mostly, this is in reference to septic tanks. Our heavy equipment can damage a shallowly-concealed septic tank, as could a tree falling on it. If you have a septic tank, please let us know its location so we can plan our work accordingly to reduce the chance for damage.
If you know you have a septic tank, but don’t know where it is, follow these suggestions to find it.
If you know you have a septic tank, but don’t know where it is, follow these suggestions to find it.
My Estimate Says “Power Lines Need to be Dropped.”
What Does That Mean?
If this is on your estimate, it means one or more of the trees we are going to work on are in close proximity to power lines. We can’t touch those trees unless the power lines are “dropped.” Basically, this means detaching the power lines from one pole or another and lying them on the ground so they do not hang near the trees in question.
For you, this means you will need to contact your power company prior to the date your work is scheduled to request they drop the lines first thing in the morning. We will remind you of this when we call the week prior to your job to confirm the date and time. On the day of the job, we will start with the interfering trees first, and let you know as soon as we’ve finished with them so you can contact your power company and have the lines reinstated.
It’s important to note that dropping the power lines will temporarily cut electricity to your home. We will remind you of this both the week before and the day of, but please plan accordingly!
For you, this means you will need to contact your power company prior to the date your work is scheduled to request they drop the lines first thing in the morning. We will remind you of this when we call the week prior to your job to confirm the date and time. On the day of the job, we will start with the interfering trees first, and let you know as soon as we’ve finished with them so you can contact your power company and have the lines reinstated.
It’s important to note that dropping the power lines will temporarily cut electricity to your home. We will remind you of this both the week before and the day of, but please plan accordingly!
Where Can I Read Reviews, or Leave a Review?
Small and local businesses like ours thrive on customer reviews! If you’d like to read what other customers are saying about us, check out the reviews on our website, Facebook, and the Better Business Bureau. Following these links will also allow you to leave a review yourself!
If you have any trouble leaving a review, feel free to email us your review at classiccityarborists@gmail.com, and we can post it for you.
If you have any trouble leaving a review, feel free to email us your review at classiccityarborists@gmail.com, and we can post it for you.
Have A Question We Didn’t Answer?
If you’re still unsure about anything we explained here, or have questions not answered here, feel free to give us a call or send us an email at classiccityarborists@gmail.com!
Author
Emily Casuccio is sister and sister-in-law to Rebekah and Scott Rushing, and has over half a decade of experience in copywriting, copyediting, proofreading, and developmental storyboarding. She's worked with both published and undiscovered authors on both fiction and nonfiction, and takes pride in supporting local businesses. Her passion lies in the written word and helping authors of all capacities realize their dreams and achieve their fullest potential. To learn more about her, read samples of her work, or contact her, visit her online portfolio.
Around here, you’ve probably seen signs calling for you to Shop Local! all around town.
 | One of the prides of Athens and Watkinsville is that a large portion of our businesses are small, family-owned, and not part of multi-location chains. Shopping local basically just refers to doing business with smaller businesses in your area, whether it’s the Mom and Pop hardware store on the corner or your best friend who sells homemade masks on Facebook. |
Why should you shop local?
Support Your Friends
One of the biggest reasons to shop local businesses is simply to support the people running them. You know them; they’re your friends, your family, and your neighbors, all bravely navigating the tumultuous world of entrepreneurship. It can be a scary venture, and by choosing to buy something from them, you’ll really encourage them on their journey.
| Plus, they’re your friends and family, and aren’t we all eager to do what we can to help out our friends and family? As a family of red-heads, you’ve probably seen the Rushings shopping at Publix, dropping off kids at daycare, or attempting to sit still in church on Sunday. Many of our family members have small businesses and we do our best to support each other. Employ Your Neighbors |  |
Small, local businesses wouldn’t be able to stay in business if not for your business. By shopping local and choosing to buy from someone in your community, you’re ensuring the continuation of their job, and by extension, their livelihood.
When you choose Classic City Arborists, you’re not just supporting Scott and Rebekah and their little family of four. You are also supporting his team of four men and their families as well.
When you choose Classic City Arborists, you’re not just supporting Scott and Rebekah and their little family of four. You are also supporting his team of four men and their families as well.
Stimulate Your Economy
On a larger scale, shopping local also keeps the exchange of money local and better stimulates the economy of your area. Small business owners are also more likely to shop local themselves, which means the money they get from you will likely go to supporting another small business.
Think of it like this: if you buy a necklace from Wal-Mart, then that money goes to the Wal-Mart corporation. It may or may not ever make its way back to the Athens area. If you buy a necklace from your friend who makes her own glass beads, then the money you pay for that jewelry is going to directly sustain your friend, who will probably use it when she goes out to eat next week. Since she understands the struggle of owning a small business, she decides to go to the local burger joint rather than a mass chain, and your money is now in the hands of a family-owned restaurant, where it will directly support the cost of education for their kids.
At Classic City Arborists, we try to shop local as much as possible. As members of the Oconee Chamber of Commerce, we understand how vital it is to support up-and-coming businesses, as well as supporting long-standing local service providers.
Impact Your Community
In addition to stimulating your local economy, shopping local can help benefit your community; small business owners are more likely to support charities and change initiatives that directly impact their area rather than the nation at large. This means your support to a local business could in turn support the homeless population in Athens, or help fund an animal shelter downtown to save more lives.
Classic City Arborists personally supports charities local to the Athens and Watkinsville areas, such as City of Hope Athens, and ESP of Watkinsville. We send our donations to the local GoodWill (and shop there, too!). We also partner with local businesses when we get a job that needs more equipment than we’ve got; if we ever need a crane for a large tree removal, we call a local crane operator.
What do you get out of it?
While all the things we’ve mentioned here are great reasons to shop local, customer experience is still a huge factor in deciding where you direct your patronage.
| The benefit of small businesses is that they’re small; even if they have hundreds of customers, they still don’t have near as many as the superstore. Local business owners appreciate each and every one of the customers who choose to do business with them, and as such, will spend as much one-on-one time with you as you need to ensure you get what you’re looking for and leave completely satisfied. You won’t find that level of personal attention anywhere else. |  |
At Classic City Arborists, we do our best to give every single customer the attention and care they deserve. The phone numbers you see on our website are our personal phone numbers. With our free estimates, Scott (our certified arborist) will come out to your property, spend as much time as needed to evaluate the work you’re thinking you’d like done, and help you decide what to do. Once you’re on our schedule, Rebekah will send you a weekly email to update you on any delays due to weather or unforeseen circumstances.
At the end of the day, choosing to shop local is a great way to not only support your friends and family with their dream, but to also stimulate your local economy and influence your local community. Plus, you get personalized service on top of it! What’s not to love? Have your family call our family!
At the end of the day, choosing to shop local is a great way to not only support your friends and family with their dream, but to also stimulate your local economy and influence your local community. Plus, you get personalized service on top of it! What’s not to love? Have your family call our family!
Author
Emily Casuccio is sister and sister-in-law to Rebekah and Scott Rushing, and has over half a decade of experience in copywriting, copyediting, proofreading, and developmental storyboarding. She's worked with both published and undiscovered authors on both fiction and nonfiction, and takes pride in supporting local businesses. Her passion lies in the written word and helping authors of all capacities realize their dreams and achieve their fullest potential. To learn more about her, read samples of her work, or contact her, visit her online portfolio.
While Classic City Arborists was “officially” born in 2014, our story actually begins ten years prior, as a little firewood company operating out of Bishop, Georgia.
In 2005, while working on his bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Education from the University of Georgia (go Dawgs!), our owner and Certified Arborist Scott Rushing starts working for a small business called Classic City Firewood. As the name suggests, this little operation provides firewood deliveries to the Watkinsville and Athens areas during the fall. They also provide firewood for some of the restaurants in the area during the off season.
In 2005, while working on his bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Education from the University of Georgia (go Dawgs!), our owner and Certified Arborist Scott Rushing starts working for a small business called Classic City Firewood. As the name suggests, this little operation provides firewood deliveries to the Watkinsville and Athens areas during the fall. They also provide firewood for some of the restaurants in the area during the off season.
 | For his entire tenure at UGA, Scott works with Classic City Firewood. He met his wife, Rebekah, in 2008, where they both attended the same college-age Sunday School class at Grace Fellowship. The connection was instant, and the courtship a whirlwind: they went on three dates over the course of the next week and were inseparable from that point on. After Scott graduates in May of 2009, Scott and Rebekah get engaged in June, and are married the following June in 2010. |
In 2011, the owner of Classic City Firewood, an avid entrepreneur, had started branching out into other businesses, so Scott steps in to keep things going, growing the company’s client base, streamlining processes to be more efficient and effective, and generally devoting his time and effort trying to turn this side job into something more permanent.
| He starts branching out (no pun intended) into other kinds of tree work besides just splitting and delivering firewood; with minimal equipment and help, he’s limited to simple, straightforward tree removals and basic pruning. All the tree work he does uses basic equipment that allows him to climb trees himself to get to what needs cutting. Despite the lack of elaborate equipment, this type of work becomes more and more frequent. To increase his knowledge and expertise, Scott decides it’s time to become a Certified Arborist. The training and testing are rigorous but worth it, and by 2012, Scott is certified and running nearly 100% of the business operations, only conferring with the owner when needed. |  |
The next few years bring exponential growth. Scott purchases additional equipment and gear to allow him to perform more technical, difficult tree removals, and further expand the business’s capabilities. Peyton Mitchell, who has worked off and on with Classic City Firewood since its inception, becomes an invaluable member of the team and Scott’s right-hand man, helping with every job and supporting the vision Scott has for the company.
In 2014, the owner of Classic City Firewood starts a family and is ready to move on to other ventures. After countless discussions and lots of prayer, Scott and Rebekah decide to purchase the business Scott has invested so much of his time and effort into. With a few signatures and a grand leap of faith, Scott and Rebekah officially become small business owners, and come up with a new operational name: Classic City Arborists.
 | The first year as business owners is trying but rewarding. In 2015, Scott purchases what’s called a Miniature Skid-Steer; this bobcat-like vehicle is used to tote the remnants of trees and pruned limbs away from the job site all in one load, a process that used to be done by hand in many, many trips. It’s compact enough to fit through your front door, and uses tracks instead of four wheels to move around, meaning it can easily access back yards through fence gates and won’t destroy the ground in the process. |
All the time and effort this new machine saves allows Scott and his team to complete nearly twice as much work in the same amount of time, helping spur the business forward by leaps and bounds.
| This addition to their arboreal arsenal is perfectly timed to coincide with December of 2015, when Rebekah and Scott welcome the fulfillment of endless prayers: Abigail Marie Rushing, born on December 15th. Thanks to the increased operational capacity, Rebekah is able to stay at home with their adorable, red-headed troublemaker rather than working full-time and requiring childcare. Being a stay-at-home mom is as rewarding as it is exhausting, and while it takes up most of her time, Rebekah finds some spare hours when Abigail is napping to help run the administrative side of the business. |  |
As Abigail gets older, Rebekah begins to take over more and more of these responsibilities, until in 2017, she officially becomes the Operations Manager, handling everything from payroll to marketing to scheduling.
With the efficiency of the Miniature Skid-Steer, and with Rebekah as the Operations Manager, Scott has more time to devote to giving estimates and working in the field. The workload has doubled, thus doubling the revenue. In 2017, Scott is able to purchase a Chipper and a Dump Truck. Instead of taking load after load of limbs and logs to the dump, most everything can be run through the chipper at the job site. On many occasions, the customer will even choose to keep the wood chips, which saves time hauling the chips away.
 | On September 6th, 2018, Scott and Rebekah welcome Elijah Donell into the world, another red-headed bundle of joy. Rebekah works from home 20 hours a week, juggling her newborn and her administrative responsibilities, while Abigail attends daycare. To give Scott more time at home with his babies and allow him to take some of the administrative load from Rebekah’s shoulders, Classic City Arborists purchases a 72' Arbor Pro Lift in 2019. |
A lift is similar to a bucket truck, in that it has an extendable arm with a bucket attached that, as the name suggests, lifts Scott directly to the point of interest on the tree. However, this lift is not part of a truck; it is a separate piece of equipment. Just like the Miniature Skid Steer, the Lift runs on tracks is compact enough to fit through your front door, thus allowing Scott to easily access backyards and tight spots.
| This not only allows him to perform more technical, targeted work (thereby expanding the business’s capabilities) but also saves the immense amount of time and effort it takes to climb a tree or rig it for remote pruning or removal. |  |
And that brings us to 2020, where Classic City Arborists operates with a simple four-man team; Scott runs and performs the more technical jobs, but leaves Peyton, the official foreman and second-in-command, in charge while he travels around to perform free estimates for potential customers. Scott handles all the official documents, like estimates, invoices, and pricing. He orders equipment and replacement parts or maintenance supplies as needed and ensures all the tools for the job are in perfect working order.
In the mornings, when Scott leaves for work, Abigail has to have "a hug and a kiss, daddy" and Elijah blows him exaggerated kisses. In the evenings, Abigail races to get the first kiss while Elijah toddles behind her, happily calling out "it's da-da". Abigail tells "my daddy" all about her day while Elijah helps unload daddy's lunch box.
With the rapid growth of the last few years, Rebekah now dedicates more of her time to the endless array of administrative and operational tasks. She wears many, many hats, including things like customer service (answering the phones, responding to emails, scheduling estimates), human resources (hiring employees, processing payroll), accounting (managing expenses, bills, keeping licensing and insurance up to date, accounts receivable and accounts payable), and marketing (designing and up-keeping the website, planning and executing marketing strategies).
In the mornings, when Scott leaves for work, Abigail has to have "a hug and a kiss, daddy" and Elijah blows him exaggerated kisses. In the evenings, Abigail races to get the first kiss while Elijah toddles behind her, happily calling out "it's da-da". Abigail tells "my daddy" all about her day while Elijah helps unload daddy's lunch box.
With the rapid growth of the last few years, Rebekah now dedicates more of her time to the endless array of administrative and operational tasks. She wears many, many hats, including things like customer service (answering the phones, responding to emails, scheduling estimates), human resources (hiring employees, processing payroll), accounting (managing expenses, bills, keeping licensing and insurance up to date, accounts receivable and accounts payable), and marketing (designing and up-keeping the website, planning and executing marketing strategies).
What started as a side gig to help pay for college has turned into a life-long career. Scott and Rebekah are proud to own a small, local business, and can’t wait to see what God has planned for their family and for Classic City Arborists. No matter what the future holds, Classic City Arborists will always approach each job with the same integrity we’ve had since day one:
 | We believe in complete transparency with our customers, and don’t try to sell extra, unnecessary work just to make money. We believe in educating our customers about proper tree care and maintenance, so they can get the most out of their relationship with the nature around them. We believe in focusing on the customer’s goals, figuring out what needs to be done to achieve those goals, and then discussing how best to go about making those goals a reality, while remaining within their budget—even if that means no work for us. We believe in protecting our customers and protecting the environment through training and dedication to safety. |
And most of all, we believe in that age-old adage: “Leave it better than you found it.” Whether we’re talking about a job site, a customer’s mood, or our Earth as a whole, at Classic City Arborists, we are on a mission to do what we can to make a positive impact on the lives of everyone we encounter.
Author
Emily Casuccio is sister and sister-in-law to Rebekah and Scott Rushing, and has over half a decade of experience in copywriting, copyediting, proofreading, and developmental storyboarding. She's worked with both published and undiscovered authors on both fiction and nonfiction, and takes pride in supporting local businesses. Her passion lies in the written word and helping authors of all capacities realize their dreams and achieve their fullest potential. To learn more about her, read samples of her work, or contact her, visit her online portfolio.
Classic City Arborists is proud to be both Licensed and Insured. We spend a lot of time and effort ensuring we remain in compliance with those two statuses at all times, for your protection as much as ours. But what do those two things actually mean?
What is “Licensed”?
Being “Licensed” means obtaining a business license and any additional licensing required for you to legally operate a business in your county. Having a business license means that your business is registered with the appropriate authorities and in compliance with the local regulations. Certain businesses are required to obtain additional licenses; for example, a liquor store has to have a license to sell liquor, and a sales tax license to be able to collect taxes on sales.
Licensed businesses can file taxes as a business, which makes them eligible for the tax benefits and breaks associated with business costs. Licensing is also required before a company is allowed to purchase any kind of insurance, liability or otherwise.
Additionally, you can register with the Better Business Bureau, or the BBB. Registering with the BBB adds some accountability to business owners, as any customer of theirs can file a complaint that will then be displayed on the company’s profile on the BBB’s website. Businesses cannot take down these complaints, but they can respond to them. The dialogue between an unhappy customer and the business, as well as the measures the business takes to help right the wrong, can tell you a lot about a company, and highly influences a lot of customer decisions.
You can view the Classic City Arborists profile on the Better Business Bureau by clicking here.
Finally, licensing gives your company more credibility to your customers. In our free market, there are an endless number of companies, giving customers an endless array of choices of where to take their business. Having a license says to the customer that you are serious about what you do, and gives you a leg up on companies that have not done so.
Licensed businesses can file taxes as a business, which makes them eligible for the tax benefits and breaks associated with business costs. Licensing is also required before a company is allowed to purchase any kind of insurance, liability or otherwise.
Additionally, you can register with the Better Business Bureau, or the BBB. Registering with the BBB adds some accountability to business owners, as any customer of theirs can file a complaint that will then be displayed on the company’s profile on the BBB’s website. Businesses cannot take down these complaints, but they can respond to them. The dialogue between an unhappy customer and the business, as well as the measures the business takes to help right the wrong, can tell you a lot about a company, and highly influences a lot of customer decisions.
You can view the Classic City Arborists profile on the Better Business Bureau by clicking here.
Finally, licensing gives your company more credibility to your customers. In our free market, there are an endless number of companies, giving customers an endless array of choices of where to take their business. Having a license says to the customer that you are serious about what you do, and gives you a leg up on companies that have not done so.
What is "Insured"?
Being “Insured” means obtaining insurance that is either required or necessary for your type of business. Business insurance comes in many different forms, but all are designed to protect the business, the employees, and the customers in any situation.
Probably the most widely recognized form of business insurance is Worker’s Compensation (or Worker’s Comp). This insurance is designed to protect employees who are injured while doing their job. Though this insurance is required by the state of Georgia, it is especially important to us at Classic City Arborists, as we value each and every individual in our employ, and the work we perform can be extremely dangerous. We are, of course, certified and trained to do what we do, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t risks, and that doesn’t mean things can’t go wrong. Worker’s Comp helps protect our employees in the event of an accident or unforeseen incident, and also protects our customers from any and all liability should an employee be injured on their property.
Another important business insurance to have is General Liability Insurance. This blanket policy protects our customers from any kind of incident that can happen on a job, from a tree falling on your house to the destruction of a small fence. While safety is always our top priority, and we do everything we can to prevent these kinds of incidents, accidents do happen. That is why we proudly maintain our General Liability Policy to protect our customers from any potential incidents that could occur.
Classic City Arborists also maintains Auto Insurance – not only on our vehicles, but also on the equipment and trailers that we are towing. If any of our equipment or vehicles cause damage at a job site or while traveling to and from jobs, our auto policy covers that.
Probably the most widely recognized form of business insurance is Worker’s Compensation (or Worker’s Comp). This insurance is designed to protect employees who are injured while doing their job. Though this insurance is required by the state of Georgia, it is especially important to us at Classic City Arborists, as we value each and every individual in our employ, and the work we perform can be extremely dangerous. We are, of course, certified and trained to do what we do, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t risks, and that doesn’t mean things can’t go wrong. Worker’s Comp helps protect our employees in the event of an accident or unforeseen incident, and also protects our customers from any and all liability should an employee be injured on their property.
Another important business insurance to have is General Liability Insurance. This blanket policy protects our customers from any kind of incident that can happen on a job, from a tree falling on your house to the destruction of a small fence. While safety is always our top priority, and we do everything we can to prevent these kinds of incidents, accidents do happen. That is why we proudly maintain our General Liability Policy to protect our customers from any potential incidents that could occur.
Classic City Arborists also maintains Auto Insurance – not only on our vehicles, but also on the equipment and trailers that we are towing. If any of our equipment or vehicles cause damage at a job site or while traveling to and from jobs, our auto policy covers that.
What about Bonding?
You might have heard the phrase “Licensed, Bonded, and Insured” coming from other businesses. A Bond is additional insurance that a company can purchase to cover circumstances beyond the general liability insurance. The bond is similar to a certified check - it guarantees that a certain amount of funds is available to cover an incident. It is similar to using PayPal to pay for your transactions. The bonding company (PayPal, in this analogy) pays the customer the insurance money and then works with the service company to collect payment.
Bonds are more popular when it comes to construction companies, where work is scheduled to be completed over a long period of time, and you want a guarantee that they are going to finish everything they were contracted to do. They are also more popular for companies that are working in the home such as a carpet installer; this additional insurance covers if an employee damages something inside your home.
At Classic City Arborists, we are not bonded, as we do not enter our customers’ homes, and our contracts are generally completed in one day’s time. We do have an Umbrella Policy to cover any incidents not covered by the General Liability; this policy is for $1,000,000 of Umbrella coverage, and is required by the state of Georgia in order to do work for state entities. We obtained this policy and were subsequently able to do work for the University of Georgia and for the University of North Georgia in the last year.
Bonds are more popular when it comes to construction companies, where work is scheduled to be completed over a long period of time, and you want a guarantee that they are going to finish everything they were contracted to do. They are also more popular for companies that are working in the home such as a carpet installer; this additional insurance covers if an employee damages something inside your home.
At Classic City Arborists, we are not bonded, as we do not enter our customers’ homes, and our contracts are generally completed in one day’s time. We do have an Umbrella Policy to cover any incidents not covered by the General Liability; this policy is for $1,000,000 of Umbrella coverage, and is required by the state of Georgia in order to do work for state entities. We obtained this policy and were subsequently able to do work for the University of Georgia and for the University of North Georgia in the last year.
What does all this mean?
We have put extra effort (and lots of money) into keeping our Business License up to date, and maintaining our Worker’s Compensation Policy, our General Liability Policy, our Auto Insurance Policy, and our Umbrella Policy. We choose to maintain these policies for the protection of our customers and of our employees.
Whenever you select a tree service company (even if you don’t choose us), we strongly recommend you pick a business that is licensed and insured for your protection. Don’t be afraid to ask for a copy of their license and insurance policy!
Whenever you select a tree service company (even if you don’t choose us), we strongly recommend you pick a business that is licensed and insured for your protection. Don’t be afraid to ask for a copy of their license and insurance policy!
Author
Rebekah Rushing is a mother of two under four and the co-owner of Classic City Arborists. When she isn't dealing with snotty noses and dirty diapers, she manages customer service, accounting & finance, marketing & advertising, and human resources. If you have worked with us on a project, then you have undoubtedly spoken with her on the phone at least once! Check out our website, which she designed, or give us a call to speak with her directly.
Editor
Emily Casuccio is sister and sister-in-law to Rebekah and Scott Rushing, and has over half a decade of contract experience in copy editing, proofreading, and developmental story boarding. She's worked with both published and undiscovered authors on both fiction and nonfiction, and takes pride in supporting local businesses. Her passion lies in the written word and helping authors of all capacities realize their dreams and achieve their fullest potential. To learn more about her, read samples of her work, or contact her, visit her online portfolio.
When you go to the doctor because you don’t feel well, how do you know you’re in good hands? Maybe someone you know and trust recommended this doctor. Maybe you went to a clinic and just got the first doctor available. Either way, you still trust the doctor to take care of you. Why is that?
Doctors, by nature of their profession, hold some kind of degree in their field. They have years of experience learning and subsequently proving their proficiency, and years of experience treating patients. You trust the “M.D.” to mean this person is qualified to do their job, and do it well.
So when you hire a tree service, how do you know that your trees and other flora are in good hands? The ISA, or International Society of Arboriculture, offers a variety of credentials and certification programs that serve a similar purpose of your doctor’s medical degree. Certified arborists have taken the time to learn about their field, prove their proficiency through examinations and rigorous course work, and have years of experience to back up their qualifications.
Your trees deserve the same care and attention you’d want for yourself. When you hire a tree service, choosing someone certified in tree care is like choosing a medical professional who has been to med school—someone you can trust.
Doctors, by nature of their profession, hold some kind of degree in their field. They have years of experience learning and subsequently proving their proficiency, and years of experience treating patients. You trust the “M.D.” to mean this person is qualified to do their job, and do it well.
So when you hire a tree service, how do you know that your trees and other flora are in good hands? The ISA, or International Society of Arboriculture, offers a variety of credentials and certification programs that serve a similar purpose of your doctor’s medical degree. Certified arborists have taken the time to learn about their field, prove their proficiency through examinations and rigorous course work, and have years of experience to back up their qualifications.
Your trees deserve the same care and attention you’d want for yourself. When you hire a tree service, choosing someone certified in tree care is like choosing a medical professional who has been to med school—someone you can trust.
What is the ISA Certification?
The ISA began the arboreal certification program in the 1980s to improve the standard of the tree care profession. Creating this qualification established a baseline of knowledge for all tree care professionals, which in turn enhanced the spread of proper tree care across the nation.
Who is an ISA-Certified Arborist?
 | An ISA-Certified Arborist is someone who has voluntarily gone through the ISA’s program for arboriculture. By the ISA’s own admission, this designation indicates your “commitment, dedication, and knowledge to succeed.” Arborists who choose to work for this certification possess high levels of dedication to their profession and the community they serve, because they understand the importance of continued education to continued success, and value the extra effort that goes into becoming certified as part of their responsibility as a tree care professional. |
What does it take to become an ISA-Certified Arborist?
To begin this certification process, you must first hold a degree in arboriculture, horticulture, landscape architecture, or forestry from an accredited university, and secondly, you must have three or more years of “full-time, eligible, practical” experience in arboriculture. Scott Rushing proudly holds a Bachelor’s in Agricultural Education from the University of Georgia and has worked in arboriculture in the Athens-Oconee area since 2008.
The certification track itself includes written and practical training and examinations, ensuring that every individual who goes through the process is well-versed in all aspects of arboriculture, including (but not limited to): “basic tree biology, tree identification and selection, tree-soil-water relations, tree nutrition and fertilization, tree planting and establishment, pruning concepts and techniques, cabling, bracing and lightning protection, problem diagnosis and management, tree preservation on construction sites, climbing and safe work practices, and tree risk assessment.” The final written examination features approximately 200 questions on all of these subjects.
The certification track itself includes written and practical training and examinations, ensuring that every individual who goes through the process is well-versed in all aspects of arboriculture, including (but not limited to): “basic tree biology, tree identification and selection, tree-soil-water relations, tree nutrition and fertilization, tree planting and establishment, pruning concepts and techniques, cabling, bracing and lightning protection, problem diagnosis and management, tree preservation on construction sites, climbing and safe work practices, and tree risk assessment.” The final written examination features approximately 200 questions on all of these subjects.
| Once the program is completed and the final examination passed, the Arborist Certification is valid for three full years. In that time, the certified arborist must complete 30 CEUs, or Continuing Education Units, in order to be eligible to re-certify at the end of the three years. The tree care profession has evolved drastically in the last two decades, and will continue to do so as the technological age progresses at a break-neck speed; this CEU requirement ensures the arborist stays up-to-date on the latest information and technology in the arboricultural world. |  |
Continuing Education Units come in a variety of forms, including things such as college courses, workshops, conferences, webinars, safety trainings, online learning modules, and other opportunities approved by the ISA.
Why choose a certified arborist?
Certified arborists are trained in how to assess any given trees health, potential for failure, and livelihood, and is also qualified to offer courses of action to mitigate potential failure, reduce risk, and remove trees entirely. They are also well-versed in the proper vocabulary to accurately describe tree-related situations; arboriculture is an increasingly scientific field that is, day by day, becoming less dependent on vague language and ambiguous practice and more dependent on factual, measurable components. This ensures that both the arborist and the customer are confident that both parties understand the necessity and potential ramifications of any given treatment.
What happens after certification?
In addition to education, training, and testing, ISA certifications come with a Code of Ethics that all credential-holders must abide by to ensure the credibility and reliability of the tree care service profession. The Code sets minimum standards for work quality, but also establishes the level of honesty, integrity, and honor that all certified arborists are expected to live by.
What does certification mean to us?
 ISA Certified Arborist SO-6617A | Here at Classic City Arborists, we believe that maintaining the ISA certification is a given. We want to provide our customers with the best service possible, and to do that, we have to know what we’re talking about. Scott readily takes his Continuing Education Units to learn more about the work he loves and ensure that he is as qualified as he possibly can be to help his customers to the best of his ability. At the end of the day, we’re here to serve you, and we are happy to do whatever we can to ensure you get the best service possible. |
If you’re interested in learning more about the services we provide, please check out our website, or contact us directly for more information or to schedule a free estimate!
Author
Emily Casuccio is sister and sister-in-law to Rebekah and Scott Rushing, and has over half a decade of experience in copywriting, copyediting, proofreading, and developmental storyboarding. She's worked with both published and undiscovered authors on both fiction and nonfiction, and takes pride in supporting local businesses. Her passion lies in the written word and helping authors of all capacities realize their dreams and achieve their fullest potential. To learn more about her, read samples of her work, or contact her, visit her online portfolio.
“Free estimate” can mean a lot of different things, and as you might expect, every company has its own standards on what a free estimate entails. Generally speaking, free estimates include a company representative coming out to your property, assessing the work you’d like done, and offering an estimated cost for that work.
Sometimes, that free estimate includes anything and everything you’d like evaluated, and sometimes it can only include one evaluation of one tree. Sometimes it can be twenty minutes long, and other times, it might take over an hour. And sometimes, “free” doesn’t really mean “free,” and you might end up paying for extra time, extra assessments, or other hidden costs.
Sometimes, that free estimate includes anything and everything you’d like evaluated, and sometimes it can only include one evaluation of one tree. Sometimes it can be twenty minutes long, and other times, it might take over an hour. And sometimes, “free” doesn’t really mean “free,” and you might end up paying for extra time, extra assessments, or other hidden costs.
So what do our free estimates include?
At Classic City Arborists, when we say “free estimate,” we mean a completely free estimate. No time limit, no maximum number of trees we’ll look at, and no hidden costs.
 | To schedule an estimate, you’ll first reach out via email or phone. For both of these, you’ll probably communicate with Rebekah Rushing (co-owner, business manager, and supermom). She’ll get all the information we need, including your phone number and the address of the property where you need work done, and then she’ll ask about what times work best for you. |
Estimate lengths are hard to pin down, because each and every one is different. When you schedule, your appointment will likely be scheduled for a range of time (like between 2pm and 4pm, or from 10am to 12pm).
| On the day of your appointment, you can expect to hear from Scott Rushing (co-owner, certified arborist, and the “best daddy ever”). He may have estimates or work scheduled before yours, but in most cases he will call when he is on the way so you know when to expect him. Inclement weather, extra time on a job, and sometimes, sick kids, can all impact our planned work load. We strive to keep our customers as up-to-date as possible, and if something happens to delay your appointment, we’ll contact you as soon as we can to reschedule. |  |
Once Scott gets there, it becomes your show! Since you’re the one who knows what kind of work you’re looking to have done, which trees you’re concerned about, what foliage you’d like removed, etc, Scott will look to you to show him around. He’ll follow you from tree to tree on your property and listen to your thoughts, asking a lot of questions and taking detailed notes as you go. He’ll give you rough estimates of how much what you’re wanting will cost, and offer his expert advice.
Some examples of work you might ask about includes things like “I need this tree removed so I can put a pool here,” or “this tree is too close to our house, and it drops nuts and twigs on our roof,” or “I think this tree is dead, and I don’t want it to fall on my fence.” The length of time your estimate takes depends on how many issues you want addressed, and how much discussion each one takes.
Here at Classic City Arborists, we pride ourselves on our informative, honest treatment of our customers. Scott isn’t there to try and sell you extra work, or scam you into giving us more money; we believe in explaining to our customers exactly how much a job will cost them, if that job is necessary, or if there’s other work that needs to be done for safety or to accomplish what the customer is looking for.
Here at Classic City Arborists, we pride ourselves on our informative, honest treatment of our customers. Scott isn’t there to try and sell you extra work, or scam you into giving us more money; we believe in explaining to our customers exactly how much a job will cost them, if that job is necessary, or if there’s other work that needs to be done for safety or to accomplish what the customer is looking for.
 | So, for example, if there’s a tree you’re worried is dead and want cut down, but Scott notices that it isn’t dead at all, he’ll tell you. He’ll give you an estimate for cutting it down, since you asked, but he’ll make sure you understand that the tree is fine, and doesn’t need to be removed unless you just want it to be. If you show him a tree that you want thinned out so the grass beneath it will grow, Scott will give you an estimate for that, but he’ll also point out that the tree behind the one you asked about is the one stealing all the sunlight, and if you want the grass to grow, that’s the one you need removed or thinned. |
This is one of the reasons we believe it’s extremely important that Scott is ISA-certified; not only can he do the work you want done, but he can tell you if it’s necessary or if there’s more work that needs to be done for you, your home, and your family to be safe.
| All throughout your appointment, Scott will be taking notes and creating your estimate as you go. By the time you’re done, he’ll have a rough cost for all the work you discussed. After Scott leaves, he’ll compile all the information into an itemized list of everything you asked to be done, with its associated cost, and email it to you; this allows you to look through your finished estimate and pick and choose what you’d like done out of everything the two of you discussed. |  Estimate Example |
Keeping in line with our policy of honesty and transparency, we always encourage customers to get more than one estimate on the work they want done. This helps you to get a real feel for the market cost of this kind of work, and allows you to meet other professionals in this field that might have different opinions, suggestions, and/or recommendations. We want you to get the work you need done, at the price you can afford – even if that’s not with us.
If you do choose to move forward with us, yay! We will get your work scheduled and be in touch with you on a weekly basis until the work is completed. If you choose to work with a different company, however, then kudos for doing your research and making an informed decision.
We do, however, recommend that no matter what company you choose to work with, you find someone that is insured, preferably with automobile insurance, general liability insurance, and worker’s compensation coverage. These things will add some cost to your work, but they protect you from liability in the event of an accident.
Whatever your decision, we’re honored that you chose us for an estimate, and appreciate your business no matter its capacity.
Click Here to schedule your free estimate today!
If you do choose to move forward with us, yay! We will get your work scheduled and be in touch with you on a weekly basis until the work is completed. If you choose to work with a different company, however, then kudos for doing your research and making an informed decision.
We do, however, recommend that no matter what company you choose to work with, you find someone that is insured, preferably with automobile insurance, general liability insurance, and worker’s compensation coverage. These things will add some cost to your work, but they protect you from liability in the event of an accident.
Whatever your decision, we’re honored that you chose us for an estimate, and appreciate your business no matter its capacity.
Click Here to schedule your free estimate today!
Author
Emily Casuccio is sister and sister-in-law to Rebekah and Scott Rushing, and has over half a decade of experience in copywriting, copyediting, proofreading, and developmental storyboarding. She's worked with both published and undiscovered authors on both fiction and nonfiction, and takes pride in supporting local businesses. Her passion lies in the written word and helping authors of all capacities realize their dreams and achieve their fullest potential. To learn more about her, read samples of her work, or contact her, visit her online portfolio.
This isn’t Walmart. This isn’t your favorite coffee shop. This is a small business located right in your neighborhood. We shop at the same grocery store as you. We go to your church and our children go to school with your children. Family is just as important to us as it is to you, which is why we went into business for ourselves. While this business requires lots of dedication and hard work, it allows us to spend more uninterrupted time with our children and our family.
When you give us a call, you won’t have to deal with a machine that has you press number after number to reach a customer service representative. You will be calling my personal number, and If you don’t reach me directly, rest assured that my phone is always on me in case my children do something picture worthy (which is all the time). If you reach my voicemail, please leave a detailed message. This isn’t an over-full inbox checked by a bunch of different workers. Your voicemail will be in my personal inbox, right next to the ones from my mother-in-law asking when she can come visit. The minute I see it (which is pretty quick, considering my mother-in-law likes to worry), I’ve flagged it as important and I will follow up as soon as I have a moment without crying children in the background. That could take up to 24 hours because children are unpredictable (and there’s only so much coffee you can drink in a day).
When you schedule an appointment with us, you won’t be meeting with a disgruntled worker. You will be meeting directly with my husband, a Certified Arborist and co-owner of our business. He won’t rush through your conversation trying to get to the next client, because your business is important to us. We take extra time to ensure that we are all on the same page and we’ve answered all of your questions (don’t worry, there’s no way you could ask more questions than our 3-year-old does on a daily basis!). My husband personally arrives at appointments to give estimates, and runs point on almost all of our jobs. Sometimes, appointments require additional time, jobs run longer than expected, or sick children require some attention. Please be patient with us if your appointment is delayed or needs to be rescheduled. We do our absolute best to keep you updated on any conflicts and ensure we get to you in a timely manner.
When you look at your estimate, you won’t see a bunch of legal jargon disguising endless fees. You will see a line-by-line detailed explanation of the work to be done, exactly as it was discussed during the appointment. Each line has an item number correlating to the marked trees on an aerial screenshot of your yard. If you want to remove trees from your estimate, it’s clear and easy to see which line items pertain to that tree and the pricing to go with it. If anything on the estimate seems to be incorrect or you have any questions or concerns, please don’t throw the estimate in the trash! Give us a call and we will be more than happy to review everything with you and even schedule an additional appointment if need be.
When you accept your estimate, you won’t be placed on an endless waiting list. You will be placed on our next available scheduling date, which is usually 4-6 weeks out. Every week I send out an email to keep you informed of where your work is on our calendar. We try to keep in constant contact with our customers so no one is left wondering what is going on. Please don’t ever hesitate to reach out to us if we are not meeting your expectations. As I tell my 3-year-old, I can’t fix it if I don’t know what’s wrong! We will do our best to work around your schedule and complete the work in a timely manner.
When your work is being done, we won’t be secretive about what we are doing. Please feel free to stay and watch or go about your day as usual. We will complete everything as listed in the estimate in a safe and timely manner. When you return home, you will hardly be able to tell that we were there (except for the now missing tree). We strive to “leave it better than we found it” and take care to clean up after ourselves.
When your work is completed, you won’t be left in the dust as we move on to the next client. We are always available for follow up questions or concerns to ensure you are completely satisfied with your job. If you are, we would greatly appreciate it if you would take a moment of your time to leave a review. Small businesses such as ours thrive on word-of-mouth from our satisfied customers. If you are unable to leave a positive review, please let us know! Happy customers are our top priority (after safety, of course) and if we have not succeeded, then please give us a chance to make it right.
At the end of the day, your business means the world to us, and we are so grateful that you chose to support our little family business.
God Bless!
A Mother and Small Business Owner
When you give us a call, you won’t have to deal with a machine that has you press number after number to reach a customer service representative. You will be calling my personal number, and If you don’t reach me directly, rest assured that my phone is always on me in case my children do something picture worthy (which is all the time). If you reach my voicemail, please leave a detailed message. This isn’t an over-full inbox checked by a bunch of different workers. Your voicemail will be in my personal inbox, right next to the ones from my mother-in-law asking when she can come visit. The minute I see it (which is pretty quick, considering my mother-in-law likes to worry), I’ve flagged it as important and I will follow up as soon as I have a moment without crying children in the background. That could take up to 24 hours because children are unpredictable (and there’s only so much coffee you can drink in a day).
When you schedule an appointment with us, you won’t be meeting with a disgruntled worker. You will be meeting directly with my husband, a Certified Arborist and co-owner of our business. He won’t rush through your conversation trying to get to the next client, because your business is important to us. We take extra time to ensure that we are all on the same page and we’ve answered all of your questions (don’t worry, there’s no way you could ask more questions than our 3-year-old does on a daily basis!). My husband personally arrives at appointments to give estimates, and runs point on almost all of our jobs. Sometimes, appointments require additional time, jobs run longer than expected, or sick children require some attention. Please be patient with us if your appointment is delayed or needs to be rescheduled. We do our absolute best to keep you updated on any conflicts and ensure we get to you in a timely manner.
When you look at your estimate, you won’t see a bunch of legal jargon disguising endless fees. You will see a line-by-line detailed explanation of the work to be done, exactly as it was discussed during the appointment. Each line has an item number correlating to the marked trees on an aerial screenshot of your yard. If you want to remove trees from your estimate, it’s clear and easy to see which line items pertain to that tree and the pricing to go with it. If anything on the estimate seems to be incorrect or you have any questions or concerns, please don’t throw the estimate in the trash! Give us a call and we will be more than happy to review everything with you and even schedule an additional appointment if need be.
When you accept your estimate, you won’t be placed on an endless waiting list. You will be placed on our next available scheduling date, which is usually 4-6 weeks out. Every week I send out an email to keep you informed of where your work is on our calendar. We try to keep in constant contact with our customers so no one is left wondering what is going on. Please don’t ever hesitate to reach out to us if we are not meeting your expectations. As I tell my 3-year-old, I can’t fix it if I don’t know what’s wrong! We will do our best to work around your schedule and complete the work in a timely manner.
When your work is being done, we won’t be secretive about what we are doing. Please feel free to stay and watch or go about your day as usual. We will complete everything as listed in the estimate in a safe and timely manner. When you return home, you will hardly be able to tell that we were there (except for the now missing tree). We strive to “leave it better than we found it” and take care to clean up after ourselves.
When your work is completed, you won’t be left in the dust as we move on to the next client. We are always available for follow up questions or concerns to ensure you are completely satisfied with your job. If you are, we would greatly appreciate it if you would take a moment of your time to leave a review. Small businesses such as ours thrive on word-of-mouth from our satisfied customers. If you are unable to leave a positive review, please let us know! Happy customers are our top priority (after safety, of course) and if we have not succeeded, then please give us a chance to make it right.
At the end of the day, your business means the world to us, and we are so grateful that you chose to support our little family business.
God Bless!
A Mother and Small Business Owner
To schedule a free estimate, click here!
Author
Rebekah Rushing is a mother of two under four and the co-owner of Classic City Arborists. When she isn't dealing with snotty noses and dirty diapers, she manages customer service, accounting & finance, marketing & advertising, and human resources. If you have worked with us on a project, then you have undoubtedly spoken with her on the phone at least once! Check out our website, which she designed, or give us a call to speak with her directly.
Editor
Emily Casuccio is sister and sister-in-law to Rebekah and Scott Rushing, and has over half a decade of experience in copywriting, copyediting, proofreading, and developmental storyboarding. She's worked with both published and undiscovered authors on both fiction and nonfiction, and takes pride in supporting local businesses. Her passion lies in the written word and helping authors of all capacities realize their dreams and achieve their fullest potential. To learn more about her, read samples of her work, or contact her, visit her online portfolio.
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23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,
24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
Colossians 3:23-24
24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
Colossians 3:23-24