The Unintended Benefits of Using UpGage – The Employee Side
In our last post, we explored the surprising benefits of UpGage from the customer perspective (check it out here). Highlights included increased customer engagement, improved Google reviews, and better route density. But let’s face it—happy employees lead to happy customers. When we prioritize our teams, the ripple effect is undeniable.
So, let’s talk about the real magic: the employee benefits of UpGage.
Unintended Benefit #5: Increased Job Satisfaction
When UpGage was deployed, we expected the extra earning potential to be the biggest motivator for our Techs—and for some, it was. But we discovered something even more impactful: job satisfaction skyrocketed.
With UpGage, Techs didn’t just service a lawn and move on. They got the chance to educate customers, show off their expertise, and connect with the people behind the properties. This shift was huge. Attitudes improved almost instantly as they saw the impact of their work beyond just the lawn itself.
Case Study:
One standout example is a Tech who was already a high performer but had a sour attitude. While he was motivated by money (he increased his pay by over 4% annually through UpGage!), something changed when he started using the platform. He began engaging more—sharing customer issues, creating detailed job notes, and even helping others improve their upselling game.
What started as a quest for extra income turned into a sense of pride and purpose. His mood shifted, and he became a top performer across all metrics: production, reviews, upsells, and team mentoring. Despite multiple higher-paying offers, he’s stayed because, in his words, “I have a better deal here.”
Unintended Benefit #6: Higher Employee Retention
Retaining great employees is a challenge in any industry, but UpGage made it easier. By fostering engagement and helping Techs feel valued, we saw a significant boost in retention. The platform created a culture where employees felt appreciated—not just with money, but with recognition and purpose.
Unintended Benefit #7: Better Management Skills
Managing employees can be tricky, especially in smaller companies where formal training isn’t always a given. UpGage made it easier to understand what motivates each team member:
The Competitor: These employees thrive on challenges. With UpGage’s leaderboard and stats, they push to outperform peers, soaking up training to hit their goals and maximize earnings.
The Recognition-Seeker: These employees don’t love competition but crave acknowledgment. By spotlighting their achievements in team meetings, like upsells or creative solutions, we’ve kept them engaged and performing at a high level.
For managers still learning the ropes, this kind of insight is priceless. It’s a shortcut to understanding your team and building trust.
Unintended Benefit #8: Streamlined Incentive Programs
Most incentive programs fail because they’re too complicated to track or manage—especially during the busy season. But with UpGage, everything is centralized. Employees can see their performance and rewards in real-time, and management barely lifts a finger to track it.
Here’s what worked for us:
Google Review Bonus: $25 for every 5-star review mentioning the Tech’s name, plus a $100 bonus for the first to hit 10 reviews each season. In two years, we added 91 rave reviews—compared to 132 over the previous two years!
Leave-Behind Contest: Employees post photos of creative leave-behinds in our company Facebook group, and we reward the best ones.
Tidy Truck Challenge: The cleanest truck each week wins a cash prize in UpGage.
Funniest Post Contest: A lighthearted way to build camaraderie while promoting engagement.
You can create incentives for anything—upsells, referrals, production—and UpGage tracks it all in one place.
Unintended Benefit #9: Improved Technician Management
Employee reviews can be tough for small companies, but UpGage makes it easier. By tracking metrics like upsells, reviews, and customer interactions, we can quickly spot underperforming employees.
For example, if a Tech has low upsells and fewer customer reviews, we know they aren’t engaging with clients. This gives managers the tools to coach or address issues before they snowball. On the flip side, it also highlights top performers who deserve recognition or promotion.
Why It Matters
In today’s tight labor market, retaining and growing your team is more critical than ever. UpGage has not only improved our employees’ experience but also helped me grow as a leader. By focusing on our team’s satisfaction and development, we’ve created a company culture that’s hard to beat.
What’s Next?
Stay tuned for our final post, where we’ll “land the plane” and bring all these lessons together.
In the meantime, what’s your biggest challenge? Let’s chat! Schedule a call with me here. No sales pitch—just a conversation. Looking forward to hearing from you!
About the author:
Chris Imlach is a Co-Founder of UpGage and 20 year Green Industry veteran. After spending 18 years as a full service landscapers Chris and his team has streamlined the business to be fertilization only under their Green Sphere brand. Chris' goal with developing UpGage is to short cut other owners journeys to success, help them go faster, make more money while developing a kick ass company culture!
