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Posted:  25 Mar 2011 06:12
Registered User Currently Offline Join Date: Mar 2011	Posts:  35 Reputation:  4294967295 User Rank: 1 - Seedling
One thing that has bothered me for a REALLY long time is the title that was chosen for us by many in the industry. 'Scaper. It's the most non-professional word I can think of to call ourselves. I propose that staring today we start calling ourselves what we really are....Interior Plantscapers!!Put yourself in your clients position...who would you hire a 'Scaper or an Interior Plantscaper??? Think about it!

Posted:  25 Mar 2011 16:18
Registered User Currently Offline Join Date: Jan 2011	Posts:  798 Reputation:  43 User Rank: 10 - Blossom
Actually, the term "interior plantscaper" isn't really much more professional than the contracted form, "'scaper".  The correct term for what we are is "interior landscapers", or "interiorscapers" for short. The term "'scaper" is an informal nickname we use among our little industry group as a shortened form of the longer terms.  Don't get in a twist about it...I don't know anyone who uses the word "'scaper" with clients or architects and designers. Clem

Posted:  25 Mar 2011 20:04
Registered User Currently Offline Join Date: Jan 2011	Posts:  106 Reputation:  4 User Rank: 3 - Plant
please explain how "interior plantscaper" is less professional than "interior landscaper" or "interiorscaper"

Posted:  25 Mar 2011 20:37
Registered User Currently Offline Join Date: Mar 2011	Posts:  35 Reputation:  4294967295 User Rank: 1 - Seedling
Clem, I knew that you would have a reply to this as you always seem to 'know everything'. As far as being professional even amonst ourselves, we should be calling ourselves what we really are ...NOT A SHORTENED VERSION. Interior Plantscaper, Interior Landscaper, Interiorscaper are much more professional sounding then 'Scaper. As an Industry we need to settle on one name so that we are recognized for who we are. By the way, Clem when was the last time you went to a ('scaper) Interiorscape Conference to learn whats going on or new in the industry???

Posted:  25 Mar 2011 21:36
Registered User Currently Offline Join Date: Jan 2011	Posts:  2 Reputation:  2 User Rank: 1 - Seedling
Kentia, Why do you go by Kentia and not Howeia Fosteriana?

Posted:  25 Mar 2011 22:11
Registered User Currently Offline Join Date: Mar 2011	Posts:  35 Reputation:  4294967295 User Rank: 1 - Seedling
Because I like the name Kentia better...thats all.

Posted:  25 Mar 2011 22:48   Last Edited By: Julie Blymire
Registered User Currently Offline Join Date: Jan 2011	Posts:  102 Reputation:  5 User Rank: 3 - Plant
Based on that logic, you are less professional.  It seems like an unimportant point, if you are secure in who you are.  I tell my customers, "You can call me whatever is comfortable for you...as long as you call me!"

Posted:  26 Mar 2011 03:44
Registered User Currently Offline Join Date: Jan 2011	Posts:  798 Reputation:  43 User Rank: 10 - Blossom
I went to TPIE a couple of times, as recently as a couple of years ago, to speak and to attend the educational programs there, and I have all of my Mid-Atlantic binders (ten or so of them) lined up on the shelf behind my desk for easy reference.  I wasn't aware that my "street cred" depended on going to conferences three or four times a year every year (unfortunately, many of them are held at times that conflict with our other businesses, and money talks).  If that were the case, 90% or so of us would be "disbarred", I'm guessing. I don't recall who said it (I think it was at one of the Mid-Atlantic Conferences), but "plantscaper" is not an appropriate title for our job description; "interior landscaper" is the preferred proper title.  A landscape implicitly CONTAINS plants, so "plantscape" would be redundant.  "Interior landscape" modifies the sense of the word "landscape" to narrow the focus to the indoor landscape. I don't know it all, but I do know how to figure out what I don't know...I have lots of learned friends in many fields and a computer with internet access.  Enjoy. Clem

Posted:  28 Mar 2011 14:54   Last Edited By: Julie Blymire
Registered User Currently Offline Join Date: Jan 2011	Posts:  102 Reputation:  5 User Rank: 3 - Plant
Having attended a fair amount of conferences and interior plantscaping seminars in my life, I want to make one observation.  Although I see many of our "leaders" at the conferences, I also see many duck out of the educational sessions.  Sometimes, it's just part of the sessions, perhaps to take a phone call, but they usually don't reappear later in the session.  Sometimes they are a "no-show" entirely from them.  But count on the fact that they'll be there for the social parts...where they will be seen.  I guess they already know it all...yea, right.  Throwing stones won't get you anywhere.  Mere physical presence is no guarantee of a gain in knowledge.  Participation is the key.  Isn't that what this forum is all about? Julie

Posted:  28 Mar 2011 22:18   Last Edited By: Clem
Registered User Currently Offline Join Date: Jan 2011	Posts:  798 Reputation:  43 User Rank: 10 - Blossom
And don't forget, this isn't 1978...we have almost instant access to much more comprehensive info online that can be provided at any event (especially since many conferences have multiple educational "tracks" running concurrently, forcing you to choose to attend some seminars at the expense of missing others).  The conferences are nice opportunities for meeting otherwise faceless colleagues or suppliers in person, but otherwise they are kind of wasteful in many respects...you waste time and money getting there and back and staying there, not to mention lost time from your business, and "green" they are not...just tally up the jet fuel required to muster an interiorscape trade show's attendees and exhibitors and all their junk, and you've got quite a "carbon footprint" to try to neutralize, lest you be considered a "green hypocrite"! I think we can all agree that it's a nice vacation in January to travel from colder climes to sunny Florida, or to California or Las Vegas for the west coast shows, but not a whole lot of real business gets done there, and the ideas you might gather could be gathered just as easily without leaving the comforts of home.  Clem

Posted:  29 Mar 2011 01:57
Registered User Currently Offline Join Date: Mar 2011	Posts:  35 Reputation:  4294967295 User Rank: 1 - Seedling
Exhibitors and all their junk ??? Poor choice of words...once again.

Posted:  29 Mar 2011 04:21
Registered User Currently Offline Join Date: Jan 2011	Posts:  798 Reputation:  43 User Rank: 10 - Blossom
"Junk" = colloquialism for "stuff".  We're among friends here, aren't we?  No need to be so formal and judgmental... Clem

Posted:  29 Mar 2011 04:27
Registered User Currently Offline Join Date: Jan 2011	Posts:  106 Reputation:  4 User Rank: 3 - Plant
you wouldn't know the amount of business that gets done at the industry conferences now would you so how can you insinuate that they are a waste of time and make the attendees "green hypocrites" get your a** out there and help support the associations that suppport your industry and guide your business we know its not 1978 for goodness sake

Posted:  29 Mar 2011 05:18
Registered User Currently Offline Join Date: Jan 2011	Posts:  14 Reputation:  1 User Rank: 1 - Seedling
The title of this thread is called "Being Professional".  Unfortunately, it has turned into something else.  I found this great link about Being Professional http://www.wordconstructions.com/articles/bus ... I thought the first point in Respect for Others was well stated on the web page. This conversation has turned ugly and un-professional-defeats the whole "Being Professional" thread. One person is trying to defend who he is, and his wealth of knowledge, against two who want to be "professional". Oh, I like to be called a Horticulturist since I take care of plants and tend to there care.  I also have a degree in Horticulture and believe we are in a Horticulture field in general.  I don't need labels.  Like Julie said, call me anything you want just please call me! jmho

Posted:  29 Mar 2011 16:18
Registered User Currently Offline Join Date: Mar 2011	Posts:  1 Reputation: Unranked User Rank: 1 - Seedling
Sorry to butt in... long time lurker, first time poster. I can honestly see both sides of the fence on the official job/industry title. The truth of the matter is that we tend to encompass many different tasks & jobs which can make it difficult to pin a name on what we do. We recently did a reboot of our company image and even brought in some specialists who sent out little surveys to our accounts and similar folks. We found that our clients identified our services with the term "Scaper" and the older accounts actually already referred to their regular techs as "Scaper Tim" or "Scaper Avi" and I have no idea how that even started. I was personally never too crazy for the term itself, as it is very vague and seems more like a tongue-and-cheek term. But, that same vagueness does give us wiggle room in the services and products we can present as add-ons and side items. After everything is said and done, I feel that whatever you call yourself doesn't really matter... it's the image you project and the level of service you offer your accounts that does. Vince

Posted:  29 Mar 2011 16:42
Registered User Currently Offline Join Date: Jan 2011	Posts:  102 Reputation:  5 User Rank: 3 - Plant
Interestingly, I am regularly walking a thin line between using the professional terms that I normally use with my staff and simplifying terms with my clients.  I am in an agricultural area and, try as I might, I sometimes come off as pretentious.  I always start with the Latin terms, then translate to the common name for any client who appears embarrassed that he/she does not understand. The key is to be confident, not arrogant...not always easy to do.  Sometimes I succeed, sometimes I fail.  The issue is that I have the knowledge in my bag of tricks and use it when appropriate.  No hard and fast rules on when.  That's what sales is all about...judgement calls. Julie

Posted:  29 Mar 2011 17:45
Registered User Currently Offline Join Date: Jan 2011	Posts:  798 Reputation:  43 User Rank: 10 - Blossom
No worries, guys...been there, done that on the old forum.  The anonymity breeds "beer muscles".  Nobody has to like or agree with anyone here, as long as the discussions are civil.  Rave on. Clem

Posted:  02 Apr 2011 06:54
Registered User Currently Offline Join Date: Jan 2011	Posts:  6 Reputation:  4 User Rank: 1 - Seedling
I am a Professional Horticulturist. And that name came from a long ago Interiorscape Magazine article! And to the untrained eye a Kentia looks just like a Lowes $7.50 Majestic Palm.

Posted:  04 Apr 2011 05:21
Registered User Currently Offline Join Date: Mar 2011	Posts:  35 Reputation:  4294967295 User Rank: 1 - Seedling
Amazing how the original post was about trying to be professional sounding and it has turned into a nasty, negative forum. We as an industry are here to educate our clients as well as take care of their plants. So the name 'scaper came from the old interiorscape magazine and we all know what happened to that publication because of the negativity that was being written. So Diane as a professional horticulturist it is your job as well as all of our jobs to educate Joe Consumer about the different varieties of plants. I'm guessing by your post about 'to the untrainedeye a Kentia looks like a Lowes $7.50 Majestic Palm' was intended to be a negative comment thrown towards my screen name. Oh well...negativity isn't what this industry needs or wants and I don't think this forum does either.

Posted:  04 Apr 2011 15:11
Registered User Currently Offline Join Date: Jan 2011	Posts:  798 Reputation:  43 User Rank: 10 - Blossom
"Clem, I knew that you would have a reply to this as you always seem to 'know everything'." Yep, there was the first negative statement, K. Clem

Posted:  04 Apr 2011 16:40
Registered User Currently Offline Join Date: Jan 2011	Posts:  102 Reputation:  5 User Rank: 3 - Plant
Good one, Clem. Julie

Posted:  05 Apr 2011 01:34
Registered User Currently Offline Join Date: Mar 2011	Posts:  35 Reputation:  4294967295 User Rank: 1 - Seedling
enough already

Posted:  05 Apr 2011 03:00
Registered User Currently Offline Join Date: Jan 2011	Posts:  798 Reputation:  43 User Rank: 10 - Blossom
I'm curious, K...you seem to be affiliated with PLANET's seminars from the postings you've made advertising them in detail here.  Care to step out from behind the curtain and reveal your true identity to the community?  Clem

Posted:  05 Apr 2011 05:32
Registered User Currently Offline Join Date: Jan 2011	Posts:  106 Reputation:  4 User Rank: 3 - Plant
i seriously doubt k will come out of the closet and reveal her true identity. why would she after all, that would take all of the fun out of this community. i sure as hell aren't tellin who is is

Posted:  05 Apr 2011 05:35
Registered User Currently Offline Join Date: Jan 2011	Posts:  106 Reputation:  4 User Rank: 3 - Plant
who "I" is i mean. lol

Posted:  05 Apr 2011 16:06
Registered User Currently Offline Join Date: Jan 2011	Posts:  798 Reputation:  43 User Rank: 10 - Blossom
"Fun" is good, but K says he/she is all about "professionalism".  It's not very professional to bash people under an alias.  That's what caused all the trouble on the old forum, remember? Clem

Posted:  07 Apr 2011 21:59
Registered User Currently Offline Join Date: Mar 2011	Posts:  35 Reputation:  4294967295 User Rank: 1 - Seedling
Be at the Symposium and you could find out.

Posted:  08 Apr 2011 00:23
Registered User Currently Offline Join Date: Jan 2011	Posts:  102 Reputation:  5 User Rank: 3 - Plant
I'm going to the Symposium and even I'M getting annoyed with the constant free advertising that continues to go on with this issue here.  Enough, already.  You're taking advantage of this forum now. Julie

Posted:  08 Apr 2011 01:38
Registered User Currently Offline Join Date: Jan 2011	Posts:  106 Reputation:  4 User Rank: 3 - Plant
personally, i don't see anything wrong with promoting industry events on this or the other forum. it's not like she's promoting a product for personal profit.

Posted:  08 Apr 2011 13:12
Administrator Currently Offline Join Date: Oct 2006	Posts:  23 Reputation:  74 User Rank: 1 - Seedling
We would like to make something very clear on this new forum.  It is not a sin to post or advertise on this site for events, products, or services, as long as it relates to the industry.  The old forum rules of no advertising on the forum were needed to motivate companies to advertise with the magazine. Comments, product announcements, product enhancements, and constructive criticism of products and services are also part of the industry and are welcome and encouraged on this site.

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