Maintaining customer satisfaction is a crucial aspect of any business, but it’s even more important for tree service companies that have earned the prestigious Diamond Certified award. For La Selva Tree Service, achieving and maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction is dependent on building long-term relationships with its clientele and working hard to fulfill their needs before, during and after their tree projects. “We get to know our customers so we can understand and accomplish their long-term goals,” says CEO Frisco Ragsac. “We don’t just do the job and take off–we’re with our customers for the long haul.”

La Selva Tree Service has been providing tree care services for residential and commercial clients throughout the Greater Bay Area since 1995. In addition to handling regular tree work like removal, pruning, stump grinding, and cabling and bracing, the company offers several specialty services (poison oak removal, weed clearing, firewood preparation and more) and is available for 24-hour emergency work.

Unlike larger tree service companies that take a generic approach to interacting with customers in order to maximize their workload volume, La Selva Tree Service utilizes its small size and family-owned status to provide hands-on, personalized service for every client. “It’s important for us to keep our word and follow through with our promises,” says Mr. Ragsac. “By addressing the individual needs of each customer, we can ensure they benefit from the overall experience.”

Another distinguishing feature of La Selva Tree Service is its highly trained and experienced employees, all of whom have been with the company for at least three years and participate in an active training program to stay up-to-date on industry advancements. “Before each job, I walk through the property with the entire crew, not just the foreman, so everyone knows what needs to be done,” adds Mr. Ragsac. “We look at each tree we’re going to be working on, discuss exactly how we’re going to care for it and go from there.”

When planting a new tree, consider selection and placement above all. Before deciding which type of tree to plant in your yard, there are numerous factors to consider. Why are you planting the tree to begin with? What purpose will it serve? How much space do you have at the location? Is your soil capable of supporting mature tree growth? Do you have a maintenance plan in order? By answering these questions before making a final decision, you can ensure you choose the right tree for your specific situation.
Function
Different trees have different functions, so decide what you want from a tree before planting it. Deciduous shade trees that lose their leaves in the fall provide cooling relief in the summer. Ornamental trees display aesthetically pleasing leaves, flowers or fruit. Street trees not only improve the overall appearance of a house or neighborhood, they also decrease pavement glare, reduce run-off and produce extra oxygen.
Soil conditions
The soil in urban areas and new subdivisions is often shallow, compressed and subject to drought, so most trees that are planted in these conditions will suffer without additional care. Have a professional arborist take soil samples from your yard and test for salinity, texture, fertility and pH balance. Use the results of these tests to determine the type of tree that’s best suited for your property.
Exposure
The amount of available sunlight on your property should also affect the type of tree you choose to plant. Most woody plants require full sunlight to properly grow and flower, but some do well in light shade and dense shade as well. Consider wind exposure, too—wind can dry out soil, damage tree crowns, and uproot trees that have been recently planted. If your property gets a lot of wind, you may need to stake a new tree to give it the best chance at survival, but always make sure to remove the stakes and wire before the tree grows around them. “If your tree has already grown around the wire, you should leave it in to prevent further damage, but it’s better if the wire isn’t there at all,” says Frisco Ragsac, owner of La Selva Tree Service in Aptos.
When it comes to pruning trees in the Bay Area, there’s no particular season that’s best—the weather is mild enough that it can usually be done any time of year. The exception is fruit trees, which should usually be pruned in the fall or winter, before they blossom in the spring. “There are some exceptions, like orange trees, which bear fruit twice a year,” adds Mr. Ragsac. “A tree specialist can advise you on the best time to prune your particular tree.”

Q: How much will my project cost?

A: It depends on the scope of the work, but we’ll give you a detailed estimate that’s broken down into half-day increments before we start. That way, you can choose to stage the project over time if necessary.

Q: Who will supervise my project?

A: We’re a family-owned and operated business, so one of the owners will be onsite at the beginning and end of each job, and usually several times while the job is underway. In between, one of our experienced foremen will supervise the crew.

Q: If it rains, will you still come out as scheduled?

A: Yes, we work in the rain. The only weather that hinders us is high winds—if it’s too windy, we can’t climb.

Q: Do you offer emergency services?

A: Yes, you can call us any time if it’s an emergency. We can deploy our crews very quickly to address the situation, and we can also help with damage reports if you need them for insurance purposes.

Q: Is there any way to stop the tree in my yard from dripping sap on my car?

A: Not really. That’s a natural process—when a tree is growing, it needs all the moisture it can get in order to expand, and sometimes there’s too much and it makes the tree expel sap. The best way to avoid this is to simply not park underneath a tree that’s known to drip. Generally, conifers are the only trees that drip sap, so you can also consider planting a different type of tree in that area.