Communication, Documentation, and Customer Relations
The Communication, Documentation, and Customer Relations domain tests the business side of horticulture: written scopes, change orders, daily records, invoicing, warranties and the conversations that prevent disputes. Exam questions often present a realistic client situation and ask what a professional should have done in writing, and when.
Contracts and scope
- A proper agreement states scope of work, exclusions, drawings and specifications referenced, price, payment schedule, start and completion dates, warranty terms, and the change-order procedure.
- An estimate is not a fixed quote unless it says so; state validity period, taxes, and what is excluded (rock excavation, utility relocation, permit fees).
- Pre-existing site conditions should be photographed and described before work starts; this is the single best defence against a damage claim.
Change orders
- Any addition, deletion or substitution gets a written change order showing labour, materials, schedule impact and price, signed before the work proceeds.
- Verbal instructions should be confirmed by email the same day, then formalized.
Records
- Keep a daily log: weather, crew and hours, equipment on site, deliveries, visitors, instructions received, delays and incidents.
- Retain progress photos, plant lists, as-built notes, pesticide application records, delivery tickets, and permits.
- Clients and general contractors often request proof of insurance and workers' compensation clearance; provincial lien and holdback rules govern payment timing.
Client relations
- Use active listening and plain language, explain maintenance needs and realistic establishment timelines, and set expectations about plant availability and seasonal timing.
- Handle complaints promptly and in writing; escalate rather than argue on site.
- Close out with a walkthrough, warranty document and care instructions.
Worked example
Mid-project the client asks for two extra shrubs and a second patio light "while the crew is here". The professional response is to document the request, price the labour, materials and schedule effect in a signed change order, and order nothing until it is approved. Installing first creates either unbilled work or a dispute.
Traps that cost marks
Relying on a verbal change; quoting without exclusions or expiry; failing to record pre-existing damage; promising plant sizes or dates the supplier cannot meet.