As reported by The Dallas Morning News, Justin Crandall and partner Bart Lomont co-founded Robin, which was initially conceptualized as a service that would streamline the tedious task of finding someone to cut your grass. But the on-demand mowing niche has quickly become rather crowded with other providers such as TaskEasy and LawnStarter. Crandall and Lomont are now adding their own unique twist to the business model: a robotic mower for homeowners willing to pay a higher price for the fresh-cut look a robotic, 24/7 mower delivers.
The company had installed 36 robotic, electric lawnmowers by the end of March, and now plans to install about 50 per month.
Robin offers online payment for customers and coordinates efficient routes and steady schedules for lawn crews. Customers can schedule regular lawn care and tack on extra services like pulling weeds, trimming trees or stringing up Christmas lights. Robin takes care of about 6,000 lawns in Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, Houston, Miami, Tampa and Atlanta, Crandall said. It's grown to a staff of 12 people and recently moved into its own office in the Farmers Market neighborhood of Dallas. Regular lawn care costs an average of $33, but depends on the size of the yard, Crandall said.
As Robin expanded to more Dallas neighborhoods and to other cities, Crandall searched for a landscaping idea that could capture people's imaginations. The robotic lawnmower appears to be it.
Robin buys the mowers from manufacturers like Positec, Husqvarna and Robomow, who customize them for Robin.
Lawn care by a robotic mower starts at $99 per month and goes up to $199 per month for a package that includes mowing, twice-a-month edging, weeding and shrub trimming. Customers pay $99 or $199 for installation, depending on whether they sign up for one season or a month-to-month plan.
During the pilots, half of the 12 mowers got stolen, Crandall said. They recovered three of the mowers, thanks to the help of Dallas police, and they've added a GPS tracker and a bright yellow sticker, warning potential thieves that they'll face prosecution. Mowers do not work when taken off site. Robin also had to come up with a way around another common U.S. obstacle. They filed a patent for a small, inexpensive door that allows a robotic mower to pass through a fence to the front or backyard, without letting the dog out.
