From Skeptic to Advocate: How Independent Tree Service is Able to Do Less and Get Paid Faster with SingleOps Payments
This week, we spotlight the VP of Independent Tree Service, Jordan Upcavage and his business’s journey to adopting SingleOps Payments, saving time on processing, increasing customer satisfaction, and improving cash flow.
In business since 1978, Independent Tree Service of Florida has grown significantly over the years. As the company approached $2M in annual revenue, Jordan realized their manual payment processes were no longer sustainable for meeting some clients’ expectations. The company needed a more efficient solution—enter SingleOps Payments.
The Challenges: Trust, Tradition, and Time
For decades, Independent Tree Service relied on a manual approach to handling payments. Customers sometimes paid in cash but primarily by check or facilitating credit card payments to a terminal in the office over the phone. This process often required multiple steps to complete a single transaction. Voicemails needed to be returned, credit card information was shared verbally, and checks had to be physically collected or mailed to their PO box and processed.
Jordan’s father, who founded the business, was comfortable with this approach, and resistant to adopting online payments. “I don’t want the internet knowing my bank account number,” he would say, expressing the trust concerns common among many business owners who have operated for years without software. At the same time, they had the outlook that if a client didn’t want to do business with Independent Tree because they didn’t accept credit cards online, then it probably wasn’t a good fit for their business.
Jordan, however, saw the mounting inefficiencies. “At scale, the process was becoming overwhelming for the staff,” he recalls. Recognizing the need to try something new, he decided to implement SingleOps Payments while addressing his father’s concerns by creating a separate, dedicated “money-in-only” bank account for processing transactions.
The Solution: SingleOps Payments
With SingleOps Payments integrated into their workflow, Independent Tree Service was able to transform the way they managed payments. The partnership with SingleOps allowed clients to pay online via credit card and ACH through a customer portal. The results were immediate and profound.
“I’ve had a client pay an invoice online within minutes of the invoice being sent. This is so much faster than having to find their checkbook, if they even still have one,” says Jordan. “It has saved us so much administrative time.”
Jordan Upcavage, VP, Independent Tree Care
Jordan embraced the convenience of passing credit card fees onto the customer, listing them as a transparent line item on each invoice. He explains, “Consumers are used to the upcharge of a convenience fee. “The DMV even charges a convenience fee these days!” ACH fees are capped at $10 so a lot of Jordan’s clients choose ACH because it’s still fast, easy, and it’s cheaper than credit card fees.
The Results: Efficiency and Growth
Since adopting SingleOps Payments, Independent Tree Service has seen $60,000 to $150,000 in transactions processed digitally on a monthly basis —revenue that would have required countless hours of manual processes under their old system. Jordan acknowledges that they’ve saved significant time by eliminating unnecessary phone calls, voicemails, trips to the bank and manual data entry.
Getting started cost Independent Tree Service nothing, just a couple of minutes to submit the application and processing was up and running same-day.
“I don’t even remember the signup process—that just tells you how easy it was. I only remember how it’s worked since then, which has been great.”
Jordan Upcavage, VP, Independent Tree Care
Lessons Learned: Trying something with little downside might lead to something great.
For tree care businesses still hesitant to adopt digital payments, Jordan offers practical advice:
“Whether it’s payments or anything in the business, like hiring an employee, just try it and see if it works. It costs you next to nothing to sign up and see if it might help your business. If it works out, great. If it doesn’t, just cancel. Give it three months and make up your mind. There’s no risk involved—you’re still getting paid either way.”
Jordan Upcavage, VP, Independent Tree Care
Today, Independent Tree Service enjoys the benefits of getting paid with zero manual tasks, improved customer satisfaction for those who prefer to pay with card or bank transfers, and zero trust concerns. The integration of SingleOps Payments has not only reduced inefficiencies but also strengthened Independent Tree Services’ ability to take on more business.
The Independent Tree Service family management team! (Jordan, Christi, and their father Jerry).