Question

owner of a landscaping business has noticed that none of his competitors are including ponds or other water features in the gardens they do. the landscaper wants to determine the viability of this business opportunity.
what should this entrepreneur do first before offering to design and build water features as part of his landscaping business?

contact the water department to see if they can support the extra demand for water.
determine if there is a supply chain available.
perform a financial audit to determine if there is enough money available to add the new service.
ask the customers in the area if they are interested in adding a water feature to their gardens.

Explanation:

To determine the viability of a new business service (water features in landscaping), the first step should be to assess customer demand. Asking customers if they are interested in water features directly gauges market interest, which is foundational before checking supply - chain, financial, or water department support. Other options like supply chain or financial audit are secondary to knowing if there’s a market, and contacting the water department is also less critical initially compared to customer interest.

Answer:

Ask the customers in the area if they are interested in adding a water feature to their gardens.