I mean that in more than one way. One part, avoid the pole tools. The other part throw lines for helping reduce risk when working with pole tools.
I hang small trees off other trees without leaving the ground sometimes. Similarly, I rig tree parts off the same tree with setting the rigging (natural crotch/ tube friction saver, or ring and ring friction saver) from the ground. Rigging can do wonders over free-dropping, especially when pole tools often put you in the drop zone.
Sometimes you have to make a tree smaller from the ground with a pole saw/ tool for felling into the dropzone versus hanging it whole
To use a rope with a pole tool, setting a rigging point/ crotch, and running-bowline or other choking-knot/ biner termination on your rigging line, from the ground is sometimes better then cutting unsecured limbs overhead, with an unwieldy tool, where you have to do some awkward moves and dodge stuff, when you're at your max reach.
One or multiple guy lines and/ or pull lines can make a whole tree felling possible where the tree's hinge-fibers alone wouldn't work, such as a hard side-lean with poor hinge conditions. Can avoid pole saw work to try to shrink or lighten the tree.
That one terrible tree (maybe in the backyard) that your were bidding, that was down to the punky trunk, no fine branches, might just be broken off with a rope set from the ground, rather than cut (partially or fully).
If a dead tree almost fits a dropzone for felling, you might be able to break the top out if you can get a rigging line in it. This is out of the reach of a pole saw.
I've use a Bigshot to pull many dead fir limbs at an easy 80'+. Lowest limbs in the canopy, shaded out and dead. Mitigated the risk of them falling. Broken stubs were left where there are lots of other dead, broken stubs, on forest trees. I was not under the limbs when pulling. Sometimes this will take off the dead limb, leaving a stub to prune.
Storm work, staying away from dangerous places by remotely setting a rope, helps.
P.S. the "hook" is not only a hook, but a pushing tool, and a way to help set a rope above you, without a throwline.
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http://www.treestuff.com/store/catalog.asp?item=1204
Use gravity when you can. Fight gravity effectively, using many tools in your toolbox when you can't.