The busy season is wrapped up for most PROs. The county fairs have run their course. The music festivals have died down. Even the last of the fall brides have walked down the aisle.
The summer was so busy; you probably look back and wonder how you accomplished as much as you did. You recall how the team pulled together to deliver, service and remove restrooms from the biggest job of the year. You marshaled a good-sized crew of regular staff, family, friends and high school summer workers to complete a job well done. You did a lot last summer, hopefully more in the way of billings and revenue than any year prior.
But as you look back, you always say to yourself, "I could have done more." No matter how many goals you met, you think you could have done better. For small business owners coming off the busiest period of work during the year, there are always regrets. I could tell you to forget those nagging, unresolved questions. I could tell you to focus only on the accomplishments. But I know missed opportunities are always going to be top-of-mind as you head into the winter and it's time to make plans for next year.
Let's look at a couple of those missed opportunities and how you might overcome them in the future.
Returning that last call.
Do you recall that busy stretch in August where you didn't have time to answer the phone and let calls go to voicemail? It was easy to justify ignoring a few phone calls when you were stretched to the limit, but you also realize you probably left some money on the table by not answering every one.
Can you designate a helper to make sure every request is handled, even during your busiest weeks of the year? If you add frontline help to clean restrooms when all hands are on deck, you should do the same with office help or an assistant in the field who is authorized to answer the main phone and learn to sell your services.
Having an assistant who is empowered to negotiate contracts and say yes to customers is a luxury that will pay for itself over and over again. It's a mistake to set up a small business so that yours is the final word in any transaction. How many prospective customers will take their business elsewhere immediately rather than wait for a callback from you confirming a contract? In today's fast-paced world, the answer would be "most of them."
Marketing in the midst of chaos.
During the summer, you seemingly have as much work as you can handle, but you need to keep thinking of the future and spending time looking for business to fill out your fall and winter months. And even though you just finished up with that big music festival, the event planners may already be looking at how they can handle the event better next year.
It's easy to tell yourself you don't have time between Memorial Day and Labor Day to consider website updates, the money to spend on advertising or the help to plan and execute mailings to new customers. But a company that strives to grow year to year can't ignore three-months-worth of a marketing plan.
If it means staying a half-hour late every night or coming in a half-hour early every morning to maintain a year-round marketing presence, that's a sacrifice you should consider making every summer. If you can't do that, or marketing isn't your strong suit, consider hiring an agency or independent marketer to put in the time necessary for a four-season sales effort. If the work is out there to be had and competitors are fighting for every local job, you can't take your foot off the marketing pedal.
Having enough help.
When you look back at the summer, was there ever a time where you said to yourself, "I could have nailed more jobs if I only had more workers?" Apart from landing more work, were you so busy that some jobs just didn't get done to your standard of service because you were short-handed? You need to recognize those times and do something about it.
First off, you should never be turning work away. Half the job of building revenue – maybe more than half – is finding the customer to buy your service. Once you find a customer, you need to land them and satisfy them. Every time. That means recruiting plenty of good workers.
Next spring, build your recruiting efforts, to both add more workers and add better workers. Meet with your local high school counselors to find good kids who might be happy even to take on three or four weeks worth of work on standby. The economic woes have really hurt summer job prospects for young people, as more adults are willing to take modest service jobs. Students are hungry to earn a few dollars. Turn that desire into a ready workforce for your company.
Likewise, some proven adult workers have been more likely to take on seasonal work in recent years. And retirees, with time on their hands and shrinking 401(k) accounts, are also more willing to work a few days or a few weeks – even on weekends. Tap into every available avenue for seasonal part-time help next year.
Keeping equipment in tip-top shape.
Work trucks are typically your biggest capital investment. And often, they are your most important marketing tools. Did you keep them up to maintain their resale value as well as you expected over the past several months? And did you fully utilize them as rolling billboards for your business?
You want a clean machine for many reasons. First and foremost, a washed truck shows customers you're a professional. It's also an indicator that your driver cares about cleanliness – and this translates into how you service a restroom. And lastly, when they're clean, they'll smell fresher. Another big bonus.
To accomplish those goals, make it easier for your crews to keep the trucks clean. Pay the drivers for the extra time to put the truck away clean every night. Give them an added incentive – perhaps a bonus – to wash the trucks regularly and vacuum out the interior. Set up a wash station for your vehicles in your yard. Add a concrete pad and a power washer and stock cleaning supplies to make the job easier.
As for the rolling billboards, take a good look at your trucks this fall. Are the graphics getting a little outdated or ragged around the edges? Is all the modern contact information for your business front and center in your graphics? What about your website address, social media information, and a positive, professional slogan or message? Is it time for an update in any of these areas? If so, the winter is a perfect time to get it done.
Taking time off with the family.
As the farmers say, you have to make hay while the sun shines. For PROs, that means you're all putting in extra hours summer into fall. So many you probably don't want to count them. But even in the midst of your busy season, it's important to make time for the family. After all, their need for your attention isn't seasonal like your business.
If having one night a week for a family picnic or a long weekend at the lake requires delegating more authority than you're used to, do it. Give your top hand more responsibility and let them grow in the business. Your employee will surely appreciate a vote of confidence and your family will be happy to see you a little more often next summer.
