If you’re like many PROs, your busy season is starting to wind down about now. The week after Labor Day signals the end of hard labor for many on your summer crews.
Construction might still be going gangbusters as builders race to complete houses and commercial work before bad weather sets in. But in many areas, special events are already starting to wane, and by the end of the month most of your big jobs will be in the books.
First there will be a sigh of relief. Then the temptation to sleep in a little later or knock off a little earlier a few days a week as the calls slow down. You want to reward yourself for your hard work this summer by kicking your feet up on the desk and hoisting a few malt beverages.
Go ahead, you deserve it. There’s nothing wrong with celebrating another successful summer in the portable sanitation business. Congratulations on a job well done.
After all the high-fives around the office and the afternoon of recalling all the fun stories and misadventures of working the big summer festivals, it’s time to get serious for a moment. I have a bit of advice for you. Fight that urge to throttle back at work and put your pedal to the metal again for a few months.
There are some small business dangers associated with moving from busy season to slow season, common mistakes you could make or may have made in the past this time of year as service routes – along with the days – get shorter. Here are five mistakes of complacency that can have a negative impact on the future of your business … and tips on how to avoid them this fall.
Letting vehicle or inventory maintenance slide
After a long season of running routes, your inclination might be to pull an idled truck into the garage and let it sit until you tune it up in the spring. Your rig is dirty, there’s a few dings in the doors and a chip in the windshield. No harm in fixing it later, right?
Wrong. Take care of the nagging mechanical and cosmetic issues while they’re fresh in your mind. You don’t want to let old motor oil sit in your truck, contaminating parts and inviting moisture to linger in your engine. Change it. Make an appointment with the body shop to fix bumps and bruises and detail your rig now to avoid the rush next spring. Repair broken restrooms when they come back to the yard for the winter; you might forget or not have the time to do it next spring.
Laying off a difference-making employee
It’s easy to say “See you next year,’’ to seasonal employees. They’ve served you well and you can’t think of anything right now that they can do for you. So it’s cool, right?
Wrong. If one of your part-time or seasonal workers really shined this year, consider keeping him or her on over the winter. An enthusiastic and hardworking employee can be difficult to find, so why take the chance of losing them? Perhaps that great worker could accomplish many tasks for you over the winter. For instance, thoroughly cleaning your inventory, replacing wear parts on restrooms, organizing the shop and warehouse, making minor repairs to equipment, doing some marketing work. This person could turn into your main helper, and stick around next summer when you need them the most.
Losing track of your best customers
Your customers love you. They’re loyal and the competition won’t go after their business for next summer anyway, right?
Wrong. You should assume every PRO in the surrounding counties will approach your bigger special-event customers. So it’s time to develop a customer retention program right now. Call your top 10 summer customers this fall and plan a meeting where you can review the service you provided. Offer them discounts or spiffs like free additional hand-wash stations if they lock into a contract for next year’s event right now. Think about holiday gifts you can present to valued customers this winter as a way to keep your business top of mind even in the slow times.
Putting off running an inventory and organizing consumables
Hey, you won’t need to stock the warehouse anytime soon. You might as well lock the door to the backroom, turn down the furnace and come back later, right?
Wrong. The fall is a great time to run a complete inventory of consumable items like deodorants, cleaning supplies, paper products and replacement parts for your restrooms – like door springs and latches, wall panels and sinks. Straighten the storeroom shelves, search the nooks and crannies for forgotten items, make shopping lists for the 2014 Pumper & Cleaner Environmental Expo International. You don’t need to place orders now, but use the calendar in your smartphone to remind you to catch up with suppliers early next year.
Skipping a much-deserved vacation
Ah, you finally have time to catch up with your paperwork. There’s always so much to get done here and you’re the only one who can do it, right?
Wrong. Some people are workaholics who can’t recognize a natural lull in business that would allow them to take some time off to spend with their families. (You know who you are.) Just like you want to set aside time to meet the other goals listed above, you want to make plans to be with your wife, your husband, your kids and parents. They’ve missed you these past several months and they deserve your attention … and maybe to get away somewhere nice for a long weekend or a few weeks. And then plan another relaxing visit to Indianapolis next Feb. 24-27 for the Pumper & Cleaner Expo? (I couldn’t help myself to work in another promo for the big show.)
