Someone emailed me the other day and said, “I have a job that might be a good one for winter when you guys are slow.”
I was stunned. Some people get slow in winter?!
Well, I suppose there might be one or two jobs that would go better if we saved them until spring. But a slowdown?
I know some sanitation professionals who have self-imposed downtime in the winter because they take off on snowmobiles and don’t come back until spring. I know other installers who plain have better sense than me, so they have a self-imposed slow season so they can keep their equipment inside and not fight the elements.
For those of us who want to keep going because we don’t have a snowmobile, or because you have built the company to the size that has to keep income generating year-round, what are some of the best ways to stay busy and profitable in the winter months?
Important but not overtly profitable
One of the many things that some portable restroom operators do in winter is the upkeep, repairs and painting on their trucks and equipment they never could get to because of how busy the rest of the year is. Clean out, organize and stock the work vehicles — there never seems to be enough hours in the day to do the basics in summer.
I like taking advantage of winter to really maximize our safety training, and other types of training where we bring in a third party for a large portion or all of a day.
In winters we tend to bring in at least two different heavy-hitter safety presenters. One typically specializes in DOT, CDL, truck-related safety and regulations. The other discusses general safety training: hazard communication/employee right to know, trench safety, first aid, PPE.
I’ve had a local truck training company come and teach load securement. After a half-day class the guys were tested (hands-on, chains and trailers) and received certifications that our insurance company was really impressed with.
I bring in the vendors we buy our tools from to give us safety classes on heavy equipment/machines, PPE and other things that you typically think, ‘aw, we don’t need safety training on those hand tools’ — but you do.
This is the time to do the core training, such as the six-hour class on competent person or the six-hour class on confined-space entry. You’ll never find time in the summer for six-hour classes.
Vacations
Nudge employees to take their vacations in the winter. There are unique ways to incentivize taking vacations between certain dates. Count each vacation hour used during a preset time (January through March?) as only half the time actually used (or some other percentage). This increases their available vacation hours, but is profitable to you in that it guides them to take vacations at the time that is best for your company.
Marketing
Winter is a great time to ramp up your marketing. If you have handouts or mailers to get out, do it in winter. Set up a booth at a home show. Winter is the perfect time to maximize your marketing campaign because you won’t have time in the summer.
More profitable use of winter hours
Some portable restroom operators add plows to their trucks and plow and salt in the winter.
Winter does not have to mean a down time. A lot can be accomplished in winter that there never seems to be time for during the summer. I hope some of these ideas add to your bottom line.
About the author
Todd Stair is vice president of Herr Construction Inc., with 34 years’ experience designing, installing, repairing, replacing and evaluating septic and mound systems in southeast Wisconsin. He is the author of The Book on Septics and Mounds and a former president of the Wisconsin Onsite Water Recycling Association.
