Ok, I suspect some are saying "WHAT ?".
True, this year has been slow to kick off due to the weather, but cast your mind back to some of the posts late last year with members struggling to find work.
The next few months generally goes ballistic with too much work to fit into the working day, but look carefully at this work and use your client relationship to discuss scheduling some of these jobs to quieter times.
Many clients wake up in spring and want all manner of works undertaking, often we feel compelled to try and service all their requests for fear of loosing the work or client, but my experience suggests a simple 'management plan' for the client will ensure they see the work they require sensibly completed in a timely manner probably with positive financial impact.
Start looking for these types of work, look to up-sell (not hard sell) non-soft landscaping aspects to later in the year.
Just think, what COULD you do ?....repairs, fencing, sheds, basic tree works, whip/bare root planting etc
If you don't think about it now, Autumn will arrive, have gone and Winter will be here...
With the same issues.....it then just goes in circles....
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Well said Gary. The other thing to do in addition of course is make sure that you have a 'winter fund' put away.
Agree with your last point Jen, it would be interesting to hear people's views of what would constitute a sufficient 'winter fund' - expressed of course in %'s :-)
I have to agree, now is the time to plan for the autumn/winter.
No matter how exhausting it feels trying to keep up with backed-up, existing and incoming work, there needs to be a separate list you can populate from now until September.
Make a note of the date and time you discussed/suggested it to the client and send a letter about a month before you'd like to do the work.
My sundry list always kept us working until Christmas (if the weather remained good).
of course when you present it to the customer, - it's great to put it as a positive to them.
I often suggest that when customers want more than one border done at once, that we spread them out over a couple of seasons.
If someone needed 3 borders i'd say, - let's plant the main one now, - prepare and plant the 2nd in the Autumn, prepare the 3rd in Nov/Dec, and plant as soon as the weather is better next Feb/March
That way, you're helping them out with their budgeting, but you have bookings in your diary for months away.
I also find this has the benefit of being in the clients mind, so that if they decide they want extras, - in my case, planting up pots, or A winter weed and tidy up, - i'm the first and only person they call.
Great post Gary and this is one of the topics we must discuss at our next SE meet up.
One suggestion I would add, is try and get some of your clients switched over to paying a fixed fee spread over 12 months by standing order for your standard service. This way come the winter just think what a difference £500, £1000 or £3000 income each month would make. Okay you will be taking a slight hit to your bottom line during the busy season but it will help your cashflow or at worst act as a enforced saving plan for you.
We spend most if the summer booking in winter work and will not fill my diary with unsustainable work through the busy season (unless maintenance on a 12month contract)
Diversity is important as well, being able to utilise your teams to carry out gritting, minor tree works, fencing etc all can to be good earners when the grass is not growing!
Planting is another job which can certainly be carried out through the winter. Commercial clients expect it, domestic clients just need more education into the reasons why planting can be beneficial at this time if year.
We also try and carry out our training courses in the quiet times, it allows us to hold our skills base without impacting on workload.
Agreed good post gary,
I've already started fishing around for forestry work to start in November, It's got me through this winter and I love it too.
Most difficult thing is finding out who owns the forests.
i would agree with graeme on this one i have found people take on lots of work 9 months of the year then stop its seem great earning £0000.00 over the summer months but spreading the cost over 12 months not only gives you 12 months income but helps spread the customers budget as well, i think its always somethink to consider.
Graeme @ BGS said:
Well, half way through the year. longest day gone, days getting shorter...can only mean gritting contracts and ordering grit :-(
What rude awakening following a holiday.....
Contracts agreed and unbelievably we just ordered our winter stock of grit ..OMG
Gary RK said:
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