Tips for surviving the busy season

It may be hard to believe after the long, cold winter many of us have had, but spring is about to spring. And when it does, landscape pros will go from calm to chaos as we’re launched into what my friend and mentor Mike Rorie calls the 100 Days of Hell. Like Christmas for retailers, this is the time that makes or breaks our companies’ year. How do you not only survive them but thrive, financially, emotionally and physically?

Let’s start with the money. We all know in business, cash is king. Require deposits from your clients up front with their signed contracts, bill immediately upon completion of their projects and don’t be shy about collecting. If you’re struggling in this area, put one person on your team in charge of billing and collecting. It’s great to have a line of credit, but at Grunder Landscaping we try to get through the 100 days without using it.

You can also ask your vendors for help. Visit them in person now and see if they’ll allow you longer terms. If your mulch supplier expects payment 30 days after you take delivery, ask them if you can go 45 days during your busy season. Do this with your top five vendors. Sure, they are facing the same financial challenges as you, but you don’t know what they can do for you if you don’t ask. If they value your business, they’ll work with you to keep it.

Lastly, make your work orders as detailed as possible. Make certain they clearly list the hours bid for the job so your team knows exactly what numbers they need to hit. I have seen the business owners I coach improve their profitability significantly just by focusing on this. You will never create a culture of accountability at your company if you do not make your expectations clear and explicit.

Click here to read the rest of Marty's busy season advice from our March issue.