Spring is already here for much of the northern hemisphere, which means an influx of work for related businesses. From yard care to pool cleaning, spring usually means an uptick in new customers for many small service companies as the weather warms up. Here are some tips for Small and local businesses, to start the Spring season with health logistics habits.
Most business owners are glad for the extra revenue that comes with the season. And if your service business is seasonal, it’s important to take advantage of the busy times so your company can make it through the slower seasons. However, it’s important to make sure the extra income doesn’t get eaten up by inefficiencies in other areas. More business means logistical issues must be addressed.
Many service businesses hire seasonal workers to meet this increase in demand. Some businesses may even have employees who work the season year after year. The advantage of this arrangement, of course, is these employees need minimal training to get started quickly.
If your business isn’t so lucky, however, you need to make an effort to find good help. It’s important to hire employees that are a good fit for your business. Does your company spend a lot of face-to-face time with customers? You’ll need those outgoing extroverts who can represent your business positively and communicate clearly. Are your staff members mostly working alone or in small crews? Make sure their personalities are a good fit for this type of working arrangement.
If you do hire new faces for seasonal jobs, make sure to spend adequate time and effort to train them properly. Cutting corners on training is a sure way to make more work for yourself later on, either by redoing jobs, calming down unhappy customers or hiring another worker when the original one doesn’t work out.
A surge of new business also often means you may need to adjust your employees’ workloads. Take time to balance out each person’s schedule. If your company includes regular routes, these will likely be disrupted as you add new customers. Our route planning software can make a difference as you revise routes to include new customers or change routes as you add crew members.
Longer days also mean some employers are putting in longer hours to get things done. While it’s tempting to spend a lot of time working up to twilight, scheduling yourself is just as important when the day starts early and evening comes later. Make sure you are maximizing your work time while also enjoying some spring-like weather when you can. As the saying goes, all work and no play makes… well, a business owner a dull person.
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