1. Outsource what you can't do
If you think doing the payroll, estimating, taxes, etc., eats up way too much of your time, you are not alone. Doing something you hate or are just not good at, is not only intimidating but also stressful. Try outsourcing these things to those who can do them better and faster than you can. Accountants, book-keepers, administrators, receptionists, marketers or your partner/friends in many instances can help you with these time-sucking vampires. While this may cost you more, you can always transfer those costs to the customers and you will be left with plenty more hours to grow your business and do what you love and what you are good at.
2. Train staff to handle your work
Being a control freak won’t get you too far if you are running your own Field Service Business. Step back a bit and ask yourself who in your team is the right person to do a certain task for you. Delegate it to them and let them own every good or bad that comes with it. There is only so much time in a day and you cannot do it all on your own. Hire people with experience or train them from the bottom up so they can represent your business just like you do.
3. Pick jobs more wisely
You tend to bump into tyre kickers and time-wasters all too often if you are not selective about the jobs you say ‘Yes’ to. The result is you end up losing the quote you spent a lot of time on, left chasing the late payers or just stuck with people who keep changing their minds mid-job or don’t have the budget for what they want to get done. Being more selective when picking up jobs in terms of budget, scope and timeframes will not only help you establish your own niche but also match work with your lifestyle choice.
4. Put better systems and processes in place
This goes without saying. Manually handling every single bit and breathing down on the necks of your Field Technicians, is the best way to say goodbye to the little life that you still get to enjoy. Let automation work for you instead. Put systems in place that could help you with quoting, scheduling, job tracking and invoicing and all the BS that you wish you could just skip. Sync everything up with your phone so you can still be on top of your business while you are away on a family holiday in a different continent. Work-life balance is no myth and it’s about time you stop treating it as one and instead work on streamlining your processes to make it happen.
5. Raise your rates
Raise your rates so you can work less and still make the same money. When you know what jobs to pick and which customers to work for, you can raise your prices without the fear of getting undercut by your competitors. Make sure you are charging for what you are worth and delivering on what you have promised. Sell yourself on value. Raising your rates slightly each year feels more organic than implementing a one-time increase, but make sure your new rates reflect the higher value you are delivering. Raising your rates will also help you pay for the extra value you are adding to your business, by outsourcing services and investing in better systems, so the cost does not have to be yours to bear.
Wrapping it up:
You might be spending a lot of time breaking your back in the field, when really you don’t need to. At the end of the day, it all boils down to the end goal you are trying to achieve as the result of all this hard work. If working too many hours hurting your relationships and mental wellbeing, you need to stop and ask yourself where did you go wrong? Reach out. There is always help out there.
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With our cutting-edge technology and in-depth knowledge of how the Field Service Management sector operates, the i4TGlobal Team loves to share industry insights to help streamline your business processes and generate new leads. We are driven by innovation and are passionate about delivering solutions that are transparent, compliant, efficient and safe for all stakeholders and across all touch points.
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