Column - Editor's Note
EDITOR'S NOTE: Next season is now
5/25/2010
I wasn’t surprised by the fact that we received a fair amount of feedback from you guys pertaining to the February cover story on low-ball contractors. It’s been a hot topic – to say the least – and it certainly was a key issue with snow fighters heading into this recent winter.
What did surprise me was how many of you agreed with the main sentiments in the editorial package, that while low-ball contractors were a threat to business, they weren’t necessarily to blame. In many cases, you told me that you partly blame yourselves for this predicament.
Many of you told me that low-ballers weren’t necessarily the evil force forged in the fires of hell – as our February cover reflects – rather, in some cases, they’re just regular guys who are doing a more efficient, more cost-effective job at the business of snow removal.
Low-ball snow contractors aren’t an insurmountable force in this industry. You beat them by simply being better. And the process of becoming better begins now, in the off-season.
Here, according to you, are the Big Three ways to start gaining on the competition in your market.
- Start with a critical, top-down analysis of all business systems and determine where you can cut fat and where you can improve your profit margins.
- Educate yourself. Brush up on those areas and topics where you feel the weakest. This will mean investing in industry- or business-related classes or perhaps a consultant, but it will be money well spent. Remember, you have to spend some money to make more money.
- Better educate your clients and perspective clients. Sure, your service may cost a little bit more, but here’s why. Most importantly, outline for them all of the business benefits they’ll gain by hiring you over anyone else out there in your market.
And, of course, this is the perfect time to mention our annual State of the Industry report, which you can find tucked neatly inside this issue. It’s a complete industry snapshot that addresses what happened last year and how it may impact business in the coming winter. And make sure you check out the online-extras, because there’s extra State of the Industry coverage that we couldn’t pack into the print edition and is just as valuable.
Read it. Absorb it. Share it with your clients and prospects.
Most importantly, make this summer the hallmark moment when you reevaluated and transformed your snow removal operation into a lean, mean, profit-making machine.
Because if you don’t you can bet your competitor will.