How do you organise your diary?

[Gary Prentice]

Am I the only one who finds the smaller the job, the more difficult the customer is to arrange a day?

 

The 1-2 day domestic jobs seem easy but Mrs Miggins £100 apple tree can only be done on a tuesday afternoon after 2.30.

 

I've one client, a teacher, who after accepting the quote decided that the job had to be done after 4PM or on a saturday. She didn't see any reason to mention this when we met to discuss the job and now can't see why our staff feel that these time are outside of normal hours and warrant overtime payments:sneaky2:

[stihlmadasever]

Post it notes are my saviour...theyre everywhere...wife hates em..

[roseyweb]

I book one week at a time, im just sorting my diary out for next week

I keep my diary flexible as a lot of our work is commercial i can guarantee on Monday I'll get a "can you do this by Friday" call

[WillTimberlake]

Always like to book well in advance. Very occasionally keep a day spare throughout the week to book last minute jobs in but not very often. I always like to know what I'm doing, where I'm doing it and when I'm doing it! Makes life much easier!!

[WillTimberlake]

Saying that, I have lost three jobs within the last 2 weeks because another company could do it sooner.

[Johny Walker]

In answer to your thread title…… not very well

 

I almost never give people a date. Usually just a rough idea such as "sometime in August" and tell them I'll ring the night before to check the following day is convenient.

 

I also tell them to feel free to chase me up if I don't ring them within the time frame I mention.

 

same as this, seems to work ok, pic the jobs to suite the mood

[Jonny69]

I book one week at a time, im just sorting my diary out for next week

I keep my diary flexible as a lot of our work is commercial i can guarantee on Monday I'll get a "can you do this by Friday" call

 

That's reassuring.

 

I thought it was just me that got those calls!

 

Anyone booking in work months in advance is underskilled or undermachined or understaffed or underpriced. pick away

 

Probably a bit blunt, everyone I speak to who is "flat out, busy till September" always seems to be in the pub by 4pm.

[Matthew Storrs]

That's reassuring.

 

I thought it was just me that got those calls!

 

Anyone booking in work months in advance is underskilled or undermachined or understaffed or underpriced. pick away

 

Probably a bit blunt, everyone I speak to who is "flat out, busy till September" always seems to be in the pub by 4pm.

 

Hmm Maybe, I know I have enough work to keep me going well into October- it's a nice feeling but at the same time I havnt crammed it all in so tight that it doesn't leave me any leeway. To an extent you have to pencil it in because some customers want to know when you can do it- no point saying Christmas because you most likely won't get the job- that said some people actively planning projects will engage a contractor many months before the work is due to commence- these are clever people:thumbup1:

[Mick Dempsey]

Hmm Maybe, I know I have enough work to keep me going well into October- it's a nice feeling but at the same time I havnt crammed it all in so tight that it doesn't leave me any leeway. To an extent you have to pencil it in because some customers want to know when you can do it- no point saying Christmas because you most likely won't get the job- that said some people actively planning projects with engage a contractor many months before the work is due to commence- these are clever people:thumbup1:

 

Imagine if you had put 20% on your prices, you'd lose some work for sure, but so what?

You have work till the end of September say, no big loss.

 

I think that's the point Johnny was making.

[Jonny69]

Imagine if you had put 20% on your prices, you'd lose some work for sure, but so what?

You have work till the end of September say, no big loss.

 

I think that's the point Johnny was making.

 

Plus that 20% increase is clean profit. As you have no extra overheads, so you can afford to work 20% less. Which is a lovely thought.