Back step or weather the storm?

[Conorjm10]

Hello all,

 

It would be interesting to see if anybody is in a similar position or has any advice. It is no secret that work has slowed down for a lot of tree companies across the country including us. We are a small business (5 full time employees and use several subbies). We usually run as 2 teams and have more than enough kit to do so. The last 4-8 weeks things have slowed down and we are now just running one team which has us on the line of breaking even. To make the business more profitable short term would be to cut some overheads and maybe lay 1 or 2 staff off which I really don't want to but also there is only so long we can operate as we are. Financially we are ok so I am not to worried yet, I am working on things I don't usually have the time to such as compliance, website, marketing plans etc so there are some benefits. I am trying to drive it forward but at the moment feels like a race to the bottom. It would be interesting to see if anybody else is in a similar position and if so, how they plan to navigate through the quiet spell. (If its down tools and go to boozer I'm in!) 😆 

[HRG]

Hi CJM,

 

It seems to have gone back to what it was pre COVID. April/May were always our quietest months but always picked up later in the summer.

 

There is still plenty of work out there you've just got to be pro-active to get it. Do not sit and wait for the phone to ring.

 

Two tips.

 

1, What marketing was working this time last year? Double down on that in lean times.

 

2, Contact all clients that spent this time last year by email or phone.

 

Lastly if still quiet trim the fat of the business and stay lean until it picks back up

 

Hope that helps

 

[Mick Dempsey]

I have noticed a definite drop in enquiries, I’m not in your situation employee wise (only one).

I have been in business a good while and experienced a good few ups and downs.

In 2008/9 I made a few mistakes that took a few years to overcome (buying stuff that turned out to be useless) I think it was boredom tbh.

My only take from it all is don’t panic yourself into rash decisions, selling stuff or buying it or whatever.

Sometimes not making a decision is the best decision you can take.

 

[PatrickFirwood]

After a surprisingly busy start to the year things have slowed right down for us too. Luckily we're just a small company with myself as the only one full time, with a couple of guys part time and some subbies that we use. Although we've really been investing in kit, our overheads are still fairly low, so it isn't too much of a worry for us. I've just been using this time to really work on our website and boost out SEO so we have more of an online presence.  

 

This year one of my main goals was to up our rates and start making more profit, and enquiries are still coming in, however, we've noticed a big drop in quotes being accepted... It seems customers are just after the cheapest quote, or are naïve to the work involved and the going rate. Getting a lot of calls and emails " If I send a photo can you give me a ball park figure " or " We've just cut this down and need someone to chip and get rid of the waste " at which point I know for certain they're not going to want to spend the money! 

 

We're looking at trying to get more commercial clients this year so that we don't have to rely so heavily on the domestic side 🤞

 

[doobin]

It’s gonna be savage this time around. I’ve been saying this for six months now. 
 

sell anything you don’t use to

make money with and buy gold. 

[Ty Korrigan]

Looks like I'm going to run out of work just in time for my 2 month Summer break.

Still no finance to burden our affairs thanks to my wife's short leash on my aspirations.

I was recently invited to bid on a construction project site clearance, a drainage pipeline under the main Paris-Rennes TGV line.

4 days work for 3, submitted my bid, nothing heard back.

Surprised I was asked to be honest as public works ain't really my bag.

I don't rate highly credibility wise not having much in the way of larger machinery and relying in subbies.

I recently started asking a few people I'd  quoted for and got along with but didn't win, about the winning price etc.

Had a few honest replies.

The winning bids have been very lean in comparison to my own and I wouldn't consider matching let alone beating them.

I utterly dislike working for turnover alone.

The Moroccanese accountant says "this is just the beginning"

The building industry is increasingly suffering in France.

Mortgage rates are 3-4 times higher than 12 months ago, material prices still painfully high.

In the news again, construction companies closing down, often having taken much of peoples house money up front and leaving a string of part completed houses that the owners cannot access to finish them off themselves.

 There is merde ahead...

        Stuart

 

 

 

 

     Stuart

 

 

 

 

[Peter 1955]

We aren't the only folk who are seeing prospective customers driven only by the bottom line price, rather than quality or value. It appears to be fairly widespread. 

[oldwoodcutter]

The one man band grass cutting and hedge clipping fellows are tripping over themselves to offer their services around here,  £7 per hour seems to be the average.

To use a relatively modern phrase, they should stick to smoking it rather than mowing it.

[doobin]

Well I don’t know what gives, but I’ve been inundated with requests for digger work these last two days. 

[Mike Hill]

Lay off some staff and try to keep your prices at the same rate. If that dosnt work reduce your rate, should that not work either sell off the kit you are not using.

 

Sounds like there is an oversupply in the UK, reminds me of 2008 but I think its going to get alot worse.

 

I am free hold with lots of spicy kit, I like to dance but allways knew the music was going to stop.