Systems in place

[SPC Trees]

What systems or habits do you put in place so that your business is more streamlined and efficient?

 

Any handy ones you can think of?

[jaime bray]

I am sole trader status company, however I pay myself a weekly wage that covers all my personal out goings for home life. This payment is transferred into my personal bank account, whereby I then make two further transfers.

1 too the joint account where all the bills etc come out of.

2 too my business money manager tax account where I put away 25% of the weekly wage for my tax. This account is a 14 day notice account so I vcant touch it at free will.

 

Obviously this is all worked out so that the cost of bills etc are covered and then I add the required amount to constitute my weekly tax and NI contributions as if I am employed by the company. It often covers the costs, excluding the payment on account that has to be made, so at least I have something put away for the six month bank raid that occurs.

 

Works for me, and resembles a similar, not identical scenario, to running a limited company whereby I would be employed.

[SPC Trees]

That's some great advice I will start doing the same, no surprises that way I suppose, only good ones if you have a good accountant!

 

I like to spend 1 hour to get all my records and books sorted on a Sunday evening and plan for the week ahead so I know roughly what to expect that coming week...

 

Anymore for anymore...?

[mowandgo]

I try to get things done as they come in. As in a machine breaks down so you put it at back of shed to fix later senario. You never fix it. Basicly dont put things off for a rainy day keep on top of all tasks. Logistics of everthing from how you plan you jobs in the week to how you organise your van so tools are always to hand and never get buried lost never to be seen again. Paper work is the most boring job but deffently the most important. It puts you in the driving seat the main control room the bridge of your business i book a day off once a month to do it start in the morning when fresh. I hate doing it at end of day when iam tired I cant concentrate and do a poor rushed job of it! It needs to be in very good order & acruate. Be quick with pricing and booking work it can be hard when demands high but customers love a trouble free quick service its not just pushing a mower for customers you have to provide a reliable regular service with good polite cheerful comunication. Lost time in looking for tools, broken tools, as silly as it sounds runing out of petrol for mower on job or fixings on a fencing job thesse little things cost alot of time a and make you look bad infront of customer. Sounds silly its easy to do its all about having an organised patern to work to which comes with practice. All the little things what waste time. A mate of mine has a pick up and walks from and to his shed loading in the morning this would drive me mad think its crazy. I have a van with most tools on a light bit of loading in the morning but nothing like loading a empty pick up. I have gone before him. I guess its what works for you. Just keep tweaking the little things.

[roseyweb]

No tool put back blunt

Nothing worse than starting a job and having to stop and sharpen up

[SPC Trees]

So you sharpen saws in the evening after a hard day or get up a little earlier to do them in the morning?

[Mark Bolam]

Don't do planning apps after drinking two bottles of red wine.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

[jaime bray]

I did one Friday mark, I'm dreading the councils process response email

[Mountain man]

Good thread, I don't really have any business tips, I run mine on the hoof.

As far as habits I have improved a lot since I became more disciplined about tidying and organising my work shop/tool storage. Now we all know where everything goes, the floor is swept and saws are in order on shelves.

[Burgess]

So you sharpen saws in the evening after a hard day or get up a little earlier to do them in the morning?

 

10 minutes after work is an hour before work. Or something butchered the quote a bit.