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From USA Today (10/11/2006):

What are your primary challenges in running a small business?

Inability to focus on generating new business - 35%
Spreading time across multiple projects/roles - 27%
Limited resources - 23%
Running business more efficiently - 23%
Not having enough time to focus on own passions - 23%

 

About Turnkey Business Solutions

Over the years, we have established successful long-term relationship with many landscaping businesses that all have unique needs and requirements.

 

 

 

The key to success in business is Time Management

All business owners are working hard – but that is not always enough.

 

Here are a few tips that will help manage your time and avoid the pitfalls of being overwhelmed with day-to-day tasks.

 

Landscaping software are tools that save time and money.

 

Work hard but also work smart, use your time wisely.

As a business owner, don't kid yourself, you are your biggest bottleneck.

While there is nothing wrong in wanting to be involved in all aspects of one's business, doing it all on your own is the kiss of death for your business. Review your daily routines and for each task ask the following questions:

1. Is there a tool (software or other) that I can use that will help with the task at hand ?

2. Is there someone in my organization to whom this task can be delegated ?

3. Does it make sense to have this task done by a third party (payroll, book keeping) ?

Bottom line, the issue is not the fact that you are doing all those tasks. The issue is that those tasks are preventing you to focus on other areas that cannot be delegated and that are critical for your growing business.

 

Manage your jobs efficiently and consistently.

This is critical not only on a time management standpoint but will also be a quality issue in your products.

Re-inventing the wheel for each job is extremely time consuming and prone to errors. It also creates delays and breakdowns that jeopardize the quality of the product or service and affect customer satisfaction.

To avoid this, first define a simple process flow that maps the different tasks involved in delivery your product/service. Next find a software tool that can be configured to follow YOUR process flow. To be effective, your software should follow YOUR business practices. Once you have the software and you use it, your products/services will take less time to manage, will be cheaper to produce and will be delivered on time.

 

Run your business, don't just support it.

There is a difference between running a business and supporting it.

In the first instance, the day-to-day tasks are taken care of but the business owner is also in the driver’s seat, leading his/her business toward a pre-determined goal.

In the later, the business owner is more on a re-active mode, being entirely consumed by the day-to-day tasks of keeping the business going. Being in that mode is frustrating and will ultimately lead to failure.

 

Use integrated tools that do not require data re-entry.

Be aware that using design and business software tools does not, in itself, save time.

If your tools are not following your business process or if they don't "talk" to each other, you will have to be the translator between your design software and your business software, or between you business software and your accounting software.

This is definitively not where you should be spending your time. Get tools that are integrated, in other wrods that can pass information between them as to avoid data re-entry from one system to another.

 

Use professional-rated tools, in the field or in the office.

Interestingly, landscaping professionals appreciate the critical importance of tools in the field yet often fail to apply them in the office.

Field tools, say trench diggers, are use to do a job faster and more consistently than if the job is done manually. 

Landscaping software should be used in the office for the exact same reasons – they should not define how your business is run but should help you do your day-to-day tasks faster and maybe even more accurately, and always freeing up some precious time so that there is someone in that driver’s seat.

 

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The Turnkey Business Solution Team