Latest / Contractor Business Builder Podcast / Is Disorganization Holding Your Business Back?

Transcript

Is Disorganization Holding Your Business Back? · Contractor Business Builder Podcast

• 0:01
  Ontractors. When I was deep in the
• 0:03
  day-to-day of running jobs, I used to think I just needed to
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  stay on top of everything to get ahead.
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  But eventually I realized I didn't need more effort, I
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  needed better systems. Most general contractors aren't
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  struggling because of skill or motivation, they're overwhelmed
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  because they're juggling everything in their head and
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  reacting to problems as they pop up.
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  So today I want to give you 5 quick win systems to get your
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  business organized fast without expensive software or
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  complicated tech. First one, use a calendar app to
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  block time. Start by putting everything into
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  your calendar. Meetings, site visits, focused
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  work blocks and admin responsibilities.
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  Colour code by category, field office, sales etcetera.
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  And protect your high priority blocks like gold.
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  This helps you start the day knowing what matters and avoid
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  decision fatigue. How to set it up?
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  Use Google Calendar, Outlook or Apple Calendar.
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  Block out reoccurring priorities.
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  Example Tuesday estimating 3 to 5:00 PM so you're not rebuilding
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  your week from scratch #2 Hold weekly labour and production
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  meetings. Most mistakes and
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  miscommunications happen because the field team is left guessing.
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  A short weekly meeting with your site crew keeps everyone aligned
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  on what job or what jobs are active, what problems need
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  solving, what loose ends need attention, who's going where.
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  That's how you catch small issues before they become big
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  ones. How to run it?
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  Keep it under 50 minute, 15 minutes.
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  Use the same structure each week.
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  Include labour, planning, materials needed, and key
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  priorities. System #3 Create a standardized
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  cloud folder structure. If your files live on random
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  desktops, phones are buried in emails, you're wasting hours and
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  creating chaos. Instead, create a repeatable
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  cloud based folder system for every new project so your team
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  always knows where to find what they need.
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  Here's a clean, simple structure you can use.
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  So folder 11 dot plans, blueprints and drawings.
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  Second folder 2 dot Estimates and bids, 3 dot contracts,
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  Permits and Field Memos 4 dot Client documents, 5 dot
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  Financials and Change orders 6 dot pictures.
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  How do you do it? Set up the structure in Google
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  Drive, my preferred file management software, or Dropbox
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  or OneDrive. Make a template folder and
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  duplicate it for every new job. Name each folder using the
• 3:00
  client or project name for quick reference and train your team to
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  stick to it. All right, moving on #4 use
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  e-mail labels and auto filters. Your inbox is not A to do list.
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  If it's overwhelming, your brain is working overtime just to sort
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  it. Set up labels and filters to
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  route different types of emails into folders, estimates,
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  receipts, Subs, clients, etcetera.
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  This way, the next time you open your inbox, you know what to
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  look at first. How to set it up in Gmail or
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  Outlook? Create rules auto label based on
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  sender, subject or keywords. Spend 15 to 20 minutes building
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  a structure that matches how your brain works.
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  Alright #5 Implement checklist for quality onboarding and
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  setup. Every missed detail creates
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  rework, frustration or lost time.
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  Don't rely on memory use. Checklists.
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  Start with three areas. Quality control, key
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  inspections, final walkthroughs, punch lists.
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  Second one, employee onboarding tools, paperwork, training,
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  training schedule, and then it started one project setup,
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  kickoff meetings, permits, material orders.
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  How to create them. Use a simple Google doc or
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  checklist app. Make them visual, easy to access
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  and review regularly with your team.
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  You don't need to implement all of these overnight.
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  Just pick one this week and commit to it.
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  If you do, you'll already be more organized than 90% of GC's
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  out there. Do you want to build a
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  contracting business that runs like a well oiled machine?
• 4:51
  Visit rapidresultcreators.com. We've got a number of free
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  resources as well as a free business builder strategy call
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  if you'd like to talk further about growing your general
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  contracting business.