Success in the California contracting business – or any business – is as much about setting the right habits as it is getting the “big decisions” correct. After all, what you do day-to-day is going to determine how healthy your contracting company will be.
With that in mind, here are five good contractor business habits you can adopt from the first day to keep your growing business running strong:
#1: Check your mail and phone messages every day – most men and women in the construction industry would prefer to be outside than sitting in front of the phone or computer. By checking your messages regularly, though, you can be sure that nothing important (like a customer request for a new quote) slips through the cracks.
#2: Review your schedule and finances weekly – going over your books and your calendar once a week is a great way to make sure you aren’t going to have cash flow problems or take on too much work in the near future. Often, when contractors have trouble in these areas, it’s because they weren’t paying enough attention to issues on the horizon.
#3: Meet with your advisors once a month – as you become successful in your contracting business, you’ll have advisors (like an accountant, for example, or someone who helps you with payroll and scheduling). It’s a good idea to meet with them at least once a month so you can be sure you know exactly what’s going on with your business.
#4: Always thank customers personally – even if you have lots of employees, lots of projects coming in and lots of responsibilities, you should thank every customer personally (preferably with a handshake first and a handwritten thank you card later). This one habit can make a big impression and keep customers coming back to you for decades.
#5: Follow up on finished jobs after a month or two – it only takes a moment to follow up with old customers to see if they are happy with their work. And doing so might lead to more work, or referrals, or a compliment you can use in your future marketing.
None of these five habits is going to take you a lot of time, but over the course of your career, they can have a huge effect on your success. Make them your own and see how paying attention to the details can make the process of running your contracting company easier and more profitable.
When California’s best construction professionals want to become licensed contractors, or learn new specialties, they turn to CSLS. Talk to our admissions team today and find out just how easy it is to get started!
