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Callahan’s Corner: Commercial Snow Removal Bid Set Up

Video Transcript

00:00
Welcome back to Callahan’s
00:01
Welcome back to Callahan’s corner, where you ask a
00:03
corner, where you ask a question we answer them live
00:04
question we answer them live right here on Facebook. So this
00:05
right here on Facebook. So this is the second try at this
00:07
is the second try at this video. I had some technical
00:08
video. I had some technical issues yesterday but um
00:11
issues yesterday but um questions submitted was how to
00:12
questions submitted was how to actually go out and handle your
00:14
actually go out and handle your snow removal commercially and
00:15
snow removal commercially and I’m actually gonna show you a
00:16
I’m actually gonna show you a residential um examples as
00:18
residential um examples as well. so I’m actually gonna
00:20
well. so I’m actually gonna pull up the question from
00:20
pull up the question from yesterday um and what drove my
00:23
yesterday um and what drove my memory is it was another
00:24
memory is it was another question uh very similar um
00:27
question uh very similar um person wants to know about
00:27
person wants to know about Square-foot pricing for plowing
00:29
Square-foot pricing for plowing salt. Sidewalks another one in
00:31
salt. Sidewalks another one in one of the uh snow move groups.
00:33
one of the uh snow move groups. I believe it was Michigan snow,
00:35
I believe it was Michigan snow, plowing and landscaping uh
00:37
plowing and landscaping uh wanted to help how to price
00:39
wanted to help how to price snow removal on sidewalks. So
00:40
snow removal on sidewalks. So what I’m gonna do is breakdown
00:42
what I’m gonna do is breakdown how to go out and create
00:44
how to go out and create industries specific or
00:45
industries specific or production rate based on your
00:47
production rate based on your own equipment for a plow a skid
00:51
own equipment for a plow a skid steer a loader potentially a
00:53
steer a loader potentially a backhoe hand shoveling
00:55
backhoe hand shoveling sidewalks. snow blowers uh a
00:57
sidewalks. snow blowers uh a quad a broom um in. Attachments
01:00
quad a broom um in. Attachments and then as well as going out
01:02
and then as well as going out and insulting parking lot with
01:03
and insulting parking lot with either tailgate spreader or up
01:06
either tailgate spreader or up to a five yard uh V box
01:07
to a five yard uh V box spreader or up to an eight yard
01:09
spreader or up to an eight yard uh V box spreader on a uh tri
01:11
uh V box spreader on a uh tri axle and then also going in and
01:13
axle and then also going in and spreading ice melt or or
01:15
spreading ice melt or or calcium chloride mix on
01:16
calcium chloride mix on sidewalks with a fifty pound
01:19
sidewalks with a fifty pound push button or uh approximate
01:20
push button or uh approximate 100 pounds on the back of a
01:22
100 pounds on the back of a quad. So we’re gonna break that
01:23
quad. So we’re gonna break that all down how to do that all
01:24
all down how to do that all here on Callahan’s corner um
01:26
here on Callahan’s corner um and then uh break into uh. And
01:30
and then uh break into uh. And install that inside your
01:30
install that inside your software to create a production
01:33
software to create a production based that’s the system so uh
01:34
based that’s the system so uh any comments or questions
01:36
any comments or questions during this uh let us know. but
01:37
during this uh let us know. but as you can tell here it is
01:38
as you can tell here it is cooling off and if you haven’t
01:39
cooling off and if you haven’t started renewing those
01:41
started renewing those contracts um now is the time to
01:42
contracts um now is the time to go out and get those bids and
01:44
go out and get those bids and contracts for snow removal up
01:46
contracts for snow removal up and running. so I’m gonna pop
01:48
and running. so I’m gonna pop my screen open here and give
01:49
my screen open here and give you a little context first uh
01:51
you a little context first uh how we do this and then show
01:53
how we do this and then show you how to actually create an
01:56
you how to actually create an estimating process around this.
01:57
estimating process around this. so. You wanna go out and do
01:59
so. You wanna go out and do your own research. I’ve got
02:00
your own research. I’ve got some industry averages here um
02:02
some industry averages here um that are applicable uh they’re
02:05
that are applicable uh they’re conservative. Ideally you wanna
02:06
conservative. Ideally you wanna run this reports on your own
02:07
run this reports on your own model first so uh this piece of
02:10
model first so uh this piece of paper basically Google Doc that
02:11
paper basically Google Doc that you’re looking at is I call it
02:13
you’re looking at is I call it the simple growth blueprint so
02:14
the simple growth blueprint so whether whether you’re doing a
02:15
whether whether you’re doing a lawn care snow removal home
02:18
lawn care snow removal home cleaning or anything else in
02:18
cleaning or anything else in between this is where we start,
02:20
between this is where we start, we’re gonna blueprint your
02:21
we’re gonna blueprint your system and then we’re gonna
02:22
system and then we’re gonna create a standardized
02:23
create a standardized production based estimating
02:25
production based estimating system which I’m gonna dive
02:26
system which I’m gonna dive into and show you how we
02:26
into and show you how we measure it online. Automate
02:29
measure it online. Automate those pricing so first thing we
02:30
those pricing so first thing we would do is if we have a plow
02:33
would do is if we have a plow truck with AV Blade or say a
02:35
truck with AV Blade or say a white out depending on the
02:36
white out depending on the western or fish or a lot of
02:37
western or fish or a lot of them have those wide outs. Um
02:40
them have those wide outs. Um we’re in around 35500 square
02:42
we’re in around 35500 square feet uh between zero and six
02:45
feet uh between zero and six inches. now, we can break it
02:45
inches. now, we can break it down from zero to two to four.
02:48
down from zero to two to four. so on uh about an average I’m
02:49
so on uh about an average I’m grabbing between zero and six
02:51
grabbing between zero and six inches in my example here and
02:53
inches in my example here and what we’re gonna do is say
02:54
what we’re gonna do is say between one and X amount of
02:56
between one and X amount of square feet, the maximum area
02:58
square feet, the maximum area that you would plow what is
02:59
that you would plow what is your base price to? About the
03:02
your base price to? About the minimum, so I’m gonna plug in
03:03
minimum, so I’m gonna plug in and say well my minimum to show
03:05
and say well my minimum to show up for a parking lot is
03:06
up for a parking lot is seventy-five Bucks. Obviously,
03:07
seventy-five Bucks. Obviously, this is fictitious, but I wanna
03:08
this is fictitious, but I wanna show you how the methodology of
03:10
show you how the methodology of this works now your dollar per
03:14
this works now your dollar per man hour charge. Let’s say we
03:15
man hour charge. Let’s say we wanted to get 115. $115 for a
03:18
wanted to get 115. $115 for a plow truck and it was costing a
03:21
plow truck and it was costing a $68 great even for machine
03:23
$68 great even for machine overhead uh labor and labor
03:25
overhead uh labor and labor burden so fully even at 68
03:26
burden so fully even at 68 bucks per hour of man and
03:28
bucks per hour of man and machine before you make a
03:29
machine before you make a profit. So now in the sheet
03:32
profit. So now in the sheet here, what I’ve got is, I’ve
03:34
here, what I’ve got is, I’ve got between one and let’s say I
03:36
got between one and let’s say I will cover um 10000 square feet
03:39
will cover um 10000 square feet for my seventy-five-dollar lot
03:42
for my seventy-five-dollar lot now based on that production,
03:46
now based on that production, it’s .28 man hours. so if I
03:47
it’s .28 man hours. so if I went in and put the industry
03:49
went in and put the industry average um that I’m ballpark,
03:50
average um that I’m ballpark, we’re here at 35500 Square feet
03:53
we’re here at 35500 Square feet an hour. The sheet gives us one
03:55
an hour. The sheet gives us one budgeted hour, so we know the
03:56
budgeted hour, so we know the math and the sheet is right um
03:58
math and the sheet is right um but I’m gonna say up to 10000
03:59
but I’m gonna say up to 10000 square feet. I’m charging.
04:02
square feet. I’m charging. Seventy-five Bucks It should
04:03
Seventy-five Bucks It should take me .28000000 hours and
04:05
take me .28000000 hours and it’s costing me $19.15 break
04:07
it’s costing me $19.15 break even before I make a profit so
04:09
even before I make a profit so up to 10000 square feet is
04:13
up to 10000 square feet is fictitious Seventy-five Bucks
04:14
fictitious Seventy-five Bucks and we’re gonna budget
04:15
and we’re gonna budget .28000000 hours on site and
04:17
.28000000 hours on site and it’s costing us $19.15. It’s a
04:21
it’s costing us $19.15. It’s a 74% net profit margins. So now
04:23
74% net profit margins. So now we’ve set our base price. I’m
04:25
we’ve set our base price. I’m gonna say every thousand square
04:27
gonna say every thousand square feet over my 10000 base price
04:30
feet over my 10000 base price is in a sheet automatically
04:31
is in a sheet automatically calculates based on 115 bucks
04:33
calculates based on 115 bucks an hour that we should be
04:34
an hour that we should be charging three. 24¢ per
04:37
charging three. 24¢ per thousand to get 115 bucks an
04:39
thousand to get 115 bucks an hour is taking .03 man hours
04:42
hour is taking .03 man hours and it’s costing us a dollar
04:44
and it’s costing us a dollar 90.2. So what we’ve done now is
04:46
90.2. So what we’ve done now is broken out a truck with AV
04:47
broken out a truck with AV Blade and we’re gonna go in the
04:50
Blade and we’re gonna go in the same manner and I’m gonna go in
04:52
same manner and I’m gonna go in and go to my skid steer with an
04:55
and go to my skid steer with an eight foot box plow so the same
04:57
eight foot box plow so the same man I’m gonna say okay, based
04:58
man I’m gonna say okay, based on that. uh I’m gonna do the
05:00
on that. uh I’m gonna do the same 10000 square feet in 1000
05:03
same 10000 square feet in 1000 over okay.
05:08
And maybe my minimum for the
05:10
And maybe my minimum for the skid steer now it’s $100 to
05:11
skid steer now it’s $100 to show up for that cuz it got
05:14
show up for that cuz it got more overhead and for that skid
05:15
more overhead and for that skid steer I wanna make 135 and
05:18
steer I wanna make 135 and maybe it’s costing me $85 an
05:21
maybe it’s costing me $85 an hour and operate so what we’ve
05:23
hour and operate so what we’ve done here is created a minimal
05:24
done here is created a minimal up to 10000 square feet um
05:27
up to 10000 square feet um budget to break even or
05:28
budget to break even or budgeted hours and then break
05:30
budgeted hours and then break even and I’m gonna say once
05:32
even and I’m gonna say once again every thousand over my
05:34
again every thousand over my 10000 is $3.16 more so you can
05:37
10000 is $3.16 more so you can see uh based on the different.
05:39
see uh based on the different. We can go out and manipulate it
05:42
We can go out and manipulate it so the charge per thousand is
05:45
so the charge per thousand is 324 here versus the 316 because
05:47
324 here versus the 316 because our production has gone out. so
05:49
our production has gone out. so we’ve gone up from about 35000
05:51
we’ve gone up from about 35000 coverage per hour to about
05:53
coverage per hour to about almost 43000, so you want to
05:55
almost 43000, so you want to manipulate them. the numbers
05:56
manipulate them. the numbers that make sense in your
05:57
that make sense in your business, but this is how we
05:58
business, but this is how we would break out the production
05:59
would break out the production rates um and now the next one
06:01
rates um and now the next one we’re gonna go into is a
06:03
we’re gonna go into is a backhoe with a twelve-foot box
06:05
backhoe with a twelve-foot box plow pusher so same thing. I’m
06:07
plow pusher so same thing. I’m gonna say my minimum. Zero zero
06:10
gonna say my minimum. Zero zero square feet and at $145 for
06:13
square feet and at $145 for that that backhoe and what
06:17
that that backhoe and what we’re gonna do is go in. We’ve
06:18
we’re gonna do is go in. We’ve got budgeted hour. Let’s say we
06:18
got budgeted hour. Let’s say we need $150 for the backhoe and
06:21
need $150 for the backhoe and it’s costing us 100 same idea
06:24
it’s costing us 100 same idea and then we would go every
06:25
and then we would go every thousand over the base price of
06:27
thousand over the base price of ten and then we’ve got a price
06:29
ten and then we’ve got a price per thousand there and we’ve
06:31
per thousand there and we’ve got our in cost now. The last
06:34
got our in cost now. The last example, here is going in and
06:36
example, here is going in and putting a sixteen foot box plow
06:38
putting a sixteen foot box plow in there um so let’s say we
06:41
in there um so let’s say we keep our same example of 10000
06:42
keep our same example of 10000 square feet and our loader with
06:44
square feet and our loader with the. For box is gonna be 175.
06:49
the. For box is gonna be 175. .8 hours and I’m gonna bring in
06:52
.8 hours and I’m gonna bring in our cost of uh let’s say 175 an
06:56
our cost of uh let’s say 175 an hour and it’s causing us 110.
07:00
hour and it’s causing us 110. Obviously it’s numbers of pics
07:01
Obviously it’s numbers of pics you wanna use your own numbers,
07:02
you wanna use your own numbers, but I’m gonna show you how we
07:04
but I’m gonna show you how we can have different production
07:05
can have different production rate per piece of equipment and
07:07
rate per piece of equipment and charge different for a minimal
07:08
charge different for a minimal or keep the minimum the same um
07:10
or keep the minimum the same um and open up the square footage
07:12
and open up the square footage that it covers as well So uh
07:14
that it covers as well So uh there’s different variations of
07:15
there’s different variations of how you wanna tackle that in
07:16
how you wanna tackle that in your business uh and then every
07:18
your business uh and then every thousand. Over the 10000 here
07:21
thousand. Over the 10000 here is this rate budget hours and
07:24
is this rate budget hours and cost so once you have those
07:25
cost so once you have those built out, we’re gonna go into
07:27
built out, we’re gonna go into the software and start building
07:28
the software and start building this out in a uh production
07:30
this out in a uh production based estimating system where
07:31
based estimating system where the consumers not gonna see
07:32
the consumers not gonna see what piece of equipment is, but
07:33
what piece of equipment is, but we’re gonna select the
07:34
we’re gonna select the appropriate piece of equipment
07:36
appropriate piece of equipment for um the property. Uh next
07:39
for um the property. Uh next thing is a lot of the
07:40
thing is a lot of the questions. We’re looking at how
07:41
questions. We’re looking at how do we handle salting So I’ve
07:43
do we handle salting So I’ve got AV back Salter here with up
07:44
got AV back Salter here with up to five cubic yards, so that
07:46
to five cubic yards, so that could be a two three or five
07:48
could be a two three or five cubic yard salt or on average,
07:50
cubic yard salt or on average, they traditionally are gonna be
07:52
they traditionally are gonna be covering uh production rate
07:54
covering uh production rate about the same. So what we’re
07:56
about the same. So what we’re gonna do is I’m gonna say from
07:57
gonna do is I’m gonna say from one to a thousand square feet
08:00
one to a thousand square feet and I’m gonna say my charge per
08:02
and I’m gonna say my charge per hour 150 for my salter and
08:05
hour 150 for my salter and before or materials. It’s cost
08:07
before or materials. It’s cost me, let’s say.
08:11
So last thing we’re looking at
08:12
So last thing we’re looking at is what is our cost per ton so,
08:14
is what is our cost per ton so, on average, at least in
08:15
on average, at least in northeast, you’re looking at
08:16
northeast, you’re looking at about a half a ton per acre
08:17
about a half a ton per acre coverage for bulk rock salt um
08:19
coverage for bulk rock salt um so I’m gonna save my cost per
08:21
so I’m gonna save my cost per ton that I buy it for it’s $80
08:23
ton that I buy it for it’s $80 and I’ll put that in there now,
08:24
and I’ll put that in there now, what it’s gonna do is calculate
08:26
what it’s gonna do is calculate my cost for 1000 feet of salt
08:28
my cost for 1000 feet of salt material. so our fully break
08:31
material. so our fully break even here um in this example,
08:34
even here um in this example, is it’s costing us a dollar 67
08:36
is it’s costing us a dollar 67 labor materials per thousand.
08:38
labor materials per thousand. so uh maybe we bumped this up
08:40
so uh maybe we bumped this up to say, okay Our base price is
08:42
to say, okay Our base price is 10000 square feet. It’s. 1680s
08:46
10000 square feet. It’s. 1680s or 1668, and maybe I won’t show
08:48
or 1668, and maybe I won’t show up for less than $100 to salt.
08:53
up for less than $100 to salt. Isn’t too uncommon in the
08:54
Isn’t too uncommon in the northeast, So that’s about 83%
08:56
northeast, So that’s about 83% net profit margin, and then we
08:58
net profit margin, and then we can say every thousand over the
09:02
can say every thousand over the 10000 uh is x amount of dollars
09:05
10000 uh is x amount of dollars more uh price budget of time
09:10
more uh price budget of time and cost So maybe we’re doing
09:13
and cost So maybe we’re doing it 10000 square foot increment.
09:14
it 10000 square foot increment. So that’s a way
09:17
Your markets, but we can break
09:19
Your markets, but we can break down per square foot if you
09:20
down per square foot if you want uh and then we’ve got a
09:23
want uh and then we’ve got a tailgate spreader be the same
09:24
tailgate spreader be the same idea and we’ve got a boxer with
09:27
idea and we’ve got a boxer with an eight cubic yard tri axle
09:28
an eight cubic yard tri axle same idea there uh last thing
09:29
same idea there uh last thing is sidewalk shovels and snow
09:30
is sidewalk shovels and snow blowing how do we break that
09:31
blowing how do we break that out? How do we actually build
09:33
out? How do we actually build this out so sidewalk shoveling
09:35
this out so sidewalk shoveling um I’m gonna say every thousand
09:39
um I’m gonna say every thousand square feet I would recommend
09:41
square feet I would recommend because this is part of the
09:42
because this is part of the other question is I would keep
09:43
other question is I would keep a minimum between a thousand
09:44
a minimum between a thousand and about twelve or 1300 square
09:46
and about twelve or 1300 square feet is your minimum and at
09:47
feet is your minimum and at your increment because if
09:48
your increment because if you’re going out and That with
09:51
you’re going out and That with a bag of calcium chloride
09:54
a bag of calcium chloride sodium chloride um you’re
09:55
sodium chloride um you’re probably not gonna go out and
09:56
probably not gonna go out and just use half a bag. so I would
09:58
just use half a bag. so I would say whatever that covers that
09:59
say whatever that covers that would be your minimum
10:01
would be your minimum incremental shift is what we
10:02
incremental shift is what we found pretty good for our
10:03
found pretty good for our company. so I’m gonna do it
10:06
company. so I’m gonna do it every thousand uh shoveling.
10:07
every thousand uh shoveling. we’re gonna be around 2100
10:09
we’re gonna be around 2100 square feet production and we
10:11
square feet production and we are gonna be charging. It’s
10:13
are gonna be charging. It’s costing me $30.38 in this
10:16
costing me $30.38 in this example. So maybe I wanna make
10:17
example. So maybe I wanna make uh ninety-five bucks per.
10:22
And the cost of my crew is
10:25
And the cost of my crew is maybe forty-five um it’s
10:28
maybe forty-five um it’s usually a little bit lower
10:29
usually a little bit lower overhead uh cuz it’s just
10:30
overhead uh cuz it’s just labor. So maybe we’re charging
10:33
labor. So maybe we’re charging forty-five bucks per thousand
10:34
forty-five bucks per thousand That would be the way we set
10:36
That would be the way we set this up now. same idea we can
10:37
this up now. same idea we can go in and build build out snow
10:41
go in and build build out snow uh sidewalk room uh sidewalk
10:44
uh sidewalk room uh sidewalk walk behind broom and we’ve got
10:45
walk behind broom and we’ve got a sidewalk quad with plow blade
10:49
a sidewalk quad with plow blade and ice melt with fifty pounds
10:50
and ice melt with fifty pounds spreader. So let’s go to the
10:51
spreader. So let’s go to the final example here for ice melt
10:52
final example here for ice melt and we also have one with 100
10:53
and we also have one with 100 pound spreader uh but this is
10:54
pound spreader uh but this is how we. In my company, as well
10:57
how we. In my company, as well as the other companies were
10:58
as the other companies were helping with so let’s go in and
10:59
helping with so let’s go in and do a thousand square feet and
11:05
do a thousand square feet and we’ve got our ice melts. So, in
11:07
we’ve got our ice melts. So, in this example, we have not built
11:09
this example, we have not built that out yet, but I can pull
11:11
that out yet, but I can pull that equation in here shortly
11:13
that equation in here shortly so if we’ve got it over here so
11:15
so if we’ve got it over here so I’m gonna go back into.
11:21
My cost per acres I would
11:22
My cost per acres I would basically take this down in the
11:24
basically take this down in the live Facebook. It’s not gonna
11:25
live Facebook. It’s not gonna convert me recalculate the
11:26
convert me recalculate the formulas, but the idea is I
11:28
formulas, but the idea is I would have a price per thousand
11:31
would have a price per thousand square feet or price per square
11:33
square feet or price per square foot for the uh fifty pounds
11:35
foot for the uh fifty pounds spreader, but we work out just
11:36
spreader, but we work out just like the box um so with the
11:38
like the box um so with the sheet is not completely
11:40
sheet is not completely finished here and we updated
11:41
finished here and we updated the new version, but I would
11:42
the new version, but I would add that in the idea is you
11:43
add that in the idea is you plug that in and you’ve got the
11:45
plug that in and you’ve got the same thing labor materials
11:45
same thing labor materials based on a thousand to 1200
11:46
based on a thousand to 1200 square foot uh sidewalks. so
11:48
square foot uh sidewalks. so the other question that came
11:49
the other question that came in. Like well, how wide is the
11:51
in. Like well, how wide is the sidewalk well based on the
11:54
sidewalk well based on the LinkedIn with of the sidewalk,
11:55
LinkedIn with of the sidewalk, you’ll see in our example, uh
11:57
you’ll see in our example, uh we’ll be able to be um.
11:59
we’ll be able to be um. accurate but no matter how wide
12:02
accurate but no matter how wide the sidewalk is we’re based on
12:04
the sidewalk is we’re based on square footage. so once you
12:06
square footage. so once you have this built out the next
12:06
have this built out the next thing you probably wanna do is
12:07
thing you probably wanna do is go into a product uh like we
12:10
go into a product uh like we use a service auto pilot. I’ll
12:10
use a service auto pilot. I’ll show you how to take this and
12:11
show you how to take this and build this out into a template
12:13
build this out into a template um and kinda hide the equipment
12:16
um and kinda hide the equipment detail from the client. Um if
12:18
detail from the client. Um if you’re looking at this uh
12:19
you’re looking at this uh before I forget to if you’re
12:21
before I forget to if you’re part of service Autopilot if
12:22
part of service Autopilot if you go up top and go to the
12:23
you go up top and go to the market. First thing here is the
12:25
market. First thing here is the uh simple growth, snow removal
12:27
uh simple growth, snow removal contracts um if you’re
12:29
contracts um if you’re interested in the contractual
12:30
interested in the contractual language and everything we’ve
12:31
language and everything we’ve built out in my business, we’re
12:32
built out in my business, we’re actually sharing that on the
12:33
actually sharing that on the marketplace. um so you’re gonna
12:35
marketplace. um so you’re gonna hit view and check out the
12:36
hit view and check out the details of that um but I’m just
12:38
details of that um but I’m just gonna show you how to do this
12:39
gonna show you how to do this in today’s video. so uh first
12:41
in today’s video. so uh first thing we wanna do is we go into
12:43
thing we wanna do is we go into the gear icon here and create a
12:46
the gear icon here and create a custom feel so custom field is
12:49
custom feel so custom field is gonna be that trips or the
12:51
gonna be that trips or the sidewalks square footage and
12:52
sidewalks square footage and parking lot square footage so
12:53
parking lot square footage so to make it easier. I’m gonna
12:56
to make it easier. I’m gonna add a custom field in here. I’m
12:57
add a custom field in here. I’m just gonna put three zeros in
12:59
just gonna put three zeros in front of everything so we can
13:01
front of everything so we can pull them off quickly cuz we
13:03
pull them off quickly cuz we have a lot of custom fields
13:04
have a lot of custom fields parking lot square footage. I’m
13:08
parking lot square footage. I’m an associate to the customer
13:08
an associate to the customer and I’m gonna actually make
13:09
and I’m gonna actually make this a numbers so we can do
13:11
this a numbers so we can do some math on it. I’m gonna save
13:12
some math on it. I’m gonna save a new and I’m also gonna go in
13:14
a new and I’m also gonna go in and put sidewalks square
13:16
and put sidewalks square footage. That the area that
13:20
footage. That the area that we’re gonna plow or snow blower
13:22
we’re gonna plow or snow blower or shovel and and put some
13:24
or shovel and and put some sidewalks on there. That’s the
13:28
sidewalks on there. That’s the first thing we always wanna
13:29
first thing we always wanna take that from our blueprint um
13:32
take that from our blueprint um for simple blueprint and then
13:35
for simple blueprint and then put it in the system. So once
13:36
put it in the system. So once you get this in the system once
13:38
you get this in the system once again, it’s gonna be a number
13:39
again, it’s gonna be a number and it’s gonna be uh save it in
13:41
and it’s gonna be uh save it in here now if you’re using work
13:43
here now if you’re using work orders you want that uh that
13:45
orders you want that uh that square footage to show up in
13:46
square footage to show up in the worker on the mobile.
13:47
the worker on the mobile. That’s how you put it in there.
13:48
That’s how you put it in there. So once we’ve gone in there,
13:51
So once we’ve gone in there, we’ve kinda got into the simple
13:52
we’ve kinda got into the simple growth blueprint here and I’m
13:53
growth blueprint here and I’m gonna kinda go from top to
13:54
gonna kinda go from top to bottom. I won’t do the whole
13:55
bottom. I won’t do the whole thing but give you some
13:57
thing but give you some examples. so we’re gonna go
13:57
examples. so we’re gonna go into that. VV Blade uh
13:59
into that. VV Blade uh production here. And what I’ve
14:01
production here. And what I’ve done is my custom field um
14:05
done is my custom field um right here, The one I’ve put in
14:07
right here, The one I’ve put in is the parking lot square
14:09
is the parking lot square footage now what we could do if
14:11
footage now what we could do if you really wanna dial it in is
14:14
you really wanna dial it in is go back to custom fields and
14:16
go back to custom fields and make an additional custom field
14:17
make an additional custom field for each piece of equipment.
14:19
for each piece of equipment. So.
14:24
So we’ve got the V Blade Blade
14:28
So we’ve got the V Blade Blade Square footage, so we have a
14:29
Square footage, so we have a parking lot. We’re getting with
14:30
parking lot. We’re getting with the V blade versus a loader
14:31
the V blade versus a loader versus skid. We can break that
14:32
versus skid. We can break that out. That’s gonna give us a
14:33
out. That’s gonna give us a granular. This is kind of the
14:35
granular. This is kind of the next level of it um if you’re
14:37
next level of it um if you’re using all the same piece of
14:37
using all the same piece of equipment, you just have
14:39
equipment, you just have parking lot square footage and
14:40
parking lot square footage and sidewalks sidewalks square
14:41
sidewalks sidewalks square footage so I wanna kinda break
14:43
footage so I wanna kinda break that down for you. um so you
14:46
that down for you. um so you have an idea of what that looks
14:49
have an idea of what that looks like.
14:55
So I’m gonna put a couple of
14:57
So I’m gonna put a couple of these in here so you can see
14:58
these in here so you can see and
15:01
I put the uh. It’s and I’ll
15:04
I put the uh. It’s and I’ll also put the loader in here so
15:05
also put the loader in here so you can actually see how this
15:07
you can actually see how this plays out with several
15:08
plays out with several different pieces of equipment.
15:11
different pieces of equipment. Actually, I put the back on the
15:13
Actually, I put the back on the twelve foot push but the same
15:14
twelve foot push but the same exact process
15:17
with the loader as well.
15:22
And that’s gonna be a numbers
15:24
And that’s gonna be a numbers now next thing we need to do is
15:26
now next thing we need to do is go in and do the uh shoveling
15:29
go in and do the uh shoveling square footage or quad. uh I’m
15:30
square footage or quad. uh I’m gonna leave it just generic
15:32
gonna leave it just generic right now with sidewalk, but if
15:32
right now with sidewalk, but if you have different pieces of
15:34
you have different pieces of equipment that you do sidewalk
15:36
equipment that you do sidewalk removal if you wanna build
15:36
removal if you wanna build those custom fields out and
15:37
those custom fields out and I’ll show you why in a minute.
15:38
I’ll show you why in a minute. so once I built a custom field,
15:40
so once I built a custom field, I need to go and actually
15:41
I need to go and actually create the services so we’re
15:44
create the services so we’re gonna go in and hit service and
15:46
gonna go in and hit service and start building this out um now
15:49
start building this out um now this full transparency you can
15:51
this full transparency you can be built out from several
15:52
be built out from several different ways. Uh I’m gonna do
15:53
different ways. Uh I’m gonna do this as a port. Um but this can
15:56
this as a port. Um but this can be done uh in this methodology
15:58
be done uh in this methodology for per trip per trip per inch
16:00
for per trip per trip per inch or unlimited contract or a
16:03
or unlimited contract or a contract with a retainer and
16:05
contract with a retainer and overs so uh different ways to
16:07
overs so uh different ways to tackle but the foundational set
16:08
tackle but the foundational set up of the service and the
16:09
up of the service and the production rates are gonna be
16:10
production rates are gonna be pretty much identical. So first
16:12
pretty much identical. So first thing I’m gonna do here is just
16:13
thing I’m gonna do here is just go back in my industry average
16:16
go back in my industry average cheat my pricing matrix
16:17
cheat my pricing matrix blueprint and I’m gonna do plow
16:22
blueprint and I’m gonna do plow Truck B Blade and I’m gonna.
16:24
Truck B Blade and I’m gonna. Service name I’m gonna put a
16:26
Service name I’m gonna put a code in I am going to put a per
16:30
code in I am going to put a per unit and invoice description
16:33
unit and invoice description and account actually you know
16:34
and account actually you know what I am gonna uh make this a
16:37
what I am gonna uh make this a make a appearance first to show
16:38
make a appearance first to show you where we plug in the
16:39
you where we plug in the child’s services cuz it’s
16:40
child’s services cuz it’s actually make a little more
16:42
actually make a little more sense uh in a per push instant.
16:44
sense uh in a per push instant. so uh I’m gonna start with a
16:46
so uh I’m gonna start with a zero zero. just so I can find
16:47
zero zero. just so I can find it. I’m gonna put um
16:50
it. I’m gonna put um commercial.
16:54
Snow removal
16:57
And I’m gonna copy and paste
16:59
And I’m gonna copy and paste that into the areas that we
17:00
that into the areas that we need. obviously you want an
17:01
need. obviously you want an invoice description and some
17:03
invoice description and some other things um just like you
17:04
other things um just like you can pull off uh the template
17:06
can pull off uh the template here and service autopilot of
17:07
here and service autopilot of the marketplace with simple
17:08
the marketplace with simple growth uh but for time sake,
17:09
growth uh but for time sake, I’m just gonna set this up
17:11
I’m just gonna set this up here. so it’s kind of uh. Set
17:13
here. so it’s kind of uh. Set it and forget it for speed. so
17:16
it and forget it for speed. so I’m gonna go in and save a new
17:18
I’m gonna go in and save a new and then uh I am going to start
17:22
and then uh I am going to start plugging in the different types
17:24
plugging in the different types of equipment that we have uh
17:27
of equipment that we have uh for this process.
17:32
So here we go save a new and it
17:37
So here we go save a new and it looks like it up there. We go
17:39
looks like it up there. We go so just loaded uh internet.
17:40
so just loaded uh internet. It’s been really crazy around
17:42
It’s been really crazy around here with kids on zoom and
17:43
here with kids on zoom and everything else so bare with me
17:44
everything else so bare with me here, but the idea is that
17:46
here, but the idea is that we’ve created that parent
17:47
we’ve created that parent service now we’re gonna go and
17:48
service now we’re gonna go and create a child service uh for
17:51
create a child service uh for AB blade and that is gonna be
17:54
AB blade and that is gonna be our oh there’s a snow plow and
17:57
our oh there’s a snow plow and I’m gonna continue that Mimi
17:59
I’m gonna continue that Mimi Convention so it’s easier to
18:00
Convention so it’s easier to find. And we’re gonna use this
18:03
find. And we’re gonna use this and estimates only and on our
18:05
and estimates only and on our rate matrix here quantity
18:07
rate matrix here quantity returns visit. I’m gonna go in
18:08
returns visit. I’m gonna go in now and grab my v Blade Square
18:14
now and grab my v Blade Square footage and I’m gonna go right
18:17
footage and I’m gonna go right from the industry average sheet
18:18
from the industry average sheet that we have here from simple
18:20
that we have here from simple growth and copy that right in
18:22
growth and copy that right in there so one to 10075 Bucks.
18:27
And like I said these are
18:29
And like I said these are fictitious prices that don’t
18:30
fictitious prices that don’t take this as anything you
18:31
take this as anything you should be following uh but I
18:32
should be following uh but I wanna give you the methodology,
18:34
wanna give you the methodology, .28 hours and 1915 is our cost.
18:45
And then we’re gonna go over
18:46
And then we’re gonna go over thousand with the 10000 once
18:47
thousand with the 10000 once again, these top five lines
18:49
again, these top five lines transferred automatically this
18:50
transferred automatically this bottom five lens transferring
18:52
bottom five lens transferring automatically as well. Um so
18:53
automatically as well. Um so that’s why we call it our
18:54
that’s why we call it our blueprint. We’re following the
18:55
blueprint. We’re following the blueprints.
19:01
Every thousand over 10000 is
19:05
Every thousand over 10000 is 320 4.03 hours.
19:13
And a cost of a dollar 90.2, so
19:15
And a cost of a dollar 90.2, so obviously you wanna make sure
19:16
obviously you wanna make sure your cost is less than your
19:17
your cost is less than your price. That’s a good way of
19:18
price. That’s a good way of checking this to make sure
19:19
checking this to make sure you’re doing your math
19:21
you’re doing your math correctly when you build this
19:22
correctly when you build this out yourself and we’re gonna
19:24
out yourself and we’re gonna save the news. I’m gonna build
19:25
save the news. I’m gonna build this out um in a way where we
19:27
this out um in a way where we have the truck, the skid steer
19:30
have the truck, the skid steer and the backhoe um and then I
19:32
and the backhoe um and then I also put one together for the
19:33
also put one together for the sidewalks quickly and then I’m
19:35
sidewalks quickly and then I’m gonna show you how to pull
19:36
gonna show you how to pull those services into a template
19:37
those services into a template and create a process for
19:40
and create a process for estimating. So a little bit
19:44
estimating. So a little bit longer video here, but I think
19:46
longer video here, but I think it’s worthwhile um for
19:48
it’s worthwhile um for everybody to see how this
19:49
everybody to see how this actually goes together. uh cuz
19:51
actually goes together. uh cuz this is the time of the year
19:51
this is the time of the year that you want to be doing this
19:53
that you want to be doing this any comments or questions feel
19:54
any comments or questions feel free to drop them in as well.
19:56
free to drop them in as well. so we’re gonna go in and create
19:57
so we’re gonna go in and create um our skid steer. I’m still
19:59
um our skid steer. I’m still gonna put that Mimi Convention
20:00
gonna put that Mimi Convention so I can find in the beginning.
20:02
so I can find in the beginning. I’m gonna use that for it’s
20:03
I’m gonna use that for it’s only and I’m using commercial
20:04
only and I’m using commercial snow removal once again, I’m
20:06
snow removal once again, I’m going in calculation and I’m
20:09
going in calculation and I’m going into my eight-foot pusher
20:12
going into my eight-foot pusher Bob or skid steer. I’m gonna
20:14
Bob or skid steer. I’m gonna say one two I’m going. Simple
20:17
say one two I’m going. Simple growth blueprint here one to
20:22
$10200 three point. 3.23 and
20:25
$10200 three point. 3.23 and our and I’m just pulling these
20:27
our and I’m just pulling these numbers right here. .23 in 1991
20:30
numbers right here. .23 in 1991 is our cost break even.
20:37
And 100.23.
20:47
Three and then we’re gonna go
20:49
Three and then we’re gonna go in and take the bottom part of
20:52
in and take the bottom part of the simple blueprint. Here is
20:54
the simple blueprint. Here is every thousand over $10003.16.
21:04
And budget, our .02 and a
21:08
And budget, our .02 and a dollar 99.02 man hours in a
21:12
dollar 99.02 man hours in a dollar and ninety-nine is what
21:12
dollar and ninety-nine is what it’s costing us. We’re charging
21:15
it’s costing us. We’re charging 316 to once again, you’re just
21:16
316 to once again, you’re just pulling these numbers directly
21:18
pulling these numbers directly off the simple growth
21:20
off the simple growth blueprint. This allows you to
21:21
blueprint. This allows you to blueprint and then implement
21:22
blueprint and then implement now the last thing I’m gonna do
21:24
now the last thing I’m gonna do is examples a twelve-foot
21:25
is examples a twelve-foot backhoe with a twelve or
21:26
backhoe with a twelve or backhoe with a twelve foot push
21:28
backhoe with a twelve foot push up. It’s a it’s a mouthful here
21:28
up. It’s a it’s a mouthful here on a Tuesday um but same exact
21:31
on a Tuesday um but same exact thing here we’re gonna go in.
21:32
thing here we’re gonna go in. I’m gonna do the same naming
21:33
I’m gonna do the same naming convention so I can find it.
21:34
convention so I can find it. Obviously you wouldn’t have
21:35
Obviously you wouldn’t have three zeros in front of it in
21:36
three zeros in front of it in your example, using estimates
21:38
your example, using estimates and I’ve got that in our rate
21:39
and I’ve got that in our rate matrix. We’re grabbing that
21:41
matrix. We’re grabbing that Formula I’m grabbing the
21:43
Formula I’m grabbing the backhoe twelve-foot pusher and
21:45
backhoe twelve-foot pusher and I’m going in back into the
21:47
I’m going in back into the civil blueprint again and
21:48
civil blueprint again and grabbing my 10000 square feet
21:50
grabbing my 10000 square feet for about 45.
21:58
And we have .2 man hours for
22:02
And we have .2 man hours for $20 breakeven and I’m gonna go
22:05
$20 breakeven and I’m gonna go back to my blueprints and take
22:07
back to my blueprints and take every thousand or 10000 is
22:09
every thousand or 10000 is three bucks.
22:14
Three $3 and we need a budget
22:17
Three $3 and we need a budget of time and cost break-even .02
22:18
of time and cost break-even .02 hours and
22:22
$2 break even. And .02.
22:36
Alright and the last one was
22:39
Alright and the last one was two bucks, so I’m making a
22:41
two bucks, so I’m making a dollar profit every time we
22:43
dollar profit every time we plow a thousand square feet. so
22:44
plow a thousand square feet. so now we’re gonna go out and hit
22:47
now we’re gonna go out and hit save. I’m gonna go back to the
22:50
save. I’m gonna go back to the industry average here and grab
22:51
industry average here and grab a second set of services for
22:56
a second set of services for sidewalk shoveling That was
22:58
sidewalk shoveling That was part of the question here at uh
23:00
part of the question here at uh Callahan’s corner. So I’m gonna
23:01
Callahan’s corner. So I’m gonna mark that Forty-five Bucks per
23:04
mark that Forty-five Bucks per thousand. And based on the
23:07
thousand. And based on the budget and our perfect
23:09
budget and our perfect actually, I make this fifty.
23:11
actually, I make this fifty. It’s a little more sense now uh
23:14
It’s a little more sense now uh what we’re gonna do is go out
23:16
what we’re gonna do is go out the same exact thing and just
23:18
the same exact thing and just do sidewalk shoveling like I
23:18
do sidewalk shoveling like I said. You can break this down
23:19
said. You can break this down for shovel back or um snow
23:23
for shovel back or um snow blower other pieces of
23:24
blower other pieces of equipment and we’re gonna go
23:26
equipment and we’re gonna go into uh services once again and
23:27
into uh services once again and we’re gonna choose the generic
23:29
we’re gonna choose the generic square footage for this one
23:31
square footage for this one just for time it’s out of
23:34
just for time it’s out of service a little. Click here
23:37
service a little. Click here once again any questions or
23:37
once again any questions or comments feel free to drop them
23:38
comments feel free to drop them in the live or recorded version
23:41
in the live or recorded version um and we will answer them for
23:43
um and we will answer them for you.
23:46
Once again, this is not gonna
23:48
Once again, this is not gonna be a parent a child services.
23:50
be a parent a child services. It’s just gonna be um or
23:54
It’s just gonna be um or basically uh clearing by itself
23:56
basically uh clearing by itself just for time, stay here, but
23:58
just for time, stay here, but obviously you can break down
23:59
obviously you can break down each piece of equipment like we
24:00
each piece of equipment like we did for the plowing and we’re
24:03
did for the plowing and we’re gonna grab that.
24:07
Sidewalks square footage and
24:08
Sidewalks square footage and maybe you don’t have snow
24:08
maybe you don’t have snow blowers you shovel that would
24:10
blowers you shovel that would be okay in the sense. We’re
24:11
be okay in the sense. We’re gonna go back to the blueprint,
24:13
gonna go back to the blueprint, then one to 1050.
24:18
And that is taking .48 hours
24:22
And that is taking .48 hours costing us 2143. That was a
24:27
costing us 2143. That was a question for the snowplow group
24:29
question for the snowplow group out of Michigan. uh how this is
24:31
out of Michigan. uh how this is broken out. This is it so you
24:32
broken out. This is it so you really don’t want to base it on
24:33
really don’t want to base it on other people in your industry
24:35
other people in your industry or people nationwide. What’s
24:36
or people nationwide. What’s your goal per man hour? if it’s
24:38
your goal per man hour? if it’s 90.5 Bucks and it’s costing you
24:39
90.5 Bucks and it’s costing you 45. This is what you really
24:40
45. This is what you really need to charge based on a
24:41
need to charge based on a production rate so every
24:43
production rate so every thousand over a thousand 4524.
24:45
thousand over a thousand 4524. so it’s a little bit cheaper in
24:47
so it’s a little bit cheaper in this fictitious example, um
24:49
this fictitious example, um after we get out past the base
24:51
after we get out past the base price of fifty to show up.
24:57
4524
25:00
This is my second monitor here
25:02
This is my second monitor here on this one for sure I highly
25:04
on this one for sure I highly recommend two monitors. We
25:05
recommend two monitors. We build this out yourself and not
25:06
build this out yourself and not live on Facebook .48 hours and
25:09
live on Facebook .48 hours and 2143.
25:13
Alright and we’re gonna save
25:14
Alright and we’re gonna save it. uh it’s obviously at this
25:16
it. uh it’s obviously at this point we can go out and do the
25:17
point we can go out and do the sidewalk melt the same exact
25:18
sidewalk melt the same exact way for time sake. I’m not
25:20
way for time sake. I’m not going to do that, but obviously
25:21
going to do that, but obviously that’s the way you do it um the
25:23
that’s the way you do it um the only other one that we are
25:24
only other one that we are missing right now is.
25:31
The salting, so let’s do a vevo
25:32
The salting, so let’s do a vevo salt up to five cubic yards.
25:43
It’s gonna be parking lot.
25:48
It’s a work the same for
25:49
It’s a work the same for sanding if you’re in different
25:50
sanding if you’re in different parts of the country that do
25:51
parts of the country that do that.
25:59
And great mats once again, so
26:01
And great mats once again, so uh it doesn’t matter what piece
26:03
uh it doesn’t matter what piece of equipment I’m using. If all
26:03
of equipment I’m using. If all I have is up to five cubic
26:05
I have is up to five cubic yards spreader that production
26:06
yards spreader that production rates are the same. so I’m just
26:07
rates are the same. so I’m just gonna go in and grab the
26:09
gonna go in and grab the parking lot square footage.
26:15
And we’re going back to the
26:17
And we’re going back to the blueprint kinda repetitive.
26:18
blueprint kinda repetitive. This is how we do it. It’s one
26:19
This is how we do it. It’s one to 10200 Bucks. Obviously,
26:23
to 10200 Bucks. Obviously, these prices are not realistic,
26:24
these prices are not realistic, but it’s going to give you uh
26:30
but it’s going to give you uh an idea of what process is to
26:32
an idea of what process is to build this out. Oh, .83 and
26:37
build this out. Oh, .83 and 1668 labor materials.
26:42
And I’m just gonna do every
26:44
And I’m just gonna do every 10000 over 10000. We’re doing
26:45
10000 over 10000. We’re doing 10000 square foot increments.
26:49
10000 square foot increments. It’s 100 more .083 and 16.83
26:53
It’s 100 more .083 and 16.83 and we are gonna save that now
26:55
and we are gonna save that now we’ve got our system set up.
26:56
we’ve got our system set up. We’ve got our based estimating
26:58
We’ve got our based estimating in there now, where do we go so
26:59
in there now, where do we go so the next step is we’re gonna go
27:00
the next step is we’re gonna go back to the gear icon.
27:10
And Little message for the wife
27:14
And Little message for the wife upstairs working from home, so
27:15
upstairs working from home, so it’s a good news there uh what
27:18
it’s a good news there uh what we’re gonna do here is go into
27:21
we’re gonna do here is go into templates Docks job templates
27:25
templates Docks job templates and like I said any comments
27:26
and like I said any comments questions drop below the freak
27:28
questions drop below the freak got theory based estimating
27:30
got theory based estimating system um in any software, but
27:33
system um in any software, but particularly this is how we
27:34
particularly this is how we break it out now in service
27:36
break it out now in service Autopilot, so we’re gonna add a
27:38
Autopilot, so we’re gonna add a template. All part of the
27:40
template. All part of the template is it’s gonna preload
27:41
template is it’s gonna preload all your services set up how
27:43
all your services set up how you want them to look and we’re
27:44
you want them to look and we’re gonna connect those documents
27:45
gonna connect those documents so as we go in if you end up
27:47
so as we go in if you end up going in the service, Autopilot
27:49
going in the service, Autopilot the first page of the
27:50
the first page of the marketplace, Download the
27:51
marketplace, Download the simple growth snow room as
27:53
simple growth snow room as contracts uh documents. these
27:54
contracts uh documents. these are the documents you’ll
27:56
are the documents you’ll actually see so what I’m gonna
27:57
actually see so what I’m gonna do is just name this at zero
28:00
do is just name this at zero zero commercial.
28:05
Snow Facebook Alright, We’re
28:08
Snow Facebook Alright, We’re gonna do this on both jobs and
28:10
gonna do this on both jobs and estimates We’re gonna select
28:12
estimates We’re gonna select the documents. so that’s where
28:12
the documents. so that’s where if you pull that off the
28:14
if you pull that off the marketplace, you’re estimate
28:16
marketplace, you’re estimate email that sends out the
28:17
email that sends out the estimate uh comes in loaded
28:18
estimate uh comes in loaded with content the actual
28:20
with content the actual document and the uh the email
28:23
document and the uh the email that confirms uh to the client
28:26
that confirms uh to the client that they’ve accepted the
28:28
that they’ve accepted the automated outside of
28:29
automated outside of automations. Obviously, so I’m
28:31
automations. Obviously, so I’m gonna go in and grab that
28:33
gonna go in and grab that documentary. Let me take a
28:34
documentary. Let me take a minute to load and we have.
28:37
minute to load and we have. Quite a few of these in here.
28:42
And let’s see what we got.
28:56
Well, I’m gonna use the
28:58
Well, I’m gonna use the residential snow removal here
28:59
residential snow removal here just cuz that’s quite a few and
29:00
just cuz that’s quite a few and that’s the one that I’ve got in
29:02
that’s the one that I’ve got in here, but that’s gonna connect
29:03
here, but that’s gonna connect the dots and I’ll show you what
29:04
the dots and I’ll show you what that looks like here. Um we
29:05
that looks like here. Um we also have a commercial one as
29:07
also have a commercial one as well as you can see um in here
29:08
well as you can see um in here as well. So the next thing here
29:10
as well. So the next thing here is I wanna go in and start
29:11
is I wanna go in and start adding these services so I’m
29:12
adding these services so I’m just gonna go back to my
29:14
just gonna go back to my blueprint pull up the services
29:15
blueprint pull up the services in order as they come in um for
29:18
in order as they come in um for that V Blade the skid and the
29:20
that V Blade the skid and the back and then we’ll get into
29:21
back and then we’ll get into the sidewalk. so we’re gonna go
29:23
the sidewalk. so we’re gonna go in here and I’ve made this a
29:24
in here and I’ve made this a little bit easier uh for
29:26
little bit easier uh for Facebook here made this all
29:27
Facebook here made this all zero. so I’m gonna go in and
29:29
zero. so I’m gonna go in and grab my. Snow removal and then
29:33
grab my. Snow removal and then underneath that I’m gonna go in
29:35
underneath that I’m gonna go in and add my services um that are
29:39
and add my services um that are associated with that for my uh
29:42
associated with that for my uh process. I’m gonna go in with
29:45
process. I’m gonna go in with the V blade right here and I’m
29:47
the V blade right here and I’m gonna include the default sub
29:50
gonna include the default sub services I should load um all
29:53
services I should load um all those sub services in there and
29:54
those sub services in there and that’s gonna work for us as uh
29:56
that’s gonna work for us as uh our template for based on
29:58
our template for based on different production rates. So
30:00
different production rates. So this may take a second just to
30:01
this may take a second just to load in, but once it loads in,
30:02
load in, but once it loads in, we’ll have all our sub
30:03
we’ll have all our sub services. That process, so
30:08
services. That process, so let’s see if. Like I said the
30:11
let’s see if. Like I said the internet is a little junky
30:13
internet is a little junky right now with all the kids in
30:16
right now with all the kids in school. so let’s see if we can
30:19
school. so let’s see if we can grab that again.
30:24
Go and apply.
30:29
Uh let me refresh this for some
30:31
Uh let me refresh this for some reason. it is not like that,
30:32
reason. it is not like that, but it should be pulling that
30:35
but it should be pulling that in. I’m gonna refresh right out
30:39
in. I’m gonna refresh right out of this, so let’s give it a
30:41
of this, so let’s give it a second uh but when we get the
30:43
second uh but when we get the template loaded, we grab the
30:45
template loaded, we grab the the parent service, then we
30:46
the parent service, then we grab the child’s service that’s
30:47
grab the child’s service that’s gonna load so that’s gonna be
30:49
gonna load so that’s gonna be our interior um invisible
30:51
our interior um invisible estimating process there and
30:55
estimating process there and when you do that will let you.
30:59
when you do that will let you. Um hide the additional
31:02
Um hide the additional services.
31:11
Here we go so uh what it does
31:15
Here we go so uh what it does that sometimes in the first
31:15
that sometimes in the first time it will duplicate those
31:16
time it will duplicate those and and that is normal. So we
31:18
and and that is normal. So we wanted to delete that out. So
31:19
wanted to delete that out. So I’ve got my V blade. I’ve got
31:23
I’ve got my V blade. I’ve got my eight foot box plow on the
31:25
my eight foot box plow on the skid.
31:34
You wanna make sure that you
31:36
You wanna make sure that you remember to dissect this extra
31:38
remember to dissect this extra check box. Um I’ll show you
31:39
check box. Um I’ll show you this in a second right here is
31:40
this in a second right here is that will pull all the other
31:42
that will pull all the other services connected to it. Now I
31:44
services connected to it. Now I need to get my loader.
31:57
And
32:01
And that is it we’ve got quite
32:04
And that is it we’ve got quite a few in here so that should do
32:06
a few in here so that should do it. So now I’ve got my V plow
32:08
it. So now I’ve got my V plow my pusher. And that did not
32:12
my pusher. And that did not connect so let’s get that in
32:15
connect so let’s get that in there. And it may not have a
32:21
there. And it may not have a back on my bad here we go.
32:27
This loader some other videos,
32:28
This loader some other videos, so let’s leave that so now
32:30
so let’s leave that so now we’ve got our V plow or eight
32:30
we’ve got our V plow or eight foot pusher, and that’s now the
32:32
foot pusher, and that’s now the next thing you wanna go in and
32:33
next thing you wanna go in and add in a salty. so parking lot
32:39
add in a salty. so parking lot salting. And
32:44
salting. And we would
32:45
we would add in a sidewalk
32:48
we would add in a sidewalk shoveling and now what we have
32:50
shoveling and now what we have is commercial plowing with
32:52
is commercial plowing with three different types of
32:52
three different types of equipment with different
32:54
equipment with different production rates. parking lot,
32:55
production rates. parking lot, salting and sidewalks shoveling
32:57
salting and sidewalks shoveling um I’m gonna call this a zero
33:00
um I’m gonna call this a zero zero. No commercial.
33:09
Facebook Live I’m an associate
33:13
Facebook Live I’m an associate with the estimates or jobs. I’m
33:15
with the estimates or jobs. I’m actually have both. that’s
33:16
actually have both. that’s gonna be the ability to select
33:18
gonna be the ability to select my document. let’s see if I can
33:20
my document. let’s see if I can grab the commercial plowing on
33:21
grab the commercial plowing on if not uh we have one here for
33:24
if not uh we have one here for residential plowing and I’ll
33:25
residential plowing and I’ll put that in here just so it’s
33:26
put that in here just so it’s an example of plowing like I
33:29
an example of plowing like I said you guys a marketplace. We
33:30
said you guys a marketplace. We have all of them right here for
33:31
have all of them right here for you wanna tackle those um and
33:33
you wanna tackle those um and we’re gonna save and close
33:35
we’re gonna save and close that. Now our final step is
33:39
that. Now our final step is we’re gonna go in and add a
33:41
we’re gonna go in and add a lead.
33:46
And we’re gonna go in and put
33:49
And we’re gonna go in and put our old tester in here.
34:07
Okay and we’re gonna put in a
34:09
Okay and we’re gonna put in a property address uh to make
34:11
property address uh to make this.
34:14
I’m gonna put a uh commercial
34:16
I’m gonna put a uh commercial property in here where you can
34:17
property in here where you can actually go and measure the
34:18
actually go and measure the sidewalks and the parking lot.
34:20
sidewalks and the parking lot. So you know exactly what that
34:21
So you know exactly what that is and I’m gonna put my. Email
34:26
is and I’m gonna put my. Email in here so we can email it out
34:27
in here so we can email it out and see what the contract looks
34:28
and see what the contract looks like.
34:42
And safe so once we have this
34:45
And safe so once we have this now we can actually go out and
34:46
now we can actually go out and estimate this property so uh
34:47
estimate this property so uh whether you’re on site or just
34:49
whether you’re on site or just from the office uh both work
34:51
from the office uh both work actually pretty well believe it
34:52
actually pretty well believe it or not uh the other thing I did
34:54
or not uh the other thing I did wanna mention while this is
34:55
wanna mention while this is saving is under details you’d
34:56
saving is under details you’d wanna select whether it’s
34:58
wanna select whether it’s commercial residential and
34:59
commercial residential and other sales. Uh we also want to
35:01
other sales. Uh we also want to see what the lead source was so
35:04
see what the lead source was so we’re going into the more right
35:06
we’re going into the more right here into maps, pro or maps
35:09
here into maps, pro or maps maps uh smart maps. We will be
35:13
maps uh smart maps. We will be able to hit that once it loads
35:15
able to hit that once it loads and go out and actually measure
35:17
and go out and actually measure the properties so we’re gonna
35:17
the properties so we’re gonna measure the square footage of
35:19
measure the square footage of the parking lot um and assign
35:20
the parking lot um and assign that to what piece of equipment
35:22
that to what piece of equipment we’re plowing with um in
35:24
we’re plowing with um in addition, we can go out and
35:25
addition, we can go out and measure the sidewalks square
35:26
measure the sidewalks square footage. so let’s take a look
35:28
footage. so let’s take a look at it here once it’s loads and
35:29
at it here once it’s loads and we will be able to uh build
35:31
we will be able to uh build this out here, but it’s
35:32
this out here, but it’s comments and questions drop
35:33
comments and questions drop below here uh the internet.
35:35
below here uh the internet. obviously, it’s just a little
35:36
obviously, it’s just a little bit slow um being in the
35:37
bit slow um being in the basement here and with the kids
35:39
basement here and with the kids um using it for school upstairs
35:41
um using it for school upstairs so working from home today but
35:42
so working from home today but uh if you can bear with me here
35:44
uh if you can bear with me here we. Get this up and running and
35:47
we. Get this up and running and and show you how to kinda bring
35:50
and show you how to kinda bring this home so how how the all
35:51
this home so how how the all play into this template We’ve
35:52
play into this template We’ve built out um so definitely
35:54
built out um so definitely worth the extra 32nd wait here.
35:55
worth the extra 32nd wait here. This is untraditional uh but
35:57
This is untraditional uh but things are crazy right now with
35:59
things are crazy right now with Coven the kids at home.
36:03
So if you’re working from home,
36:05
So if you’re working from home, I I’d highly recommend it think
36:06
I I’d highly recommend it think I’m gonna probably do is
36:13
Internet for the house as well
36:15
Internet for the house as well so property measurements this
36:17
so property measurements this is gonna pull up the satellite
36:19
is gonna pull up the satellite view and we’re now we can go in
36:20
view and we’re now we can go in and measure the property and
36:21
and measure the property and those measurements of the
36:23
those measurements of the property automatically load
36:24
property automatically load into our price matrix and
36:26
into our price matrix and create property specific
36:28
create property specific pricing. so we’ll let let this
36:29
pricing. so we’ll let let this load like said very
36:31
load like said very untraditional, but it is crazy
36:33
untraditional, but it is crazy times and traditionally right
36:35
times and traditionally right around 1230 Eastern is when we
36:36
around 1230 Eastern is when we see these issues so uh Jonathan
36:40
see these issues so uh Jonathan says. Thanks for um redoing our
36:42
says. Thanks for um redoing our so Jonathan. Thanks for doing
36:44
so Jonathan. Thanks for doing our estimating and lawn
36:45
our estimating and lawn services and the principles
36:46
services and the principles here all for us too. So yeah.
36:48
here all for us too. So yeah. absolutely Jonathan no worries.
36:50
absolutely Jonathan no worries. uh this is something we do.
36:51
uh this is something we do. We’ve done this with several
36:53
We’ve done this with several several hundred companies uh
36:55
several hundred companies uh for lawn care home cleaning and
36:56
for lawn care home cleaning and uh snow removal here. so uh I’m
36:58
uh snow removal here. so uh I’m gonna try not to cut this video
37:00
gonna try not to cut this video short because I think this is
37:02
short because I think this is really beneficial. so let me
37:03
really beneficial. so let me see worst-case scenario. Let me
37:05
see worst-case scenario. Let me see if I can log out of service
37:08
see if I can log out of service autopilot and uh potentially
37:09
autopilot and uh potentially log back in just to get this uh
37:12
log back in just to get this uh to. Maybe a little bit quicker,
37:15
to. Maybe a little bit quicker, but that is very uncommon here.
37:19
but that is very uncommon here. let’s see if we can pull this
37:19
let’s see if we can pull this up there we go.
37:28
And let’s see if this loads
37:29
And let’s see if this loads here, but what we’re gonna do
37:30
here, but what we’re gonna do is go in and measure this uh
37:32
is go in and measure this uh property with the square
37:34
property with the square footage here. so hopefully this
37:35
footage here. so hopefully this will work here for us but like
37:37
will work here for us but like I said, things are a little bit
37:38
I said, things are a little bit crazier with Cove in the
37:40
crazier with Cove in the internet speeds so not really
37:42
internet speeds so not really service autopilot. just it is
37:44
service autopilot. just it is what it is lately with the
37:46
what it is lately with the internet.
37:51
You see.
38:02
And I’m gonna try something we
38:04
And I’m gonna try something we don’t traditionally do here on
38:05
don’t traditionally do here on Facebook live, but I may even
38:08
Facebook live, but I may even dive into vthree to see if I
38:09
dive into vthree to see if I can get that to work here um
38:11
can get that to work here um for some reason the internet is
38:14
for some reason the internet is just it’s giving me an
38:15
just it’s giving me an interesting issue here.
38:23
Alright, there’s our test
38:24
Alright, there’s our test account. so if you haven’t seen
38:25
account. so if you haven’t seen vthree, this is a new version
38:27
vthree, this is a new version of service Autopilot um pretty
38:30
of service Autopilot um pretty quick and I like the way it
38:32
quick and I like the way it works here and the idea is
38:35
works here and the idea is you’re gonna go in to this and
38:36
you’re gonna go in to this and now I’ve got two different
38:38
now I’ve got two different screens open here. so that’s
38:39
screens open here. so that’s probably why I didn’t like it,
38:41
probably why I didn’t like it, but it looks like our map.
38:43
but it looks like our map. Maybe loading here. So what
38:45
Maybe loading here. So what we’re gonna do is go to
38:46
we’re gonna do is go to satellite grabs the image. so
38:49
satellite grabs the image. so this is what we’re doing. This
38:50
this is what we’re doing. This is what we’ve been waiting for.
38:52
is what we’ve been waiting for. Um we got a bump that out and
38:54
Um we got a bump that out and show you what we’re looking at
38:55
show you what we’re looking at so the first thing here is I’m
38:56
so the first thing here is I’m gonna go in and do um.
39:01
V Blade. I’m able it up here
39:01
V Blade. I’m able it up here and I’m gonna dial into this
39:04
and I’m gonna dial into this parking lot here and measure
39:05
parking lot here and measure the parking lot of the plowing
39:08
the parking lot of the plowing area.
39:14
I’m gonna be really quick about
39:16
I’m gonna be really quick about it, but just to give you an
39:18
it, but just to give you an idea. Okay so that is the whole
39:21
idea. Okay so that is the whole area there and then what I’m
39:23
area there and then what I’m gonna do is put building. Check
39:28
gonna do is put building. Check it out.
39:40
And what we’ve got here is
39:42
And what we’ve got here is 36000 square feet and I’m gonna
39:44
36000 square feet and I’m gonna highlight um just the building
39:47
highlight um just the building here If we go in, we can
39:48
here If we go in, we can highlight it change the color.
39:49
highlight it change the color. so I’m gonna save that there um
39:52
so I’m gonna save that there um and then I’m gonna go into the
39:54
and then I’m gonna go into the custom field here and try to
39:56
custom field here and try to pull that up and what I do is
39:57
pull that up and what I do is sign it to the V blade so what
39:58
sign it to the V blade so what we would do is assign the
40:00
we would do is assign the square footage to the V Blade
40:02
square footage to the V Blade the pusher or the box plow on
40:05
the pusher or the box plow on the on the backhoe and once we
40:07
the on the backhoe and once we do that that’s going to
40:09
do that that’s going to automatically insert those
40:11
automatically insert those those values. That so right
40:14
those values. That so right here is where we do that so for
40:15
here is where we do that so for time sake Internet’s being a
40:18
time sake Internet’s being a little bit funky here for me,
40:19
little bit funky here for me, Let me see if I can get this to
40:21
Let me see if I can get this to load uh there we go so we’d go
40:24
load uh there we go so we’d go down and go to our triple zero
40:27
down and go to our triple zero uh V Blade.
40:37
Obviously, you wouldn’t have
40:39
Obviously, you wouldn’t have this many custom fields in your
40:41
this many custom fields in your instant, but being a test
40:41
instant, but being a test account. We’ve got quite a few
40:43
account. We’ve got quite a few of them.
40:48
So let’s make this our skid
40:52
So let’s make this our skid steer square footage here and
40:55
steer square footage here and we’ll save that and then let’s
40:57
we’ll save that and then let’s also make it our square footage
40:59
also make it our square footage for a loader uh and our V plow
41:01
for a loader uh and our V plow so we’ll get two or actually
41:04
so we’ll get two or actually three different pricing
41:05
three different pricing breakouts based on the piece of
41:06
breakouts based on the piece of equipment um and that will
41:08
equipment um and that will kinda give you an idea of what
41:09
kinda give you an idea of what that looks like or if you got
41:10
that looks like or if you got certain areas you’re doing in
41:11
certain areas you’re doing in the cloud versus the truck. um
41:13
the cloud versus the truck. um you can break those up and and
41:14
you can break those up and and do those separately as well. So
41:20
do those separately as well. So let’s see here.
41:24
There’s the blade.
41:30
And
41:34
Be glad and we’ve got, I
41:37
Be glad and we’ve got, I believe a backhoe left so I
41:38
believe a backhoe left so I said, traditionally, you’ll be
41:40
said, traditionally, you’ll be breaking this up separately.
41:41
breaking this up separately. I’m just gonna sign that to all
41:42
I’m just gonna sign that to all of them just so you can kinda
41:44
of them just so you can kinda see the price differences and
41:46
see the price differences and how this all works out.
41:50
Parking lot square footage
41:51
Parking lot square footage We’re also gonna wanna save
41:52
We’re also gonna wanna save that because that is for our
41:55
that because that is for our salty um so last thing we wanna
41:57
salty um so last thing we wanna do is uh I’m gonna hold off on
41:59
do is uh I’m gonna hold off on the extra piece of equipment
42:00
the extra piece of equipment for time, but we’d also wanna
42:01
for time, but we’d also wanna do is then go in and add a
42:03
do is then go in and add a measurement here for sidewalks.
42:09
And zoom in.
42:13
Since I know this property, I
42:14
Since I know this property, I can take some liberties, but
42:17
can take some liberties, but this is what we would do.
42:25
And I connected to them, so
42:27
And I connected to them, so them, so you actually wanna it
42:28
them, so you actually wanna it all in one fell swoop.
42:36
Scrub the inside and then you
42:37
Scrub the inside and then you grab the outside of the
42:40
grab the outside of the sidewalk so very similar to the
42:41
sidewalk so very similar to the questions from the Michigan uh
42:42
questions from the Michigan uh snow removal group. This is how
42:44
snow removal group. This is how you’d actually do this cuz this
42:45
you’d actually do this cuz this parking lot or this particular
42:48
parking lot or this particular property has three and four
42:49
property has three and four foot wide sidewalks, depending
42:51
foot wide sidewalks, depending where you’re at so the square
42:52
where you’re at so the square footage is 6500 square feet and
42:56
footage is 6500 square feet and we’d wanna go into our zero
43:00
we’d wanna go into our zero sidewalk. So let’s see if we
43:01
sidewalk. So let’s see if we can find like I said you would
43:03
can find like I said you would never ever have this many um.
43:06
never ever have this many um. Fields.
43:12
Now, the one thing I really
43:14
Now, the one thing I really like about vthree is they have
43:15
like about vthree is they have a search button where you don’t
43:16
a search button where you don’t have to scroll through this um
43:18
have to scroll through this um and that’s where I was gonna go
43:20
and that’s where I was gonna go um I ended up in btwo here.
43:26
So we are almost at the end of
43:27
So we are almost at the end of this list. Hopefully we can get
43:30
this list. Hopefully we can get this.
43:39
So any comments or questions
43:40
So any comments or questions drop below like I said, you’d
43:42
drop below like I said, you’d never have this many custom
43:43
never have this many custom fields, but in this contest you
43:44
fields, but in this contest you got a couple in here um no
43:46
got a couple in here um no doubt about it.
43:53
If I can’t find it, I’ll just
43:55
If I can’t find it, I’ll just manually and show you where it
43:57
manually and show you where it came in.
44:03
So that’s what I’m about to do
44:06
So that’s what I’m about to do so basically, if you can’t find
44:06
so basically, if you can’t find if I can’t find it here just
44:08
if I can’t find it here just cuz I’ve got so many test
44:10
cuz I’ve got so many test accounts in there. that’s
44:11
accounts in there. that’s parking lot square footage. You
44:12
parking lot square footage. You don’t want that when I want
44:14
don’t want that when I want sidewalks square footage.
44:23
I’ll say that basically you
44:24
I’ll say that basically you would save that in there and
44:25
would save that in there and that would go in and save that
44:26
that would go in and save that so the next step once you do
44:28
so the next step once you do that um that’s 6500 square feet
44:31
that um that’s 6500 square feet of sidewalk so go in and hit.
44:32
of sidewalk so go in and hit. add an estimate here. This is
44:33
add an estimate here. This is gonna bring in our preloaded
44:36
gonna bring in our preloaded template as well. Uh so I’m
44:37
template as well. Uh so I’m gonna go and grab our template
44:40
gonna go and grab our template for Facebook live. I selected a
44:43
for Facebook live. I selected a custom fields being in this
44:44
custom fields being in this test account uh live on
44:45
test account uh live on Facebook, no pressures
44:47
Facebook, no pressures obviously, but uh you know
44:49
obviously, but uh you know we’ve got this is something we
44:50
we’ve got this is something we do a lot of so uh once it
44:52
do a lot of so uh once it loads, I’m gonna grab the
44:53
loads, I’m gonna grab the template all the all the square
44:55
template all the all the square footage to load in that we just
44:56
footage to load in that we just saved the price budget time and
44:57
saved the price budget time and cost, and then we can select a
44:59
cost, and then we can select a piece of equipment that’s
45:00
piece of equipment that’s appropriate um and send this
45:02
appropriate um and send this out to the consumer as well.
45:10
Let me refresh this here. real
45:12
Let me refresh this here. real quick like I said the internet
45:14
quick like I said the internet is significantly better
45:15
is significantly better upstairs and the kids are all
45:16
upstairs and the kids are all on it. So this is part of the
45:17
on it. So this is part of the issues of working for home
45:18
issues of working for home trying to do a Facebook live. I
45:22
trying to do a Facebook live. I don’t know what to add an
45:23
don’t know what to add an estimates.
45:29
On a select templates.
45:44
And let’s see if we can get
45:46
And let’s see if we can get this again.
45:52
Alright there we go and an
45:53
Alright there we go and an estimate and we’re gonna select
45:55
estimate and we’re gonna select the template that they should
45:56
the template that they should load and we can actually email
45:57
load and we can actually email this to ourselves to get this
45:59
this to ourselves to get this up and running.
46:13
Alright, I may make a second
46:15
Alright, I may make a second video here if this does not
46:16
video here if this does not load for some reason down in
46:18
load for some reason down in the basement but um usually
46:20
the basement but um usually it’s extremely quick process.
46:41
Alright, one last shot here and
46:43
Alright, one last shot here and uh if not, I will make a
46:46
uh if not, I will make a secondary video to show you
46:46
secondary video to show you what it looks like the final
46:47
what it looks like the final product here. but usually it’s
46:49
product here. but usually it’s really quick. I’m just not sure
46:50
really quick. I’m just not sure if it’s down to the basement or
46:53
if it’s down to the basement or the kids or what that may be.
46:54
the kids or what that may be. That’s um I apologize, but I
46:57
That’s um I apologize, but I did want to answer this
46:57
did want to answer this question because this is the
46:58
question because this is the second time out here and uh we
47:00
second time out here and uh we had some technology problems
47:01
had some technology problems earlier. so let’s see if we can
47:04
earlier. so let’s see if we can get this to uh load up. So it’s
47:09
get this to uh load up. So it’s training ignito windows my last
47:11
training ignito windows my last and final attempt to, but any
47:13
and final attempt to, but any questions how we set that up,
47:14
questions how we set that up, but let’s just break it down
47:16
but let’s just break it down and yeah even incognito window.
47:17
and yeah even incognito window. It’s uh it’s gotta be the
47:19
It’s uh it’s gotta be the internet to yourself. uh I do
47:21
internet to yourself. uh I do apologize about that, but the
47:22
apologize about that, but the idea is once you have
47:23
idea is once you have everything saved up. We go and
47:25
everything saved up. We go and hit add an estimate and that
47:26
hit add an estimate and that will um start to drive that
47:28
will um start to drive that process. It really. it’s a
47:29
process. It really. it’s a quick 32nd drop down and we
47:32
quick 32nd drop down and we rock uh that right in there and
47:33
rock uh that right in there and just go in and hit it. So let’s
47:37
just go in and hit it. So let’s try. One more final time once
47:40
try. One more final time once it loads.
47:45
I’m not gonna bore you with
47:47
I’m not gonna bore you with this anymore. Um I will make
47:48
this anymore. Um I will make another video to show you how
47:49
another video to show you how this pops up but uh if you
47:50
this pops up but uh if you wanna know how this is set up
47:51
wanna know how this is set up uh that’s how you do it inside
47:53
uh that’s how you do it inside uh production based aim for the
47:55
uh production based aim for the industry and how you can
47:56
industry and how you can actually get that into service
47:57
actually get that into service Autopilot questions drop below
47:59
Autopilot questions drop below Callahan’s corner. You ask

No Show Employees? Here’s What To Do!

Video Transcript

00:00
hey mike callahan here it is a little
00:02
past 7 a.m
00:04
in monday morning do you know where your
00:05
employees are well a lot of service
00:07
business owners
00:08
right now are waking up to that grim
00:10
reality um it’s something i can’t shake
00:12
as an entrepreneur i would remember
00:14
on monday morning waking up at 5 30
00:17
uh five in the morning and not being
00:20
able to fall back to sleep
00:21
or sometimes in the middle of the night
00:23
because we were waiting for those text
00:24
messages
00:25
or those phone calls coming in that i’m
00:28
not coming to work today
00:29
my favorite is you wake up at three in
00:31
the morning roll over and your phone is
00:34
bleep
00:34
blinking and you’ve got the text message
00:36
on the monday morning not coming in
00:37
today
00:39
can’t make it party too hard this
00:40
weekend well there’s two or three things
00:43
i’m gonna recommend in your service
00:44
business particularly lawn care and home
00:46
cleaning
00:46
uh but this will work for any service
00:48
business but uh if you’re like a lot of
00:50
service business owners uh myself
00:52
included in the past where you wake up
00:54
monday morning
00:55
and you’ve got a handful of no-call
00:56
no-show employees so whether they text
00:58
messaging you can’t get back to them
00:59
they’ve left you a voicemail or called
01:02
you and they had that curtis and just
01:03
said they’re not coming in or
01:05
my favorite the no call no show employee
01:08
um what do you do as a business owner do
01:09
you get back on the truck and
01:11
try to fill that gap i’m going to
01:13
recommend
01:14
yes you’re probably going to have to do
01:16
that at some point but the biggest
01:17
mistake in my
01:18
i made in my career was jumping back on
01:20
that truck
01:21
immediately so there’s two or three
01:22
things proactively we need to be able to
01:24
do
01:25
and one in the moment so if you haven’t
01:27
gone out and created a processing system
01:29
i’m gonna break it down real quick
01:31
in my service business i had literally
01:34
about half of my team
01:35
literally try to start their own
01:37
business over one weekend
01:39
so it was a no-call no-show they
01:40
literally staged a mutiny and tried to
01:42
take some of my accounts
01:44
and the biggest mistake i made when i
01:45
walked into my shop and i had 12 to 15
01:47
employees
01:48
literally gone is i jumped into the
01:51
trenches
01:51
and tried to fill the gap of 13 guys now
01:54
obviously that doesn’t work that’s like
01:56
oh i don’t know about 23 yards of
01:58
crusher runner stone here
01:59
and using your kids toy shovel to move
02:02
it probably not the best use of your
02:04
time and that’s literally what i did in
02:05
my business i jumped in the trenches
02:07
and somehow magically tried to fill the
02:09
gap of 12 to 13 guys and girls missing
02:11
that’s literally like me grabbing the
02:13
shovel here and trying to move
02:15
23 yards of stone this morning it’s not
02:16
gonna happen what you need is
02:18
a machine or a system um probably need a
02:21
skid steer because you’re not going to
02:23
go too far but that’s literally what
02:24
happened
02:24
i ran myself into the ground until i
02:26
realized let’s pump the brakes
02:28
and let’s get a process in place
02:32
so if you’re if it’s monday morning
02:33
right now and you’re missing a couple
02:34
guys and girls on your team
02:35
what i’m gonna recommend is take a deep
02:37
breath grab a cup of coffee or tea
02:39
whatever your choice is
02:40
and spend 10 to 15 minutes before you
02:43
jump back in those trenches because i
02:44
know
02:45
most of us are going to do that to fill
02:46
the gap go out and place a help wanted
02:49
ad
02:49
on facebook and indeed and
02:53
also create a quick referral program on
02:55
your facebook
02:56
profile for friends and family call it
02:59
250 if the person
03:01
gets a job and sticks around for the
03:02
first probationary period of 90 days
03:04
whatever that looks like but
03:06
before you go out and start moving this
03:07
pile of snow with or pile a stone
03:09
with your kid’s shovel which is not
03:11
going to work and it’s going to destroy
03:12
you physically mentally
03:13
go out and post those ads and now that
03:16
we’ve started that first
03:17
cadence of doing that that help wanted
03:19
ad we need to go out
03:21
and recruit for all the positions in
03:23
your company
03:24
every day throughout the whole entire
03:27
season whether we need them or not
03:29
what that’s going to do is create
03:30
accountability within your team and help
03:32
you stack that virtual bench something
03:33
johnny patosnick of the lawn care
03:34
million and i
03:35
have been talking about um at regional
03:37
events and a lot of these videos
03:39
but that was the key to success when
03:40
jonathan preached the virtual bench to
03:42
me in my business
03:43
once i actually listened and started
03:45
building that virtual bench
03:47
i was no longer stuck here moving stone
03:49
with a kid’s shovel
03:50
i had a processing system to go out and
03:53
take care of it
03:54
so you want to go out and it basically
03:56
interview for every position the company
03:58
including your own because if you get
03:59
hit by a bus
04:00
or you blow out a knee um you may need
04:02
somebody to replace you and if you start
04:04
looking for the person you need
04:06
when you need them it’s too late so we
04:08
need to go out
04:09
and proactively start looking for these
04:11
people so if it’s monday morning you’re
04:12
missing a few guys and girls on your
04:14
team
04:14
before you jump into the trenches and
04:16
start fighting fires post those job ads
04:18
and then don’t
04:19
stop whether it’s a free ad or a paid ad
04:22
put in your budget paid ads are going to
04:24
help and convert a lot better and put a
04:26
processing system to interview
04:27
for each and every position at least
04:29
once a week in your business you may say
04:30
mike i have no time to do that because
04:32
i’m still in a truck
04:33
that’s okay block out 15 to 20 minutes a
04:36
week
04:36
or a day during your lunch period and
04:39
go out and literally have a facebook
04:42
conversation over messenger or zoom
04:45
there’s a lot of free apps to do that
04:47
um and that’s how we do it so
04:51
that is the way to do it and uh scott’s
04:53
talking about doing background checks as
04:54
well yes we need to qualify these people
04:56
so it’s not that we’re just interviewing
04:57
we’re qualifying and then ranking the
04:59
top
04:59
a b and c candidate so you have a
05:00
glorified labor pool or hiring checklist
05:03
so when your no-call notion employee
05:06
doesn’t show up at all or text messages
05:08
you at five or six in the morning and it
05:09
kills you you can’t get back to sleep or
05:11
just throws your day into a tizzy
05:13
what you need to do then is be able to
05:15
go into that virtual
05:17
labor pool you’ve created and start
05:18
working it but i have a feeling at least
05:20
in my business that happened
05:21
is once i started talking to my
05:23
employees about
05:25
how we’re going out recruiting every
05:26
every week for all the positions and
05:28
occasionally mentioning like hey i’m
05:29
booked up with interviews today
05:31
people would start looking around and
05:32
going wait a minute we’re fully staffed
05:34
what’s he doing
05:35
so when that no-call notion employee
05:36
shows up and you’ve got the one guy or
05:38
girl that did show up on that crew so
05:39
you’re running a two-man
05:41
show on each crew and it’s down to a
05:43
single person that’s usually when
05:45
as an entrepreneur business owner we get
05:46
blackmailed um and even if it’s a really
05:48
good employee that’s when you’ve put
05:50
that employee in a point of power
05:52
where they can push you into a situation
05:54
say well you know what if i’m
05:55
working by myself today i need a dollar
05:57
two dollar hour raise moving forward or
05:59
i’m not working today
06:00
and as a business owner you’re probably
06:02
going to just
06:04
get into that because you need that body
06:05
right now but when you constantly
06:07
recruit and build that virtual bench
06:09
it’s no longer the case that person may
06:10
get to friday but i’m going back to my
06:12
virtual labor pool that’s qualified
06:15
and i’m going to hire and replace that
06:16
person so
06:18
if you want to gain the power back in
06:19
your business especially in this tight
06:20
labor pool
06:22
craziness with kovid different checks
06:24
going out for compensation for
06:26
basically extending uh unemployment we
06:29
need to go out and start
06:30
recruiting and interviewing each and
06:32
every week in the business for all the
06:33
positions and
06:34
if you are in the position as most of us
06:36
this morning with no caller no show
06:38
employee
06:39
um we need to go out right now pump the
06:42
brakes
06:42
put the ad out and start your weekly
06:44
cadence now because otherwise
06:46
if you just jump back on that truck
06:47
that’s literally like moving 23 yards of
06:49
stone here
06:50
with your kid’s shovel not going to
06:51
happen it’s going to worry out and kill
06:53
you
06:53
so the time you spend this morning to
06:55
put those ads out proactively
06:57
is going to be a big payoff in the
06:58
future and it’s like coming in
07:00
with a skid steer moving this in a few
07:02
hours versus well probably a couple
07:03
months with this thing
07:04
um so any comments questions drop below
07:06
callahan’s corner you ask questions
07:08
we answer them live right here on
07:10
facebook but i thought this was
07:12
very very very applicable um i saw a
07:14
post this morning gentlemen woke up at
07:16
three in the morning and had that text
07:17
message and uh couldn’t fall back to
07:19
sleep and
07:19
we’ve all been there and if you haven’t
07:20
been there if you’re a solar
07:22
entrepreneur you’re gonna be there
07:23
um so put the process in place now um
07:26
and avoid the pain and heartache that a
07:27
lot of us have had through the years
07:29
with these no-call notional employees
07:30
and it’s not getting better it’s only
07:32
getting worse so
07:33
i want to say what’s up to timothy scott
07:34
benjamin and scott fuhrman as well so
07:37
we’ll see you guys and girls later
07:38
callahan’s corner you ask questions we
07:40
answer them live right here on facebook
07:41
see you later

SA Weekly Talk Show w/ Jeremy Atkinson

Video Transcript

00:02
Welcome back to the essay.
00:03
Welcome back to the essay. Weekly Talk show Mike Allen
00:04
Weekly Talk show Mike Allen here with Cody and my cohost
00:06
here with Cody and my cohost special guest been dying to get
00:09
special guest been dying to get on Jeremy Atkinson of pro
00:11
on Jeremy Atkinson of pro contracting or contracting
00:13
contracting or contracting Pearl and uh German I go way
00:14
Pearl and uh German I go way back so uh I’m gonna let Jeremy
00:16
back so uh I’m gonna let Jeremy kinda break down the history
00:18
kinda break down the history but uh Jeremy came to me uh as
00:19
but uh Jeremy came to me uh as a young cat uh several years
00:22
a young cat uh several years ago as a certified adviser of
00:24
ago as a certified adviser of service Autopilot uh when he
00:26
service Autopilot uh when he was in the lawn care industry,
00:27
was in the lawn care industry, so we’re gonna break down the
00:28
so we’re gonna break down the story of how him and his
00:29
story of how him and his brother trip. Basically built a
00:32
brother trip. Basically built a lawn care business set it up
00:34
lawn care business set it up for acquisitions, sold it and
00:35
for acquisitions, sold it and then got the contracting and
00:37
then got the contracting and construction and we’re gonna
00:38
construction and we’re gonna hit along uh the main points
00:41
hit along uh the main points that we’re successful and maybe
00:42
that we’re successful and maybe some of the pain falls or
00:43
some of the pain falls or pitfalls that they hit along
00:44
pitfalls that they hit along the way and how they use
00:46
the way and how they use service Autopilot Service
00:47
service Autopilot Service Autopilot Academy and a whole
00:50
Autopilot Academy and a whole lot more to go and grow and
00:51
lot more to go and grow and scale a business sell it and
00:52
scale a business sell it and then shift industries uh but
00:54
then shift industries uh but basically stay within the
00:56
basically stay within the service industry um some of the
00:57
service industry um some of the things that they learned in
00:58
things that they learned in lawn care company so uh Jeremy.
01:00
lawn care company so uh Jeremy. Has heard or haven’t met you
01:02
Has heard or haven’t met you before brother uh pleasure
01:02
before brother uh pleasure having you on if you would just
01:04
having you on if you would just give a little background of uh.
01:06
give a little background of uh. yourself, your brother trip and
01:08
yourself, your brother trip and how you guys got into the lawn
01:10
how you guys got into the lawn care industry and then we’re
01:11
care industry and then we’re gonna dive into some of the
01:12
gonna dive into some of the specifics uh all the way up
01:13
specifics uh all the way up through the acquisition and
01:13
through the acquisition and then how you transferred into
01:16
then how you transferred into uh general contracting more
01:17
uh general contracting more specifically uh roofing. I
01:19
specifically uh roofing. I believe it is yes sir yes, sir
01:20
believe it is yes sir yes, sir first of all pleasure to be
01:21
first of all pleasure to be here. Mike I appreciate you
01:23
here. Mike I appreciate you reaching out to me and give me
01:24
reaching out to me and give me the opportunity. Um Mike is the
01:26
the opportunity. Um Mike is the man if anyone doesn’t know that
01:27
man if anyone doesn’t know that yet uh Mike is. Biggest reasons
01:30
yet uh Mike is. Biggest reasons why we were so successful in
01:32
why we were so successful in our service, Autopilot days and
01:33
our service, Autopilot days and how we skyrocketed to the level
01:36
how we skyrocketed to the level that we got to the very quick
01:37
that we got to the very quick manner um so it all started
01:40
manner um so it all started with my brother my brother uh
01:41
with my brother my brother uh he’s the main chief around my
01:43
he’s the main chief around my house. Uh he’s my idol. He’s
01:45
house. Uh he’s my idol. He’s been my um my mentor all my
01:47
been my um my mentor all my life. He’s 9 years older than
01:49
life. He’s 9 years older than me, so there’s never like a
01:50
me, so there’s never like a competitive gap there um, of
01:52
competitive gap there um, of course with the me in 9 years,
01:53
course with the me in 9 years, you should be faster than me he
01:54
you should be faster than me he should be stronger than me if
01:55
should be stronger than me if he wasn’t. That’s a big problem
01:57
he wasn’t. That’s a big problem right so he was uh he. Always
01:59
right so he was uh he. Always have that mentality towards me
02:01
have that mentality towards me and kinda grew me to what to,
02:04
and kinda grew me to what to, but he was and kinda pass his
02:06
but he was and kinda pass his mistakes down to me and said,
02:07
mistakes down to me and said, Hey, don’t do this. Don’t do
02:07
Hey, don’t do this. Don’t do this and let’s follow this road
02:10
this and let’s follow this road map so my my uh entrepreneur
02:13
map so my my uh entrepreneur all his life started a lawn
02:14
all his life started a lawn care company back in college
02:15
care company back in college and uh when you’re on your
02:16
and uh when you’re on your operator, that’s when you’re
02:17
operator, that’s when you’re making good money. Everyone
02:18
making good money. Everyone knows that when you’re owner
02:19
knows that when you’re owner operator making great money and
02:21
operator making great money and lawn care it sucks because you
02:22
lawn care it sucks because you get to work. but it’s good
02:23
get to work. but it’s good because you’re making that
02:24
because you’re making that money. you’re making that cash
02:25
money. you’re making that cash and you’re putting in your own
02:26
and you’re putting in your own pocket. You’re not paying
02:27
pocket. You’re not paying payroll taxes, you’re not
02:28
payroll taxes, you’re not paying. Any type of you know,
02:30
paying. Any type of you know, typically on that with any type
02:31
typically on that with any type of equipment you’re just doing
02:33
of equipment you’re just doing your own thing, you don’t need
02:34
your own thing, you don’t need systems and processes you just
02:35
systems and processes you just you train yourself you train
02:36
you train yourself you train your handyman guy and you’re
02:39
your handyman guy and you’re rocking and rolling so my
02:40
rocking and rolling so my brother was a you know small
02:42
brother was a you know small lawn care company you know
02:45
lawn care company you know fifteen yards a day haven’t
02:46
fifteen yards a day haven’t about sixty counts and uh in
02:50
about sixty counts and uh in college there’s a construction
02:51
college there’s a construction company came to town and
02:52
company came to town and they’re asking for uh some some
02:54
they’re asking for uh some some roofers. they’re like hey,
02:54
roofers. they’re like hey, climb on roofs and storm damage
02:56
climb on roofs and storm damage and some insurance claims that
02:57
and some insurance claims that people are familiar with that
02:58
people are familiar with that that PF storm damage you.
03:00
that PF storm damage you. Insurance claim the insurance
03:02
Insurance claim the insurance company will pay for a full
03:03
company will pay for a full roof replacement finds your
03:04
roof replacement finds your deductible so he uh he hopped
03:06
deductible so he uh he hopped on board for a couple of months
03:08
on board for a couple of months and realize how lucrative the
03:09
and realize how lucrative the roofing side was. I was like
03:11
roofing side was. I was like Holy smokes, I can sell a roof
03:12
Holy smokes, I can sell a roof at $20000 and it’s gonna take
03:15
at $20000 and it’s gonna take me a whole week to fill out
03:17
me a whole week to fill out 800. $800. you know. so like
03:19
800. $800. you know. so like this is the the math was it was
03:22
this is the the math was it was playing our black and white of
03:24
playing our black and white of hey, let’s go to the roofing so
03:26
hey, let’s go to the roofing so he sold a small town off and uh
03:29
he sold a small town off and uh started roofing. um I was. 11
03:31
started roofing. um I was. 11 years old this time I don’t
03:32
years old this time I don’t care. I’m BMX black. I’m dirt
03:34
care. I’m BMX black. I’m dirt bike. I’m I’m doing my own
03:36
bike. I’m I’m doing my own thing so you know a couple of
03:38
thing so you know a couple of years past trip is is doing
03:39
years past trip is is doing very very well his roofing
03:42
very very well his roofing endeavors um when I was
03:43
endeavors um when I was eighteen, I went to college it
03:45
eighteen, I went to college it or I was in college at eighteen
03:47
or I was in college at eighteen for real estate finance he uh
03:48
for real estate finance he uh he called me up and said Jeremy
03:50
he called me up and said Jeremy man I have a opportunity to buy
03:53
man I have a opportunity to buy a lawn care company. um I want
03:54
a lawn care company. um I want you to run this thing and I’m
03:56
you to run this thing and I’m like sitting there I remember
03:57
like sitting there I remember being on my front porch in
03:59
being on my front porch in college weighing out the pros
04:00
college weighing out the pros and cons of my party in
04:02
and cons of my party in business. Party business like
04:04
business. Party business like which one do I wanna do and II
04:07
which one do I wanna do and II knew for a fact deep down as if
04:08
knew for a fact deep down as if I use this business as my
04:10
I use this business as my school of hard knocks and
04:12
school of hard knocks and learning how to run a business
04:13
learning how to run a business learning how to deal with
04:14
learning how to deal with employees how to deal with how
04:15
employees how to deal with how to deal with taxes? How to deal
04:16
to deal with taxes? How to deal with anything that involves a
04:18
with anything that involves a business create a process and
04:20
business create a process and systems training? I knew if IA
04:21
systems training? I knew if IA mess, I’m not master it, but if
04:23
mess, I’m not master it, but if I can get it the glimpse of
04:24
I can get it the glimpse of that early on I’ll be way ahead
04:27
that early on I’ll be way ahead of everyone else. so it was a
04:28
of everyone else. so it was a really tough decision cuz when
04:29
really tough decision cuz when I made that decision, I told
04:31
I made that decision, I told myself if I’m gonna make it,
04:32
myself if I’m gonna make it, I’m gonna be. I’m gonna live
04:33
I’m gonna be. I’m gonna live it. That’s what I’m gonna do.
04:35
it. That’s what I’m gonna do. I’m not gonna go in. Pass it
04:38
I’m not gonna go in. Pass it Excuse my language, but I’m not
04:39
Excuse my language, but I’m not gonna go in there and then and
04:41
gonna go in there and then and really get it. I’m really gonna
04:42
really get it. I’m really gonna get going so I uh really took
04:46
get going so I uh really took over the small lawn care
04:46
over the small lawn care company. We had two employees
04:48
company. We had two employees at the time where maybe fifty
04:50
at the time where maybe fifty the accounts sixty counts very
04:52
the accounts sixty counts very small, Um the first thing I did
04:54
small, Um the first thing I did is I looked up bigger companies
04:55
is I looked up bigger companies and this is what I me and my
04:58
and this is what I me and my cross path we uh so Jeremy if I
05:00
cross path we uh so Jeremy if I can stop you there for one
05:01
can stop you there for one second just diving in so one
05:02
second just diving in so one thing actually I didn’t realize
05:03
thing actually I didn’t realize I want to clarify this is an
05:05
I want to clarify this is an interesting uh turning point
05:06
interesting uh turning point that most. Live At least it
05:09
that most. Live At least it wasn’t my own as well. Um did
05:11
wasn’t my own as well. Um did you actually drop out of
05:12
you actually drop out of college or continue college?
05:14
college or continue college? Where was that I mean,
05:15
Where was that I mean, obviously from going to uh
05:17
obviously from going to uh let’s call it out like a books
05:19
let’s call it out like a books and beer pong is what was I was
05:20
and beer pong is what was I was a pretty much at that point. Uh
05:22
a pretty much at that point. Uh did you go from the books and
05:23
did you go from the books and group pong to straight in the
05:25
group pong to straight in the lawn care we do both at the
05:26
lawn care we do both at the same time. What did that
05:27
same time. What did that transition look like so I know
05:28
transition look like so I know a lot of people um in this
05:30
a lot of people um in this ecosystem are looking at and go
05:31
ecosystem are looking at and go well. I’m kind of in the same
05:33
well. I’m kind of in the same boat as in Callahan at this
05:34
boat as in Callahan at this point. Um I’ve got this
05:35
point. Um I’ve got this business. It’s not. But it’s
05:38
business. It’s not. But it’s it’s paying some bills um a lot
05:39
it’s paying some bills um a lot of people like should I go to
05:41
of people like should I go to college route or if I’m in
05:42
college route or if I’m in college and I’ve got this
05:44
college and I’ve got this business. Do I need to continue
05:46
business. Do I need to continue to college? I’m just kinda
05:48
to college? I’m just kinda curious where was that
05:49
curious where was that transition in your life and and
05:50
transition in your life and and and if you could do it all over
05:52
and if you could do it all over again was there some pros and
05:54
again was there some pros and cons to that? Yes, So I told
05:55
cons to that? Yes, So I told myself that if I was gonna do
05:58
myself that if I was gonna do it, I was gonna not quit. call
05:59
it, I was gonna not quit. call it immediately. I was gonna
06:01
it immediately. I was gonna organically build my business
06:02
organically build my business to the point where I could not
06:03
to the point where I could not be in college anymore, so that
06:04
be in college anymore, so that took me 6 months. I built the
06:07
took me 6 months. I built the business to the point where I
06:08
business to the point where I was like, okay, I cannot be in
06:10
was like, okay, I cannot be in this cuz once you get in for
06:12
this cuz once you get in for even with four employees, which
06:13
even with four employees, which is a very small number you
06:15
is a very small number you still have so many problems
06:16
still have so many problems that happen whether it’s a
06:18
that happen whether it’s a little tiny piece of grass on
06:18
little tiny piece of grass on this guy’s patio or hey you
06:21
this guy’s patio or hey you spill some gasoline on my yard
06:22
spill some gasoline on my yard and you need to what am I gonna
06:23
and you need to what am I gonna do here. It’s like there’s so
06:25
do here. It’s like there’s so many small fires and big fires
06:26
many small fires and big fires that happen throughout the day
06:27
that happen throughout the day that when you’re in an exam and
06:29
that when you’re in an exam and you’re getting phone calls
06:30
you’re getting phone calls about a legit customer issue
06:33
about a legit customer issue exams important but my. My my
06:37
exams important but my. My my name on that person was my, you
06:39
name on that person was my, you know that’s your billboard. so
06:40
know that’s your billboard. so that was my most important was
06:42
that was my most important was the customer experience, and
06:43
the customer experience, and that’s why again learn from
06:45
that’s why again learn from service Autopilot The customer
06:46
service Autopilot The customer experience is everything and
06:47
experience is everything and that’s where I really want to
06:49
that’s where I really want to make sure everyone had a good
06:51
make sure everyone had a good out of sight out of my
06:53
out of sight out of my experience where the lawn care
06:54
experience where the lawn care wasn’t a big deal to them all
06:55
wasn’t a big deal to them all it did give me a credit card
06:57
it did give me a credit card and guess what I’m in the yard
06:58
and guess what I’m in the yard every Tuesday at 7 AM and I
07:00
every Tuesday at 7 AM and I wanna make it as easy as that
07:02
wanna make it as easy as that for you you basically you made
07:04
for you you basically you made that jump it took like six to 8
07:06
that jump it took like six to 8 months probably around 6 months
07:07
months probably around 6 months um which is shockingly fast,
07:08
um which is shockingly fast, but knowing that doesn’t
07:09
but knowing that doesn’t surprise me by any means um.
07:13
surprise me by any means um. You basically left school and
07:15
You basically left school and then uh it was definitely a
07:17
then uh it was definitely a full-time endeavor uh of lawn
07:19
full-time endeavor uh of lawn care and and and trip your
07:21
care and and and trip your brother and obviously you’ve
07:22
brother and obviously you’ve been still be doing the roofing
07:22
been still be doing the roofing to give you the opportunity to
07:24
to give you the opportunity to run this lawn care business and
07:25
run this lawn care business and kind of cut your teeth and do
07:27
kind of cut your teeth and do your own thing Um obviously
07:29
your own thing Um obviously I’ll let you take it from there
07:30
I’ll let you take it from there and that’s just kinda wanna put
07:31
and that’s just kinda wanna put some context to that cuz I know
07:32
some context to that cuz I know a lot of people are are are
07:33
a lot of people are are are dealing with that decision on a
07:35
dealing with that decision on a daily weekly basis. When do I
07:37
daily weekly basis. When do I move to this business, full
07:37
move to this business, full time or even if I’ve got a side
07:39
time or even if I’ve got a side gig or uh it has a side gig.
07:41
gig or uh it has a side gig. Folks in the ecosystem are the
07:44
Folks in the ecosystem are the paramedics or firemen um and
07:45
paramedics or firemen um and they’re doing this on their
07:46
they’re doing this on their days off. so I think even if
07:47
days off. so I think even if you’re not in school, I think
07:49
you’re not in school, I think there’s there’s some lessons to
07:49
there’s there’s some lessons to be learned there from Germany
07:51
be learned there from Germany um how he actually plan it out.
07:53
um how he actually plan it out. I’ll I’ve started to interrupt
07:54
I’ll I’ve started to interrupt but I wanted to at least kinda
07:55
but I wanted to at least kinda break into that. uh you guys
07:57
break into that. uh you guys can we we grew so fast because
07:59
can we we grew so fast because I’ve reached out to you is I’ll
08:01
I’ve reached out to you is I’ll reach out to three people
08:02
reach out to three people online. Mike was one of the
08:04
online. Mike was one of the bigger guys that I found when I
08:05
bigger guys that I found when I reached out to two other big
08:06
reached out to two other big guys, I have to send them a
08:07
guys, I have to send them a simple message, I said. Hey,
08:09
simple message, I said. Hey, I’m 18 years old. I got a
08:10
I’m 18 years old. I got a small. Company I’m not trying
08:12
small. Company I’m not trying to recreate the wheel here. I’m
08:13
to recreate the wheel here. I’m just trying to build the
08:15
just trying to build the systems and processes out early
08:16
systems and processes out early on so that way my back in
08:18
on so that way my back in office was a $4000003000000
08:21
office was a $4000003000000 lawn care company, but we’re
08:22
lawn care company, but we’re filling out 100000 but it’s
08:24
filling out 100000 but it’s it’s ready. It’s templated.
08:25
it’s ready. It’s templated. It’s it’s it’s made to be born
08:27
It’s it’s it’s made to be born into that. so I didn’t I didn’t
08:32
into that. so I didn’t I didn’t explode until I met with Mike
08:33
explode until I met with Mike and me and Mike sat down for
08:35
and me and Mike sat down for the first time I had to pay
08:36
the first time I had to pay rate to get with them and I was
08:38
rate to get with them and I was perfectly fine with it. I was
08:39
perfectly fine with it. I was like, hey, this is this is
08:40
like, hey, this is this is learning this is gonna jump me
08:42
learning this is gonna jump me from this level straight up
08:44
from this level straight up here immediately. and I knew
08:45
here immediately. and I knew that and I knew a pocket. Mike
08:48
that and I knew a pocket. Mike And listen to what he was
08:48
And listen to what he was telling me and you apply it. So
08:51
telling me and you apply it. So I think that’s what everyone’s
08:52
I think that’s what everyone’s good at. I think it’s good,
08:53
good at. I think it’s good, tell someone what to do but no
08:55
tell someone what to do but no one’s gonna implement in that.
08:56
one’s gonna implement in that. I think that’s the hardest part
08:58
I think that’s the hardest part is actually taking action and
09:00
is actually taking action and being diligent with your time
09:01
being diligent with your time because as everyone in lawn
09:03
because as everyone in lawn care knows, it’s so hard to get
09:04
care knows, it’s so hard to get off that truck. It’s so hard to
09:06
off that truck. It’s so hard to not do it yourself but you feel
09:08
not do it yourself but you feel like as an entrepreneur you
09:10
like as an entrepreneur you have to do everything if you’re
09:12
have to do everything if you’re not doing it, It’s not right
09:13
not doing it, It’s not right and if you’re not doing it with
09:15
and if you’re not doing it with your guys, you almost feel kind
09:16
your guys, you almost feel kind of guilty that man. I’m not out
09:17
of guilty that man. I’m not out there. I don’t think I’m
09:20
there. I don’t think I’m working hard like man what you
09:21
working hard like man what you are, You’re doing the back in
09:22
are, You’re doing the back in office, but they just don’t
09:23
office, but they just don’t understand that just yet so I
09:27
understand that just yet so I was really fortunate to have my
09:28
was really fortunate to have my in my ear, saying man get off
09:29
in my ear, saying man get off that truck get off that truck
09:32
that truck get off that truck and at first, I’m going to how
09:33
and at first, I’m going to how important it was until I got
09:35
important it was until I got into service Autopilot. So once
09:36
into service Autopilot. So once I got the service, Autopilot
09:38
I got the service, Autopilot was spending 8 hours a day
09:40
was spending 8 hours a day legitimately my 8 hours a day
09:42
legitimately my 8 hours a day to 10 hours work in service on
09:44
to 10 hours work in service on the pallet while my guys are
09:45
the pallet while my guys are out there in the yards and I
09:47
out there in the yards and I had template that thing exactly
09:48
had template that thing exactly to Callahan’s templates where
09:51
to Callahan’s templates where he showed me cuz again, I was a
09:52
he showed me cuz again, I was a part of this. Students at that
09:55
part of this. Students at that point, so I created the price
09:56
point, so I created the price matrices I switched over to
09:57
matrices I switched over to credit card. I created a drip
10:00
credit card. I created a drip campaigns I uh did the always
10:02
campaigns I uh did the always the biggest thing is hiring and
10:04
the biggest thing is hiring and firing. so I created a whole
10:05
firing. so I created a whole entire program or a system
10:07
entire program or a system where there was a power point
10:09
where there was a power point that was automated and I had a
10:11
that was automated and I had a Craigslist ad and several ads
10:12
Craigslist ad and several ads going on 24/7 at five people
10:15
going on 24/7 at five people come to my office five or 3
10:17
come to my office five or 3 days a week. We’ll have five
10:19
days a week. We’ll have five people and I’ll put them in a
10:19
people and I’ll put them in a room and I’ll just play a
10:20
room and I’ll just play a PowerPoint and show them what
10:21
PowerPoint and show them what this job really. Tails At the
10:24
this job really. Tails At the end of the power point, I’ll
10:25
end of the power point, I’ll come in. I’m a weed eater. They
10:27
come in. I’m a weed eater. They can start it and I’ll give the
10:28
can start it and I’ll give the training manual and say hey,
10:30
training manual and say hey, this is how we’re gonna do it
10:32
this is how we’re gonna do it if they can’t start a weed
10:33
if they can’t start a weed eater. I’ll say. Hey, you’re
10:35
eater. I’ll say. Hey, you’re your rank, see and I’ll call
10:37
your rank, see and I’ll call you my very last but if I
10:38
you my very last but if I really need you but I always
10:41
really need you but I always every single week have about
10:42
every single week have about fifteen people go through my
10:44
fifteen people go through my service Autopilot system and I
10:46
service Autopilot system and I ranked them, ABC just like Cal
10:48
ranked them, ABC just like Cal was to me and I was like and so
10:51
was to me and I was like and so that’s where I had a people
10:52
that’s where I had a people come through and I said, I
10:54
come through and I said, I can’t hire it right now, but I
10:55
can’t hire it right now, but I guarantee next week someone’s
10:56
guarantee next week someone’s not gonna show up and whenever
10:57
not gonna show up and whenever that person shows. No one has
11:00
that person shows. No one has me but no one can just not show
11:03
me but no one can just not show up and think you’re gonna hurt
11:04
up and think you’re gonna hurt me. I could call him that day
11:05
me. I could call him that day and call about fifteen people
11:06
and call about fifteen people and one of them is gonna pick
11:08
and one of them is gonna pick up and say. hey, you got a job
11:09
up and say. hey, you got a job come on and then that guy was
11:11
come on and then that guy was done. so that’s the interesting
11:12
done. so that’s the interesting thing and Cody. I’m sure you’ve
11:14
thing and Cody. I’m sure you’ve got some questions in here and
11:15
got some questions in here and just anybody watching and
11:16
just anybody watching and listen to the podcast. We got a
11:17
listen to the podcast. We got a little one at home right now,
11:18
little one at home right now, so if we do get a Facebook live
11:20
so if we do get a Facebook live bomb or I mean it looks like
11:21
bomb or I mean it looks like I’m talking to know that’s why
11:23
I’m talking to know that’s why but uh the show must go on here
11:25
but uh the show must go on here but uh it’s just I couldn’t
11:27
but uh it’s just I couldn’t reschedule this with Jeremy.
11:28
reschedule this with Jeremy. This is something I wanted to
11:29
This is something I wanted to make sure people um so the
11:32
make sure people um so the biggest thing for me like is
11:33
biggest thing for me like is you were the? Like most guys,
11:36
you were the? Like most guys, your age when you came in and
11:37
your age when you came in and just aren’t going to go in and
11:39
just aren’t going to go in and just break things down and
11:40
just break things down and implement it um and I think the
11:42
implement it um and I think the way you tackled it was really
11:44
way you tackled it was really instrumental in your success um
11:45
instrumental in your success um even if you weren’t working
11:47
even if you weren’t working with me, you still would have
11:48
with me, you still would have been very successful, but it
11:48
been very successful, but it was really interesting when we
11:50
was really interesting when we broke down that business um
11:52
broke down that business um traditionally what we’ll look
11:52
traditionally what we’ll look at is the sales process so you
11:54
at is the sales process so you kinda hit on it quickly. We’re
11:56
kinda hit on it quickly. We’re talking about literally from
11:57
talking about literally from lead acquisition of your
11:59
lead acquisition of your website or someone calls how do
12:00
website or someone calls how do we create an estimate? How do
12:02
we create an estimate? How do we qualify them? How do we
12:03
we qualify them? How do we follow up on the estimate? Do
12:05
follow up on the estimate? Do we schedule for profitability
12:08
we schedule for profitability and then most importantly you
12:09
and then most importantly you mentioned the credit card on
12:10
mentioned the credit card on file for cash flow cuz every
12:12
file for cash flow cuz every business, especially business.
12:13
business, especially business. that’s new needs cash flow. so
12:15
that’s new needs cash flow. so we have it was really
12:16
we have it was really interesting is we spent
12:18
interesting is we spent probably 6 months, maybe a
12:20
probably 6 months, maybe a little less more or less, but
12:21
little less more or less, but those would probably four or 5
12:22
those would probably four or 5 years ago. This was the early
12:24
years ago. This was the early days of yes um and it was very
12:26
days of yes um and it was very interesting so automations and
12:28
interesting so automations and and service Autopilot had just
12:31
and service Autopilot had just started or maybe they had. you
12:32
started or maybe they had. you know. I think you originally
12:33
know. I think you originally started on another automation
12:35
started on another automation platform and then we moved over
12:36
platform and then we moved over to service Autopilot, but some
12:37
to service Autopilot, but some of the stuff before it was
12:38
of the stuff before it was ready. You created this.
12:40
ready. You created this. Processes so one of the things
12:41
Processes so one of the things I wanna kinda just mention like
12:42
I wanna kinda just mention like if you’re looking at Journey’s
12:43
if you’re looking at Journey’s success is if you’re not ready
12:45
success is if you’re not ready to automate what he does, He
12:46
to automate what he does, He created those manual processes
12:48
created those manual processes from Stem to stern so front to
12:49
from Stem to stern so front to back and then when they were
12:52
back and then when they were dialed in and he was
12:52
dialed in and he was comfortable he automated well,
12:53
comfortable he automated well, he probably would automated
12:55
he probably would automated sooner, but the automations
12:57
sooner, but the automations really at that point. Yeah.
12:57
really at that point. Yeah. automation already been there
12:59
automation already been there yet um but once they were
13:00
yet um but once they were there, Jeremy and trip did that
13:02
there, Jeremy and trip did that um and and that was kind of the
13:05
um and and that was kind of the key to your success, but the
13:05
key to your success, but the thing that I really love about
13:07
thing that I really love about you and trip was um. Wanted an
13:10
you and trip was um. Wanted an accountability partner, so we
13:12
accountability partner, so we assigned some homework Um you
13:13
assigned some homework Um you know, say Monday we met again
13:15
know, say Monday we met again the following Monday and I was
13:16
the following Monday and I was like hey guys where you at in
13:18
like hey guys where you at in the middle of that you guys
13:20
the middle of that you guys didn’t have to be you checked
13:21
didn’t have to be you checked in and say, Hey Mike. This is
13:21
in and say, Hey Mike. This is where we’re at. We’re seeing
13:22
where we’re at. We’re seeing this. We got a question with
13:24
this. We got a question with this um so you put the work up
13:26
this um so you put the work up front. You laid that foundation
13:28
front. You laid that foundation and then when you had it man
13:29
and then when you had it man did that business explode like
13:31
did that business explode like you said you had that $1000000
13:32
you said you had that $1000000 back office when you’re really
13:33
back office when you’re really doing a couple 100000. so that
13:35
doing a couple 100000. so that was very similar to what we did
13:37
was very similar to what we did when we met Jonathan Pot of. We
13:40
when we met Jonathan Pot of. We built that foundation before we
13:42
built that foundation before we scaled and that was one of the
13:44
scaled and that was one of the keys to success. so one of the
13:45
keys to success. so one of the things I want to hit on before
13:47
things I want to hit on before you kinda continue into that
13:48
you kinda continue into that journey Is you talked about
13:49
journey Is you talked about going out and constantly
13:52
going out and constantly recruiting and this is well
13:52
recruiting and this is well before if people are listening,
13:54
before if people are listening, This is well before the labor
13:56
This is well before the labor issues. we’re having now. I
13:56
issues. we’re having now. I mean this was my. I mean
13:58
mean this was my. I mean there’s always issues but what
14:00
there’s always issues but what Jeremy did that there was um
14:04
Jeremy did that there was um he’s getting he’s getting
14:05
he’s getting he’s getting Facebook bomb too. Um so
14:06
Facebook bomb too. Um so basically what Jeremy did this
14:07
basically what Jeremy did this this? For the major issues that
14:09
this? For the major issues that we’re having now, but he took
14:12
we’re having now, but he took that methodology that we
14:14
that methodology that we recommended in John Pot and I
14:15
recommended in John Pot and I when we’re doing regional
14:16
when we’re doing regional events at that point person,
14:17
events at that point person, we’re talking about building
14:19
we’re talking about building that virtual bench. so Jeremy
14:20
that virtual bench. so Jeremy took the idea of going out and
14:22
took the idea of going out and interviewing twelve to fifteen
14:23
interviewing twelve to fifteen people a day um and then
14:24
people a day um and then automating it through some
14:26
automating it through some video training that we’ve
14:27
video training that we’ve talked about and he went out
14:28
talked about and he went out and tripped him to the work. so
14:29
and tripped him to the work. so um I just kinda wanna recap
14:31
um I just kinda wanna recap that because you know during
14:32
that because you know during that is very unusual for
14:34
that is very unusual for somebody at that age and that
14:35
somebody at that age and that stage of business to do that um
14:37
stage of business to do that um and. You know you guys crushed
14:39
and. You know you guys crushed it. I mean that was huge um
14:41
it. I mean that was huge um Cody do you have any questions
14:43
Cody do you have any questions on that before we kinda dial
14:44
on that before we kinda dial into that transition of
14:45
into that transition of building the business up for
14:47
building the business up for acquisition and then what
14:47
acquisition and then what happened after that? Yeah, I
14:49
happened after that? Yeah, I wanted to talk about the
14:51
wanted to talk about the ranking system because I don’t
14:52
ranking system because I don’t know that we’ve touched on
14:54
know that we’ve touched on that. previously on this
14:55
that. previously on this podcast, I know that uh you
14:57
podcast, I know that uh you know Mike has explained it to
14:59
know Mike has explained it to me previously but uh if you
15:00
me previously but uh if you will just kinda dive in, we
15:02
will just kinda dive in, we heard that like the Sea
15:03
heard that like the Sea candidate is someone who showed
15:05
candidate is someone who showed up but couldn’t start a weeder
15:07
up but couldn’t start a weeder at the end of the day. What
15:08
at the end of the day. What different? To be in a candidate
15:11
different? To be in a candidate so being a would be a driver’s
15:13
so being a would be a driver’s license was one of the most
15:14
license was one of the most important things if you have a
15:15
important things if you have a driver’s license automatically,
15:16
driver’s license automatically, if you’re if you can handle
15:18
if you’re if you can handle with the driver’s license,
15:20
with the driver’s license, you’re in the ace, you know um,
15:21
you’re in the ace, you know um, of course, you got guys that
15:22
of course, you got guys that have been waiting for a long
15:24
have been waiting for a long time and I mean we think to me
15:26
time and I mean we think to me is like the most uh artful
15:28
is like the most uh artful skill of long care cuz you can
15:30
skill of long care cuz you can really make a really sharp with
15:32
really make a really sharp with the right the right so um if
15:36
the right the right so um if there are awesome and they can
15:37
there are awesome and they can you know knock out. Ten by ten
15:39
you know knock out. Ten by ten square off the hill that I had
15:41
square off the hill that I had my shop, I have a nice little
15:42
my shop, I have a nice little hill that I can watch him, you
15:44
hill that I can watch him, you know see their stance see their
15:46
know see their stance see their strides if they’re knocking
15:46
strides if they’re knocking that out really easy. I’m like
15:48
that out really easy. I’m like hey, I’m sorry I don’t have an
15:50
hey, I’m sorry I don’t have an opening for you right now, but
15:51
opening for you right now, but you are the top candidate. You
15:53
you are the top candidate. You are the top of my list and when
15:55
are the top of my list and when someone does not show because
15:57
someone does not show because of some bogus excuse their
15:58
of some bogus excuse their daughters slept on their alarm
16:00
daughters slept on their alarm clock or their their dog
16:02
clock or their their dog tripped over the couch and hit
16:03
tripped over the couch and hit a bottle of water to hit the
16:05
a bottle of water to hit the alarm like it’s crazy, my
16:07
alarm like it’s crazy, my excuses you get in the lawn
16:08
excuses you get in the lawn care industry, which I know
16:09
care industry, which I know it’s early but man. I made it
16:11
it’s early but man. I made it as easy as I could on these
16:13
as easy as I could on these guys I wouldn’t II took the
16:14
guys I wouldn’t II took the liberty of getting everything
16:16
liberty of getting everything ready in the morning I had
16:18
ready in the morning I had every single truck was oil
16:19
every single truck was oil change. tire pressure. Check
16:21
change. tire pressure. Check all you have to do is show up
16:22
all you have to do is show up and get in my truck and listen
16:23
and get in my truck and listen to my five-minute speech. Hey
16:26
to my five-minute speech. Hey this yard this this yard this
16:27
this yard this this yard this and hey you’re you’re killing.
16:29
and hey you’re you’re killing. It have a good day you know and
16:31
It have a good day you know and um but back to the ranking
16:33
um but back to the ranking system yes if they have a
16:34
system yes if they have a driver’s license, you can knock
16:35
driver’s license, you can knock out some really good evening.
16:36
out some really good evening. They’re an a and more likely if
16:38
They’re an a and more likely if they can do some good we they
16:38
they can do some good we they can easily be. Is your turn
16:41
can easily be. Is your turn with zero turns are relatively
16:43
with zero turns are relatively It’s easy to train on but um
16:45
It’s easy to train on but um but being a would be definitely
16:46
but being a would be definitely driver’s license for sure if
16:48
driver’s license for sure if you have driver’s license,
16:49
you have driver’s license, that’s always good and you hit
16:50
that’s always good and you hit on the journey too. As well.
16:52
on the journey too. As well. Did you have watched a video or
16:53
Did you have watched a video or it was just something
16:53
it was just something standardized a slide deck or
16:55
standardized a slide deck or something you said that you
16:56
something you said that you would actually show these folks
16:57
would actually show these folks before they actually did that.
16:59
before they actually did that. so if you wouldn’t mind just
17:01
so if you wouldn’t mind just kinda hitting that cuz I’m I’m
17:02
kinda hitting that cuz I’m I’m curious uh well I kinda know
17:03
curious uh well I kinda know but I’m kinda curious. I think
17:05
but I’m kinda curious. I think the listeners will be curious
17:06
the listeners will be curious of what that entailed um it it
17:08
of what that entailed um it it it. It was that you know.
17:10
it. It was that you know. Helping in that process, at
17:11
Helping in that process, at least clarify what they’re
17:13
least clarify what they’re getting into as a potential
17:14
getting into as a potential employee, Oh yeah. so it help
17:16
employee, Oh yeah. so it help me um basically take away the
17:18
me um basically take away the employees that II knew that I
17:20
employees that II knew that I didn’t want and I wanna take
17:21
didn’t want and I wanna take away place. I didn’t wanna work
17:23
away place. I didn’t wanna work for me and my environment cuz
17:24
for me and my environment cuz when you think a long, it’s a
17:26
when you think a long, it’s a very broad spectrum like
17:28
very broad spectrum like there’s commercial lawn care
17:29
there’s commercial lawn care where you don’t have to look
17:30
where you don’t have to look that good. You can just you
17:32
that good. You can just you know be be in the weeds all day
17:34
know be be in the weeds all day and and not really care about
17:36
and and not really care about anything. you’re just doing
17:37
anything. you’re just doing this plan, clearing almost
17:39
this plan, clearing almost right and if you got what I. I
17:42
right and if you got what I. I live in a pretty high-end area
17:44
live in a pretty high-end area called Germantown and um I
17:46
called Germantown and um I wanted to have in my eyes. I
17:48
wanted to have in my eyes. I had the most professional
17:49
had the most professional landscaping company. I want
17:50
landscaping company. I want khakis. I wanna talk to
17:51
khakis. I wanna talk to insurance. I wanted a hat on. I
17:53
insurance. I wanted a hat on. I wanted everyone to look the
17:54
wanted everyone to look the same everyone to be a part of
17:56
same everyone to be a part of my of my business and if you
17:58
my of my business and if you didn’t have that mentality
17:59
didn’t have that mentality before coming in, I wanted to
18:01
before coming in, I wanted to show you what my mentality. my
18:02
show you what my mentality. my vision was if you knew that you
18:04
vision was if you knew that you didn’t fit that mold. then at
18:05
didn’t fit that mold. then at that point, you’re like hey,
18:06
that point, you’re like hey, this is a good spot for me.
18:08
this is a good spot for me. Alright the PowerPoint
18:09
Alright the PowerPoint ultimately was to get people
18:11
ultimately was to get people ready to what kind of hard
18:12
ready to what kind of hard work. it is because when we
18:13
work. it is because when we think a lawn care like. Mo Five
18:17
think a lawn care like. Mo Five to seven yards a day the
18:18
to seven yards a day the efficiency of service Autopilot
18:21
efficiency of service Autopilot allow me to deal with my
18:22
allow me to deal with my routes. We are easy twenty-five
18:24
routes. We are easy twenty-five to thirty yards a day. you know
18:26
to thirty yards a day. you know that’s what I expected and my
18:27
that’s what I expected and my drive times were no more than
18:30
drive times were no more than four to 5 minutes between
18:32
four to 5 minutes between yards. So that’s where
18:33
yards. So that’s where everything was optimized and
18:34
everything was optimized and we’re to understand that hey,
18:36
we’re to understand that hey, this is not easy. This is a
18:38
this is not easy. This is a business like is this gonna
18:40
business like is this gonna take effort for you to do this
18:42
take effort for you to do this so I told me to kinda counts we
18:44
so I told me to kinda counts we kinda know patterns. Did what
18:45
kinda know patterns. Did what kind of weaving that we did. I
18:47
kind of weaving that we did. I did not we did or did not on We
18:49
did not we did or did not on We we use the edge because we
18:51
we use the edge because we don’t like that gap that forms
18:53
don’t like that gap that forms over time. um I just showed
18:55
over time. um I just showed them basically to clean ups the
18:57
them basically to clean ups the giant cleanups to mulching jobs
18:59
giant cleanups to mulching jobs like everything that has to do
19:00
like everything that has to do with the simple lawn care I
19:01
with the simple lawn care I showed them pictures before and
19:03
showed them pictures before and afters and what kind of work it
19:05
afters and what kind of work it entails and that what they knew
19:06
entails and that what they knew what they’re getting into cuz I
19:09
what they’re getting into cuz I with the Craigslist you get
19:10
with the Craigslist you get everyone. so as you get
19:12
everyone. so as you get everyone so I had uh I had a
19:14
everyone so I had uh I had a couple of females that worked
19:15
couple of females that worked for me that were really really
19:16
for me that were really really good, but I also had some
19:17
good, but I also had some people that you know that
19:17
people that you know that didn’t know what they’re coming
19:19
didn’t know what they’re coming into and that PowerPoint
19:20
into and that PowerPoint immediately told him. Okay.
19:22
immediately told him. Okay. Yeah. This is not a fit for me
19:23
Yeah. This is not a fit for me and I was like yeah. I’m glad
19:25
and I was like yeah. I’m glad that we did have the wasting
19:26
that we did have the wasting time because a PowerPoint is
19:29
time because a PowerPoint is automated. I was in the room
19:29
automated. I was in the room during that power point. I just
19:31
during that power point. I just watch it and then I’ll come
19:33
watch it and then I’ll come back into the room and say hey,
19:33
back into the room and say hey, what’s going on? So how what do
19:35
what’s going on? So how what do you think? and I’m like? Yeah,
19:37
you think? and I’m like? Yeah, this is something I can do and
19:38
this is something I can do and I’m like okay, let’s let’s go
19:39
I’m like okay, let’s let’s go to the back shop and we’ll
19:40
to the back shop and we’ll start the manual test, but at
19:43
start the manual test, but at that point most people we in
19:45
that point most people we in themselves out after the
19:46
themselves out after the PowerPoint like okay, I don’t
19:48
PowerPoint like okay, I don’t think I can keep up with the
19:49
think I can keep up with the Pace II. don’t think uh this is
19:51
Pace II. don’t think uh this is not the position I really want
19:53
not the position I really want to be and. No harm no foul. see
19:56
to be and. No harm no foul. see you later, you know, so they
19:58
you later, you know, so they thought that I can do this real
20:01
thought that I can do this real quick and not waste my time not
20:03
quick and not waste my time not wasting time. That’s the most
20:04
wasting time. That’s the most important time is the most
20:05
important time is the most important. everyone knows that
20:07
important. everyone knows that Jeremy you mentioned that
20:08
Jeremy you mentioned that something kind of in passing
20:09
something kind of in passing there. That’s really impressive
20:10
there. That’s really impressive that I’d like you to talk about
20:12
that I’d like you to talk about you said that you guys had your
20:13
you said that you guys had your drive time down to no more than
20:16
drive time down to no more than four or 5 minutes between
20:17
four or 5 minutes between properties. Can you talk about
20:19
properties. Can you talk about how you guys built that entity?
20:21
how you guys built that entity? So first? it’s it’s uh it’s
20:24
So first? it’s it’s uh it’s picking and choosing your yards
20:24
picking and choosing your yards right. It’s people calling you
20:26
right. It’s people calling you all the time like let me hey.
20:27
all the time like let me hey. can you put me on your schedule
20:28
can you put me on your schedule if you were not in one of my
20:30
if you were not in one of my Monday? Optimize routes and
20:32
Monday? Optimize routes and that little area you’re not in
20:35
that little area you’re not in it and we did in those routes
20:38
it and we did in those routes by nine rounds. I think I got
20:39
by nine rounds. I think I got that from you, Mike is do not
20:40
that from you, Mike is do not around. I can’t yeah. that was
20:42
around. I can’t yeah. that was originally you gotta give a
20:43
originally you gotta give a credit to John Potion was the
20:45
credit to John Potion was the father of nine rounds. Uh we
20:47
father of nine rounds. Uh we kinda put our own little spin
20:48
kinda put our own little spin and I think we actually made it
20:49
and I think we actually made it twelve rounds. uh oh just to
20:51
twelve rounds. uh oh just to kinda get a little a little
20:52
kinda get a little a little deeper in there but um but
20:54
deeper in there but um but yeah, Jonathan it’s John came
20:56
yeah, Jonathan it’s John came up with his company city turf
20:57
up with his company city turf and uh you may have also got
20:59
and uh you may have also got reinforcement that and service.
21:00
reinforcement that and service. Academy as well, but I’ll let
21:01
Academy as well, but I’ll let you kinda talk about the rest
21:03
you kinda talk about the rest of that as well. Um so, yeah,
21:06
of that as well. Um so, yeah, do not do it. Nine rounds is
21:09
do not do it. Nine rounds is definitely the most impactful
21:10
definitely the most impactful way to identify those yards um
21:13
way to identify those yards um after doing nine rounds, I mean
21:15
after doing nine rounds, I mean marketing lawn care is not
21:16
marketing lawn care is not tricky, then my eyes cuz
21:18
tricky, then my eyes cuz marketing or anything in
21:20
marketing or anything in marketing in a big aspect. It
21:22
marketing in a big aspect. It costs a lot of money in the
21:23
costs a lot of money in the market. It’s it’s not cheap to
21:25
market. It’s it’s not cheap to market market your brand
21:27
market market your brand properly, especially if you
21:28
properly, especially if you don’t have a brand and you’re
21:29
don’t have a brand and you’re not marketing really anything
21:30
not marketing really anything you don’t have. you know you’re
21:32
you don’t have. you know you’re not connected to the to the
21:33
not connected to the to the community you’re. Anything for
21:35
community you’re. Anything for our community, you’re not
21:36
our community, you’re not sending out informational stuff
21:38
sending out informational stuff like marketing is kinda hard in
21:39
like marketing is kinda hard in the long side so between nine
21:42
the long side so between nine rounds and a lot of Facebook
21:44
rounds and a lot of Facebook that I think that’s where I
21:45
that I think that’s where I think that’s where I got the
21:46
think that’s where I got the Facebook stuff now. Facebook is
21:48
Facebook stuff now. Facebook is definitely helpful because I
21:50
definitely helpful because I think my you showed me that I
21:51
think my you showed me that I could, I can mow your yard post
21:53
could, I can mow your yard post a picture of the yard and then
21:54
a picture of the yard and then optimize my ad around that yard
21:58
optimize my ad around that yard and it’s been like you know
21:59
and it’s been like you know Fifty Bucks, which is a pretty
22:01
Fifty Bucks, which is a pretty significant amount of the
22:02
significant amount of the Facebook marketing at that
22:03
Facebook marketing at that time, and I can just. Those
22:07
time, and I can just. Those people right in that
22:07
people right in that neighborhood continuously and
22:08
neighborhood continuously and they can see my art and they’ll
22:09
they can see my art and they’ll drop pass and be like. Oh,
22:11
drop pass and be like. Oh, that’s the yard. I saw you know
22:13
that’s the yard. I saw you know that’s awesome and then I’ll
22:13
that’s awesome and then I’ll get a nine around and so like
22:15
get a nine around and so like you need about. I think the
22:17
you need about. I think the statistic was like seven to
22:18
statistic was like seven to eight touch points before
22:19
eight touch points before someone says yes. And that’s
22:21
someone says yes. And that’s where um it it took it took a
22:24
where um it it took it took a while, But then there’s there’s
22:25
while, But then there’s there’s there’s the densify and once
22:27
there’s the densify and once you have 25 yards in a row that
22:29
you have 25 yards in a row that you’re melon by 5 o’clock
22:32
you’re melon by 5 o’clock that’s when the good stuff
22:33
that’s when the good stuff happens and then you can take
22:34
happens and then you can take it a step. Doing a budget of
22:36
it a step. Doing a budget of hours that’s when the real fun
22:38
hours that’s when the real fun stuff has to happen for your
22:39
stuff has to happen for your crew, but uh that’s uh we’ll go
22:42
crew, but uh that’s uh we’ll go into that later. Yeah. So I
22:43
into that later. Yeah. So I just I mean it was it was
22:45
just I mean it was it was unbelievable like I would
22:46
unbelievable like I would literally just laid out to
22:47
literally just laid out to Jeremy and he just trusted the
22:49
Jeremy and he just trusted the process and followed it between
22:50
process and followed it between simple growth and academy like
22:51
simple growth and academy like these guys are just they were
22:53
these guys are just they were doers. They didn’t necessarily
22:55
doers. They didn’t necessarily question it. They just went out
22:56
question it. They just went out and executed and they executed
22:58
and executed and they executed once at work, they just
22:59
once at work, they just continued to double down. so
23:00
continued to double down. so just kind of uh you know kinda
23:02
just kind of uh you know kinda Cinderella story. I mean it’s
23:03
Cinderella story. I mean it’s just unbelievable. you don’t
23:03
just unbelievable. you don’t find most entrepreneurs just
23:05
find most entrepreneurs just trusting the process and going
23:06
trusting the process and going at it um but I think that’s
23:07
at it um but I think that’s part of like your guys’s
23:09
part of like your guys’s success just outside of
23:09
success just outside of grinding it out, but literally
23:10
grinding it out, but literally just. Sticking to a process and
23:14
just. Sticking to a process and consistently doing it and I’ll
23:15
consistently doing it and I’ll be some of the Facebook things
23:15
be some of the Facebook things have changed over the years.
23:17
have changed over the years. but back in the day, I mean
23:18
but back in the day, I mean that was kind of the approach
23:20
that was kind of the approach so absolutely so as you kinda
23:23
so absolutely so as you kinda went into that um can you mind
23:24
went into that um can you mind just kinda diving in um how you
23:27
just kinda diving in um how you actually went out and sold that
23:28
actually went out and sold that business and then we’ll talk
23:29
business and then we’ll talk about how you jump in the next
23:31
about how you jump in the next industry. Yeah, for sure. so
23:33
industry. Yeah, for sure. so first before I saw the ad to
23:35
first before I saw the ad to make sure everything was pretty
23:38
make sure everything was pretty much turn key. So, of course,
23:39
much turn key. So, of course, the easiest turnkey was
23:41
the easiest turnkey was scheduling scheduling was
23:42
scheduling scheduling was always automated onto my iPads.
23:43
always automated onto my iPads. Everything was easy on that
23:44
Everything was easy on that end. Pricing my I love my
23:49
end. Pricing my I love my pricing. My pricing was huge
23:50
pricing. My pricing was huge with service Autopilot, so I
23:52
with service Autopilot, so I actually had a call from my
23:53
actually had a call from my admin lady where the call come
23:55
admin lady where the call come in and she’ll say hello. It’s
23:57
in and she’ll say hello. It’s my landscape, but I’m looking
23:58
my landscape, but I’m looking for a price when you come out.
23:59
for a price when you come out. Oh no ma’am. I can measure
24:00
Oh no ma’am. I can measure right now and give you a price
24:01
right now and give you a price over the phone and so I had a
24:03
over the phone and so I had a whole script where she can talk
24:05
whole script where she can talk on the phone and within 5
24:06
on the phone and within 5 minutes, you’ll have a price in
24:08
minutes, you’ll have a price in their email box that said,
24:10
their email box that said, $45.17 cuz it was 2¢ on the
24:13
$45.17 cuz it was 2¢ on the price. matrix right mm hmm. And
24:13
price. matrix right mm hmm. And so that means what. I gotta
24:15
so that means what. I gotta give you credit for like we
24:16
give you credit for like we just we did the numbers and I
24:17
just we did the numbers and I was like dude what the numbers
24:19
was like dude what the numbers are you just do it not
24:20
are you just do it not emotionally and you just like
24:20
emotionally and you just like alright cool. We don’t need to
24:21
alright cool. We don’t need to round it up like it’s it was
24:23
round it up like it’s it was kinda cool like well. I can
24:24
kinda cool like well. I can just tell me what it is what it
24:25
just tell me what it is what it is. That’s your exact price to
24:26
is. That’s your exact price to your square foot price. That is
24:28
your square foot price. That is your exact square footage, and
24:29
your exact square footage, and that was a talking point on the
24:31
that was a talking point on the phone because if you don’t want
24:32
phone because if you don’t want that period to be like, oh
24:32
that period to be like, oh well, let me measure it out.
24:35
well, let me measure it out. and then you know, okay. Here’s
24:36
and then you know, okay. Here’s like it took a minute for you
24:39
like it took a minute for you to measure it out. You don’t
24:40
to measure it out. You don’t wanna know the house and
24:40
wanna know the house and everything you want the right
24:42
everything you want the right square footage of that home and
24:43
square footage of that home and um, but yeah. Always ask me
24:45
um, but yeah. Always ask me well, Jeremy didn’t you get bit
24:46
well, Jeremy didn’t you get bit the butt by you know overgrown
24:48
the butt by you know overgrown grass. I mean one time I ever
24:50
grass. I mean one time I ever got grass. I gotta kill
24:52
got grass. I gotta kill somebody you know it might take
24:53
somebody you know it might take the guys fifteen more minutes
24:54
the guys fifteen more minutes to do it, but that’s a weekly
24:57
to do it, but that’s a weekly lawn care company our lawn care
24:59
lawn care company our lawn care uh guy on a credit card and
25:00
uh guy on a credit card and that’s cash flow to my that’s
25:03
that’s cash flow to my that’s cash all day long. So that’s
25:05
cash all day long. So that’s where I um III really wanted
25:08
where I um III really wanted that cash to be as high as
25:10
that cash to be as high as possible. Right. That’s all
25:11
possible. Right. That’s all what you really want on the
25:12
what you really want on the price Our price range is.
25:15
price Our price range is. Literally spent at the longest
25:17
Literally spent at the longest it took me about 8 hours 1 day
25:19
it took me about 8 hours 1 day to just get that price matrix
25:21
to just get that price matrix right right and so people would
25:23
right right and so people would call in don’t measure out the
25:24
call in don’t measure out the yard and by the end of the
25:25
yard and by the end of the conversation, they have a price
25:26
conversation, they have a price in their inbox like Holy
25:28
in their inbox like Holy Smokes. This is amazing you
25:30
Smokes. This is amazing you already priced out my yard. I
25:32
already priced out my yard. I hey, I can put you on Wednesday
25:34
hey, I can put you on Wednesday schedule and that sound good.
25:36
schedule and that sound good. It’s mine. Now you put your
25:37
It’s mine. Now you put your Wednesday and it looks like
25:37
Wednesday and it looks like they’re gonna be there around
25:39
they’re gonna be there around like 4 o’clock. How’s that
25:40
like 4 o’clock. How’s that sound you’re like. Oh yeah,
25:41
sound you’re like. Oh yeah, let’s do that And so it was a
25:43
let’s do that And so it was a super. Smooth conversation all
25:46
super. Smooth conversation all the way through and then
25:48
the way through and then deliver that and it’s not a you
25:50
deliver that and it’s not a you just live in the price most
25:51
just live in the price most people that came and get prices
25:52
people that came and get prices out because if they’re too busy
25:54
out because if they’re too busy and so that’s where we’re
25:55
and so that’s where we’re really quick and automated
25:57
really quick and automated giving out prices on that side
25:58
giving out prices on that side of things um the next thing
26:02
of things um the next thing that’s most important is of
26:03
that’s most important is of course, hiring and firing I can
26:05
course, hiring and firing I can talk about. we already went
26:06
talk about. we already went over that hiring a fire. That’s
26:07
over that hiring a fire. That’s this business. I went to prom
26:09
this business. I went to prom with fifty employees easy. You
26:11
with fifty employees easy. You know, I think everyone can
26:13
know, I think everyone can relate to. That’s where people
26:14
relate to. That’s where people are just some. Are not
26:17
are just some. Are not expecting the the day-to-day
26:17
expecting the the day-to-day grind of lawn care, which is
26:20
grind of lawn care, which is okay cuz it’s definitely a
26:21
okay cuz it’s definitely a grind every single day, but if
26:22
grind every single day, but if you can get the higher and fire
26:24
you can get the higher and fire down, that’s I would say the
26:25
down, that’s I would say the majority of the the the hard
26:27
majority of the the the hard parts of lawn care the labs um
26:31
parts of lawn care the labs um after that, let’s see it’s
26:33
after that, let’s see it’s scheduling leads and marketing
26:38
scheduling leads and marketing I don’t necessarily wasn’t
26:39
I don’t necessarily wasn’t really concerned with it cuz
26:40
really concerned with it cuz we’re such a stable. I think
26:41
we’re such a stable. I think we’re building out like right
26:42
we’re building out like right at this point like 384 hundred
26:45
at this point like 384 hundred very consistently a year
26:46
very consistently a year annual. So we’re and we’re
26:49
annual. So we’re and we’re doing it with ease. We’re very
26:51
doing it with ease. We’re very automated. There’s no there’s
26:51
automated. There’s no there’s not a lot of hiccups going on
26:54
not a lot of hiccups going on everything was very smooth as
26:55
everything was very smooth as we we really enjoyed that. so
26:57
we we really enjoyed that. so once I knew I had that all set
26:59
once I knew I had that all set up, then I went to mic and ask
27:02
up, then I went to mic and ask them. Hey how do II don’t I
27:04
them. Hey how do II don’t I value this business? I really
27:06
value this business? I really don’t understand how to value
27:07
don’t understand how to value it. I was like I don’t I don’t
27:08
it. I was like I don’t I don’t know what the true value is cuz
27:09
know what the true value is cuz it’s all volatile. It’s like if
27:11
it’s all volatile. It’s like if if if you bought my locker,
27:12
if if you bought my locker, Cody, they might not like your
27:14
Cody, they might not like your hair. They might just buy you
27:15
hair. They might just buy you because your hair or something
27:17
because your hair or something like you know they you don.
27:18
like you know they you don. What’s gonna happen when you
27:20
What’s gonna happen when you sell the company right? so the
27:22
sell the company right? so the the yard itself you had the
27:24
the yard itself you had the value pretty um competitively I
27:28
value pretty um competitively I would say, and that’s where my
27:29
would say, and that’s where my help me a lot, he said. Hey,
27:30
help me a lot, he said. Hey, this is what I’ll do. I’ll take
27:31
this is what I’ll do. I’ll take a billings tons of about this
27:33
a billings tons of about this number. I’ll take your assets.
27:34
number. I’ll take your assets. you know if you wanna make a
27:35
you know if you wanna make a mark on your assets so be it,
27:38
mark on your assets so be it, but we basically took our
27:39
but we basically took our assets um took our monthly
27:41
assets um took our monthly billings times by either two or
27:43
billings times by either two or three. I can’t remember and
27:44
three. I can’t remember and then um create this number and
27:46
then um create this number and it was a nice. It wasn’t a. It
27:48
it was a nice. It wasn’t a. It was a nice six-figure number
27:50
was a nice six-figure number and we took it to the market
27:52
and we took it to the market and this told people about it
27:53
and this told people about it and say hey, we have a company
27:56
and say hey, we have a company That’s and this one service
27:56
That’s and this one service Autopilot. This is four or 5
27:58
Autopilot. This is four or 5 years ago This one service is
27:59
years ago This one service is not kicking off and get really
28:00
not kicking off and get really really good traction through
28:02
really good traction through the lawn care company so people
28:03
the lawn care company so people all over the nation are
28:04
all over the nation are starting to understand Whats
28:06
starting to understand Whats Autopilot was uh and so we were
28:08
Autopilot was uh and so we were one of the first companies or
28:09
one of the first companies or probably the first company here
28:11
probably the first company here in Memphis to truly use service
28:13
in Memphis to truly use service on a part of the way that
28:14
on a part of the way that intended to use have it already
28:16
intended to use have it already template it out and then show
28:17
template it out and then show it to this next. This is how
28:20
it to this next. This is how you’re supposed to use it and
28:21
you’re supposed to use it and if you don’t use it, you just
28:23
if you don’t use it, you just lose now on the benefits from
28:25
lose now on the benefits from it. Yeah. So it’s it’s a couple
28:28
it. Yeah. So it’s it’s a couple of interruptions to be here,
28:30
of interruptions to be here, but we knew that was probably
28:31
but we knew that was probably gonna happen, but I appreciate
28:32
gonna happen, but I appreciate you breaking that I know if I
28:32
you breaking that I know if I missed any of that, but um now
28:34
missed any of that, but um now that you’ve kinda sold this
28:36
that you’ve kinda sold this lawn care company journey now
28:37
lawn care company journey now you’ve moved over to the
28:37
you’ve moved over to the contractor, Pro and one of the
28:39
contractor, Pro and one of the things I wanted to hit on um
28:40
things I wanted to hit on um obviously you probably for the
28:42
obviously you probably for the rest of this interview, but
28:43
rest of this interview, but you’ve talked about how you use
28:44
you’ve talked about how you use service Autopilot and uh
28:47
service Autopilot and uh Jonathan or maybe even Jason
28:48
Jonathan or maybe even Jason Cop on one of the um I think
28:51
Cop on one of the um I think yeah you guys. yeah a lot of
28:52
yeah you guys. yeah a lot of the cups uh but it was a
28:55
the cups uh but it was a customer centric model and
28:56
customer centric model and that. Help you actually uh with
29:00
that. Help you actually uh with contractor pro, so would you
29:01
contractor pro, so would you mind just dialing in what that
29:03
mind just dialing in what that customer centric model? Look
29:05
customer centric model? Look like and how uh you took some
29:07
like and how uh you took some of those winnings out of
29:08
of those winnings out of service Autopilot Academy apply
29:09
service Autopilot Academy apply it to not only your lawn care
29:10
it to not only your lawn care business, but actually your
29:12
business, but actually your secondary contracting business
29:13
secondary contracting business um so whether you’re in lawn
29:14
um so whether you’re in lawn care and pest control home
29:16
care and pest control home remodeling um some of the
29:17
remodeling um some of the things we’re talking about are
29:18
things we’re talking about are really service business centric
29:21
really service business centric and we know it doesn’t matter
29:22
and we know it doesn’t matter um so you kind of breaking that
29:24
um so you kind of breaking that down and then we’ll kinda uh
29:26
down and then we’ll kinda uh tie. Uh how how you moved in to
29:28
tie. Uh how how you moved in to the contracting business and uh
29:31
the contracting business and uh maybe even hit on a little
29:32
maybe even hit on a little social media at the end, if
29:32
social media at the end, if you’ve got to for sure so uh I
29:36
you’ve got to for sure so uh I remember it was Jason. I’m
29:38
remember it was Jason. I’m pretty sure I had I had the the
29:40
pretty sure I had I had the the service of the academy sheet at
29:42
service of the academy sheet at my desk at my office still of
29:44
my desk at my office still of this exact um well that
29:45
this exact um well that resonated so well with any
29:47
resonated so well with any service industry. This is like
29:48
service industry. This is like like I said this should go with
29:49
like I said this should go with any service industry out there
29:51
any service industry out there um the model that Jason was
29:53
um the model that Jason was saying, is that every business
29:54
saying, is that every business model is typically you know a
29:56
model is typically you know a big old triangle with the CEO
29:57
big old triangle with the CEO at the top. CFO admin uh labor
30:02
at the top. CFO admin uh labor and then you got your employer
30:02
and then you got your employer or not employees your customers
30:03
or not employees your customers at the bottom. Well, Jason had
30:06
at the bottom. Well, Jason had this interesting concept of not
30:08
this interesting concept of not an interesting, but it’s very
30:10
an interesting, but it’s very logical. I switched that
30:11
logical. I switched that triangle upside down where
30:14
triangle upside down where customers are at the top now
30:14
customers are at the top now and so everything is revolved
30:16
and so everything is revolved around the customer’s
30:17
around the customer’s experience and if you give the
30:20
experience and if you give the customer a awesome seamless
30:22
customer a awesome seamless experience, they’re gonna
30:23
experience, they’re gonna recommend you if you get
30:25
recommend you if you get referrals that everyone knows
30:26
referrals that everyone knows word of mouth is the most
30:27
word of mouth is the most powerful way to do business.
30:29
powerful way to do business. word of mouth is amazing so
30:30
word of mouth is amazing so with customers. We know we
30:35
with customers. We know we strictly just wanted the from
30:36
strictly just wanted the from the call when the call comes in
30:39
the call when the call comes in for someone is being called
30:39
for someone is being called nine to five or eight to five.
30:42
nine to five or eight to five. That call is being answered
30:43
That call is being answered when I calls answer it needs to
30:44
when I calls answer it needs to be logged in to log
30:46
be logged in to log appropriately needs to have the
30:47
appropriately needs to have the conversation that was said uh
30:49
conversation that was said uh Dayton needs to be set for the
30:50
Dayton needs to be set for the estimate whatever it may be it
30:52
estimate whatever it may be it needs to be all log and track
30:53
needs to be all log and track right once it’s all on the
30:55
right once it’s all on the track the the point set for
30:57
track the the point set for Thursday at 10 o’clock AM My
30:59
Thursday at 10 o’clock AM My admin office is doing a follow
31:00
admin office is doing a follow up call on Wednesday and say
31:01
up call on Wednesday and say hey are we still good for
31:03
hey are we still good for Thursday at 10 AM? Yes. we’re
31:04
Thursday at 10 AM? Yes. we’re still good great. Well. Jeremy
31:05
still good great. Well. Jeremy is gonna be out there at 10
31:06
is gonna be out there at 10 o’clock right. And then I go
31:07
o’clock right. And then I go out there on Thursday at 10
31:09
out there on Thursday at 10 o’clock. even when I’m heading
31:10
o’clock. even when I’m heading there, I call it again and I
31:11
there, I call it again and I said, Hey, I just wanna make
31:13
said, Hey, I just wanna make sure that you don’t have an
31:15
sure that you don’t have an emergency with the kids this
31:15
emergency with the kids this morning or just wanna make sure
31:17
morning or just wanna make sure you’re still good this morning
31:18
you’re still good this morning for our 10 o’clock appointment
31:19
for our 10 o’clock appointment for the for for the long and
31:21
for the for for the long and then when we get to the lawn or
31:23
then when we get to the lawn or get to the house at 10 AM,
31:25
get to the house at 10 AM, we’ll do an appointment, We’ll
31:26
we’ll do an appointment, We’ll log that appointment back into
31:27
log that appointment back into the system so everything is
31:30
the system so everything is tracked everything is
31:31
tracked everything is everything there’s no lead that
31:32
everything there’s no lead that comes through our system that
31:35
comes through our system that was falling through the cracks
31:35
was falling through the cracks and that’s again about. Service
31:37
and that’s again about. Service If you’re a customer and you
31:39
If you’re a customer and you fall through the crack, you
31:40
fall through the crack, you feel like it’s a significant
31:41
feel like it’s a significant and you’re like. Oh this
31:41
and you’re like. Oh this company doesn’t care about me
31:43
company doesn’t care about me it’s not that we don’t care.
31:45
it’s not that we don’t care. It’s that you’re just your
31:47
It’s that you’re just your systems aren’t updated enough
31:48
systems aren’t updated enough or you’re just not organized
31:50
or you’re just not organized enough to get every customer
31:52
enough to get every customer capture that customer and if
31:53
capture that customer and if you can’t capture you know
31:55
you can’t capture you know three out of five, that’s a big
31:57
three out of five, that’s a big deal because three out of five
31:58
deal because three out of five people are gonna say yeah, I
31:59
people are gonna say yeah, I didn’t even get a price from
32:00
didn’t even get a price from them. They didn’t give me a
32:01
them. They didn’t give me a call back and set an
32:02
call back and set an appointment with me. I’m like
32:03
appointment with me. I’m like that’s interesting. well they
32:04
that’s interesting. well they came on. They came out right
32:05
came on. They came out right out of time and gave me a price
32:07
out of time and gave me a price that day. So if you have a. Get
32:10
that day. So if you have a. Get organized system, You’re gonna
32:10
organized system, You’re gonna be able to get every single
32:12
be able to get every single customer the same experience if
32:14
customer the same experience if you can give everyone the same
32:14
you can give everyone the same experience. that’s what really
32:16
experience. that’s what really matters because if you can’t
32:17
matters because if you can’t get on the same experience,
32:18
get on the same experience, everyone’s gonna have this this
32:20
everyone’s gonna have this this wishy-washy reviews and now you
32:22
wishy-washy reviews and now you don’t have a reputable company.
32:23
don’t have a reputable company. Yeah, but it comes on the
32:25
Yeah, but it comes on the training and everyone knows
32:26
training and everyone knows training is the hardest thing
32:27
training is the hardest thing to do training is extremely
32:29
to do training is extremely hard so what did y’all’s
32:30
hard so what did y’all’s training process? look like to
32:32
training process? look like to like really drill that culture
32:34
like really drill that culture of excellence into uh your
32:36
of excellence into uh your admin staff um? Was. For us
32:41
admin staff um? Was. For us everyone that was in the house
32:44
everyone that was in the house like we we we assign lanes so
32:45
like we we we assign lanes so I’m gonna sign the sales. We
32:48
I’m gonna sign the sales. We have a marketing plan. We have
32:49
have a marketing plan. We have a production line. We have an
32:50
a production line. We have an admin line. We have a back
32:52
admin line. We have a back office line so luckily for me,
32:54
office line so luckily for me, everyone was already so good at
32:55
everyone was already so good at their lane and there’s really
32:56
their lane and there’s really no training needed for for
32:58
no training needed for for those people in place right
32:59
those people in place right now. the training that is need
33:01
now. the training that is need to be implemented now is
33:03
to be implemented now is necessary just for every
33:05
necessary just for every position so every every
33:06
position so every every position we’re trying to
33:08
position we’re trying to document what they do and have
33:09
document what they do and have it on a piece of paper and have
33:10
it on a piece of paper and have it on video or something like
33:11
it on video or something like that and store it. You know it
33:12
that and store it. You know it takes time. That is not easy to
33:15
takes time. That is not easy to come by especially when you
33:18
come by especially when you have you know when you get to
33:19
have you know when you get to the office, you think you’re
33:20
the office, you think you’re gonna have this great, you know
33:21
gonna have this great, you know organized day and then you get
33:22
organized day and then you get there and this person calls
33:23
there and this person calls this person calls. They have
33:25
this person calls. They have this email and in this fire
33:26
this email and in this fire happen. so like it’s hard to
33:28
happen. so like it’s hard to get organized and and create
33:30
get organized and and create this training manuals but as
33:31
this training manuals but as for training right now, we’re
33:33
for training right now, we’re doing more so like ride along
33:35
doing more so like ride along in just watching and we’re
33:36
in just watching and we’re trying to spend as much time
33:37
trying to spend as much time and educating the guys we can
33:39
and educating the guys we can pour into them and as we’re
33:40
pour into them and as we’re doing that we’re trying to
33:42
doing that we’re trying to document this stuff so that way
33:43
document this stuff so that way eventually we just had uh a
33:44
eventually we just had uh a hand manual here here it is for
33:46
hand manual here here it is for the for the contract and For a
33:48
the for the contract and For a lawn care, that’s pretty
33:51
lawn care, that’s pretty relatively easy cuz you just
33:52
relatively easy cuz you just you can create photos and say
33:52
you can create photos and say this is how I want you to read
33:54
this is how I want you to read it and put a picture right
33:55
it and put a picture right there for a real salesmanship
33:57
there for a real salesmanship that we do retail sales is a
33:59
that we do retail sales is a whole different story and then,
34:00
whole different story and then, of course we are so that’s a
34:02
of course we are so that’s a whole another training that you
34:04
whole another training that you need to do but um, but it’s
34:08
need to do but um, but it’s imperative that you have some
34:08
imperative that you have some sort of training cuz we don’t
34:09
sort of training cuz we don’t have any type of training
34:10
have any type of training you’re not pointing the actual
34:12
you’re not pointing the actual model or kinda brand that
34:14
model or kinda brand that you’re trying to push out to
34:16
you’re trying to push out to the public like our brand a
34:17
the public like our brand a contractor, a pro kinda like
34:18
contractor, a pro kinda like our Slo. We Our slogan is we we
34:22
our Slo. We Our slogan is we we don’t cut corners. We don’t we
34:24
don’t cut corners. We don’t we don’t We don’t cut corners. We
34:25
don’t We don’t cut corners. We cut grass or something like
34:27
cut grass or something like that. That’s our motto motto
34:29
that. That’s our motto motto simplistic one at contact pro.
34:31
simplistic one at contact pro. We say doing what’s right now?
34:33
We say doing what’s right now? what’s it and that’s because in
34:35
what’s it and that’s because in roofing, it’s very easy to do a
34:37
roofing, it’s very easy to do a very simple little for your fix
34:41
very simple little for your fix versus doing the real hard fix
34:42
versus doing the real hard fix That’s gonna last 25 years and
34:45
That’s gonna last 25 years and no one’s ever gonna know who’s
34:45
no one’s ever gonna know who’s on your roof so we I contract
34:48
on your roof so we I contract pro. We just wanna be known as
34:49
pro. We just wanna be known as again the most professional
34:50
again the most professional most customer. About customer
34:53
most customer. About customer experience, I just wanna make
34:53
experience, I just wanna make sure that everyone gets the
34:55
sure that everyone gets the same exact um treatment in the
34:59
same exact um treatment in the last customer did and if you
35:01
last customer did and if you can do that every single time
35:01
can do that every single time and you really do something
35:03
and you really do something special. but it’s I guess it’s
35:04
special. but it’s I guess it’s hard to deal with people
35:05
hard to deal with people dealing with unpredictable
35:07
dealing with unpredictable things all the time man just
35:09
things all the time man just blown away. I don’t know about
35:10
blown away. I don’t know about you but just the consistency of
35:11
you but just the consistency of driving that purpose and
35:13
driving that purpose and everything else um and just
35:14
everything else um and just kinda know. obviously you’ve
35:15
kinda know. obviously you’ve got a compact to schedule their
35:17
got a compact to schedule their journey but just to kinda bring
35:18
journey but just to kinda bring it home and uh hopefully I can
35:19
it home and uh hopefully I can at least stand the screen here
35:20
at least stand the screen here for a few more minutes um but
35:22
for a few more minutes um but hey we. Today it’s uh it’s a
35:25
hey we. Today it’s uh it’s a weekly from the home base with
35:26
weekly from the home base with the kiddos in the background,
35:27
the kiddos in the background, but uh everybody if it’s
35:29
but uh everybody if it’s watching this uh current time,
35:30
watching this uh current time, I’m sure they can relate. It’s
35:31
I’m sure they can relate. It’s uh things are different but uh
35:34
uh things are different but uh one of the things that isn’t
35:35
one of the things that isn’t different is your consistency
35:37
different is your consistency and one of the things that is
35:39
and one of the things that is very consistent for both
35:40
very consistent for both businesses that I’ve seen at
35:41
businesses that I’ve seen at least and if you’ve just kinda
35:42
least and if you’ve just kinda maybe put some context to your
35:45
maybe put some context to your social media presence So uh I
35:48
social media presence So uh I see a lot of times for
35:49
see a lot of times for contracting pro right now on
35:50
contracting pro right now on top of the roof doing videos.
35:53
top of the roof doing videos. Live talking about the process
35:54
Live talking about the process and especially if the consumer
35:56
and especially if the consumer can’t see what you’re doing up
35:57
can’t see what you’re doing up there, you’re educating what
35:58
there, you’re educating what they should be doing and not
36:00
they should be doing and not necessarily selling a service,
36:01
necessarily selling a service, but you’re just purely
36:02
but you’re just purely educational and you did the
36:03
educational and you did the same thing in the lawn care
36:04
same thing in the lawn care company um but you’re just you
36:06
company um but you’re just you know you’re a creature of
36:08
know you’re a creature of consistency and that’s not a
36:10
consistency and that’s not a normal in in this industry uh
36:12
normal in in this industry uh or in the service industry to
36:14
or in the service industry to begin with so uh I guess it’s
36:15
begin with so uh I guess it’s those are an initial fear of
36:17
those are an initial fear of making this videos and doing it
36:18
making this videos and doing it obviously uh you’re probably
36:20
obviously uh you’re probably watching where you’re stepping
36:21
watching where you’re stepping when you’re walking around on
36:22
when you’re walking around on the roof, making a live video
36:23
the roof, making a live video uh that may add to the
36:25
uh that may add to the viewership who knows yeah.
36:26
viewership who knows yeah. Would you mind just breaking
36:27
Would you mind just breaking down? The high-level theory of
36:30
down? The high-level theory of social media and video, and how
36:32
social media and video, and how does that play into your
36:34
does that play into your service businesses so in social
36:36
service businesses so in social media for me and so we have
36:37
media for me and so we have actually have a lady that’s
36:38
actually have a lady that’s designated just to create a
36:39
designated just to create a Facebook post all the time and
36:41
Facebook post all the time and of course we she did at first
36:43
of course we she did at first to know about anything about
36:44
to know about anything about roofing, but now we’ve educated
36:46
roofing, but now we’ve educated about certain things and every
36:48
about certain things and every piece of content that we wanna
36:49
piece of content that we wanna put out once the educational we
36:50
put out once the educational we don’t wanna force something
36:51
don’t wanna force something like oh Roof today $100 off now
36:54
like oh Roof today $100 off now we want you to be educated so
36:55
we want you to be educated so that way when you call us, we
36:57
that way when you call us, we can then go. A step further and
36:59
can then go. A step further and educate even more and then
37:00
educate even more and then present your product. We wanna
37:02
present your product. We wanna set yourself up with the expert
37:03
set yourself up with the expert level where we are. We are the
37:06
level where we are. We are the top tier experts um, but that’s
37:08
top tier experts um, but that’s when it when it comes to sales.
37:10
when it when it comes to sales. you can do it, you know and I
37:11
you can do it, you know and I can do two different ways. you
37:13
can do two different ways. you can be the salesman that forces
37:14
can be the salesman that forces down your throat and says hey,
37:16
down your throat and says hey, sign up today and 15% off.
37:18
sign up today and 15% off. We’re gonna be a salesman that
37:19
We’re gonna be a salesman that is pure educational that just
37:21
is pure educational that just goes over the degree detail
37:22
goes over the degree detail that way you know every single
37:24
that way you know every single thing that’s going on and then
37:26
thing that’s going on and then you can compare apples to
37:27
you can compare apples to apples everyone else. and
37:28
apples everyone else. and that’s where we. Companies we
37:31
that’s where we. Companies we educate everyone to the degree
37:32
educate everyone to the degree to where when the next roofing
37:33
to where when the next roofing company comes in the next
37:35
company comes in the next window. Guy comes and next
37:37
window. Guy comes and next bathroom guy comes they already
37:39
bathroom guy comes they already know all the knowledge or they
37:39
know all the knowledge or they they probably to retain all of
37:41
they probably to retain all of it, but they know they they
37:42
it, but they know they they retain some of that and they’ll
37:44
retain some of that and they’ll I’ve had customers quiz the
37:45
I’ve had customers quiz the next guy and the next guy
37:46
next guy and the next guy doesn’t know the answer you
37:47
doesn’t know the answer you know and so when that happens
37:49
know and so when that happens you just set yourself up out of
37:51
you just set yourself up out of another level of and we’re
37:53
another level of and we’re typically we’re at the highest
37:53
typically we’re at the highest price but not the lowest price,
37:54
price but not the lowest price, but we’ve we are definitely on
37:57
but we’ve we are definitely on the above average price for
37:58
the above average price for sure, but the next one and
37:59
sure, but the next one and that. I think one of the things
38:02
that. I think one of the things that is, that’s what we talked
38:04
that is, that’s what we talked about in the early days, four
38:05
about in the early days, four or 5 years ago, like we still
38:07
or 5 years ago, like we still at my company, Callahan’s lawn
38:08
at my company, Callahan’s lawn care we’ve been doing it for
38:10
care we’ve been doing it for several years, but that was a
38:12
several years, but that was a success that life cycle
38:13
success that life cycle marketing talking to the
38:15
marketing talking to the consumer where they’re at and
38:16
consumer where they’re at and then educating them on how to
38:17
then educating them on how to do this professional most
38:18
do this professional most service businesses. I’m curious
38:19
service businesses. I’m curious your thought on this is most
38:21
your thought on this is most service are extremely scared to
38:23
service are extremely scared to educate their potential
38:24
educate their potential consumer. How to do the service
38:25
consumer. How to do the service themselves Now Roofing could be
38:26
themselves Now Roofing could be a whole different deal but in
38:28
a whole different deal but in lawn care once you educate
38:28
lawn care once you educate them, there’s really. Barriers
38:30
them, there’s really. Barriers they can go down the home depot
38:32
they can go down the home depot and do it themselves um but you
38:34
and do it themselves um but you took faith in that idea and
38:36
took faith in that idea and really have mastered it in both
38:39
really have mastered it in both businesses um was there any
38:40
businesses um was there any hesitation to actually tell
38:41
hesitation to actually tell your consumer how to do the
38:42
your consumer how to do the service or trying to hire for
38:44
service or trying to hire for or was that actually a
38:46
or was that actually a compounding effect that it
38:47
compounding effect that it sounds like it was it was a
38:48
sounds like it was it was a game changer because now you’ve
38:50
game changer because now you’ve been empowered them to actually
38:51
been empowered them to actually select the most qualified
38:52
select the most qualified business. I think if you’re
38:54
business. I think if you’re nervous, it’s because you’re
38:55
nervous, it’s because you’re not comfortable or not
38:56
not comfortable or not confident that your knowledge
38:57
confident that your knowledge is true. So if your knowledge
38:58
is true. So if your knowledge isn’t true. Speak it, but if
39:00
isn’t true. Speak it, but if you have true knowledge that
39:01
you have true knowledge that you’ve seen with your own eyes
39:03
you’ve seen with your own eyes and you know it works then
39:03
and you know it works then speak it just like if I was a
39:05
speak it just like if I was a mom still and I knew the
39:07
mom still and I knew the science behind phosphorus and
39:08
science behind phosphorus and mulching the grass and I will
39:09
mulching the grass and I will be preaching all day. I’ll say
39:11
be preaching all day. I’ll say hey, this is what you need to
39:11
hey, this is what you need to be doing because the mulching
39:13
be doing because the mulching kit does this is this is the
39:14
kit does this is this is the grass and aggressive can be
39:15
grass and aggressive can be thicker and if you know that
39:17
thicker and if you know that with the bottom of your heart,
39:19
with the bottom of your heart, you know that’s true. That’s
39:20
you know that’s true. That’s true science you can feel free
39:21
true science you can feel free to the world and no one’s gonna
39:23
to the world and no one’s gonna argue that but if you’re ever
39:24
argue that but if you’re ever here like if you’re ever here,
39:26
here like if you’re ever here, don’t know what phosphorus is
39:27
don’t know what phosphorus is you’re over here Speaking about
39:29
you’re over here Speaking about phosphorus and you’re like yeah
39:31
phosphorus and you’re like yeah prosperous in the grass and it
39:31
prosperous in the grass and it decomposes, you’re not gonna be
39:33
decomposes, you’re not gonna be able to speak. Educational side
39:35
able to speak. Educational side of things, so I think it’s all
39:35
of things, so I think it’s all about knowledge if you know the
39:38
about knowledge if you know the knowledge and you know it for
39:39
knowledge and you know it for real, you’re gonna be able to
39:40
real, you’re gonna be able to speak it confidence if you
39:43
speak it confidence if you don’t have the confidence
39:43
don’t have the confidence people are gonna see right
39:44
people are gonna see right there you Yeah. Yeah. Love it
39:46
there you Yeah. Yeah. Love it brother. I can’t thank you
39:47
brother. I can’t thank you enough. Uh we got a third
39:49
enough. Uh we got a third co-host here. Rory Callahan
39:51
co-host here. Rory Callahan just joining the team but um
39:51
just joining the team but um you know brother can’t
39:53
you know brother can’t appreciate it enough. love
39:55
appreciate it enough. love everything you’re doing and uh
39:55
everything you’re doing and uh obviously in contracting pro
39:57
obviously in contracting pro and you gotta tell trip uh the
39:59
and you gotta tell trip uh the SA community myself, especially
40:00
SA community myself, especially from simple Grove says hello uh
40:02
from simple Grove says hello uh but nothing. For you and your
40:04
but nothing. For you and your brother in the future and
40:05
brother in the future and really appreciate uh on a side
40:07
really appreciate uh on a side note having faith in myself and
40:08
note having faith in myself and the simple team in the early
40:09
the simple team in the early years, but um if you’re
40:11
years, but um if you’re watching this, you’re curious
40:12
watching this, you’re curious if you can scale a business to
40:13
if you can scale a business to sell it um and then repeat that
40:16
sell it um and then repeat that success and double down uh
40:18
success and double down uh Jeremy right here is proof that
40:19
Jeremy right here is proof that if you put a process in the
40:20
if you put a process in the system and use a product like
40:22
system and use a product like service Autopilot, uh it’s
40:23
service Autopilot, uh it’s doable. but it’s not just the
40:24
doable. but it’s not just the software. It’s having the
40:27
software. It’s having the ability to put in the time and
40:27
ability to put in the time and follow the process and system
40:29
follow the process and system and be consistent and you’re
40:30
and be consistent and you’re looking at the consistent kid
40:31
looking at the consistent kid right here. so Jeremy you know.
40:34
right here. so Jeremy you know. Um and you know I was telling
40:36
Um and you know I was telling Cody uh if things don’t work
40:38
Cody uh if things don’t work out here in the in the
40:38
out here in the in the contracting business, we’re
40:39
contracting business, we’re gonna do a health and fitness
40:41
gonna do a health and fitness here uh for some health fitness
40:44
here uh for some health fitness and killing it Well, I
40:46
and killing it Well, I appreciate you having me on and
40:47
appreciate you having me on and I think uh if anyone stays
40:49
I think uh if anyone stays consistent and doing what they
40:50
consistent and doing what they wanna do, they’re gonna achieve
40:51
wanna do, they’re gonna achieve those goals but the hardest
40:51
those goals but the hardest thing to do is waking up every
40:53
thing to do is waking up every day and get after it and if you
40:54
day and get after it and if you can do that every single day
40:57
can do that every single day and make a long-term goal and
40:59
and make a long-term goal and shoot for that goal and you’re
41:00
shoot for that goal and you’re you’re gonna get it. That
41:02
you’re gonna get it. That you’re gonna get it, but if you
41:04
you’re gonna get it, but if you do not sit down and make those
41:06
do not sit down and make those goals, you’re never gonna get
41:06
goals, you’re never gonna get anywhere. I’ve learn that from
41:08
anywhere. I’ve learn that from Mike I’ve learned from my
41:10
Mike I’ve learned from my brother. This is not me just as
41:11
brother. This is not me just as a kid saying that I’ve had
41:12
a kid saying that I’ve had amazing mentors and that’s why
41:13
amazing mentors and that’s why I’m here today because of
41:15
I’m here today because of mentors people that have done
41:17
mentors people that have done it and that’s not a kid man, a
41:19
it and that’s not a kid man, a man who is definitely built in
41:21
man who is definitely built in scale the business, but I when
41:22
scale the business, but I when I met you at eighteen, I was
41:24
I met you at eighteen, I was like wow, let’s let’s take
41:26
like wow, let’s let’s take let’s take a jump on this guy
41:26
let’s take a jump on this guy and and and you know the first
41:28
and and and you know the first time I talk to you. I knew
41:29
time I talk to you. I knew you’re the real deal. I knew it
41:30
you’re the real deal. I knew it was a good move to invest some
41:32
was a good move to invest some time and to trust in and
41:33
time and to trust in and actually working with you. I
41:35
actually working with you. I really appreciated Jeremy Cody
41:36
really appreciated Jeremy Cody as always uh my co host Roy
41:38
as always uh my co host Roy will probably definitely not be
41:40
will probably definitely not be back next week, but uh as a
41:41
back next week, but uh as a weekly talk show coming at you
41:43
weekly talk show coming at you Weekly 1 PM eastern 12 PM
41:44
Weekly 1 PM eastern 12 PM Central uh rain shine or kids
41:46
Central uh rain shine or kids in co and we uh we’ll be here
41:48
in co and we uh we’ll be here so big announcement coming up
41:49
so big announcement coming up next week for special Ghost our
41:52
next week for special Ghost our guest uh but we’ll see you next
41:52
guest uh but we’ll see you next week. Thanks again, Jeremy Cody
41:54
week. Thanks again, Jeremy Cody and uh my co host Roy here
41:56
and uh my co host Roy here intermittently jumping in and
41:57
intermittently jumping in and out so if you’re watching or
41:58
out so if you’re watching or listening on the podcast, you
42:00
listening on the podcast, you definitely wanna see the chaos
42:00
definitely wanna see the chaos that has ensued over the last
42:02
that has ensued over the last 45 minutes. We’ll see you again
English (United States) – SA Weekly Talk Show: Jeremy Atkinson

Contract Diversification for Predictable Profits!

Video Transcript

00:07
bachelor of its way i do i can’t install
01:18
a couple of months ago
02:01
янукович
02:07
и взять все из 10
02:25
мой мир
02:32
африканский
02:33
all of this is a spider man in landscape
02:56
in 1 день
03:21
у-у-у-у-у у-у-у-у-у у-у-у-у-у у-у-у-у-у
04:18
макропен и steel мире и запросим прав ли
04:23
ковра фиксиков
04:24
a ghost recon н.а.
04:53
у кого хватило и при этом лорингховен
05:28
скоро явится blive this pack

Leaving Your Business For 8 Weeks & How To Create Accountability

Video Transcript

00:00
back to callahan’s corner where you
00:01
asked the questions we answer them live
00:03
right here on facebook so had a question
00:06
that was submitted on the facebook group
00:07
i can actually pull my phone up here and
00:09
read it um
00:10
but feeling for this gentleman i have
00:12
been there before
00:13
uh but basically to put some context
00:15
this gentleman has left his business for
00:16
eight
00:17
weeks because of some medical uh issues
00:19
and came back to
00:21
a little less than uh pretty much a
00:22
disaster on his hands um
00:24
so definitely not here preaching on a
00:26
pedestal by any means i have been here
00:28
um and it’s part of the reason why you
00:29
can see some of the magazine articles
00:30
behind me in lawn and landscape magazine
00:32
uh where i like to share on callahan’s
00:34
corner in the magazine and snow magazine
00:36
some of the trials and tribulations
00:38
we’ve been through some of some of the
00:39
things we got lucky enough to get right
00:40
and well some of the things
00:42
similar to this gentleman’s question um
00:45
we didn’t get right off the bat so a
00:47
little context
00:48
my lawn care business uh and snowmobile
00:51
business upper northeast
00:52
in uh upstate new york uh 25 years
00:56
obviously from the early years through
00:58
high school through college
00:59
um well up to 19 or 20 crews plowing up
01:03
before
01:04
we exited through acquisition so i
01:07
definitely can speak to this candidly
01:08
but i think that
01:10
this hits home whether you are not
01:12
planning to be out of the
01:13
out of the mix on a day-to-day basis or
01:16
you actually
01:17
uh want to be more of the michael gerber
01:19
work on it uh not in it or you just want
01:21
to leave for
01:22
three four weeks or at least 10 days for
01:24
a vacation and not come back
01:26
to an utter disaster um you know in your
01:29
business so
01:30
what i’m going to do is read this
01:31
question and then i’m going to actually
01:33
flip the screen open and give you some
01:34
ideas on how to actually tackle this or
01:35
at least at least some foundational
01:37
pieces of this so
01:38
tom writes in here i come into work at
01:40
six a.m for the first time in eight
01:42
weeks
01:43
my wife has been coming in for me
01:46
uh due to a surgery so first of all uh
01:49
tom kudos to your wife if you haven’t
01:52
give her a big kiss and say thanks and
01:53
take her out to a really nice dinner
01:55
uh because most people’s spouses would
01:56
not go into their service business
01:58
to have their back for eight weeks so uh
02:00
you’ve done well there for sure
02:02
um but what he finds out is uh i find
02:06
the back side of his deck his v2 ride is
02:09
all
02:09
um effed up and is unusable his skag
02:12
cheetah mower sounds well
02:14
less than the desire well i’m going to
02:16
clean out some of the ab the uh the
02:18
additives here
02:19
um and his bone dry of oil numerous
02:21
pieces of two-stick
02:22
equipment are not running just problems
02:25
at least the end of the season
02:27
is six weeks away um so time i’m feeling
02:30
for you here brother uh we’ve all been
02:32
there
02:33
um and we’ve been through i don’t know
02:34
maybe six or seven people who actually
02:36
ran my business
02:38
um when i actually left and finally
02:40
became an absentee owner but these are
02:42
things that
02:43
uh not only if your wife’s helping you
02:45
but if you are going to leave for a few
02:47
days or a vacation
02:48
or anything like that or you got the
02:50
unexpected and let’s let’s face it guys
02:52
and girls here
02:53
um i enjoyed my time on the truck but
02:55
there was a point at that business that
02:57
i was
02:58
um in a very risky situation
03:01
if i blew out a knee or hurt my back or
03:03
something like that and couldn’t go into
03:05
the shop every day
03:06
that business probably would have
03:08
crumbled or at least seen some of the
03:10
issues that tom’s seeing here
03:12
so what i’m gonna do is pop my screen
03:13
open here
03:15
and show you uh kind of what we’re
03:17
looking at so this is a
03:19
form uh that we used right in my
03:21
business we called it a kpi
03:23
lawn mowing daily job costing report or
03:26
basically it was just
03:27
really it was a touch base of what was
03:28
going on so
03:30
the premise was the company manager
03:32
whoever was bringing these folks in
03:34
was ultimately responsible for the
03:36
things that were set in play
03:39
for the crews so the uh operations
03:42
manager would go in and fill this form
03:44
out
03:44
in their mobile phone the product we use
03:46
with service autopilot but i don’t care
03:48
if you’re using a google form
03:49
pen and paper whatever it is there’s
03:52
some key items that i’d recommend
03:53
uh checking it out so we’ve got the name
03:55
of the person completing the form the
03:57
date
03:57
and the address of the shop which shop
03:59
they’re at uh this came into play
04:01
sometimes with snow removal we had
04:02
pieces of equipment
04:04
scattered across the city and if you’re
04:05
looking into how we did that
04:07
check out lawn and landscape magazine or
04:09
snow magazine we broke that down as well
04:11
um but the next thing is they listed the
04:13
crew the crew leader
04:15
and the crew leaders start and stop time
04:17
from the shop so was the crew leader on
04:19
time was the crew leader
04:21
uh when did they leave so now we got
04:23
some accountability
04:24
who was the crew technician when did
04:26
they start and stop we ran two main
04:27
crews
04:28
on all of our setups fertilizing was one
04:30
person
04:31
so this was a setup particular to us but
04:33
if you have more crew leaders
04:34
you could put that in there highly
04:35
recommend sticking to two-person crew
04:38
three-man crew gets a little wonky
04:39
unless you’re doing very big commercial
04:41
with minimal drive
04:42
time now we’ve got our quality control
04:44
manager if any
04:45
and our quality control manager start
04:47
and stop times if they went out in the
04:48
field and we’re doing training
04:50
or something actually producing
04:52
production
04:54
otherwise the generator lady who’d fill
04:55
this out up here is
04:57
the actual manager they are responsible
05:00
for these things ultimately and it goes
05:02
up that chain of command now the crew is
05:04
going to have their own
05:05
form clocking in and out of all the jobs
05:08
in an area at the end of the day to fill
05:10
out a form
05:11
um if things needed attention but what
05:14
we’re doing is putting the start and
05:16
stop sign at the shop so we know what
05:17
their payroll start to stop for a double
05:19
check
05:20
the budgeted hours for the day so how
05:22
many hours did we give that crew
05:24
to do the work including drive time what
05:26
was their actual so we’re creating
05:28
accountability for that production
05:29
manager whoever’s getting them out
05:31
in the morning at night to have a
05:32
conversation with them
05:34
did you hit your budgeted times with
05:35
quality control and then eventually
05:37
the next morning that would be put up on
05:39
a big dry erase board for accountability
05:41
for everybody
05:42
total sales for the crew so how many
05:44
dollars per
05:45
hour so if we had 10 hours and we had a
05:49
thousand dollars
05:50
of sales for that mowing crew we would
05:52
take the 20 hours and divide that into
05:55
the thousand hours
05:56
or the thousand dollars and have a
05:58
dollar per man hour um
06:00
rate now as we evolved this form got a
06:03
little more complex where we would do
06:04
actual verse budgeted
06:06
uh production man hours or dollar per
06:07
man hour gross uh
06:09
grossing uh oil check for equipment uh
06:12
tom right in his thing said hey
06:13
came back in and the mowers are bone dry
06:16
well tom i can’t tell you until we
06:17
started doing something like this
06:19
there’s different renditions of this i
06:21
can’t say how many engines we blew so we
06:23
went in and then we created an automated
06:25
processor equipment and asset management
06:27
but this is a piece of form that before
06:30
we got to the automated equipment and
06:32
asset management for
06:33
tracking repairs and reoccurring
06:36
maintenance preventative
06:37
um this was something we did on paper
06:39
and then on a form and then we automated
06:40
it
06:42
then um so they’re filling this out for
06:43
each crew end of each
06:45
end of the day overview and completion
06:48
so did we have the gas receipts
06:49
uh done so we didn’t have gas at our
06:52
shop but literally
06:53
30 seconds down the road we had a gas
06:55
station right there so it was easier for
06:56
us to have
06:57
someone come in the beginning of the day
06:58
before everybody got there gas the
07:00
equipment upload the trucks and do a
07:02
spot check on all the equipment based on
07:04
what came out here so are the gas
07:06
receipts attached once again in the
07:08
mobile phone
07:08
take a quick snapshot of it they’re
07:10
attached to the form total gas expense
07:12
per crew route sheets scanned or
07:15
attached so
07:16
um basically at that point in service
07:18
autopilot they’re clocking in and out of
07:20
the mobiles
07:21
but if there was ever a case where we
07:23
had an issue in the office
07:24
we couldn’t get them printed i mean
07:26
couldn’t get them in the mobile
07:27
occasionally we’d have one printed out
07:29
so we would scan that through a mobile
07:30
app and attach it to the form
07:31
so everything was one solid place
07:34
equipment condition of pictures
07:35
confirmed the assigned or loaner
07:37
equipment
07:37
is present and conditioned so we would
07:39
go in and state the two weed whackers
07:42
let’s do blowers maybe a stick edger
07:44
what’s going on are they present and
07:46
take pictures of them so we have a
07:47
walking audit trail of what those look
07:49
like
07:49
um so just like tom said all his
07:51
handheld equipment was destroyed well
07:53
we could figure out where it happened
07:54
and when it happened because we got
07:55
accountability so even if you’re laid up
07:56
in bed
07:57
you could sweep through all this in two
07:58
to three minutes a day and know exactly
08:00
what’s going on
08:01
equipment that needs repair and pictures
08:03
uh so before we automated that process
08:05
we would go in and have them fill out a
08:07
manual tag on the piece of equipment put
08:09
in the area of the shop
08:10
where we hung the broken equipment um
08:13
and they confirm whether the assigned
08:14
equipment or loan equipment
08:16
need a repair and take a picture of it
08:18
and we’d have an electronic versus a
08:20
hard copy on the actual equipment so
08:22
we’ve got a checks and balances so our
08:23
full-time mechanic that came in at night
08:25
would have a basically a work order
08:27
waiting for him and then daily notes
08:29
so include all the employees that were
08:31
late or no show
08:32
enter the details um employ it and fill
08:35
it in on their employee record and
08:36
service autopilot it well
08:38
and then where it says choose files you
08:39
could upload it from a laptop or
08:42
i recommend using a mobile and it’s all
08:44
in one but but tom this is
08:46
the foundational pieces when we had the
08:48
same exact thing that you’re going
08:49
through right now
08:50
to start building so yes there may be
08:52
six weeks left in the season
08:54
but what i’m guessing is um
08:57
you may want to uh you know eventually
08:59
take your wife out to a little vacation
09:01
there
09:01
a nice dinner and not have to worry
09:02
about the phone ringing things being
09:04
chaotic
09:05
so in order for us to work on it and not
09:07
in it like michael gerber or
09:09
potentially become an absentee owner of
09:10
30 days in a pop like i did in my
09:12
business
09:12
um now that was only four weeks
09:14
obviously he’s had eight weeks here
09:16
um these are some of the foundational
09:17
things i recommend building the business
09:19
for accountability
09:20
and then we start building on them but
09:22
we need to have the accountability for
09:24
the crew
09:25
ultimately landing on the crew leader
09:26
and then as you scale your business
09:28
we’ve got a production manager
09:30
business manager that is also
09:32
accountable so we’ve got
09:34
checks and balances that manager is
09:35
checking with the crews
09:37
making them accountable and then the
09:39
manager is reporting it out to the
09:40
business owner and that
09:42
seemed to basically alleviate the issues
09:45
you got going on here now as the
09:46
business scales
09:47
i recommend somebody coming in at the
09:49
end of the day after everybody left or
09:51
before everybody comes in
09:53
loading those trucks checking the oil
09:55
doing an internal check
09:56
and then have the crews do a double
09:58
check on that uh that redundancy is
10:00
gonna save you that three to four
10:01
thousand dollar engine
10:02
with equipment and uh labor on that so
10:05
comments or questions drop below
10:06
callahan’s corner you drop
10:07
the questions here and we answer them
10:09
live right on facebook we’ll see you
10:11
again tomorrow callahan’s corner
10:12
um but tom hang in there man been there
10:14
done that a few times
10:16
um it’s easier than it looks
10:19
uh here you just need to really just
10:21
start it out on pen and paper
10:22
or form and then automate it eventually
10:25
but those are the kind of steps that we
10:26
took
10:27
and building clarity and accountability
10:30
to it
10:30
was the key to success um and obviously
10:33
none of us know
10:34
we’re gonna go down for six to eight
10:35
weeks hurt um these things happen so
10:38
it even if you think this could never
10:40
happen to me it’s not if but when
10:42
so these are this is the time right now
10:44
if you’re thinking about it
10:46
block off an hour or two tonight or over
10:48
the week and start piecing together
10:49
either form online
10:51
or even a hard copy form until you get
10:54
that
10:54
automated and electronic on a mobile so
10:57
comments questions drop below callahan’s
10:59
corner you ask the questions we answer
11:00
them live right on facebook

SA Weekly Talk Show w/ Carla Iniguez

Video Transcript

00:00
you’re listening to the simple growth
00:02
podcast
00:03
the show that helps business owners get
00:05
their life back
00:06
here’s your host mike callahan o’clock
00:09
last night
00:12
hey welcome back to the essay weekly
00:13
talk show had some technical
00:14
difficulties um
00:16
right back again with carla of uh
00:19
landscaping accounting of
00:20
cycle cpa and carla i want to open it up
00:23
really quick
00:24
obviously you’re an expert in the
00:25
industry in
00:27
all things accounting for lawn care and
00:28
landscaping if you’re in a different
00:30
industry such as home cleaning pest
00:31
control
00:32
or anything else along those lines this
00:34
is going to be applicable so don’t
00:36
um you know hop off this facebook live
00:38
because there’s gonna be a lot of
00:39
content applicable to any service
00:41
business
00:42
um that is watching this so carl if
00:44
people haven’t seen you on facebook um
00:46
you’ve been pumping a lot of really good
00:48
valuable content that’s executable for
00:50
specifically long care and landscape but
00:52
any service business i think would apply
00:54
to this so
00:55
if you would mind really quickly i know
00:56
we’re kind of rehashing we just went
00:58
through we got kicked off but
00:59
um give a quick background if people are
01:01
just tuning in of
01:02
how you cut your teeth as a cpa and then
01:05
how you ended up actually transitioning
01:06
into the green industry
01:08
yeah so i um i first started off
01:12
at a small generalist firm and we didn’t
01:15
really
01:15
niche down on any industry and help
01:17
trying to really help
01:19
any industry per se it just so happened
01:21
that we had a lot of clients in the
01:24
green industry
01:25
and so i saw the same recurring um
01:28
issues that they were facing such as
01:30
cash flow
01:32
profitability and just not being aware
01:35
of
01:35
the financial statements and how to
01:38
navigate their financial health so
01:40
i also worked with a large cpa
01:44
firm and we didn’t niche down there
01:46
either
01:47
but once i started forming my own
01:50
business
01:51
i really became passionate in that small
01:55
accounting firm on really helping the
01:57
green industry and so
01:58
it was just a no-brainer once i for my
02:01
own business to kind of
02:02
help um this industry and really
02:05
learning everything that i can
02:07
so i can guide them in the right
02:08
direction
02:11
yeah i really appreciate you joining us
02:12
and i know um 20 years plus almost now
02:14
25 with the lawn care business that i
02:16
own snow removal lawn care in upstate
02:18
new york
02:18
uh there was a lot of things through
02:20
those 25 plus years that we’re looking
02:21
at cash flow charts of accounts
02:24
how do we keep our book keeping up to
02:25
date whether it’s quickbooks online or
02:28
quickbooks desktop and when we’re
02:29
talking to that cpa
02:32
most of the firms that i use pretty much
02:33
all the firms that i used in my business
02:34
were
02:35
the generalists they didn’t understand
02:37
what we went through in a daily basis
02:40
and the cycles of cash flow
02:42
and the different ways that when we
02:43
lived in those trenches how a service
02:45
business should interact with an
02:46
accountant so
02:47
i had to kind of go out and get my own
02:48
education to be able to talk accountant
02:50
talk
02:50
in the service business and say okay you
02:53
know what are we talking about are we
02:54
talking about top line revenue or is
02:55
that gross revenue or what are these
02:57
different things and what are you
02:58
calling it on
02:59
the chart of accounts versus what’s
03:00
actually in my budget so that was really
03:03
interesting thing but i figured out once
03:04
we got the accountant
03:06
the business owner and my financial
03:08
advisor all on the same page talking the
03:10
same language that’s kind of when the
03:11
magic happened
03:12
um but before we really get into that um
03:15
if you’re just starting out or even if
03:16
you have an existing
03:18
business i think one of the most
03:19
important things that you can bring some
03:21
content to
03:21
is entity structure so a lot of people
03:24
are going out and saying well
03:25
should i do be a dba should i be an s
03:28
corp should i be a c corp an llc or if
03:30
i’m just starting out working you know
03:32
out of the back of my garage do i even
03:34
need this or can i just kind of fly
03:35
under the radar so would you mind
03:37
spending a few minutes just breaking
03:39
down
03:39
the different types of entities the pros
03:42
the cons
03:42
and maybe based on whether it’s a sole
03:45
proprietor a partnership maybe a husband
03:47
and wife team
03:48
uh is there certain things that play
03:49
into a better uh
03:51
entity structure for taxes and i’m
03:54
assuming you’re probably gonna hit on
03:55
some liability or
03:56
the ability to shield yourself from some
03:58
liability as well
04:00
yeah i mean with these entity structures
04:03
i mean a lot of the business owners are
04:05
always
04:07
okay with where can i pay less taxes
04:10
legally but also we have to consider
04:14
some non-tax issues sometimes
04:16
um depending on your situation so i
04:19
think
04:20
the one that is so popular is the llc
04:24
and that’s because of all of the
04:26
advantages that it has
04:28
and it’s also very confusing to some
04:32
small business owners and i um totally
04:35
understand
04:36
just because the llc does provide that
04:39
limited liability
04:41
which is awesome so if you get sued by
04:43
anybody
04:44
they can’t go after your personal assets
04:47
they cannot go
04:48
they can go after only your business
04:50
assets which is a huge plus
04:52
but the reason why it’s a little
04:53
confusing is because an
04:56
llc can be taxed as anything
04:59
it can be taxed as a sole proprietorship
05:01
s-corp
05:02
corp and a partnership so that’s what
05:05
makes it confusing and i’ll break that
05:07
down right now
05:08
so under the irs’s eyes if you
05:11
are applying for an s-corp as a single
05:14
member
05:15
you’re automatic automatically going to
05:17
be taxed as a sole proprietorship
05:21
so you’re gonna file your taxes in
05:24
your 1040 your personal tax return under
05:26
your schedule c like you normally would
05:28
but you’re still getting that limited
05:31
liability piece
05:32
which is awesome for someone who’s just
05:35
starting out but still wants that
05:37
coverage
05:38
um i think that is an awesome um way to
05:41
go
05:42
but if you’re starting off with a
05:44
partner um like you said maybe
05:46
a husband and wife the wife’s gonna do
05:48
you know the bookkeeping side or
05:49
like the admin side they’ll
05:52
automatically place you as being taxed
05:54
as a partnership
05:57
so two or more under net llc under the
05:59
default rules under the irs you’re going
06:01
to be taxed as a partnership
06:02
but you can be taxed as a corporation
06:06
or an escort so you can if you’re an
06:09
llc you can be a lack to be taxed as an
06:11
s corporation or now
06:13
um a court so i think one of the major
06:18
advantages
06:18
of applying to be an llc is the
06:22
limited liability piece and also that
06:24
it’s so flexible
06:25
you know if you start adding more
06:28
revenue
06:29
more clients if you start adding more
06:30
employees or want to bring in a partner
06:33
it can go with you as far as taxing um
06:36
structures go so you can elect to be
06:39
taxed as an s corporation along the line
06:41
if that’s what’s going to benefit you
06:44
next up is a partnership like i had
06:47
mentioned that’s two or more owners
06:49
and a partnership is a flow through
06:51
entity and
06:52
a partnership itself does not get taxed
06:54
on
06:55
as an entity um so all the
06:59
uh net profit or losses at the end of
07:01
the year
07:02
flow through to the shareholders and
07:04
then the shareholders
07:06
claim that on their personal side
07:09
but um and then in a corporation
07:14
the corporation itself does get taxed at
07:17
uh 21 so
07:20
i think that once you are a corporation
07:23
you get you’re getting taxed on your now
07:25
operating profit at 21
07:27
but also if you’re um giving out
07:30
distributions to its shareholders you’re
07:32
going to get taxed again
07:33
so you have that double taxation right
07:35
there
07:37
um in a sole proprietorship you don’t
07:40
have
07:40
any um you don’t have limited liability
07:44
so uh you are the business and the
07:47
business is you
07:48
you’re filing it under a schedule c on
07:51
your personal taxes
07:53
but it is low cost to form so if you’re
07:57
starting
07:58
off and you don’t have a lot of money
07:59
it’s only a couple hundred dollars to
08:01
form
08:02
so that’s a big plus um and the
08:05
simplicity of taxes
08:06
you just file your income and expenses
08:08
on a schedule c and you’re done
08:10
it’s very simple um
08:13
but what i see what benefits the
08:16
landscaping
08:16
industry the most and is the
08:19
s-corporation
08:20
and that’s because it does the
08:22
s-corporation gives you a limited
08:24
liability
08:26
and under the s-corporation
08:29
the entity itself is not taxable uh it
08:32
is a flow through entity
08:34
uh the profits flow through the
08:36
shareholders and
08:37
then you um take care of that on your
08:39
personal side
08:41
but also um you save money on
08:43
self-employment taxes
08:45
uh which are 15.3 so a large percentage
08:49
and you save money on taxes that way by
08:52
being an s corporation so i see that
08:54
as uh the most advantageous for uh
08:57
landscaping business owners
09:00
and carl i’m so glad you mentioned that
09:02
so that was one of the questions i was
09:03
going to have
09:04
half of you is the benefit of that
09:05
escort versus self-employment tax it
09:07
almost pays for itself
09:09
especially with the ability of that
09:10
corporate shield so unless you’re
09:12
absolutely negligent and purposely run
09:14
someone over um
09:16
i mean that corporate shield you know in
09:18
itself is great but then
09:19
the these tax savings for that
09:21
self-employment tax
09:22
is a massive benefit so that’s what we
09:24
did in my business the early years
09:25
literally when i was in college
09:27
um filed as an s corp and then bought
09:30
the additional insurance for an
09:31
additional umbrella around that but that
09:33
that’s huge but i’m also glad you
09:34
brought up the llc because that’s also a
09:36
very interesting structure
09:38
um and be completely transparent when we
09:40
started simple growth that actually
09:42
started as an
09:42
llc and the the i i got upset with my
09:46
accountant because the same guy i’ve had
09:48
15 20 years but once again we weren’t
09:49
speaking
09:50
the same language so i mean it was via
09:53
email finally i called up and
09:54
uh got greg and crystal on the phone i
09:56
said guys what are you doing here
09:58
i’m getting uh letters from new york
10:00
state because we wanted to
10:02
re-categorize the business as an s-corp
10:05
right but it didn’t
10:06
kind of like not in normal terms saying
10:08
you could be an llc but file tax-wise as
10:11
an s-corp and still catch the
10:13
the benefits of both of those so very
10:15
interesting when you’re going to talk to
10:17
a professional like
10:18
carla um ask the questions there’s no
10:21
stupid questions around this and a lot
10:22
of times it’s just
10:23
miscommunication of like you know
10:26
we’re talking about whatever we talk
10:28
about industry specifics as
10:30
professionals and the cpa is talking
10:31
their language has
10:32
returned so you got to make sure you’re
10:33
on the same page because greg and i were
10:35
not on the same page and i’ll be honest
10:37
carl i was frustrated
10:38
but really the guy had my back he knew
10:40
what he was doing but i’m ripping my
10:41
hair out over here and going
10:42
man this guy doesn’t know what he’s
10:43
doing this is crazy
10:46
you know he’s telling me one thing but
10:48
i’m getting other letters from new york
10:49
state he goes no we’re
10:50
you know we’re filing as an ass car like
10:52
oh all right
10:53
i looked on google and i’m like oh you
10:54
can do that all right now this is what
10:55
he’s talking about
10:57
so i think i was like i owe this
10:58
gentleman apology
11:00
but after we set up this corporate
11:02
structure here
11:03
the next thing that most uh small medium
11:06
or even large businesses run into
11:08
especially in the lawn care industry
11:10
but even home cleaning as well at pest
11:11
control is cash flow
11:13
and a lot of times we see this with
11:15
seasonality especially our businesses so
11:17
uh i know at least in my business uh
11:19
especially in the up uh the upper
11:21
northeast here where we do lawn care and
11:23
snow removal we even see it in the
11:24
companies
11:25
in south south and southwest is it’s
11:28
somewhat seasonal even if you don’t even
11:30
if you go year round you ramp up in the
11:32
spring it’s a cash outlay for marketing
11:34
advertising equipment repairs
11:36
and you really don’t start seeing
11:38
positive
11:39
cash flow where it’s extra cash flow in
11:41
the bank at least in my market to like
11:42
july or august
11:44
um and there’s a there’s definitely a
11:45
seasonality of that cash flow and then
11:47
if you’re uh blessed or not blessed
11:49
enough depending how you look at it
11:50
to have the crazy white stuff flying out
11:51
of the sky is snow to plow
11:54
by the time you’ve got that bank account
11:55
ramped up again and you’re
11:57
you know you’re pushing some bottom line
11:58
profits you’re dumping an extra 150 200
12:01
000 in pre-bought materials of salt and
12:03
ice melt
12:04
and then it’s just this financial roller
12:07
coaster of cash flow
12:08
um and i just it’s interesting to see
12:11
the perspective of simple growth where
12:13
uh it’s more of a subscription-based
12:15
model it’s a year-round spread out and i
12:17
think you’re probably gonna hit on this
12:18
how you can do this in the launch
12:19
industry
12:19
but to see the comparatives of the
12:21
seven-figure business
12:22
um in a seasonal business versus one
12:25
that’s more
12:26
um i don’t want to say leveled out
12:28
completely there’s a little bit
12:29
seasonality simple right but you
12:31
it’s completely different so if you’re
12:33
not working with this epa that
12:34
understands seasonality and cash flow
12:37
that’s another major advantage of going
12:39
to a vertical
12:40
industry specific cpa so my question for
12:43
you carl is
12:44
how do we go out and look at that cash
12:47
flow from a tax standpoint or just a
12:49
business operation standpoint
12:51
and are there some ways that you
12:52
recommend um to level out those cash
12:55
flows
12:56
uh for the seasonality of the lawn care
12:57
and landscape business
12:59
yeah i mean i think that
13:03
the seasonality of it really affects
13:05
cash flow and
13:06
i think that we all have to go in with
13:09
a plan so as long as we have a plan
13:13
in place and we never have to be on that
13:15
roller coaster
13:16
you know so um starting off with the
13:19
subscription-based model
13:20
um we’re in a subscription-based era
13:24
we’re subscribing to things some boxes i
13:26
don’t know it’s a wine or
13:28
anything of this story we’re subscribing
13:30
on amazon
13:31
right so that that’s the norm that’s a
13:33
new normal i mean
13:35
we’re really getting out there and just
13:37
um subscribing to
13:39
different services why can’t we
13:41
subscribe to
13:42
landscaping lawn care services okay we
13:45
can bring this model
13:47
and into this especially when you’re
13:49
providing
13:50
law maintenance services whether that’s
13:52
maybe six months
13:54
go ahead and get your clients signed up
13:58
on a subscription-based model
14:01
that way you have those predictable cash
14:04
revenue coming
14:05
in and you can plan for that okay i’m
14:08
going to get
14:09
uh eighty dollars from xyz
14:13
person for the next six months and that
14:16
is really what we want to focus on is
14:18
predictability
14:20
and what we’re gonna get in and what’s
14:22
coming out that’s really what um
14:25
cash flow revolves around with and so
14:28
being on a subscription-based model is
14:29
really going to help you with that
14:32
and um so as far as invoicing
14:35
i see a lot of um clients fall behind on
14:39
their invoicing
14:40
as well and that prolongs their
14:42
invoicing cycle and
14:44
their cash flow cycles so when you’re
14:47
performing a job or a big project make
14:49
sure to invoice them
14:51
the same day or even ahead of time
14:54
right or have it you know where
14:57
you’re saying okay it’s 50 down before
15:01
and then
15:02
after we’re we’re going to charge the
15:04
other rest 54
15:05
50 of it so i think just
15:08
staying ahead of that invoicing is
15:10
really going to help cash flow
15:12
in your business um
15:15
as far as crms go such as service
15:18
autopilot or java that’s really going to
15:20
help you
15:22
invoice clients clients are going to
15:23
have a place to come where they have a
15:25
client portal and they’re able to pay
15:27
you
15:28
quickly and easily having that within
15:31
your business and staying organized
15:32
on top of that is really going to have
15:34
help you with cash flow
15:36
and building up that
15:39
savings account okay so during those
15:42
busy months where you’re gonna have a
15:43
lot of cash coming in
15:45
um having that
15:49
you know like that
15:52
savings account there for the slower
15:54
months
15:55
during the winter and being ready for
15:58
the spring
15:59
rush that’s going to not only provide
16:03
you with a peace of mind but
16:04
also allow you to invest in materials
16:06
ahead of time or any
16:08
other equipment that you may need for
16:09
the spring rush that’s coming up
16:12
awesome it’s a lot of good points there
16:14
to break down i’m sure cody you’ve got
16:15
some questions here i’ll let you hop in
16:16
in a sec
16:17
but one thing i want to touch base and i
16:19
think that was really a good point that
16:20
i think
16:21
especially if you’re doing landscaping
16:23
design build um you can hear the
16:24
pounding in the background here we’re
16:25
getting a pretty good-sized landscaping
16:27
job done at the house i’m working here
16:28
uh but the contractor was really smart
16:30
about it um
16:31
he dialed in what exactly was included
16:33
in it in each phase and he required a 50
16:36
deposit and then as each part of that
16:38
phase hit a certain threshold of like 25
16:41
50 75 100
16:43
um there was basically a percentage of
16:45
the remaining 50 percent that you knew
16:47
cash flow-wise so that covered his fixed
16:50
and variable costs and materials
16:52
and basically probably part of his
16:53
profit but he knew predictably when that
16:55
cash flow was going to happen so i think
16:56
that
16:57
you know living that on a consumer end
16:59
it was nice to see it laid out in full
17:01
transparency but also being on the
17:02
business end seeing that
17:04
that’s going to keep the wheels greased
17:05
and going um the other question i had
17:07
for not to put you on the spot but it’s
17:09
very interesting that
17:10
um a lot of times so like in the
17:14
northeast like a lot of people are
17:16
nervous of doing a subscription because
17:19
they’re going to try to annualize
17:20
a 12-month contract for work they’re
17:22
doing from april to october
17:26
so is there anything that you’d
17:27
recommend as a professional at least
17:29
contractually or
17:30
in some way what happens when the
17:32
consumer’s paying that installment from
17:34
april through october
17:36
and they’re like yeah we’re done we’re
17:38
firing you but you still haven’t caught
17:40
the last four months of that
17:41
installment for the work that’s already
17:43
been previously due do you front load
17:44
the installment for the season start
17:46
or do you just say it’s your installment
17:47
while we’re working um because i know
17:49
that’s usually a big question in the
17:50
services survey we like the idea of
17:52
installments but how do we protect
17:53
ourselves
17:54
yeah so that that is a major question
17:57
because once we come to the winter
18:00
months then the clients like oh well
18:02
you’re not really
18:03
providing like the services that you
18:05
were providing before so
18:07
it could be broken down um during those
18:10
six months only so just breaking them
18:13
down
18:14
during the months that you’re actually
18:16
performing um
18:17
the work um and then keeping it within
18:20
that realm
18:21
so that the client doesn’t feel like
18:23
okay they’re paying like
18:25
12 months but okay what’s happening
18:27
during the winter months and they don’t
18:29
feel that
18:31
okay what are you guys performing you
18:34
know
18:35
and i love it but at least in that six
18:37
or eight months it’s consistent
18:38
predictable cash flow especially if you
18:40
have a drought
18:41
a lot of times people will be like well
18:43
just skip the lawn mowing for the next
18:44
three weeks
18:45
and then you’ve lost a whole month’s
18:46
worth of revenue once it’s gone it’s
18:48
gone
18:48
right if you subscriptionized i don’t
18:50
know if that’s really a word but we’re
18:51
going to throw that in there’s
18:52
subscription
18:55
you’ve at least created predictable cash
18:56
flow for those months no matter what the
18:58
inclement
18:59
uh issues going out with the weather
19:01
it’s you know it’s not as bad as being a
19:02
farmer but let’s face it
19:03
there’s been years where we’ve had
19:05
tremendous drought and
19:06
um in our business we actually somewhat
19:09
of a scription ideas we
19:10
we charged 50 if people skipped it so
19:13
that caused covered our fixed and part
19:14
of our variable cost
19:15
um just keep that spot on the schedule
19:17
so there’s some interesting ways of
19:19
doing that i’m glad you brought that up
19:20
because very
19:21
very insightful how do you keep that
19:23
cash flow going um
19:25
in that seasonal business cody i’ve been
19:27
doing a lot of talking here so you any
19:28
questions for carlo if i was
19:30
up to this point so my
19:33
my biggest concern in moving to a
19:35
subscription model is exactly what
19:37
you’re already hitting on
19:39
which is like once i’ve done the work
19:41
for you
19:42
how do i keep you on are you seeing any
19:45
of your clients
19:46
that are like plugging in interesting
19:48
services
19:49
into the fall and winter to keep
19:51
themselves in front of their clients
19:53
yeah yeah for sure we want to i mean
19:56
we’re gonna have that cushion that we
19:59
talked about that savings account for
20:01
those slow months but that doesn’t mean
20:04
okay forget about revenue right
20:06
so we want to provide some leaf cleaning
20:09
in the
20:10
in the fall we want to provide maybe
20:12
some holiday lighting
20:14
you know um some snow plowing services
20:19
so we do try to bring some other revenue
20:22
streams
20:23
introduce something else so we can keep
20:25
that revenue
20:26
flowing through those winter slash fall
20:29
months
20:30
for sure yep so then how does this
20:33
impact
20:34
your initial selling season because it’s
20:36
kind of
20:37
like for some of these companies this is
20:39
turning into like we’re a
20:40
full-service outdoor home maintenance
20:44
sort of company are so how is that
20:47
impacting
20:48
marketing in the spring how is that
20:51
impacting marketing in the spring
20:53
so i would say that maybe in the spring
20:56
we want to focus
20:57
more in on like the regular
21:01
maintenance and installation services
21:03
rather
21:04
than um the ongoing
21:07
uh scheduled services so
21:10
the things that they’re already used to
21:12
you know getting
21:15
if that makes any sense you completely
21:17
obviously want to put you on the spot
21:18
but being the expert i had
21:20
faith faith you definitely would give us
21:21
the right answer and you know
21:23
drop some knowledge and obviously you
21:24
are so really appreciated to be candid
21:25
about that
21:26
um but now we’re kind of looking at it
21:28
at the big picture carl i’ve got this
21:29
entity i’ve
21:30
broken down now i’ve got some
21:31
predictable cash flow through
21:32
subscriptions and trying to offer
21:33
additional
21:34
ancillary services to raise that client
21:36
lifetime value in the lower season
21:38
yeah um but now i’m talking about cash
21:40
flow
21:41
how am i looking at my my revenue my
21:44
chart of accounts and my expense
21:46
so is there um certain naming
21:48
conventions or maybe
21:49
different uh numbers in the front of
21:51
each account just certain chart accounts
21:53
we should be looking at far as expenses
21:55
income long term liability far as loans
21:58
and things like that for equipment
22:00
investment
22:02
what does that look like when we’re just
22:03
starting out over really refining that
22:05
in our business so maybe we’re in 2020
22:06
right now but
22:07
as we go into 2021 we may want to kind
22:10
of streamline and optimize some things
22:13
um in those chart of accounts and i
22:15
don’t know if it’s applicable
22:17
uh for this talk but maybe you want to
22:18
hit on if you’re using quickbooks
22:20
classes
22:20
based on the ability to separate those
22:22
things out yeah
22:24
and so a lot of our clients all of our
22:27
clients use quickbooks online and i
22:29
think
22:29
you know what whichever accounting
22:31
software you’re gonna have a chart of
22:32
accounts and
22:33
in this industry it’s so important to be
22:36
on top of it and organize within your
22:39
chart of accounts because
22:41
i see a lot of clients that i receive
22:44
you know
22:45
they have chart of accounts but you know
22:47
their assets
22:49
are are not in place they’re being
22:51
treated
22:52
as an expense um so
22:55
if they purchase you know trailers or
22:59
sprayers you know for the people that do
23:01
pesticide um
23:03
you know they’re they’re getting treated
23:04
as expenses but they’re really not
23:06
expenses
23:07
their their assets and um
23:10
that’s what value that we bring in in
23:13
being specialized in this industry is
23:15
that we know not to just throw it in
23:17
the expense account we know that this is
23:19
equipment that people are using
23:21
every single day and that’s going to
23:23
benefit the business
23:25
throughout its lifetime and having
23:28
a organized chart of accounts in place
23:30
is really going to help you get that
23:33
correct and accurate financial picture
23:36
geared toward this
23:37
green industry so like i said i talked
23:40
about fixed assets a little bit um
23:42
having those assets on your chart
23:45
accounts
23:45
um recorded correctly such as trucks
23:48
trailers
23:49
sprayers whatever other equipment that
23:51
you may be using
23:53
um cost of services so anything
23:57
you know we hear it in product um
24:00
services all the time cost of goods sold
24:01
right
24:03
we’re selling a service cost of service
24:05
so anything
24:06
that is directly related to um
24:10
giving that client um that service
24:13
should be in cost of services so any
24:15
materials
24:18
fuel machine gas or gas that you’re
24:20
using to get to the
24:21
client should be in cost of services
24:25
any contractors or employees that you’re
24:28
using should be in
24:29
cost of services other operating
24:32
expenses such as
24:33
advertising office expenses um your
24:36
admin
24:37
uh people people um those things should
24:41
be separate that should be in operating
24:43
costs
24:43
and having that broken down is really
24:46
going to give you a clear picture
24:48
at the end of the day in your financial
24:50
statements for example
24:52
having your your revenue broken out so
24:55
are you providing weed control services
24:57
how much are you getting from that
25:00
are you providing lawn maintenance
25:01
service how much are you getting from
25:03
that so having those different line
25:05
items
25:06
in your profit and loss is really going
25:07
to give you a clear picture
25:10
of okay maybe i should focus in on this
25:12
installation services because
25:14
i’m making a lot of money i have a lot
25:15
of clients in this realm so should i
25:17
invest more advertising into doing this
25:20
or
25:20
we control i’m really good at this
25:22
should i advertise in doing that
25:24
so i think that having your
25:28
chart of accounts set up the correct way
25:30
is going to
25:31
going to give you that picture as far as
25:33
making the important business decisions
25:35
uh moving forward
25:41
i gotta unmute myself here i got the uh
25:42
i hear the saws in the background but
25:44
anyways
25:45
carlos i’m thinking you’re painting this
25:47
beautiful picture of to me almost looks
25:49
like a profit loss i’ve got my gross
25:50
profit i’ve got my net profit i’m
25:52
breaking it down per service
25:54
um and then i’m also figuring out my my
25:56
depreciation on my equipment
25:58
um over that five year or whatever that
26:00
span is or maybe you’re accelerating
26:02
that depreciation um obviously
26:04
you want to talk to your accountant what
26:05
the best uh you know move is and
26:08
one thing my account earlier told me
26:09
like you know you can accelerate that
26:11
but eventually at some point you’re
26:12
gonna have to pay that back i didn’t
26:13
quite
26:14
understand it till we actually end up
26:15
selling the business and lo and behold
26:17
there’s some implications of when you
26:18
actually accelerate and don’t accelerate
26:20
that depreciation uh so once again
26:22
he knew what he was talking about he
26:23
just wasn’t talking mike language at
26:25
that in the early years so
26:28
you know bring it down just a simple man
26:30
that mows lawns but i need to know what
26:31
that implication is
26:32
um but and a little off the topic but as
26:35
you’re
26:36
painting this beautiful picture of chart
26:37
of accounts here and i’m just loving it
26:39
i can envision this
26:40
now are you recommending or do some of
26:42
your clients i guess you know
26:44
if you recommend or not um do you use a
26:47
budgeting feature in quickbooks online
26:50
uh based on that so you have your actual
26:53
verse your budget
26:54
in there with the uh forecasting reports
26:56
or is that something you use in a
26:57
separate software
26:58
what are your thoughts about using
26:59
budgeting in quickbooks online or even
27:01
desktop for that matter
27:02
desktop’s a little more robust but at
27:04
the end of the day it kind of
27:06
it paints the same picture and i feel
27:08
like most service businesses that we
27:09
deal with
27:11
their first problem is and this is
27:12
probably something you don’t hit on
27:13
carla but they don’t know their costs
27:15
to operate so what their cost is their
27:18
true break even before they make a net
27:19
profit so are
27:20
our totally loaded cost breakeven per
27:23
man hour
27:24
and then obviously they usually figure
27:26
it out themselves or go to a consultant
27:27
that does financial consulting they
27:28
figure out
27:29
i need to charge x amount of dollars per
27:31
an hour and this is what it’s costing us
27:34
so maybe you do that but where does that
27:36
come from that kind of that data
27:38
and then the budget and then your
27:39
account how does that all
27:41
in your opinion come together and it may
27:43
not even something you do but i was just
27:44
curious if you had some insights on how
27:45
does all those three knowledge
27:47
kind of balance out yeah i understand so
27:50
i think that as far as budgeting goes
27:54
i’m not huge on budgeting and i’ll tell
27:57
you why
27:58
um budget is something that you set up
28:01
at the beginning of the year and you say
28:04
you know this is what we’re expecting
28:06
this is the expenses we’re expecting and
28:09
here you go and it’s something that
28:11
you compare like you said this is what
28:13
we have now this is what we were
28:15
expecting
28:16
okay that’s great i don’t really like
28:19
um budgeting because it’s so
28:21
retrospective you’re looking at the past
28:23
all the time and you’re saying oh okay
28:26
that was great we didn’t hit that or we
28:29
did hit that
28:30
um but i focus on
28:33
cash flow forecasting so we’re always
28:37
looking ahead we’re not looking at the
28:39
rear
28:40
mirror all the time as for budgeting
28:43
we’re always looking behind we’re always
28:45
saying oh this is what we expected this
28:47
is what we did
28:48
but what forecasting does is this is
28:51
what we’re going to do
28:52
this is what our number should look like
28:55
and
28:56
this is how we’re going to plan for it
28:57
so do we want to hire
28:59
that extra uh field employee do we want
29:02
to hire that extra sales person
29:04
does that make sense what kind of
29:06
revenue are we looking at how much
29:08
are we going to advertise what can we
29:10
get back from that
29:11
so that’s why i look for forecasting
29:15
more than budgeting as far as
29:17
forecasting and quickbooks online
29:20
i use a different software for
29:22
forecasting cash flow forecasting
29:25
um but they integrate with quickbooks
29:27
online and it just makes it easier to
29:29
compare and contrast like use that
29:31
um it makes complete sense i was just
29:34
curious kind of where that
29:35
and i thought they’d probably be outside
29:36
of the scope but yeah most accountants
29:38
don’t do that but
29:39
i love the fact that you’re forecasting
29:41
ahead i’m assuming that’s going to tie
29:42
into your projected quarterlies
29:44
um and cody’s probably heard this story
29:46
but i’ll tell you i’ll never forget the
29:47
story of driving down the highway
29:49
uh when the lawn care business was was a
29:51
pretty good-sized business and uh greg
29:53
the accountant
29:54
uh you know god bless him again hey mike
29:56
what are you doing i’m driving down you
29:58
know 390 the highway
29:59
where about sorry you goes oh there’s a
30:00
restaurant next exit trada
30:03
you might pulling off over the parking i
30:04
thought we were maybe having an
30:05
afternoon cocktail at the end of the day
30:07
on friday to review the taxes all right
30:08
that’s great let’s go
30:09
some of the parking lot you want me to
30:10
come in and meet you goes uh no i’m at
30:12
the office
30:13
what do you want he goes well are you
30:15
parked in the parking lot yeah
30:16
he goes well you owe about 45 000 of
30:19
taxes this quarter
30:21
in two days now we obviously did it but
30:23
obviously that
30:24
that projection of cash flow would have
30:26
been pretty instrumental so
30:28
our conversations changed significantly
30:30
at that point and i agree with you 100
30:32
that cash flow projection and
30:34
forecasting is is essential
30:37
yeah because i mean there are
30:40
less surprises like you said you know
30:43
you got that big surprise
30:45
um but i i i think of it as a
30:48
you know you’re you’re planning a trip
30:50
with your family you know you’re
30:52
you’re driving out um and
30:55
you’re you’re you map it out you know
30:58
when
30:59
where you’re going from a to b but
31:01
there’s always things
31:02
uh you know you might have a newborn you
31:04
pull out to the side you have to stop
31:07
now you have to call the hotel i’m gonna
31:09
be late
31:10
oh no the wife always needs to go to the
31:12
bathroom a hundred times so you’re gonna
31:14
make those stops
31:15
okay life is not predictable you might
31:18
have told the hotel
31:19
you know we’ll arrive at five but really
31:21
it’s eight o’clock
31:23
so that’s how i like to describe it life
31:26
is not predictable i mean look at what
31:28
happened with uh coronavirus
31:31
so that forecasting is really gonna help
31:34
you
31:34
because you can change it it’s dynamic
31:37
it moves with you
31:39
um and that in turn gives you
31:42
less surprises when it comes to
31:44
quarterly taxes
31:46
and what we can expect um in the future
31:49
so
31:50
awesome so i know your time is obvious
31:51
very compressed schedule i appreciate
31:53
you spending time with us but
31:54
one more thing i want to hit on before
31:55
we let you go um you’ve been awesome
31:57
just dropping some really candid
31:59
knowledge and actual knowledge too as
32:01
well um but bookkeeping so now we’ve got
32:04
all this set up we figured out our
32:05
entity we figured out our cash flow
32:06
we’ve got the chart of accounts
32:07
we’re forecasting out where we need to
32:09
be and it’s a fine-tuned machine
32:12
but you know i’m still out in the field
32:14
right now or my team’s out in the field
32:16
i’m too busy managing him
32:17
how do i keep up with my my bookkeeping
32:20
so i’m assuming
32:21
this is only good if your books are up
32:24
to date
32:24
um and i know that’s one thing in the
32:26
early years of callahan’s lawn care
32:28
uh we were a little negligent we you
32:30
know we’d wait to the end of the month
32:32
or
32:32
two months to totally reconcile
32:34
everything now it’s simple growth
32:36
i’m literally paying my internal
32:38
bookkeeper to update everything weekly
32:40
so i know within five to seven
32:42
days literally to the penny where we’re
32:44
at
32:45
and the ability to see where we’re at
32:48
and where we’re going
32:49
um and that’s going to reflect that cash
32:51
flow and the chart of accounts and
32:52
everything else you’ve talked about it
32:53
kind of
32:54
without that it kind of all falls apart
32:57
so
32:57
yeah would you mind just dropping some
32:59
knowledge or just some ideas about
33:01
bookkeeping how to keep it up to date
33:02
how to stay consistent and what’s what’s
33:04
a good frequency so
33:06
obviously it’s simple growth like every
33:08
week may not be applicable for a lawn
33:09
care landscaping company
33:10
it probably isn’t um you know obviously
33:12
owning one for a long time but what
33:14
would you recommend is
33:16
current enough but not too crazy that
33:17
it’s going to cost you too much money or
33:19
drive you crazy yeah i think that
33:23
you know falling behind on your
33:24
bookkeeping is such an easy thing to do
33:27
especially if you’re out on the field
33:29
and you have so much work
33:30
um there and it can it can fall behind
33:33
but
33:34
it’s just so costly when it falls behind
33:36
not only on tax purposes but
33:38
then when you go and hire a bookkeeper
33:41
and then they have to do all that
33:42
cleanup work it just becomes
33:44
one lump sump of just bills
33:48
so i think that exactly when you
33:52
first start out and you’re doing your
33:54
bookkeeping on your own
33:56
i think that maybe you don’t need it up
33:58
to date every week
33:59
or every month but you would like to
34:02
have it up to date enough where
34:04
okay um i know exactly where i stand so
34:07
maybe every three months or six months
34:09
maybe that’s applicable to you but
34:11
it really depends on where you are in
34:14
that process
34:15
so um we normally recommend you know
34:19
every week or every month
34:21
you know to have it up to date so
34:24
there are so i have a lot of you know
34:27
clients that come in and their
34:28
bookkeeping
34:29
is um not up to date and
34:33
um just to give you a little bit of
34:35
background i have one client
34:37
uh she came in her bookkeeping was not
34:40
up to date
34:40
um you know more than a year and
34:44
she had lost out on a lot of tax savings
34:48
and it is just so detrimental to the
34:52
business because
34:54
it obscures the big picture so it
34:56
obscures your financial statements you
34:58
don’t know where you stand
35:00
you lose out on important tax deductions
35:02
for example
35:03
payroll and paying out your you know
35:05
10.99 and
35:07
if you don’t do that you’re losing out
35:10
on those expenses
35:11
um so when i took over
35:14
and i got her on track okay this is the
35:17
tax deductions we should be
35:19
um you know reaching and we should be
35:22
paying out the 1099s and you should be
35:23
on an ira
35:24
and different things like that then
35:28
yes there’s a cost to obtaining a
35:31
professional to do it
35:32
but the benefit outweighs the cost
35:36
um and being behind on it like i said
35:39
you don’t know if you can afford x y and
35:42
z because you don’t know what your
35:43
financial statements look like you don’t
35:45
know where you’re stand
35:46
and that is one of the major concerns
35:48
that my clients come with
35:50
um and so getting them up to date and
35:53
having
35:53
their financial picture in place
35:57
tying in with that cash flow trying in
35:58
with our chart of accounts we’re good to
36:00
go we know exactly where we stand
36:02
we can make those important business
36:04
decisions moving forward
36:10
awesome great advice and i guess one of
36:11
the things too is i’ll just bring up is
36:13
a lot of times when we’re working with
36:14
businesses by no means do we do
36:16
financial consulting but
36:18
for some reason it always gets back to
36:19
the financials um
36:21
especially if you’re just starting out
36:22
off-road sales tax credit
36:24
is is a big one a lot of people don’t
36:26
have that buttoned up
36:28
so on on-road and off-road fuel tracking
36:30
that i mean and you can go back i think
36:32
you’d correct me right you go back about
36:33
three years and re-uh redo your taxes
36:36
and
36:36
refile for those um but i mean we’ve
36:40
we’ve literally found eight to ten
36:42
thousand dollars of literally
36:43
tax credits back um for clients
36:46
literally we’re going into some overhead
36:48
recovery numbers and they’re like well
36:49
you know hey it looks like everything’s
36:52
lumped in this one some like do you guys
36:54
file that credit well no we didn’t know
36:55
it existed and they’re like oh well
36:57
wow we we’ve got a lot of extra money to
36:59
actually pay you to help us do some
37:00
other stuff now because we had no idea
37:02
it was there so
37:03
to carl’s point yes it may look a little
37:05
more expensive but if even if you’re a
37:07
smaller business
37:08
you may be you know stepping over
37:10
dollars to save pennies like it
37:11
is probably beneficial to hire a
37:13
professional like carla
37:14
over at cycle cpa um on facebook she’s
37:17
under the
37:18
landscaping accounting facebook page but
37:21
i mean
37:21
to bring an expert in and just demystify
37:23
some of that stuff is really a benefit
37:25
to your business and it allows you to
37:27
concentrate on what you do good
37:28
maybe it’s sales maybe it’s marketing
37:30
maybe it’s being out in the field doing
37:31
the work
37:32
but a lot of expert in my opinion do
37:34
what they do and drive that business
37:36
success
37:37
uh exponentially and i just can’t thank
37:40
you enough coming on carla just uh
37:42
a lot of knowledge really appreciate it
37:44
um cody any closing thoughts questions
37:46
before we uh
37:47
wrap it up here yeah i want to grab uh
37:50
dave voina’s question from the
37:53
comments here carla earlier you were
37:55
talking about a tool that you use for
37:57
forecasting
37:58
that integrates into qbo
38:01
do you know the name of that offhand
38:04
yeah
38:04
give me one second
38:09
there are a couple you’re as bad as me
38:11
i’ve got them all in there but i have no
38:12
idea what name they are just
38:17
so there’s the uh float app there are a
38:20
couple of them
38:21
um the float app is um integrates with
38:24
qbo and i think that that’s a good
38:25
resource
38:26
as well so cool awesome
38:30
yeah uh so carl if people are interested
38:32
in your expertise around accounting
38:34
especially in the green industry and
38:35
landscaping
38:36
how do they reach out to cycle cpa or
38:38
how do they find
38:39
um the landscaping accountant on
38:41
facebook i know you’ve got a great group
38:43
there where you answer questions as well
38:44
as they come up throughout the year
38:46
so uh if somebody’s interested in
38:48
finding a service how do they actually
38:49
reach out and
38:50
contact you i think the most easiest way
38:53
to reach out is
38:54
through facebook on the group it’s
38:57
called
38:58
landscaping accounting or you can reach
39:01
me through email
39:02
at carla p at cyclecpa.com
39:06
awesome carla can’t thank you enough
39:08
essay weekly talk show coming back with
39:10
another heavy hitter
39:11
next week um going to be jeremy atkinson
39:15
and he
39:15
is um basically over at contracting pro
39:19
he was
39:20
a service autopilot user him uh and his
39:23
brother tripp
39:24
grew and scale uh probably just under
39:26
just over a seven figure lawn care and
39:28
landscaping business
39:29
and actually sold it and then got into
39:31
general contracting so jeremy and
39:33
potentially trip are gonna be joining us
39:36
in dropping some knowledge how they
39:37
utilize service auto pilot
39:39
automations and built a business to sell
39:42
and i have a feeling carla he’s going to
39:43
be talking about a chart of accounts
39:45
and a solid foundational uh financial
39:48
plan where they
39:48
exited the industry and then got into
39:51
uh some larger contracting so always fun
39:55
to see uh you know friends of the sa
39:57
family coming back and dropping some
39:58
knowledge and checking in on them so
40:00
gonna be hanging out with jeremy
40:01
atkinson potentially his brother tripp
40:03
um dropping some knowledge on the sa
40:05
weekly talk show next friday 1 p.m
40:07
eastern 12 p.m central
40:08
myself cody owen and uh jeremy and
40:11
potentially tripp atkinson so carla once
40:13
again
40:14
thank you so much make sure you guys
40:15
check out cycle cpa
40:17
landscaping count on facebook or hit her
40:19
up on her email
40:21
um if you have some questions around
40:22
accounting closing up q4 here
40:24
thanks again guys having me
40:27
if you like this show you might want to
40:29
check out our resources at
40:33
www.startsimplegrowth.com
40:34
while you’re there enter to win an
40:36
estimator chat bot
40:38
mike callahan is available for private
40:40
coaching

SA Weekly Talk Show: Carla Iniguez of the Landscaping Accountant

Video Transcript

00:00
o’clock last night
00:03
hey welcome back to the essay weekly
00:04
talk show had some technical
00:05
difficulties
00:06
um right back again with carla of
00:09
uh landscaping accounting of cycle cpa
00:12
and uh carla
00:13
want to open it up really quick
00:15
obviously you’re an expert in the
00:16
industry
00:18
in all things accounting for lawn care
00:20
and landscaping if you’re in a different
00:21
industry such as home cleaning pest
00:23
control
00:24
or anything else along those lines this
00:25
is going to be applicable so don’t
00:27
you know hop off this facebook live
00:30
because there’s gonna be a lot of
00:30
content applicable to any service
00:32
business
00:33
um that is watching this so carl if
00:35
people haven’t seen me on facebook um
00:37
you’ve been pumping a lot of really good
00:40
valuable content that’s executable for
00:42
specifically long care and landscape but
00:43
any service business i think would apply
00:45
to this so
00:46
if you wouldn’t mind really quickly i
00:47
know we’re kind of rehashing we just
00:49
went through we got kicked off but
00:50
um give a quick background if people are
00:52
just tuning in of
00:54
how you cut your teeth as a cpa and then
00:56
how you ended up actually transitioning
00:58
into the green industry
00:59
yeah so i um i first started off at a
01:03
small
01:03
generalist firm and we didn’t really
01:06
niche down on any industry and help
01:08
trying to really help
01:10
any industry per se it just so happened
01:13
that we had a lot of clients in the
01:15
green industry
01:16
and so i saw the same recurring um
01:19
issues that they were facing such as
01:21
cash flow
01:23
um profitability um and just not being
01:26
aware of
01:26
the financial statements and how to
01:29
navigate their financial health so
01:32
also worked with a large cpa
01:35
firm and we didn’t niche down there
01:37
either
01:38
but once i started um forming my own
01:41
business
01:42
i really became passionate in that small
01:46
accounting firm on really helping the
01:48
green industry and so
01:50
it was just a no-brainer once i form my
01:52
own business to kind of
01:53
help um this industry and really
01:56
learning everything that i can
01:58
so i can guide them in the right
02:00
direction
02:02
yeah i really appreciate you joining us
02:03
and i know um 20 years plus almost now
02:06
25 with the lawn care business that i
02:07
own snow removal lawn care in upstate
02:09
new york
02:09
uh there was a lot of things through
02:11
those 25 plus years that we’re looking
02:13
at cash flow charts of accounts
02:15
how do we keep our book keeping up to
02:16
date whether it’s quickbooks online or
02:19
quickbooks desktop and when we’re
02:21
talking to that cpa
02:22
um most of the firms that i use pretty
02:24
much all the firms that i used in my
02:25
business were
02:26
the generalists they didn’t understand
02:29
what we went through in a daily basis
02:31
and the cycles of cash flow
02:33
and the different ways that when we
02:34
lived in those trenches how a service
02:36
business should interact with an
02:37
accountant so
02:38
i had to kind of go out and get my own
02:39
education to be able to talk accountant
02:41
talk
02:42
in the service business and say okay you
02:44
know what are we talking about are we
02:45
talking about top line revenue or is
02:46
that gross revenue or what are these
02:48
different things and what are you
02:49
calling it on
02:50
the chart of accounts versus what’s
02:51
actually in my budget so that was really
02:53
uh an interesting thing but i figured
02:55
out once we got the
02:56
accountant the business owner and my
02:59
financial advisor all on the same page
03:00
talking the same language that’s kind of
03:02
when the magic happened um but before we
03:04
really get into that
03:05
um if you’re just starting out or even
03:07
if you have an existing
03:09
business i think one of the most
03:10
important things that you can bring some
03:12
content to
03:12
is entity structure so a lot of people
03:15
are going out and saying well
03:17
should i do be a dba should i be an s
03:19
corp should i be a c corp an llc or if
03:21
i’m just starting out working
03:23
you know out of the back of my garage do
03:25
i even need this or can i just kind of
03:26
fly
03:26
under the radar so would you mind
03:28
spending a few minutes just breaking
03:30
down
03:31
the different types of entities the pros
03:33
the cons
03:34
and maybe based on whether it’s a sole
03:36
proprietor a partnership maybe a husband
03:38
and wife team
03:39
uh is there certain things that play
03:40
into a better uh
03:42
entity structure for taxes and i’m
03:45
assuming you’re probably gonna hit on
03:46
some liability or
03:48
the ability to shield yourself from some
03:49
liability as well
03:51
yeah i mean with these entity structures
03:54
i mean
03:54
a lot of the business owners are always
03:58
okay with where can i pay less taxes
04:01
legally but also we have to consider
04:05
some non-tax issues sometimes
04:07
um depending on your situation so i
04:10
think
04:11
the one that is so popular is the llc
04:15
and that’s because of all of the
04:17
advantages that it has
04:19
and it’s also very confusing to some
04:23
small business owners and i um totally
04:26
understand
04:27
just because the llc does provide that
04:30
limited liability
04:32
which is awesome so if you get sued by
04:35
anybody
04:35
they can’t go after your personal assets
04:38
they cannot go
04:39
they can go after only your business
04:41
assets which is a huge plus
04:43
but the reason why it’s a little
04:45
confusing is because
04:47
an llc can be taxed as anything
04:50
it can be taxed as a sole proprietorship
04:52
as corp
04:53
corp and a partnership so that’s what
04:57
makes it confusing and i’ll break that
04:58
down right now
04:59
so under the irs’s eyes if you
05:02
are applying for an s-corp as a single
05:05
member
05:06
you’re automatic automatically going to
05:08
be taxed as a
05:10
sole proprietorship so you’re going to
05:13
file your taxes in your 1040 your
05:16
personal tax return under your schedule
05:18
c like you normally would
05:20
but you’re still getting that limited
05:22
liability piece
05:23
which is awesome for someone who’s just
05:26
starting out but still wants that
05:28
coverage
05:29
um i think that is an awesome um way to
05:32
go
05:33
but if you’re starting off with a
05:35
partner um like you said maybe
05:37
a husband and wife the wife’s gonna do
05:39
you know the bookkeeping side or
05:41
like the admin side they’ll
05:43
automatically place you as
05:45
being taxed as a partnership so two or
05:48
more
05:49
under net llc under the default rules
05:51
under the irs you’re going to be taxed
05:53
as a partnership
05:54
but you can be taxed as a corporation or
05:57
an escort
05:58
so you can if you’re an llc you can be a
06:01
lack to be taxed as an s corporation or
06:04
now
06:06
a court so i think one of the major
06:09
advantages
06:10
of um applying to be an llc is the
06:13
limited liability piece and also that
06:15
it’s so flexible
06:16
you know if you start adding more
06:19
revenue
06:20
more clients if you start adding more
06:22
employees or want to bring in a partner
06:24
it can go with you as far as taxing um
06:28
structures go so you can elect to be
06:30
taxed as an s corporation along the line
06:32
if that’s what’s going to benefit you um
06:36
next up is a partnership like i had
06:38
mentioned that’s two or more owners
06:40
and a partnership is a flow through
06:42
entity and
06:43
a partnership itself does not get taxed
06:46
on
06:46
as an entity um so all the
06:50
uh net profit or losses at the end of
06:52
the year
06:53
flow through to the shareholders and
06:55
then the shareholders
06:57
um claim that on their personal side
07:00
but um and then in a corporation
07:04
uh the corporation itself does get taxed
07:07
at
07:08
uh 21 so
07:11
i think that once you are a corporation
07:14
you get you’re getting taxed on you’re
07:16
not operating profit at 21
07:18
but also if you’re giving out
07:21
distributions to its shareholders you’re
07:23
going to get taxed again
07:24
so you have that double taxation right
07:26
there
07:28
um in a sole proprietorship you don’t
07:31
have
07:31
any um you don’t have limited liability
07:35
so uh you are the business and the
07:38
business is you
07:39
you’re filing it under a schedule c on
07:42
your personal taxes
07:45
but it is low cost to form so if you’re
07:48
starting
07:49
off and you don’t have a lot of money
07:51
it’s only a couple hundred dollars to
07:52
form
07:53
so that’s a big plus um and the
07:56
simplicity of taxes you just
07:58
file your income and expenses on a
08:00
schedule c and you’re done
08:01
it’s very simple um
08:04
but what i see what benefits the
08:07
landscaping
08:08
industry the most and is the s
08:10
corporation
08:12
and that’s because it does the
08:14
s-corporation gives you a limited
08:15
liability
08:17
and under the s-corporation
08:20
uh the entity itself is not taxable uh
08:23
it is a flow through entity
08:25
uh the profits flow through the
08:27
shareholders and
08:28
then you um take care of that on your
08:31
personal side
08:32
but also um you save money on
08:35
self-employment taxes
08:36
which are 15.3 percent so a large
08:39
percentage
08:40
and you save money on taxes that way by
08:43
being an s corporation so i see that
08:45
as uh the most advantageous for uh
08:48
landscaping business owners
08:52
and carl i’m so glad you mentioned that
08:53
so that was one of the questions i was
08:54
going to have
08:55
half of you is the benefit of that
08:56
escort versus self-employment tax it
08:58
almost pays for itself
09:00
especially with the ability of that
09:02
corporate shield so unless you’re
09:04
absolutely negligent and purposely run
09:05
someone over um i mean that corporate
09:08
shield you know in itself is great but
09:10
then
09:10
the these tax savings from that
09:12
self-employment tax um is a massive
09:14
benefit so that’s what we did in my
09:15
business the early years literally when
09:17
i was in college
09:18
um filed as an s corp and then bought
09:21
the additional insurance for an
09:22
additional umbrella around that but that
09:24
that’s huge but i’m also glad you
09:25
brought up the llc because that’s also a
09:27
very interesting structure
09:29
um and be completely transparent when we
09:31
started simple growth that actually
09:33
started as an
09:34
llc and they i i got upset with my
09:38
accountant because the same guy i’ve had
09:39
15 20 years but once again we weren’t
09:41
speaking
09:42
the same language so i mean it was via
09:44
email finally i called up and
09:45
uh got greg and crystal on the phone i
09:48
said guys what are you doing here
09:49
i’m getting the uh letters from new york
09:51
state because we wanted to
09:53
re-categorize the business as an s corp
09:56
right but it didn’t
09:57
kind of like not in normal terms saying
09:59
you could be an llc but file tax wise as
10:02
an s corp and still catch the
10:04
the benefits of both of those so very
10:06
interesting when you’re going to talk to
10:08
a professional like carla
10:09
um ask the questions there’s no stupid
10:12
questions around this and a lot of times
10:14
it’s just
10:15
miscommunication of like you know
10:18
we’re talking about whatever we talk
10:20
about industry specifics as
10:21
professionals and the cpa is talking
10:22
their language has
10:23
returned so you got to make sure you’re
10:25
on the same page because greg and i were
10:26
not on the same page and i’ll be honest
10:28
carl i was frustrated
10:29
but really the guy had my back he knew
10:31
what he was doing but i’m ripping my
10:32
hair out over here and going
10:33
man this guy doesn’t know what he’s
10:35
doing this is crazy
10:37
you know he’s telling me one thing but
10:39
i’m getting other letters from new york
10:40
state he goes no we’re
10:41
you know we’re filing as an ass car like
10:43
oh all right
10:44
i looked on google and i’m like oh you
10:45
can do that right now this is what he’s
10:47
talking about
10:48
so i think i was like i owe this
10:49
gentleman apology
10:51
but after we set up this corporate
10:53
structure here
10:54
the next thing that most uh small medium
10:57
or even large businesses run into
10:59
especially in the lawn care industry
11:01
um but even home cleaning as well with
11:02
pest control is cash flow
11:04
and a lot of times we see this with
11:06
seasonality especially our businesses so
11:08
uh i know at least in my business uh
11:10
especially in the up uh the upper
11:12
northeast here where we do lawn care and
11:14
snow removal we even see it in the
11:15
companies
11:16
in south south and southwest is it’s
11:19
somewhat seasonal even if you don’t even
11:21
if you go year round you ramp up in the
11:23
spring it’s a cash outlay for marketing
11:25
advertising equipment repairs
11:27
and you really don’t start seeing
11:30
positive
11:30
cash flow where it’s extra cash flow in
11:32
the bank at least in my market to like
11:34
july or august
11:35
um and there’s a there’s definitely a
11:37
seasonality of that cash flow and then
11:38
if you’re
11:39
blessed or not blessed enough depending
11:40
how you look at it to have the crazy
11:42
white stuff flying out of the sky is
11:43
snow to plow
11:45
by the time you’ve got that bank account
11:46
ramped up again and you’re
11:48
you know you’re pushing some bottom line
11:49
profit you’re dumping an extra 150 200
11:52
000 in pre-bought materials of salt and
11:55
ice melt
11:56
and then it’s just this financial roller
11:58
coaster of cash flow
12:00
um and i just it’s interesting to see
12:02
the perspective of simple growth where
12:04
uh it’s more of a subscription-based
12:06
model it’s a year-round spread out and i
12:08
think you’re probably going to hit on
12:09
this how you can do this in the launch
12:10
industry
12:11
but to see the comparatives of the seven
12:13
figure business
12:14
um in a seasonal business versus one
12:16
that’s more
12:17
um i don’t want to say leveled out
12:19
completely there’s a little bit
12:20
seasonality simpler but you
12:22
it’s completely different so if you’re
12:24
not working with this epa that
12:26
understands seasonality and cash flow
12:28
that’s another major advantage of going
12:30
to a vertical
12:32
industry specific cpa so my question for
12:34
you carl is
12:36
how do we go out and look at that cash
12:38
flow from a tax standpoint or just a
12:40
business operations standpoint
12:42
and are there some ways that you
12:43
recommend um to
12:45
to level out those cash flows uh for the
12:47
seasonality of the lawn care and
12:49
landscape business
12:51
i mean i think that the seasonality of
12:55
it really affects cash flow
12:57
and i think that we all have to go in
13:00
with
13:01
a plan so as long as we have a plan
13:04
in place and we never have to be on that
13:06
roller coaster
13:07
you know so um starting off with the
13:10
subscription based model
13:12
um we’re in a subscription-based era so
13:15
we’re subscribing to things
13:16
some boxes i don’t know it’s a wine or
13:19
anything of this story we’re subscribing
13:21
on amazon
13:22
right so that that’s the norm that’s a
13:24
new normal i mean
13:26
we’re really getting out there and just
13:28
um subscribing to
13:30
different services why can’t we
13:32
subscribe to landscaping lawn care
13:35
services
13:36
okay we can bring this model and into
13:38
this especially
13:40
um when you’re providing law maintenance
13:42
services whether that’s maybe
13:44
six months um go ahead and
13:47
get your clients signed up on a
13:50
subscription-based
13:51
uh model that way you have those
13:53
predictable
13:55
cash revenue coming in and you can plan
13:58
for that
13:58
okay i’m going to get uh
14:02
eighty dollars from xyz person
14:05
for the next six months and that is
14:07
really
14:08
what we want to focus on is
14:09
predictability and
14:11
what we’re gonna get in and what’s
14:14
coming out that’s really what um
14:16
cash flow revolves around with and so
14:19
being on a subscription-based model is
14:20
really going to help you with that
14:23
and um so as far as invoicing
14:27
i see a lot of um clients fall behind on
14:30
their invoicing
14:31
as well and that prolongs their
14:33
invoicing cycle
14:34
and um their cash flow cycle so
14:37
when you’re performing a job or a big
14:40
project make sure to invoice them
14:42
the same day or even ahead of time
14:45
right or have it you know where
14:48
you’re saying okay it’s fifty percent
14:51
down before and then
14:53
after we’re we’re going to charge the
14:55
other rest 50
14:56
50 of it so i think just
14:59
staying ahead of that invoicing is
15:01
really going to help cash flow in your
15:03
business
15:05
um as far as crms go
15:09
such as service autopilot or jobber
15:11
that’s really going to help you
15:13
invoice clients clients are going to
15:15
have a place to come where they have
15:16
a client portal and they’re able to pay
15:19
you quickly and easily
15:21
having that within your business and
15:23
staying organized on top of that is
15:25
really going to have help you with cash
15:26
flow
15:27
and building up that
15:30
savings account okay so during those
15:33
busy months where you’re going to have a
15:34
lot of cash coming in
15:36
um having that
15:40
you know like that
15:43
savings account there for the slower
15:45
months
15:46
um during the winter and being ready for
15:49
the spring
15:50
rush that’s going to not only provide
15:54
you with a peace of mind but
15:56
also allow you to invest in materials
15:58
ahead of time or any other equipment
15:59
that you may need
16:00
for the spring rush that’s coming up
16:04
awesome it’s a lot of good points there
16:05
to break down i’m sure cody you’ve got
16:06
some questions here i’ll let you hop in
16:08
in a sec
16:08
but one thing i want to touch base and i
16:10
think that was really a good point that
16:12
i think
16:12
especially if you’re doing landscaping
16:14
design build um you can hear the
16:16
pounding in the background here we’re
16:17
getting a pretty good-sized landscaping
16:18
job done at the house i’m working here
16:19
uh but the contractor was really smart
16:21
about it um
16:22
he dialed in what exactly was included
16:25
in it in each phase and he required a 50
16:27
deposit and then as each part of that
16:30
phase hit a certain threshold of like 25
16:32
50 75 100
16:34
um there was basically a percentage of
16:37
the remaining 50 percent that you knew
16:39
cash flow-wise so that covered his fixed
16:41
and variable costs and materials
16:43
and basically probably part of his
16:44
profit but he knew predictably when that
16:46
cash flow was going to happen so i think
16:47
that
16:48
you know living that on a consumer end
16:50
it was nice to see it laid out in full
16:52
transparency but also being on the
16:54
business end seeing that
16:55
that’s going to keep the wheels greased
16:56
and going um the other question i had
16:58
for not to put you on the spot but it’s
17:00
very interesting that
17:01
um a lot of times so like in the
17:05
northeast like a lot of people are
17:07
nervous of doing a subscription because
17:10
they’re going to try to annualize
17:12
a 12-month contract for work they’re
17:14
doing from april to october
17:16
um so is there anything that you’d
17:18
recommend as a professional at least
17:20
contractual leaders in some way
17:22
what happens when the consumer’s paying
17:25
that installment from april through
17:26
october
17:27
and they’re like yeah we’re done we’re
17:29
firing you but you still haven’t caught
17:31
the last four months of that
17:32
installment for the work that’s already
17:34
been previously due do you front load
17:35
the installment for the season start
17:37
or do you just say it’s your installment
17:39
while we’re working um because i know
17:40
that’s usually a big question in the
17:42
services service we like the idea of
17:43
installments but how do we protect
17:44
ourselves
17:46
yeah so that that is a major question
17:49
because once we come to the
17:50
winter months then the client’s like oh
17:52
well you’re not really
17:54
providing like the services that you
17:56
were providing before so
17:58
it could be broken down um during those
18:02
six months only so just breaking them
18:04
down
18:05
during the months that you’re actually
18:07
performing um
18:09
the work um and then keeping it within
18:12
that realm
18:12
so that the client doesn’t feel like
18:15
okay they’re paying like
18:16
12 months but okay what’s happening
18:19
during the winter months and they don’t
18:20
feel that
18:22
okay what are you guys performing you
18:25
know
18:26
and i love it but at least in that six
18:28
or eight months it’s consistent
18:30
predictable cash flow especially if you
18:31
have a drought
18:32
a lot of times people will be like well
18:34
just skip the lawn mowing for the next
18:35
three weeks
18:36
and then you’ve lost a whole month’s
18:37
worth of revenue once it’s gone it’s
18:39
gone
18:39
right if you subscriptionized i don’t
18:41
know if that’s really a word but we’re
18:42
going to throw that in there’s
18:43
subscription
18:45
you you’ve at least created predictable
18:47
cash flow for those months no matter
18:49
what the inclement
18:50
uh issues going out with the weather and
18:52
it’s you know it’s not as bad as being a
18:53
farmer but let’s face it
18:54
there’s been years where we’ve had
18:56
tremendous drought and
18:58
um in our business um we actually
19:00
somewhat of a scription ideas we
19:02
we charged fifty percent if people
19:03
skipped it so that caused covered our
19:05
fixed and part of our variable cost
19:06
um just keep that spot on the schedule
19:08
so there’s some some interesting ways of
19:10
doing that i’m glad you brought that up
19:11
because very
19:12
very insightful how do you keep that
19:14
cash flow going um
19:16
in that seasonal business cody and i’ve
19:18
been doing a lot of talking here so you
19:19
any questions for carlo if i was
19:21
up to this point so my
19:24
my biggest concern in moving to a
19:26
subscription model is exactly what
19:29
you’re already hitting on which is like
19:31
once i’ve done the work for you
19:33
how do i keep you on are you seeing any
19:36
of your clients
19:37
that are like plugging in interesting
19:40
services
19:40
into the fall and winter to keep
19:42
themselves in front of their clients
19:44
yeah yeah for sure we want to i mean
19:48
we’re gonna have that cushion that we
19:50
talked about that savings account for
19:52
those slow months but that doesn’t mean
19:55
okay forget about revenue
19:57
right so we want to provide some
20:00
leaf cleaning in the in the fall we want
20:02
to provide maybe some holiday lighting
20:05
you know um some snowplowing services
20:10
so we do try to bring some other revenue
20:13
streams
20:14
introduce something else so we can keep
20:16
that revenue
20:17
flowing through those winter slash fall
20:20
months
20:21
for sure yeah so then how does this
20:24
impact
20:25
your initial selling season because it’s
20:28
kind of
20:28
like for some of these companies this is
20:30
turning into like we’re at full service
20:33
outdoor home maintenance sort of company
20:37
are so how is that impacting marketing
20:39
in the spring
20:41
how is that impacting marketing in the
20:43
spring so i would say that
20:46
maybe in the spring we want to focus
20:48
more
20:49
in on like the regular maintenance and
20:52
installation services
20:54
rather than um the ongoing
20:58
uh scheduled services so
21:02
the things that they’re already used to
21:03
you know getting
21:06
if that makes any sense you completely
21:08
obviously want to put you on the spot
21:09
but being the expert i had
21:11
faith faith you definitely would give us
21:12
the right answer and you know
21:14
drop some knowledge and obviously you
21:15
are so really appreciated to be candid
21:16
about that
21:17
um but now we’re kind of looking at it
21:19
at the big picture carl i’ve got this
21:20
entity
21:21
i’ve broken down now i’ve got some
21:22
predictable cash flow through
21:23
subscriptions and trying to offer
21:25
additional
21:25
ancillary services to raise that client
21:27
lifetime value in the lower season
21:29
yeah um but now i’m talking about cash
21:31
flow
21:32
how am i looking at my my revenue my
21:35
chart of accounts and my expense
21:37
so is there um certain naming
21:40
conventions or maybe
21:41
different numbers in the front of each
21:43
account just certain chart accounts we
21:44
should be looking at far as expenses
21:46
income long term liability far as loans
21:49
and things like that for equipment
21:51
investments
21:52
um what does that look like when we’re
21:54
just starting out over really refining
21:56
that in our business so maybe we’re in
21:57
2020 right now but
21:58
as we go into 2021 we may want to kind
22:01
of streamline and optimize some things
22:04
um in those chart of accounts and i
22:06
don’t know if it’s applicable
22:08
uh for this talk but maybe if you want
22:09
to hit on if you’re using quickbooks
22:11
classes based on the ability to separate
22:13
those things out
22:14
yeah and um so a lot of our clients all
22:18
of our clients use quickbooks online and
22:20
i think
22:20
you know what whichever accounting
22:22
software you’re going to have a chart of
22:23
accounts
22:24
and in this industry it’s so important
22:27
to be
22:28
on top of it and organize within your
22:30
chart of accounts
22:31
because i see a lot of clients that i
22:34
receive you know
22:36
they have chart of accounts but you know
22:38
their assets
22:40
aren’t are not in place they’re being
22:42
treated
22:43
as an expense um so
22:46
if they purchase you know trailers or
22:50
sprayers you know for the people that do
22:52
pesticide um
22:54
you know they’re they’re getting treated
22:55
as expenses but they’re really not
22:57
expenses they’re their assets and
23:01
um that’s what value that we bring in
23:04
in being specialized in this industry is
23:06
that we know not to just throw it in
23:08
the expense account we know that this is
23:10
equipment that people are using
23:12
every single day and that’s going to
23:14
benefit the business
23:16
throughout its lifetime and having
23:19
a organized chart of accounts in place
23:22
is really going to help you get that
23:24
correct and accurate financial picture
23:27
geared toward this
23:28
green industry so like i said i talked
23:31
about fixed assets a little bit um
23:34
having those assets on your chart
23:36
accounts
23:37
um recorded correctly such as trucks
23:40
trailers
23:40
sprayers whatever other equipment that
23:43
you may be using
23:45
um cost of services so anything
23:48
you know we hear it in product um
23:51
services all the time cost of goods sold
23:53
right
23:54
we’re selling a service cost of service
23:56
so anything
23:58
that is directly related to um
24:01
giving that client that service
24:04
should be in cost of services so any
24:06
materials
24:09
fuel machine gas or gas that you’re
24:11
using to get to the
24:13
client should be in cost of services
24:16
any contractors or employees that you’re
24:19
using should be in
24:20
cost of services other operating
24:23
expenses such as
24:24
advertising office expenses your admin
24:29
people people those things should be
24:32
separate that should be in operating
24:34
costs
24:35
and having that broken down is really
24:37
going to give you a clear picture
24:39
at the end of the day in your financial
24:41
statements for example
24:43
having your your revenue broken out so
24:46
are you providing weed control services
24:48
how much are you getting from that
24:50
um are you providing lawn maintenance
24:52
service how much are you getting from
24:54
that so having those different line
24:56
items
24:57
in your profit and loss is really going
24:59
to give you a clear picture
25:01
of okay maybe i should focus in on this
25:03
installation services because
25:05
i’m making a lot of money i have a lot
25:06
of clients in this realm so should i
25:08
invest more advertising into doing this
25:11
or
25:11
weak control i’m really good at this
25:13
should i advertise in doing that
25:15
so i think that having your
25:19
chart of accounts set up the correct way
25:21
is going to
25:22
going to give you that picture as far as
25:24
making the important business decisions
25:26
uh moving forward
25:32
i gotta unmute myself here i got the uh
25:34
i hear the saws in the background but
25:35
anyways
25:36
carlos i’m thinking you’re painting this
25:38
beautiful picture of to me almost looks
25:40
like a profit loss i’ve got my gross
25:42
profit i’ve got my net profit i’m
25:43
breaking it down per service
25:45
um and then i’m also figuring out my my
25:48
depreciation on my equipment
25:49
um over that five year or whatever that
25:52
span is or maybe you’re accelerating
25:53
that depreciation
25:54
obviously you want to talk to your
25:56
accountant what the best uh
25:58
you know move is and one thing my
25:59
account earlier has told me like you
26:01
know you can accelerate that but
26:02
eventually at some point you’re going to
26:03
have to pay that back i didn’t quite
26:05
understand it till we actually end up
26:06
selling the business and lo and behold
26:08
there’s some implications of when you
26:09
actually
26:10
accelerate and don’t accelerate that
26:11
depreciation uh so once again he knew
26:14
what he was talking about he just wasn’t
26:15
talking mike language at that in the
26:16
early years so
26:19
you know bring it down just a simple man
26:21
that mows lawns but i need to know what
26:22
that implication is
26:24
um but and a little off the topic but as
26:26
you’re
26:27
painting this beautiful picture of chart
26:28
of accounts here and i’m just loving it
26:30
i can envision this
26:31
now are you recommending or do some of
26:33
your clients i guess you know
26:35
if you recommend or not um do you use a
26:39
budgeting feature in quickbooks online
26:41
uh based on that so you have your actual
26:44
verse your budget
26:45
in there with the forecasting reports or
26:47
is that something you use in a separate
26:48
software
26:49
what are your thoughts about using
26:50
budgeting in quickbooks online or even
26:52
desktop for that matter
26:53
desktop’s a little more robust but at
26:55
the end of the day you kind of
26:57
it paints the same picture and i feel
26:59
like most service businesses that we
27:01
deal with
27:02
their first problem is and this is
27:04
probably something you don’t hit on
27:05
karla but they don’t know
27:06
their cost to operate so what their cost
27:08
is their true break even before they
27:10
make a net profit so are
27:12
our totally loaded cost breakeven per
27:14
man hour
27:15
and then obviously they usually figure
27:17
it out themselves or go to a consultant
27:18
that does financial consulting to figure
27:20
out
27:20
i need to charge x amount of dollars per
27:22
man hour and this is what it’s costing
27:23
us
27:25
so maybe you do that but where does that
27:27
come from that kind of that data
27:29
and then the budget and then your
27:30
account how does that all
27:32
in your opinion come together and it may
27:34
not even something you do but i was just
27:35
curious if you had some insights on how
27:36
does all those three knowledge
27:38
kind of balance out yeah i understand so
27:41
i think that as far as budgeting goes
27:45
i’m not huge on budgeting and i’ll tell
27:48
you why
27:49
um budget is something that you set up
27:52
at the beginning of the year and you say
27:55
you know this is what we’re expecting
27:58
this is the expenses we’re expecting and
28:00
here you go and it’s something
28:02
that you compare like you said this is
28:04
what we have now this is what we were
28:06
expecting
28:07
okay that’s great i don’t really like
28:11
um budgeting because it’s so
28:12
retrospective you’re looking at the past
28:15
all the time and you’re saying oh okay
28:17
that was great we didn’t hit that or we
28:20
did hit that
28:21
um but i focus on
28:25
cash flow forecasting so we’re always
28:28
looking ahead we’re not looking at the
28:31
rear
28:32
mirror all the time as for budgeting
28:35
we’re always looking behind we’re always
28:36
saying oh this is what we expected this
28:38
is what we did
28:39
but what forecasting does is this is
28:42
what we’re going to do
28:44
this is what our number should look like
28:46
and
28:47
this is how we’re going to plan for it
28:48
so do we want to hire
28:50
that extra uh field employee do we want
28:53
to hire that extra sales person
28:56
does that make sense what kind of
28:57
revenue are we looking at how much
28:59
are we going to advertise what can we
29:01
get back from that
29:02
so that’s why i look for forecasting
29:06
more than budgeting as far as
29:09
forecasting and quickbooks online
29:11
i use a different software for uh
29:13
forecasting cash flow forecasting
29:16
um but they integrate with quickbooks
29:18
online and it just makes it easier to
29:20
compare and contrast like use that
29:22
um it makes complete sense i was just
29:25
curious kind of where that
29:26
and i thought they’d probably be outside
29:27
of the scope what you yeah most
29:29
accountants don’t do that but
29:30
i love the fact that you’re forecasting
29:32
ahead i’m assuming that’s going to tie
29:33
into your projected quarterlies
29:35
uh and cody’s probably heard this story
29:37
but i’ll tell you i’ll never forget the
29:38
story of driving down the highway
29:40
uh when the lawn care business was with
29:42
a pretty good-sized business and uh greg
29:44
the accountant
29:45
uh you know god bless him again hey mike
29:47
what are you doing i’m driving down you
29:49
know 390 the highway
29:50
where about sorry goes oh there’s a
29:52
restaurant next exit trada
29:54
you mind pulling off over the parking i
29:55
thought we were maybe having an
29:56
afternoon cocktail at the end of the day
29:58
on friday to review the taxes
29:59
that’s great let’s go some of the
30:01
parking lot you want me to come in and
30:02
meet you goes uh no i’m at the office
30:04
what do you want he goes well are you
30:06
parked in the parking lot
30:07
yeah he goes well you owe about 45 000
30:10
of
30:10
taxes this quarter in two days now we
30:13
obviously did it but
30:15
obviously that that projection of cash
30:17
flow would have been pretty instrumental
30:19
so
30:19
our conversations changed significantly
30:21
at that point and i agree with you 100
30:23
that cash flow projection and
30:25
forecasting is is essential
30:28
yeah because i mean there are
30:31
less surprises like you said you know
30:34
you got that big surprise
30:36
um but i i i think of it as a
30:39
you know you’re you’re planning a trip
30:41
with your family you know you’re
30:43
you’re driving out um and
30:46
you’re you’re you map it out you know
30:49
when
30:50
where you’re going from a to b but
30:52
there’s always things
30:54
uh you know you might have a newborn you
30:56
pull out to the side you have to stop
30:58
now you have to call the hotel i’m gonna
31:00
be late
31:02
oh no the wife always needs to go to the
31:04
bathroom a hundred times so you’re gonna
31:05
make those stops
31:07
okay life is not predictable you might
31:09
have told the hotel
31:10
you know we’ll arrive at five but really
31:12
it’s eight o’clock
31:15
so that’s how i like to describe it life
31:17
is
31:18
not predictable i mean look at what
31:19
happened with uh coronavirus
31:22
so that forecasting is really going to
31:24
help you
31:26
because you can change it it’s dynamic
31:28
it moves with you
31:30
um and that in turn gives you
31:34
less surprises when it comes to
31:35
quarterly taxes
31:37
and what we can expect um in the future
31:40
so
31:41
awesome so i know your time is obvious
31:42
very compressed schedule i appreciate
31:44
you spending time with us but
31:45
one more thing i want to hit on before
31:46
we let you go um you’ve been awesome
31:48
just dropping some really candid
31:50
knowledge and actual knowledge too as
31:52
well um but bookkeeping so now we’ve got
31:55
all this set up we figured out our
31:56
entity we figured out our cash flow
31:57
we’ve got the chart of accounts
31:59
we’re forecasting out where we need to
32:00
be and it’s a fine-tuned machine
32:03
but you know i’m still out in the field
32:05
right now or my team’s out in the field
32:07
i’m too busy managing him
32:08
how do i keep up with my bookkeeping so
32:11
i’m assuming
32:12
this is only good if your books are up
32:15
to date
32:16
um and i know that’s one thing in the
32:17
early years at callahan’s lawn care
32:19
uh we were a little negligent we you
32:22
know we’d wait to the end of the month
32:23
or
32:23
two months to totally reconcile
32:26
everything now it’s simple growth
32:27
i’m literally paying my internal
32:29
bookkeeper to update everything weekly
32:31
so i know within five to seven days
32:34
literally to the penny where we’re at
32:36
and the ability
32:37
to see where we’re at and where we’re
32:40
going um and that’s going to reflect
32:42
that cash flow and the chart of accounts
32:43
and everything else you’ve talked about
32:44
it kind of
32:45
without that it kind of all falls apart
32:48
so
32:49
yeah would you mind just dropping some
32:50
knowledge or just some ideas about
32:52
bookkeeping how to keep it up to date
32:53
how to stay consistent and what’s what’s
32:55
a good frequency so
32:57
obviously it’s simple growth like every
32:59
week may not be applicable for a lawn
33:00
care landscaping company and it probably
33:02
isn’t
33:03
um you know obviously owning one for a
33:04
long time but what would you recommend
33:06
is
33:07
current enough but not too crazy that
33:08
it’s going to cost you too much money or
33:10
drive you crazy yeah i think that
33:14
you know falling behind on your
33:16
bookkeeping is such an easy thing to do
33:18
especially if you’re out on the field
33:20
and you have so much work
33:21
um there and it can it can fall behind
33:24
but
33:25
it’s just so costly when it falls behind
33:27
not only
33:28
on tax purposes but then when you go and
33:31
hire a bookkeeper and then they have to
33:32
do all that cleanup work it just becomes
33:36
one lump sump of just bills
33:40
so i think that exactly when you first
33:43
start out
33:44
and you’re doing your bookkeeping on
33:46
your own i think that
33:48
maybe you don’t need it up to date every
33:50
week or every month but
33:52
you would like to have it up to date
33:54
enough where okay
33:55
um i know exactly where i stand so maybe
33:59
every three months or six months maybe
34:01
that’s applicable to you but it really
34:03
depends on where you are in that process
34:06
so
34:07
um we normally recommend you know every
34:10
week or every month
34:12
you know to have it up to date so
34:15
there are so i have a lot of you know
34:18
clients that come in and their
34:20
bookkeeping
34:20
is um not up to date and
34:24
um just to give you a little bit of
34:26
background i have one client
34:28
uh she came in her bookkeeping was not
34:31
up to date
34:32
um you know more than a year and
34:36
she had lost out on a lot of tax savings
34:40
and it is just so detrimental to the
34:44
business because
34:45
it obscures the big picture so it
34:48
obscures your financial statements you
34:49
don’t know where you stand
34:51
you lose out on important tax deductions
34:53
for example
34:54
payroll and paying out your you know
34:56
10.99 and
34:58
if you don’t do that you’re losing out
35:01
on those expenses
35:02
um so when i took over and i got her on
35:07
track
35:07
okay this is the tax deductions we
35:09
should be
35:10
um you know reaching and we should be
35:13
paying out the 1099s and you should be
35:14
on an ira and
35:16
different things like that then
35:19
yes there’s a cost to obtaining a
35:22
professional to do it
35:24
but the benefit outweighs the cost
35:28
and being behind on it like i said you
35:31
don’t know
35:31
if you can afford x y and z because you
35:34
don’t know what your financial
35:35
statements look like you don’t know
35:36
where you stand
35:37
and that is one of the major concerns
35:39
that my clients come with
35:41
um and so getting them up to date and
35:44
having
35:45
their financial picture in place
35:48
tying in with that cash flow trying in
35:50
with our charter accounts we’re good to
35:51
go we know exactly where we stand
35:53
we can make those important business
35:55
decisions moving forward
36:01
awesome great advice and i guess one of
36:03
the things too is i’ll just bring up is
36:04
a lot of times when we’re working with
36:06
businesses by no means do we do
36:07
financial consulting but
36:09
for some reason it always gets back to
36:10
the financials
36:12
especially if you’re just starting out
36:13
off-road sales tax credit
36:15
is is a big one a lot of people don’t
36:18
have that buttoned up
36:19
so on on-road and off-road fuel tracking
36:22
that i mean and you can go back i think
36:23
you’d correct me right you go back about
36:25
three years and re
36:26
uh redo your taxes and refile for those
36:29
um but
36:30
i mean we’ve we’ve literally found eight
36:32
to ten thousand dollars of literally
36:34
tax credits back um for clients
36:37
literally we’re going into some overhead
36:39
recovery numbers and they’re like well
36:40
you know hey it looks like everything’s
36:43
lumped in this one some like do you guys
36:45
file that credit well no we didn’t know
36:46
it existed and they’re like oh well
36:48
wow we we’ve got a lot of extra money to
36:50
actually pay you to help us do some
36:51
other stuff now because we had no idea
36:53
it was there so
36:54
to carl’s point yes it may look a little
36:56
more expensive but if
36:57
even if you’re a smaller business you
36:59
may be you know stepping over dollars to
37:01
save pennies like it
37:02
is probably beneficial to hire a
37:04
professional like carla
37:05
over at cycle cpa um on facebook she’s
37:08
under the
37:09
landscaping accounting facebook page but
37:12
i mean
37:12
to bring an expert in and just demystify
37:14
some of that stuff is really a benefit
37:16
to your business and it allows you to
37:18
concentrate on what you do good
37:20
maybe it’s sales maybe it’s marketing
37:21
maybe it’s being out in the field doing
37:22
the work
37:23
but a lot of expert in my opinion do
37:25
what they do and
37:26
drive that business success uh
37:29
exponentially and i just can’t thank you
37:31
enough coming on carla just uh
37:33
a lot of knowledge really appreciate it
37:35
um cody any closing thoughts questions
37:37
before we uh
37:38
wrap it up here yeah i want to grab uh
37:41
dave voina’s question from the
37:44
comments here carla earlier you were
37:46
talking about a tool that you use for
37:48
forecasting
37:49
that integrates into qbo
37:52
do you know the name of that offhand
37:55
yeah
37:55
give me one second
38:00
there are a couple you’re as bad as me
38:02
i’ve got them all in there but i have no
38:04
idea what name they are just
38:08
so there’s the uh float app there are a
38:11
couple of them
38:12
um the float app is integrates with qbo
38:16
and i think that that’s a good resource
38:17
as well so cool awesome
38:21
so uh so carl if people are interested
38:24
in your expertise around accounting
38:25
especially in the green industry and
38:26
landscaping
38:27
how do they reach out to cycle cpa or
38:29
how do they find
38:30
um the landscaping accountant on
38:32
facebook i know you’ve got a great group
38:34
there where you answer questions as well
38:35
as they come up throughout the year so
38:37
uh
38:38
if somebody’s interested in finding a
38:39
service how do they actually reach out
38:41
and contact you
38:42
i think the most easiest way to reach
38:45
out is
38:46
through facebook on the group it’s
38:48
called
38:49
landscaping accounting or you can reach
38:52
me through email
38:53
at carla p at cyclecpa.com
38:57
awesome carla can’t thank you enough uh
38:59
essay weekly talk show coming back with
39:01
another heavy hitter
39:02
next week um going to be jeremy atkinson
39:06
and he
39:06
is um basically over at contracting pro
39:10
he was
39:11
a service autopilot user him uh and his
39:14
brother tripp
39:15
uh grew and scale uh probably just under
39:17
just over a seven figure
39:19
lawn care and landscaping business and
39:20
actually sold it
39:22
and then got into general contracting so
39:24
jeremy and potentially trip are gonna be
39:26
joining us
39:27
in dropping some knowledge how they
39:28
utilize service autopilot automations
39:31
and built a business to sell and i have
39:33
a feeling carla he’s going to be talking
39:35
about a chart of accounts
39:36
and a solid foundational financial plan
39:39
where they
39:39
exited the industry and then got into
39:43
uh some larger contracting so always fun
39:46
to see
39:46
uh you know friends of the sa family
39:48
coming back and dropping some knowledge
39:50
and checking in on them so
39:51
gonna be hanging out with jeremy
39:52
atkinson potentially his brother tripp
39:54
um dropping some knowledge on the sa
39:56
weekly talk show next friday 1 p.m
39:58
eastern 12 p.m central
40:00
myself cody owen and uh jeremy and
40:02
potentially tripp atkinson so carla once
40:04
again
40:05
thank you so much make sure you guys
40:07
check out cycle cpa
40:08
landscape count on facebook or hit her
40:11
up on her email
40:12
um if you have some questions around
40:13
accounting uh closing up q4 here
40:15
thanks again guys having me

Routing One Time Jobs & Recurring Jobs In a Waiting List. Why You Could Be Losing Profits

Video Transcript

00:01
hey callahan here wanted to make a quick
00:03
video on callahan’s corner where you ask
00:05
the questions and we answer them live
00:07
right here on facebook so uh one of the
00:10
questions submitted was around
00:11
waiting list jobs and why or why
00:14
shouldn’t you use waiting list jobs so
00:16
waiting list jobs are
00:18
i think very important in your service
00:21
business so that’s something we’ve used
00:23
in my service business for at least the
00:24
last 9 or 10 years
00:26
and a waiting list job is basically the
00:28
ability to route a one-time
00:30
job or a reoccurring job
00:33
um off a waiting list just as it
00:36
basically talks about so
00:37
a waiting list job an example would be
00:39
say like a one-time
00:42
home cleaning or a one-time
00:45
maybe shrub pruning job now
00:48
those are able to be put on a list or
00:50
even get into the fall season aeration
00:52
over seeding
00:53
or a fall cleanup so these are jobs that
00:55
are going to happen once but they don’t
00:57
need to be done on an exact day so for
00:59
instance our fall cleanup needs to be
01:00
done sometime between
01:02
october 30th and december 1st so it
01:04
gives us the ability to route
01:06
jobs geographically of the same type to
01:08
minimize our non-billable drive time and
01:10
do jobs together
01:12
so once again going in and a waiting
01:14
list job can be done in the lawn care
01:16
industry or home cleaning industry so an
01:18
example of a one-time job
01:20
would be either a post-construction
01:22
clean or maybe a fall cleanup in lawn
01:24
care
01:25
but this is a job that happens only once
01:27
and it doesn’t have to be done on a
01:28
particular day so it needs to be done
01:30
either sometime this week or the next
01:32
month
01:32
whenever that is and it allows you to
01:34
group those jobs geographically
01:36
and optimize your routes for the best
01:39
ability um for route optimization in
01:42
that non-billable drive time
01:44
in addition if you are doing
01:46
fertilization weed control and you have
01:47
call backs
01:48
or even if you’re doing a cleaning
01:50
company and you’re doing post
01:51
construction you have
01:52
a call for a quality issue it allows you
01:54
to route the callback
01:56
in within other uh areas you’re already
01:58
in so if we’re going to the west side of
02:00
town we have a callback out there it
02:01
allows you to route
02:02
that job within that geographic area
02:05
you’re in so you’re not bouncing and
02:06
bebop and all the way across town and
02:08
and wasting that time now the second
02:10
part of a waiting list job is where it
02:11
really becomes beneficial so this is
02:13
going to apply
02:14
predominantly to the lawn care industry
02:16
but there are some interesting home
02:18
cleaning where this may work as well
02:19
i’m going to give you a quick lawn care
02:20
example first so
02:22
uh the main example is going to be a
02:25
fertilization we control
02:26
package so really what happens there is
02:29
that’s a series of one-time jobs
02:31
that need to be done in a certain time
02:33
range so maybe uh the first to thirty
02:35
the first and the thirtieth april is a
02:36
pre-emergent and the uh first of may to
02:39
the end of may
02:39
is a post-emergent weed control so on
02:42
and so forth so what it allows you to do
02:43
is set up parameters of start and stop
02:45
times throughout the year for those
02:46
services
02:47
and route them geographically and tuck
02:49
in any callbacks that may happen so this
02:51
is going to create route optimization
02:53
and flexibility around weather delays
02:55
now the next area that we would
02:57
recommend outside of fertilization we
02:58
control is
03:00
uh packaged jobs such as maybe we’re
03:02
going to improving shrubs two three
03:04
times a year
03:05
we can set start and end times for those
03:07
shrub pruning jobs and go out and once
03:09
again route them geographically and
03:10
optimize that drive time
03:12
and my favorite um is going out and
03:15
doing
03:15
say shrub pruning those are great
03:17
because those are several times a year
03:18
but in addition going into the fall
03:20
season where we’re at
03:21
a package job is going to apply really
03:23
nicely to a fall cleanup if you do
03:25
multiple visits
03:26
so the first visit happens um you know
03:29
maybe between november 1st and november
03:31
30th and then
03:32
december 1st and say january 1st to the
03:35
second round depending on where you’re
03:36
at
03:36
in the country so another great example
03:39
too is if you’re getting the holiday
03:40
season
03:41
for holiday lights a package job is
03:44
perfect for this
03:45
because we set a package job of setup
03:48
uh you know basically from october 1st
03:51
or the end of october up through the
03:53
right before christmas and then say
03:55
january 1st to january 31st
03:57
that is the second part of time that
03:58
those lights need to be taken down so we
04:00
can do is create
04:01
two one-time jobs that are inside that
04:04
package and then optimize for drive time
04:07
and crew utilization so quick recap if
04:09
you’re just
04:10
joining us waiting list jobs and why
04:12
they are instrumental for your
04:14
service business is we can take a
04:16
one-time job
04:18
such as a a spring cleanup
04:21
or an individual shrub trimming job and
04:23
be able to bulk those in if we need to
04:25
get them done
04:26
inside a month period or a week period
04:27
and optimize them pull them off the
04:29
waiting list and
04:30
route them and create that optimized
04:33
route to minimize that non-billable
04:34
drive time
04:35
second thing is if we have multiple
04:37
packages such as fertilization and we
04:39
control
04:40
we can go out and do all five or six
04:41
rounds but set them up as
04:43
waiting list jobs through a package in a
04:46
product such as service autopilot so it
04:47
allows us to route and optimize
04:49
based on the start and end of each
04:50
package and the cool thing with those
04:52
jobs and inside of packages you can put
04:54
minimum days in between so
04:56
in upstate new york a lot our season’s
04:57
very condensed so a lot of times our
04:59
rounds would run right up next to each
05:00
other so one would end in april
05:02
30th and the next one would start may
05:04
1st so it gives us minimum days in
05:06
between so we’re not putting that
05:07
post-immersion
05:08
chemical on the lawn back to back maybe
05:10
say 10 to 15 days in between so if it’s
05:13
within the
05:14
minimum days in between if first round
05:17
ended
05:17
end of april and started the beginning
05:19
of may the software is smart enough to
05:21
tell you say hey
05:22
you shouldn’t route this and it won’t
05:24
even show it to you until those minimum
05:25
days between
05:26
applications happen so another huge
05:27
benefit to save you from burning a lawn
05:29
out
05:30
and then if you get into the fall season
05:31
right now this is huge for multiple
05:33
trips
05:34
especially on your commercial properties
05:35
you can create waiting list jobs
05:38
created from a package of the first
05:39
round of fall cleanups the second round
05:41
of fall cleanups or
05:42
the other example i gave you is holiday
05:44
lights so the first
05:46
waiting list job inside of a package is
05:48
the setup
05:49
and then the second one is the take down
05:51
but the idea is you set
05:52
a start a stop time that’s ideal and if
05:55
it goes past the end desired date
05:57
it shows up red on your dispatch board
06:00
or your waiting list
06:01
so you can see what are the ones that
06:02
have gone past the threshold of ideal
06:04
and that that
06:05
would notify your team to basically um
06:08
x you know basically bring those right
06:10
up the top because they’re red in their
06:12
past due so
06:13
waiting list jobs i think are essential
06:16
in
06:17
um many software platforms i know the
06:19
one that we use to service autopilot
06:21
uh not sure if they’re available on
06:22
other job uh crms customer relationship
06:24
management software’s but
06:26
highly look we recommend looking at
06:28
waiting list jobs and how they fit in
06:30
to your service business to minimize
06:31
non-billable drive time optimize your
06:33
mobilization
06:34
and um if you have any callbacks you can
06:36
work those callbacks in
06:38
when you’re already in that area so
06:40
comments or questions drop below
06:41
callahan’s corner
06:42
you ask the questions we answer them
06:43
live right here on facebook want to say
06:44
what’s up to laura
06:45
and scott furman as well watching on the
06:48
live um
06:49
callahan’s corner here but if you have
06:50
any questions either live or on the
06:52
recorded version
06:53
let me know and we come back at you
06:55
daily pretty much
06:56
answering your questions how to better
06:58
run your service business whether it’s
07:00
lawn care home cleaning or
07:01
as i hate to say the four letter word
07:02
coming up right now snow removal it is
07:04
coming
07:05
um and those are on demand jobs for snow
07:07
removal we’ll be making some videos
07:08
about that
07:09
in the near future um and how to
07:10
actually go out and renew
07:12
your snow removal automatically and how
07:15
to go out and get
07:16
automatic renewals on your lawn care and
07:18
fertilization companies if you have to
07:20
get renewal contracts
07:22
in the fall season here before people go
07:24
out and shop you
07:25
um for the next year coming up so
07:26
comments questions right below
07:27
callahan’s corner
07:28
you ask the questions we bring them here
07:31
with the answers live on facebook

The Ultimate Service Autopilot Blueprint

Video Transcript

00:00
Hey Mike Callahan back again
00:03
Hey Mike Callahan back again with another video breaking
00:04
with another video breaking down how to use service
00:07
down how to use service Autopilot and with this video
00:08
Autopilot and with this video is gonna be outlining is the
00:10
is gonna be outlining is the ultimate service Autopilot
00:12
ultimate service Autopilot blueprint so growing a
00:12
blueprint so growing a business, it’s setting up
00:14
business, it’s setting up service Autopilot, 100% can be
00:16
service Autopilot, 100% can be tough. Let’s face a lot of us
00:16
tough. Let’s face a lot of us are in that 10% club only using
00:20
are in that 10% club only using 10% of service Autopilot so
00:22
10% of service Autopilot so basically going in and setting
00:24
basically going in and setting up a CRM, a customer
00:25
up a CRM, a customer relationship management
00:26
relationship management software such a service
00:28
software such a service autopilot um can be really
00:29
autopilot um can be really challenging for a lot of folks
00:30
challenging for a lot of folks I wanna use. Analogies before
00:32
I wanna use. Analogies before actually break down the actual
00:34
actually break down the actual blueprint itself, but you know
00:35
blueprint itself, but you know trying to switch and learn a
00:36
trying to switch and learn a new software in while you’re
00:39
new software in while you’re using your business can be
00:40
using your business can be pretty tough. It’s kinda like
00:41
pretty tough. It’s kinda like driving to to all your jobs
00:42
driving to to all your jobs throughout the day with no map
00:43
throughout the day with no map or maybe buying that a kite AKA
00:46
or maybe buying that a kite AKA furniture and not having any
00:47
furniture and not having any instructions to put it together
00:49
instructions to put it together or even better yet trying to
00:51
or even better yet trying to estimate a job. you’ve never
00:52
estimate a job. you’ve never performed before so you’re
00:53
performed before so you’re kinda in the dark. you haven’t
00:55
kinda in the dark. you haven’t been acclimated or introduced
00:56
been acclimated or introduced how to set these things up. Um
00:58
how to set these things up. Um it’s hard because guessing
01:00
it’s hard because guessing doesn’t work. I’m gonna try to
01:02
doesn’t work. I’m gonna try to do in this video here is take
01:03
do in this video here is take the guess work out of setting
01:05
the guess work out of setting service autopilot up and take
01:06
service autopilot up and take on a very high level. What the
01:08
on a very high level. What the system should look like fully
01:10
system should look like fully set up and I’m gonna pop the
01:12
set up and I’m gonna pop the screen over here and show you a
01:14
screen over here and show you a flowchart of what it looks like
01:15
flowchart of what it looks like fully set up how to implement
01:16
fully set up how to implement it in your business and then um
01:18
it in your business and then um I’ll actually give you a real
01:20
I’ll actually give you a real world example walking through
01:21
world example walking through one of my demo accounts and how
01:22
one of my demo accounts and how we use it in my lawn care
01:23
we use it in my lawn care business and snow removal. So
01:27
business and snow removal. So I’m gonna pull this up here and
01:28
I’m gonna pull this up here and uh any comments or questions
01:30
uh any comments or questions on. Live video feel free to
01:33
on. Live video feel free to drop them in there, but I’m
01:34
drop them in there, but I’m gonna really dive into this
01:35
gonna really dive into this here um and bump it out so
01:37
here um and bump it out so literally from left to right is
01:39
literally from left to right is lead acquisition all the way
01:40
lead acquisition all the way through estimating scheduling
01:42
through estimating scheduling billing and fulfillment and
01:44
billing and fulfillment and collections of money. Obviously
01:45
collections of money. Obviously you wanna get paid so what
01:46
you wanna get paid so what we’re gonna be looking at here
01:47
we’re gonna be looking at here is I’m gonna dive in and just
01:48
is I’m gonna dive in and just bump this up here so you can
01:50
bump this up here so you can actually see on the screen what
01:52
actually see on the screen what this looks like.
01:57
So as we’re looking at it here
01:58
So as we’re looking at it here in the main part of the screen
02:00
in the main part of the screen off on the left hand side, the
02:01
off on the left hand side, the first thing we wanna be looking
02:02
first thing we wanna be looking at here is client info. How do
02:05
at here is client info. How do we set up the software to take
02:06
we set up the software to take your client info and get it
02:08
your client info and get it into the software with no
02:09
into the software with no double entry and yes duplicate
02:11
double entry and yes duplicate checks. the first thing you
02:12
checks. the first thing you wanna do is track the sales
02:14
wanna do is track the sales source. Where do they hear
02:14
source. Where do they hear about us? so obviously if they
02:16
about us? so obviously if they came off the website um we set
02:19
came off the website um we set that Salesforce on that vthree
02:22
that Salesforce on that vthree form and I’m gonna suggest a
02:22
form and I’m gonna suggest a vthree form for that reason
02:24
vthree form for that reason being it’s gonna automatically
02:26
being it’s gonna automatically do. And it’s gonna create the
02:28
do. And it’s gonna create the lead in the system and it won’t
02:30
lead in the system and it won’t buy mistake create a client so
02:32
buy mistake create a client so it’s gonna force you to go in
02:34
it’s gonna force you to go in and start with the lead and
02:34
and start with the lead and it’s gonna duplicate checking
02:36
it’s gonna duplicate checking amongst other things the first
02:38
amongst other things the first name last name and email just
02:39
name last name and email just as a minimal. So we’ve got that
02:41
as a minimal. So we’ve got that person in there now once they
02:42
person in there now once they hit that request if it’s set up
02:44
hit that request if it’s set up appropriately, we’re gonna know
02:46
appropriately, we’re gonna know what services are interested so
02:47
what services are interested so we can go in and have an
02:48
we can go in and have an automated personal conversation
02:49
automated personal conversation down the line if we’re using
02:52
down the line if we’re using automations as we scroll in
02:53
automations as we scroll in here, we’ve got the client
02:54
here, we’ve got the client calls our office. Next thing
02:56
calls our office. Next thing you wanna do is create a phone
02:57
you wanna do is create a phone intake form to standardize our
02:59
intake form to standardize our call script the information
03:01
call script the information that is taken into the software
03:03
that is taken into the software so first name Last Name Service
03:06
so first name Last Name Service address email mobile phone
03:08
address email mobile phone number, and yes once again the
03:10
number, and yes once again the sales source. so we wanna go in
03:12
sales source. so we wanna go in um in this and set up uh all
03:15
um in this and set up uh all your lead sources. So how do
03:16
your lead sources. So how do people hear about you was it a
03:17
people hear about you was it a Facebook ad was it from your
03:19
Facebook ad was it from your truck? was it from another
03:20
truck? was it from another customer referral? What are
03:21
customer referral? What are those things are We want that
03:22
those things are We want that set up in the system? uh I’m
03:24
set up in the system? uh I’m gonna be including a link here
03:25
gonna be including a link here for a free SA audits. so these
03:28
for a free SA audits. so these are the things that we can go
03:29
are the things that we can go in and actually dial. For you
03:31
in and actually dial. For you and I’ll put this in the notes
03:34
and I’ll put this in the notes here uh but if you wanna hit
03:35
here uh but if you wanna hit that we’re doing a free 30
03:37
that we’re doing a free 30 minute audit the best day to
03:38
minute audit the best day to see where all the points that
03:39
see where all the points that you are missing in your set up
03:41
you are missing in your set up here as well. uh but the idea
03:43
here as well. uh but the idea is we wanna go create that
03:43
is we wanna go create that phone intake form it tracks the
03:46
phone intake form it tracks the sales force. So now we know
03:48
sales force. So now we know basically how many people came
03:49
basically how many people came from each marketing source. How
03:51
from each marketing source. How many of them requested an
03:52
many of them requested an estimate how many of those
03:53
estimate how many of those people became clients and then
03:55
people became clients and then with some data once it’s in the
03:56
with some data once it’s in the system fully set up, we can go
03:58
system fully set up, we can go in to each marketing source and
03:59
in to each marketing source and say x amount of people. And on
04:02
say x amount of people. And on average percentage of those
04:04
average percentage of those people converted into a client
04:05
people converted into a client and this is what our average
04:06
and this is what our average cost per acquire. customers is
04:08
cost per acquire. customers is from a nine around the door.
04:10
from a nine around the door. Hanger Facebook ad Whatever
04:11
Hanger Facebook ad Whatever that is, and then once we get
04:12
that is, and then once we get in a little more data in the
04:14
in a little more data in the system, we can run a client
04:15
system, we can run a client lifetime value, so that’s
04:17
lifetime value, so that’s really important because now
04:18
really important because now when we go out and scale our
04:18
when we go out and scale our business each year, we have a
04:21
business each year, we have a predictable road map and that’s
04:22
predictable road map and that’s what we’re looking for. so the
04:24
what we’re looking for. so the next thing is once they’re in
04:26
next thing is once they’re in SA predominantly we are gonna
04:27
SA predominantly we are gonna go in and uh create an estimate
04:30
go in and uh create an estimate so whether it’s in person or
04:32
so whether it’s in person or over the phone based on some
04:33
over the phone based on some variable. Is uh lawn square
04:36
variable. Is uh lawn square footage or some other things We
04:38
footage or some other things We may answer the phone. We wanna
04:38
may answer the phone. We wanna go and create this so we’re
04:39
go and create this so we’re gonna be concentrating things
04:42
gonna be concentrating things called custom fields and this
04:43
called custom fields and this custom fields our job variable
04:46
custom fields our job variable so uh in lawn care, we’re
04:47
so uh in lawn care, we’re tracking turf square footage
04:49
tracking turf square footage number of small medium and
04:50
number of small medium and large shrubs, maybe linear link
04:51
large shrubs, maybe linear link of bad edging or linear link of
04:54
of bad edging or linear link of stick edging linear link of
04:56
stick edging linear link of blowing whatever that is in
04:58
blowing whatever that is in that job. maybe the square
04:59
that job. maybe the square footage of a bed for a mulch
05:01
footage of a bed for a mulch installation. We can have
05:02
installation. We can have separate pricing and Set up for
05:04
separate pricing and Set up for one two or three inches of
05:06
one two or three inches of mulch, but the idea is we wanna
05:07
mulch, but the idea is we wanna get these variables whether
05:09
get these variables whether it’s online through a smart
05:11
it’s online through a smart maps or maps, pro measuring and
05:12
maps or maps, pro measuring and satellite or in person, and
05:14
satellite or in person, and once those are in there, we
05:15
once those are in there, we would go and hit the add the
05:18
would go and hit the add the estimate button and what comes
05:19
estimate button and what comes in is a pre templated
05:21
in is a pre templated estimates. so we’re gonna
05:23
estimates. so we’re gonna standardize this so we can
05:23
standardize this so we can delegate it or if we’re still
05:25
delegate it or if we’re still doing the estimates so we have
05:26
doing the estimates so we have a predictable quick workflow
05:27
a predictable quick workflow either. It’s in the office or
05:29
either. It’s in the office or in person we’re gonna select
05:30
in person we’re gonna select the template. let’s just say
05:31
the template. let’s just say for landscape maintenance. Um
05:34
for landscape maintenance. Um landscape install or snow
05:37
landscape install or snow removal or holiday lights, we’d
05:38
removal or holiday lights, we’d have different templates
05:38
have different templates pre-built where all those
05:40
pre-built where all those services load in and based on
05:42
services load in and based on those custom fields or job
05:43
those custom fields or job variables. Uh it is gonna
05:45
variables. Uh it is gonna automatically calculate a price
05:48
automatically calculate a price based on our production rate
05:49
based on our production rate based matrices we’ve set in the
05:50
based matrices we’ve set in the back of the system um and the
05:53
back of the system um and the idea is everything loads and
05:54
idea is everything loads and you’re gonna hit draft to quote
05:55
you’re gonna hit draft to quote for the ones you want now if
05:56
for the ones you want now if some of those services is
05:58
some of those services is populated, the price and we’re
05:58
populated, the price and we’re not quoting them. That’s fine.
05:59
not quoting them. That’s fine. You leave them where they are,
06:00
You leave them where they are, but it’s gonna automatically
06:01
but it’s gonna automatically calculate that price. Now, if
06:04
calculate that price. Now, if you’re looking at this saying
06:05
you’re looking at this saying well, that sounds really great,
06:06
well, that sounds really great, but I don’t know how long it
06:07
but I don’t know how long it takes to mow blow an edge a
06:10
takes to mow blow an edge a property per square foot. I
06:10
property per square foot. I don’t know how long it takes to
06:11
don’t know how long it takes to install mulch or trim those
06:13
install mulch or trim those bushes at small medium and
06:14
bushes at small medium and large. That’s okay. so whether
06:16
large. That’s okay. so whether you’re building yourself or you
06:17
you’re building yourself or you work with an expert like Cy
06:18
work with an expert like Cy growth, we can go and figure
06:20
growth, we can go and figure out um based on what you’re
06:22
out um based on what you’re charging per hour, we can
06:24
charging per hour, we can create custom fields in
06:26
create custom fields in matrices based on you looking
06:27
matrices based on you looking at it and saying I think it’s
06:29
at it and saying I think it’s going to take x amount of hours
06:30
going to take x amount of hours or minutes to do this job and
06:31
or minutes to do this job and then it would calculate a price
06:33
then it would calculate a price in budgeted time and a. Before
06:35
in budgeted time and a. Before profit automatically without
06:37
profit automatically without any emotions, so the idea is
06:38
any emotions, so the idea is we’re gonna standardize the
06:39
we’re gonna standardize the system to a predictable
06:41
system to a predictable workflow so whether it’s based
06:42
workflow so whether it’s based on production rates or minutes
06:43
on production rates or minutes or hours, how long you think
06:44
or hours, how long you think it’s gonna take on your um
06:47
it’s gonna take on your um experience we can do that, but
06:48
experience we can do that, but the cool thing is once we have
06:50
the cool thing is once we have enough data in the system. We
06:52
enough data in the system. We can run a report in three to 6
06:53
can run a report in three to 6 months. It’s okay, based on
06:54
months. It’s okay, based on what actually happened with
06:55
what actually happened with your guys and girls in the
06:57
your guys and girls in the field and your particular
06:58
field and your particular equipment and not the industry
07:00
equipment and not the industry average we can go out and
07:03
average we can go out and create production production
07:05
create production production rate based on your guys and
07:07
rate based on your guys and girls in your equipment. so we
07:08
girls in your equipment. so we can standardize that you can
07:09
can standardize that you can evolve through the system. This
07:10
evolve through the system. This is why this is the ultimate
07:12
is why this is the ultimate road map to service Autopilot
07:14
road map to service Autopilot because we can take you from
07:14
because we can take you from where you’re at and get you to
07:16
where you’re at and get you to where you wanna go if that’s
07:17
where you wanna go if that’s the case, but the idea is now
07:19
the case, but the idea is now we’ve got this ready to go with
07:21
we’ve got this ready to go with the prebuilt template all your
07:23
the prebuilt template all your contract verbiage or estimate
07:24
contract verbiage or estimate verbiage in there as far as um.
07:26
verbiage in there as far as um. if you know, we have different
07:28
if you know, we have different collection fees if they don’t
07:28
collection fees if they don’t pay you things like that, maybe
07:30
pay you things like that, maybe a credit cards on file all that
07:31
a credit cards on file all that is in the estimate slash
07:34
is in the estimate slash contract. so if you can’t close
07:35
contract. so if you can’t close them in person or over the
07:36
them in person or over the phone next thing you wanna do
07:37
phone next thing you wanna do is you wanna go out and email
07:38
is you wanna go out and email that estimate I don’t know. But
07:40
that estimate I don’t know. But I don’t I don’t wanna spend my
07:41
I don’t I don’t wanna spend my day writing one of emails, so
07:43
day writing one of emails, so what we do is have a
07:44
what we do is have a standardized pre template and
07:45
standardized pre template and email that loads you can adjust
07:46
email that loads you can adjust it on the fly. If you want and
07:49
it on the fly. If you want and then you tweak and send it now
07:50
then you tweak and send it now that email goes out to your
07:51
that email goes out to your customer. They can click on it
07:53
customer. They can click on it select the service that they
07:54
select the service that they want and sign electronically
07:56
want and sign electronically and then when they sign
07:57
and then when they sign electronically the time and
07:58
electronically the time and date stamp uh IP addresses
08:01
date stamp uh IP addresses there and you have a printable
08:01
there and you have a printable PDF with their electronic
08:03
PDF with their electronic signatures. So it’s a
08:05
signatures. So it’s a streamlined workflow Now the
08:06
streamlined workflow Now the next thing we wanna look at
08:07
next thing we wanna look at here is. As we scroll across
08:11
here is. As we scroll across this year, I’m gonna kinda
08:12
this year, I’m gonna kinda swing this over and if I can,
08:14
swing this over and if I can, it’s a little touchy but you
08:15
it’s a little touchy but you get the idea so right now.
08:18
get the idea so right now. we’re back over here on the far
08:19
we’re back over here on the far left side screen lost estimates
08:21
left side screen lost estimates so with a fully set up software
08:23
so with a fully set up software here, we need a way to handle
08:25
here, we need a way to handle our lost estimates and what I’m
08:26
our lost estimates and what I’m gonna recommend is we close
08:27
gonna recommend is we close that lead out so we can see him
08:30
that lead out so we can see him in the system, but we’re not
08:31
in the system, but we’re not counting them as a lead that
08:33
counting them as a lead that could actually still buy. Now.
08:34
could actually still buy. Now. we have a clear view in our
08:36
we have a clear view in our sales pipeline and how many
08:37
sales pipeline and how many people could buy and how many
08:39
people could buy and how many people are not gonna buy but we
08:41
people are not gonna buy but we can still see them and nurture
08:43
can still see them and nurture them and upsell. Services
08:45
them and upsell. Services throughout the year, but the
08:46
throughout the year, but the ideas we wanna have database
08:48
ideas we wanna have database hygiene to a very clean look of
08:49
hygiene to a very clean look of what’s going on in your
08:51
what’s going on in your software now, if an estimates
08:52
software now, if an estimates one what I’m gonna recommend is
08:54
one what I’m gonna recommend is most cases is we ask we
08:56
most cases is we ask we schedule right off the
08:57
schedule right off the estimated service so our price
08:59
estimated service so our price our budget of time our
09:00
our budget of time our materials and our costs before
09:01
materials and our costs before profit or automatically
09:03
profit or automatically transferring over to that job.
09:04
transferring over to that job. So there’s no double entry and
09:07
So there’s no double entry and what needs to be on that
09:08
what needs to be on that estimate automatically
09:09
estimate automatically transfers over with no data
09:11
transfers over with no data entry. in addition by doing so,
09:13
entry. in addition by doing so, it’s gonna force you to. That
09:15
it’s gonna force you to. That lead into a client now, this is
09:17
lead into a client now, this is very important because database
09:19
very important because database hygiene we don’t want Missus
09:20
hygiene we don’t want Missus Smith and there is a lead in a
09:21
Smith and there is a lead in a client We wanna have her go
09:23
client We wanna have her go through that customer life
09:24
through that customer life cycle and move from lead to
09:26
cycle and move from lead to clients. We have good stats and
09:27
clients. We have good stats and good data now. the next thing
09:29
good data now. the next thing is we’re gonna go and schedule
09:30
is we’re gonna go and schedule a work so when service
09:32
a work so when service Autopilot is set up to the
09:33
Autopilot is set up to the ultimate blueprint, there’s
09:35
ultimate blueprint, there’s three to four different ways to
09:36
three to four different ways to schedule your work. so the
09:37
schedule your work. so the first one is a one-time job. We
09:39
first one is a one-time job. We know when we’re gonna schedule
09:39
know when we’re gonna schedule the next one is a reoccurring
09:42
the next one is a reoccurring job, so it could be a weekly
09:43
job, so it could be a weekly your. Every three or 4 weeks
09:45
your. Every three or 4 weeks depending on the service um but
09:47
depending on the service um but the idea is it’s a reoccurring
09:48
the idea is it’s a reoccurring repetitive service. Now the
09:49
repetitive service. Now the next one is a waiting list job
09:51
next one is a waiting list job so that going into the fall
09:52
so that going into the fall season here uh we’ll be looking
09:54
season here uh we’ll be looking at a fall clean up fall
09:55
at a fall clean up fall cleanups may have to be done
09:57
cleanups may have to be done from November 1st to November
09:59
from November 1st to November 30th, but they don’t have to be
09:59
30th, but they don’t have to be done on a particular day so the
10:01
done on a particular day so the waiting list gives you that
10:03
waiting list gives you that flexibility to go out and
10:04
flexibility to go out and schedule that job based on
10:06
schedule that job based on route density um to minimize
10:07
route density um to minimize that non billable drive time or
10:09
that non billable drive time or when you’re already in that
10:10
when you’re already in that area now building upon that
10:11
area now building upon that logic, we also have a package.
10:13
logic, we also have a package. Jobs that can be fertilize
10:14
Jobs that can be fertilize fertilization so in the spring,
10:16
fertilization so in the spring, maybe a pre-emergent
10:18
maybe a pre-emergent application has to be done
10:18
application has to be done between March 1st and March
10:20
between March 1st and March 30th. Now it doesn’t matter if
10:21
30th. Now it doesn’t matter if it’s done on the first of the
10:22
it’s done on the first of the thirtieth or somewhere in
10:23
thirtieth or somewhere in between as long as it’s within
10:25
between as long as it’s within that predictable range. So what
10:27
that predictable range. So what a package job is is a series of
10:29
a package job is is a series of waiting list jobs that allows
10:30
waiting list jobs that allows us to go out and do a
10:32
us to go out and do a reoccurring service in certain
10:34
reoccurring service in certain uh scheduled time blocks for
10:36
uh scheduled time blocks for better routing and flexibility
10:37
better routing and flexibility for the business Now, the last
10:39
for the business Now, the last one is going to be a on-demand
10:42
one is going to be a on-demand job. so if you’re do snow
10:43
job. so if you’re do snow removal uh it basically does.
10:45
removal uh it basically does. What it says it’s on demand so
10:47
What it says it’s on demand so when the snow or the ice, the
10:49
when the snow or the ice, the combination of both it, we go
10:50
combination of both it, we go out and put that on demand job
10:53
out and put that on demand job into play. now before we
10:54
into play. now before we schedule the work we always
10:55
schedule the work we always want to double check. There’s a
10:57
want to double check. There’s a price and budget of hours, but
10:57
price and budget of hours, but if you’re following the process
10:59
if you’re following the process of going from an estimate to
11:01
of going from an estimate to the job that will always be
11:02
the job that will always be there. so that’s reassuring
11:05
there. so that’s reassuring that now the next thing is
11:05
that now the next thing is routing, so we wanna be able to
11:07
routing, so we wanna be able to go out and route optimization,
11:09
go out and route optimization, so we’re gonna select the jobs
11:10
so we’re gonna select the jobs visually on a map and optimize
11:12
visually on a map and optimize from start to end uh in service
11:14
from start to end uh in service auto. Twenty-three or less
11:16
auto. Twenty-three or less stops are free, We can use that
11:18
stops are free, We can use that through Google, 24 or more uh
11:20
through Google, 24 or more uh it can be done through a couple
11:23
it can be done through a couple of different platforms in there
11:24
of different platforms in there a very small cost, but it’ll
11:25
a very small cost, but it’ll allow you to optimize massive
11:27
allow you to optimize massive amounts of jobs all at once so
11:29
amounts of jobs all at once so in our snow removal division a
11:31
in our snow removal division a lot of times we would have 600
11:32
lot of times we would have 600 driveways and by using the
11:35
driveways and by using the larger optimization feature, we
11:36
larger optimization feature, we could chunk them all up and
11:38
could chunk them all up and then literally grab chunks of
11:39
then literally grab chunks of sixty to seventy airways and
11:40
sixty to seventy airways and route them. so they ran into
11:42
route them. so they ran into each other. so if you ever had
11:43
each other. so if you ever had a breakdown. We have
11:46
a breakdown. We have optimization of routes running
11:47
optimization of routes running into each other, so that’s a
11:48
into each other, so that’s a great feature, but once you’re
11:50
great feature, but once you’re done routing, you wanna double
11:51
done routing, you wanna double check the order visually on the
11:52
check the order visually on the map with pins say 12345 and so
11:56
map with pins say 12345 and so on just so you know it’s right
11:57
on just so you know it’s right once you save it, they
11:59
once you save it, they automatically populate each
12:00
automatically populate each week. Now. The next thing is a
12:01
week. Now. The next thing is a dispatch board. so this is
12:02
dispatch board. so this is where we get those jobs out
12:04
where we get those jobs out into the field of play so we
12:05
into the field of play so we can go out in under the upper
12:07
can go out in under the upper right hand corner and the two
12:08
right hand corner and the two there’s a more button and we
12:10
there’s a more button and we can drop it in and we can
12:11
can drop it in and we can adjust the cruise. That’s where
12:12
adjust the cruise. That’s where we drag and drop our crew
12:13
we drag and drop our crew update. Uh if you’re coming in
12:15
update. Uh if you’re coming in Monday morning at a no call no
12:17
Monday morning at a no call no show uh we can drag that lady
12:19
show uh we can drag that lady of the crew and replace them so
12:20
of the crew and replace them so our job costing productions and
12:23
our job costing productions and billing is correct will win
12:24
billing is correct will win about a two to three-second
12:26
about a two to three-second drag and drop and we’re gonna
12:27
drag and drop and we’re gonna select our jobs and dispatch
12:29
select our jobs and dispatch and now live in the mobile or
12:31
and now live in the mobile or we’re still printing out. we
12:31
we’re still printing out. we have printed hard copy and then
12:35
have printed hard copy and then as we scroll over here, we’ve
12:35
as we scroll over here, we’ve got our last two columns. We
12:37
got our last two columns. We wanna really look at this is a
12:39
wanna really look at this is a closeout day screen. The close
12:40
closeout day screen. The close out day screen is really
12:42
out day screen is really probably the most important
12:43
probably the most important screen in the whole entire
12:44
screen in the whole entire system in service Autopilot um
12:46
system in service Autopilot um because this is the last. Human
12:48
because this is the last. Human can physically touch this for
12:51
can physically touch this for the seeing the start and stop
12:52
the seeing the start and stop times do we have a budget in
12:54
times do we have a budget in time? Do we have a price? Those
12:55
time? Do we have a price? Those are the things we wanna look at
12:57
are the things we wanna look at so we’re setting ourselves up
12:59
so we’re setting ourselves up for um invoicing Success
13:03
for um invoicing Success payroll success and production
13:04
payroll success and production rate and job costing success.
13:06
rate and job costing success. so we wanna have a two to 3
13:07
so we wanna have a two to 3 minute sweep through here each
13:08
minute sweep through here each day to make sure we have good
13:10
day to make sure we have good data in so we have good data
13:11
data in so we have good data out now whether you’re building
13:12
out now whether you’re building daily weekly or monthly when we
13:14
daily weekly or monthly when we hit midnight these invoices
13:16
hit midnight these invoices automatically. So if you’re
13:18
automatically. So if you’re used to sitting in QuickBooks
13:20
used to sitting in QuickBooks manually at the end of the
13:21
manually at the end of the month, pumping out hours of
13:22
month, pumping out hours of invoices that never happens
13:23
invoices that never happens anymore, so we take our two to
13:25
anymore, so we take our two to 3 minutes a day and review to
13:26
3 minutes a day and review to close out day screen and they
13:27
close out day screen and they automatically generate those
13:29
automatically generate those invoices and if you sync the
13:30
invoices and if you sync the QuickBooks, it automatically
13:31
QuickBooks, it automatically takes us invoices and swings
13:33
takes us invoices and swings them right over to QuickBooks
13:34
them right over to QuickBooks with no double entry. and then
13:37
with no double entry. and then the final part here is invoices
13:38
the final part here is invoices to collections. so everybody
13:39
to collections. so everybody wants to get paid and
13:40
wants to get paid and predominantly when you set up a
13:42
predominantly when you set up a system like service Autopilot
13:43
system like service Autopilot everybody runs over to this
13:45
everybody runs over to this part of the system, but you’ve
13:46
part of the system, but you’ve missed. Things we’ve already
13:49
missed. Things we’ve already been talking about so they
13:51
been talking about so they systematically build on top of
13:51
systematically build on top of it with the foundation, but the
13:53
it with the foundation, but the things that I’d like to go
13:55
things that I’d like to go through when you get to this
13:55
through when you get to this point is how do we charge car
13:58
point is how do we charge car credit cards? How do we invoice
13:59
credit cards? How do we invoice emails? How do we print
14:02
emails? How do we print invoices and all in a matter of
14:03
invoices and all in a matter of three to four clicks of a
14:05
three to four clicks of a button within minutes?
14:06
button within minutes? everything’s done so you’re
14:07
everything’s done so you’re batching out one invoice for
14:08
batching out one invoice for several thousand. It happens in
14:11
several thousand. It happens in minutes and then the final part
14:12
minutes and then the final part is to enter prepayment in so
14:14
is to enter prepayment in so they are assigned to the
14:15
they are assigned to the particular service that the
14:16
particular service that the prepaid for and any contractor.
14:20
prepaid for and any contractor. Basically, installment jobs,
14:21
Basically, installment jobs, you wanna make sure that we
14:23
you wanna make sure that we have the installment set up
14:24
have the installment set up with the jobs that are
14:25
with the jobs that are associated with it and then we
14:27
associated with it and then we dispatch we create a job. We
14:29
dispatch we create a job. We associate that job to the
14:32
associate that job to the contract and then we can have a
14:32
contract and then we can have a price and budget and time to
14:34
price and budget and time to that job. um so we don’t double
14:37
that job. um so we don’t double bill the client cuz it’s just
14:39
bill the client cuz it’s just gonna be included in the
14:40
gonna be included in the contract, but we have all the
14:41
contract, but we have all the information from the production
14:43
information from the production um reports in job cost and
14:45
um reports in job cost and reports so those are the main
14:47
reports so those are the main things for your ultimate
14:48
things for your ultimate blueprint to success in service
14:49
blueprint to success in service Autopilot like I said if you’re
14:51
Autopilot like I said if you’re watching the live. This video
14:52
watching the live. This video feel free to click the link
14:53
feel free to click the link below to get a free
14:55
below to get a free thirty-minute audit from the
14:56
thirty-minute audit from the simple and no pressure. We’re
14:58
simple and no pressure. We’re just gonna show you uh where we
15:01
just gonna show you uh where we see some gaps in your system.
15:02
see some gaps in your system. so I’m gonna dive in to service
15:04
so I’m gonna dive in to service Autopilot actually show you
15:05
Autopilot actually show you what happens when we break this
15:08
what happens when we break this type of system down. so the
15:09
type of system down. so the first thing we’re doing is
15:09
first thing we’re doing is we’re going in and adding a
15:12
we’re going in and adding a lead. And when we add this lead
15:15
lead. And when we add this lead in, we wanna be able to go in
15:16
in, we wanna be able to go in and put our first name. Last
15:20
and put our first name. Last name of the lead, whoever’s
15:22
name of the lead, whoever’s calling us uh in this on the
15:25
calling us uh in this on the phone or on the web, uh the web
15:27
phone or on the web, uh the web form and automatically create
15:28
form and automatically create this uh we’re gonna get their
15:29
this uh we’re gonna get their service address. address.
15:34
And would probably ask the
15:36
And would probably ask the postal code and when you do
15:38
postal code and when you do that it’s going to prompt uh
15:40
that it’s going to prompt uh the confirmation of the city if
15:42
the confirmation of the city if it’s in question and now you’ll
15:45
it’s in question and now you’ll notice the service address
15:46
notice the service address automatically populates in the
15:47
automatically populates in the billing address or minimizing
15:48
billing address or minimizing any data entry um if we need to
15:50
any data entry um if we need to override the billing address
15:52
override the billing address later we can next thing is I’m
15:54
later we can next thing is I’m going in and I’m getting their
15:55
going in and I’m getting their email very important,
15:57
email very important, especially with uh automations,
15:59
especially with uh automations, email marketing.
16:03
And then we’re gonna get their
16:06
And then we’re gonna get their cellphone. We want their cell
16:07
cellphone. We want their cell phone and the reason why we
16:08
phone and the reason why we want their cellphone is we can
16:11
want their cellphone is we can automate text messaging The
16:13
automate text messaging The follow up uh an estimate and if
16:14
follow up uh an estimate and if they become a client, we can
16:15
they become a client, we can use a system called be there be
16:16
use a system called be there be there to automate. Hey, we’re
16:18
there to automate. Hey, we’re on our way to the job and hey
16:19
on our way to the job and hey we finish the job all
16:20
we finish the job all completely automate the next
16:21
completely automate the next thing I’m gonna recommend is
16:22
thing I’m gonna recommend is going on in the details and
16:24
going on in the details and selecting account type,
16:25
selecting account type, commercial and residential.
16:26
commercial and residential. This is really important for
16:27
This is really important for automations and reporting. and
16:30
automations and reporting. and then the last thing is sales
16:31
then the last thing is sales source. We talked about that we
16:33
source. We talked about that we wanna have our lead sources set
16:34
wanna have our lead sources set up and we came. In a nine
16:38
up and we came. In a nine round, direct mailing so we’re
16:40
round, direct mailing so we’re gonna hit save there now this
16:40
gonna hit save there now this lead is created um it’s gonna
16:42
lead is created um it’s gonna do Duke. This is a test address
16:44
do Duke. This is a test address that we use all the time so it
16:46
that we use all the time so it checks it and say, hey, wait a
16:47
checks it and say, hey, wait a minute. There’s something that
16:48
minute. There’s something that looks like this in the system
16:49
looks like this in the system is it okay or do we wanna go
16:52
is it okay or do we wanna go with this one That’s in the
16:53
with this one That’s in the system. So now we’ve created a
16:55
system. So now we’ve created a lead and there’s a visual clues
16:56
lead and there’s a visual clues here that we also go into this
16:58
here that we also go into this ultimate blueprint um but the
17:00
ultimate blueprint um but the long gray bar across the
17:01
long gray bar across the screen. It’s gonna signify.
17:02
screen. It’s gonna signify. That’s a lead when they become
17:03
That’s a lead when they become a client and we talked about
17:04
a client and we talked about converting a lead to a. From
17:07
converting a lead to a. From database hygiene and lead
17:08
database hygiene and lead source tracking conversion um
17:10
source tracking conversion um it’s three distinct columns. So
17:11
it’s three distinct columns. So there’s a visual clues here for
17:12
there’s a visual clues here for your team as well. The idea is
17:14
your team as well. The idea is you really wanna go to the more
17:15
you really wanna go to the more tab and go to property
17:16
tab and go to property measurements. We’re gonna
17:18
measurements. We’re gonna measure this online now. I’m
17:20
measure this online now. I’m gonna show you the process that
17:21
gonna show you the process that we can’t measure it online and
17:23
we can’t measure it online and then I’m gonna walk you through
17:23
then I’m gonna walk you through the process. You can see what
17:25
the process. You can see what the ultimate blueprint two
17:27
the ultimate blueprint two service autopilot it actually
17:28
service autopilot it actually looks like in a service
17:30
looks like in a service business set up um once we
17:31
business set up um once we click over the satellite view,
17:33
click over the satellite view, we’re gonna dial in here now
17:34
we’re gonna dial in here now whether you. Two version three
17:37
whether you. Two version three uh the same functionality here
17:39
uh the same functionality here just may look a little bit
17:39
just may look a little bit different, but we’re gonna plug
17:41
different, but we’re gonna plug this in and measure the area
17:46
this in and measure the area here.
17:50
The house.
17:56
And we’re gonna grab the turf
17:58
And we’re gonna grab the turf square footage and I’m gonna
18:00
square footage and I’m gonna show you how we can adjust the
18:03
show you how we can adjust the edit area here to uh once we
18:05
edit area here to uh once we get it so I did I forgot to
18:07
get it so I did I forgot to drop this button over here I
18:08
drop this button over here I can edit on the fly, but the
18:10
can edit on the fly, but the ideas you wanna label this up
18:11
ideas you wanna label this up on the left here of square
18:13
on the left here of square footage and I would recommend
18:16
footage and I would recommend coloring it just so now every
18:17
coloring it just so now every time we pull this up if I hit
18:20
time we pull this up if I hit save this will be automatically
18:21
save this will be automatically saved so I can see the area
18:23
saved so I can see the area I’ve actually estimated and
18:24
I’ve actually estimated and then the next thing I. Do is go
18:27
then the next thing I. Do is go in and I’m gonna subtract the
18:30
in and I’m gonna subtract the area of fictitious of a pool.
18:31
area of fictitious of a pool. just so you can kinda see what
18:33
just so you can kinda see what goes on here so I can go in and
18:35
goes on here so I can go in and add or subtract or leave a no
18:38
add or subtract or leave a no value. So I’m just gonna put
18:39
value. So I’m just gonna put this in as our pool and grab
18:43
this in as our pool and grab our blue here and drop that in
18:44
our blue here and drop that in so now I’ve got this area here.
18:47
so now I’ve got this area here. I’m gonna hit this plus and
18:47
I’m gonna hit this plus and make it a negative and you
18:49
make it a negative and you could see it takes that from
18:51
could see it takes that from the 8000 square feet and it
18:51
the 8000 square feet and it gives me about 7400 so I’m
18:54
gives me about 7400 so I’m gonna go down. And select my
18:57
gonna go down. And select my custom feel now you’d never
18:58
custom feel now you’d never have this many custom fields
19:00
have this many custom fields here um, but this is obviously
19:01
here um, but this is obviously a test account so I grabbed my
19:04
a test account so I grabbed my turf square footage and hit
19:06
turf square footage and hit save and now I’ve saved that
19:08
save and now I’ve saved that job variable or the custom
19:09
job variable or the custom field that we talked about in
19:11
field that we talked about in the workflow blueprint now.
19:14
the workflow blueprint now. People are gonna say well,
19:16
People are gonna say well, Mike, what happens if I can’t
19:18
Mike, what happens if I can’t measure it online or I really
19:20
measure it online or I really wanna do an onsite as so the
19:22
wanna do an onsite as so the thing is you’re gonna go for
19:23
thing is you’re gonna go for your a for auto assist in your
19:25
your a for auto assist in your laptop in the truck or car that
19:26
laptop in the truck or car that you’re doing an estimates in or
19:28
you’re doing an estimates in or in your mobile phone in the
19:30
in your mobile phone in the service, Autopilot app you can
19:31
service, Autopilot app you can pull this up in this will pull
19:34
pull this up in this will pull up um disability so I’m gonna
19:36
up um disability so I’m gonna go to my on site as form and
19:38
go to my on site as form and this is this is something that
19:40
this is this is something that simple growth built proprietary
19:42
simple growth built proprietary to our workflow that we teach
19:43
to our workflow that we teach people because we needed a way
19:46
people because we needed a way to not teach the features and
19:47
to not teach the features and functions of the software, but
19:48
functions of the software, but we wanted to teach a workflow.
19:50
we wanted to teach a workflow. You delegate that or use it
19:53
You delegate that or use it yourself to streamline the
19:54
yourself to streamline the process, so we couldn’t measure
19:55
process, so we couldn’t measure the square footage. We have an
19:57
the square footage. We have an area here, Linear link the
19:58
area here, Linear link the landscape, bed and bed square
20:00
landscape, bed and bed square footage. I’m just gonna jump on
20:01
footage. I’m just gonna jump on and say okay. Maybe I wanna do
20:02
and say okay. Maybe I wanna do a mulch job and I can’t measure
20:04
a mulch job and I can’t measure that online. So I’m gonna say
20:05
that online. So I’m gonna say it’s a two-inch job and I’ve
20:06
it’s a two-inch job and I’ve got a thousand square foot bed
20:08
got a thousand square foot bed now if I put a 1001 inch and
20:10
now if I put a 1001 inch and the three inch, it will
20:10
the three inch, it will calculate the price based on
20:12
calculate the price based on that debt. So we’ve customized
20:14
that debt. So we’ve customized our estimating based on the
20:17
our estimating based on the particular outcomes. So the
20:18
particular outcomes. So the idea is you walk around you
20:19
idea is you walk around you measure it. Or do it here and
20:21
measure it. Or do it here and you put the variable in it’s
20:23
you put the variable in it’s calculated price budgeted time
20:25
calculated price budgeted time and a uh a profit basically or
20:28
and a uh a profit basically or cost before profit materials
20:30
cost before profit materials and labor So I’m gonna go in
20:32
and labor So I’m gonna go in and shrub pruning I go into my
20:33
and shrub pruning I go into my large medium and small shrubs
20:34
large medium and small shrubs and my large shrubs. I’m gonna
20:37
and my large shrubs. I’m gonna ft to say there’s ten of those
20:39
ft to say there’s ten of those are um larger than six feet up
20:41
are um larger than six feet up to ten. my medium are um in
20:44
to ten. my medium are um in here, let’s say there’s five
20:45
here, let’s say there’s five and then my small shrubs are
20:47
and then my small shrubs are under three feet. I’m gonna say
20:48
under three feet. I’m gonna say there’s fifteen of those. I got
20:51
there’s fifteen of those. I got heads with or without a ladder,
20:51
heads with or without a ladder, so I’m gonna say without or
20:54
so I’m gonna say without or with a ladder. I’m gonna say
20:55
with a ladder. I’m gonna say there’s two sections that ten
20:57
there’s two sections that ten feet each to twenty linear feet
20:59
feet each to twenty linear feet of hydro both sides and An area
21:03
of hydro both sides and An area where I can put property
21:04
where I can put property specific note. I’m gonna say
21:05
specific note. I’m gonna say it’s not. include. Pedro and
21:12
it’s not. include. Pedro and West lot line so the reason why
21:15
West lot line so the reason why we have this here is a lot of
21:17
we have this here is a lot of times at least myself. I’m
21:18
times at least myself. I’m walking around the property and
21:19
walking around the property and I’m making a mental note or I’m
21:22
I’m making a mental note or I’m trying to scribble down on a
21:23
trying to scribble down on a piece of paper and by the time
21:24
piece of paper and by the time I get to the I forgot to add
21:26
I get to the I forgot to add those notes and now you can add
21:27
those notes and now you can add them directly from your mobile
21:27
them directly from your mobile and then you’re gonna
21:28
and then you’re gonna incorporate from the mobile
21:30
incorporate from the mobile right to the estimates you
21:31
right to the estimates you never forget to have specific
21:32
never forget to have specific notes based on that shrub
21:34
notes based on that shrub trimming job. now if you do it,
21:37
trimming job. now if you do it, snow removal we can go in and
21:38
snow removal we can go in and put parking lot or driveway
21:39
put parking lot or driveway square footage. I’m gonna put a
21:40
square footage. I’m gonna put a 1200 square feet for that there
21:41
1200 square feet for that there and I’ve also got the notes
21:43
and I’ve also got the notes here. I’m gonna say uh.
21:48
Include. Turn around and
21:54
Include. Turn around and driveway, so if I was doing an
21:56
driveway, so if I was doing an accident now or in the future
21:57
accident now or in the future that would apply to the
21:59
that would apply to the estimate for snow removal. the
22:01
estimate for snow removal. the idea is we hit submit here now,
22:02
idea is we hit submit here now, so we measured it online. We’ve
22:03
so we measured it online. We’ve done an on-site estimate form
22:05
done an on-site estimate form through our mobile or walking
22:06
through our mobile or walking around with a laptop and we’d
22:09
around with a laptop and we’d scroll back up and now we’ve
22:10
scroll back up and now we’ve have the ability to just
22:13
have the ability to just literally click and go for
22:14
literally click and go for this. This is really
22:15
this. This is really instrumental uh this is how I
22:18
instrumental uh this is how I took myself to 35 to forty
22:20
took myself to 35 to forty estimates a day in the spring
22:21
estimates a day in the spring season to delegate those and
22:22
season to delegate those and have pretty much the almost
22:24
have pretty much the almost identical. Results cuz we’ve
22:26
identical. Results cuz we’ve created a process and system
22:27
created a process and system around there now you notice the
22:29
around there now you notice the online onsite form here um that
22:31
online onsite form here um that is an audit trail. so it’s
22:32
is an audit trail. so it’s always there to refer back to
22:34
always there to refer back to what was put in and now we’re
22:35
what was put in and now we’re simply go to templates and when
22:37
simply go to templates and when we click templates, that’s
22:38
we click templates, that’s gonna load the document the
22:40
gonna load the document the grids the matrices for
22:42
grids the matrices for everything we want in there
22:42
everything we want in there once we don’t have to click
22:44
once we don’t have to click around and select multiple
22:45
around and select multiple things we’ve connected them. so
22:46
things we’ve connected them. so we’re gonna go in and grab a
22:50
we’re gonna go in and grab a lead template. I recommend
22:51
lead template. I recommend making a leading client
22:52
making a leading client template reason being is if you
22:53
template reason being is if you have a lead that’s. That’s a
22:56
have a lead that’s. That’s a significantly different
22:57
significantly different conversation than a client that
22:59
conversation than a client that you’ve worked for so as we’re
23:00
you’ve worked for so as we’re going in here in the test
23:03
going in here in the test account. um I may have clicked
23:04
account. um I may have clicked the wrong custom field, but
23:05
the wrong custom field, but obviously to set this up in
23:07
obviously to set this up in your instance, you don’t only
23:09
your instance, you don’t only have one-third custom field and
23:10
have one-third custom field and we’ve got about forty-five or
23:11
we’ve got about forty-five or fifty here, but that 7400
23:13
fifty here, but that 7400 square feet would automatically
23:15
square feet would automatically load in from the map and
23:16
load in from the map and fictitious I’ve got a price of
23:18
fictitious I’ve got a price of thirty Bucks .4 hours to do it
23:20
thirty Bucks .4 hours to do it and it cost of $14.76 before
23:24
and it cost of $14.76 before profit labor materials full
23:24
profit labor materials full overhead. now what I’ve done
23:25
overhead. now what I’ve done is. Residential postal codes or
23:30
is. Residential postal codes or towns that we’re working on so
23:31
towns that we’re working on so I put the number one next to
23:31
I put the number one next to this town. It’s gonna
23:32
this town. It’s gonna automatically calculate a price
23:34
automatically calculate a price based on .169 hours and a cost
23:36
based on .169 hours and a cost of $5.91. So what I’ve done now
23:39
of $5.91. So what I’ve done now is given service autopilot the
23:40
is given service autopilot the ability to figure my onsite
23:43
ability to figure my onsite price budget and time and cost
23:45
price budget and time and cost for profit and then a quote
23:46
for profit and then a quote unquote non billable
23:48
unquote non billable mobilization price time and
23:50
mobilization price time and cost all the consumers are
23:50
cost all the consumers are gonna see is this thirty 809
23:52
gonna see is this thirty 809 for mowing but now that’s my
23:53
for mowing but now that’s my imaginary checklist of
23:55
imaginary checklist of estimating behind the scenes.
23:57
estimating behind the scenes. Uh when you use the automated
23:58
Uh when you use the automated or basically the fully set up
24:00
or basically the fully set up blueprint from simple growth,
24:01
blueprint from simple growth, these are the things that you
24:03
these are the things that you can happen in your business.
24:05
can happen in your business. Now, let’s go in here and I’m
24:07
Now, let’s go in here and I’m gonna put that 7400 in there
24:08
gonna put that 7400 in there and this would automatically
24:10
and this would automatically calculate but I in the haze of
24:12
calculate but I in the haze of all the different accounts
24:13
all the different accounts here. I didn’t select the right
24:15
here. I didn’t select the right custom field like I said. you
24:16
custom field like I said. you would only have one in a normal
24:17
would only have one in a normal account, but what happens is it
24:18
account, but what happens is it takes that 7400 square feet?
24:20
takes that 7400 square feet? It’s calculating a price for
24:22
It’s calculating a price for application a time and a cost
24:24
application a time and a cost of labor overhead and materials
24:26
of labor overhead and materials for your fertilizing and all we
24:28
for your fertilizing and all we have to do is go to draft a
24:29
have to do is go to draft a quote and we’re able to do.
24:31
quote and we’re able to do. You’ll notice our Grub control
24:33
You’ll notice our Grub control is significantly more expensive
24:34
is significantly more expensive than our normal around here, so
24:36
than our normal around here, so if you have different products
24:37
if you have different products or production rates, you need
24:38
or production rates, you need to charge more or less for each
24:39
to charge more or less for each round, you can do that as well
24:41
round, you can do that as well and then you’ll see down here
24:43
and then you’ll see down here uh when the system is fully set
24:44
uh when the system is fully set up, you would default this to
24:47
up, you would default this to whatever you want I would
24:48
whatever you want I would recommend package item total
24:49
recommend package item total only so once you have this set
24:51
only so once you have this set up under estimate setting you
24:52
up under estimate setting you would have this automatically
24:54
would have this automatically set so you would never have to
24:55
set so you would never have to click this so I’m gonna go in
24:57
click this so I’m gonna go in and quote our mowing and our
24:59
and quote our mowing and our fertilization. Go down to the
25:01
fertilization. Go down to the shrub pruning here as well, so
25:03
shrub pruning here as well, so you’ll see obviously using that
25:04
you’ll see obviously using that on that’s from the number of
25:06
on that’s from the number of shrubs pumped in there
25:08
shrubs pumped in there automatically just like the
25:09
automatically just like the square footage did and uh turf
25:12
square footage did and uh turf and I’ve got a price for each
25:13
and I’ve got a price for each size uh a bush and a budget at
25:16
size uh a bush and a budget at times. so that’s a $286
25:20
times. so that’s a $286 pruning. now I can go in and
25:20
pruning. now I can go in and add my dump fee, which is
25:22
add my dump fee, which is already here. So if there’s
25:24
already here. So if there’s certain things you wanna have
25:24
certain things you wanna have default and I’ve got a dump for
25:26
default and I’ve got a dump for you with budgeted time and
25:27
you with budgeted time and you’re gonna go back in and add
25:28
you’re gonna go back in and add the number one next to that
25:30
the number one next to that post that could again for drive
25:31
post that could again for drive time, but you know instead of
25:32
time, but you know instead of eight. It’s $140 mobilization
25:35
eight. It’s $140 mobilization round trip because I can’t do
25:37
round trip because I can’t do as many pruning jobs and days I
25:38
as many pruning jobs and days I can and mowing so I’ve got to
25:40
can and mowing so I’ve got to spread that non billable time
25:42
spread that non billable time across fewer jobs. It’s 140
25:44
across fewer jobs. It’s 140 bucks. so I’m gonna hit quote
25:46
bucks. so I’m gonna hit quote here and what we’re gonna see
25:47
here and what we’re gonna see here is that this pruning job
25:50
here is that this pruning job the customer is only gonna see
25:52
the customer is only gonna see $426. They don’t know we’ve
25:53
$426. They don’t know we’ve counted the number of shrubs
25:54
counted the number of shrubs they don’t know we’ve charged
25:55
they don’t know we’ve charged for disposal or drive time. but
25:58
for disposal or drive time. but now we know it’s 426 Bucks.
26:00
now we know it’s 426 Bucks. It’s 6 hours for one person to
26:02
It’s 6 hours for one person to get it done and it’s costing me
26:03
get it done and it’s costing me before profit fictitious in
26:05
before profit fictitious in this example, $212 and we’ve
26:07
this example, $212 and we’ve got a systematic way. Through
26:10
got a systematic way. Through and build this out now
26:11
and build this out now remember, I also said we forget
26:14
remember, I also said we forget to put in the notes of hey it
26:15
to put in the notes of hey it doesn’t include the head on the
26:17
doesn’t include the head on the West line. We’ve included that
26:19
West line. We’ve included that linked it in here automatically
26:20
linked it in here automatically you’ll see that on the quote
26:22
you’ll see that on the quote minute. so all you need to do
26:22
minute. so all you need to do is go out now and hit save and
26:24
is go out now and hit save and it’s going to save this in the
26:26
it’s going to save this in the system and it’s gonna pull up
26:28
system and it’s gonna pull up an automated email that links
26:30
an automated email that links everything together for you.
26:30
everything together for you. This is not part of automation.
26:32
This is not part of automation. This is the Standard system of
26:34
This is the Standard system of service Autopilot if you set it
26:35
service Autopilot if you set it up 100% for what we’re showing
26:36
up 100% for what we’re showing you here uh from simple. As a
26:39
you here uh from simple. As a certified adviser, so if you
26:40
certified adviser, so if you need some help once again,
26:42
need some help once again, there is a link here in the
26:44
there is a link here in the comments to click and get a
26:46
comments to click and get a free 30 minute audit uh whether
26:47
free 30 minute audit uh whether you’re in service Autopilot or
26:49
you’re in service Autopilot or another platform uh we also do
26:50
another platform uh we also do audits for other softwares as
26:53
audits for other softwares as well to see where you’re
26:54
well to see where you’re missing some gaps. But the idea
26:54
missing some gaps. But the idea is we got a free template.
26:56
is we got a free template. Email some clickable buttons if
26:58
Email some clickable buttons if they’re mobile to call or text
26:58
they’re mobile to call or text our office. we’ve got our lead
27:00
our office. we’ve got our lead letter. This is the five or six
27:02
letter. This is the five or six main reasons why a business is
27:03
main reasons why a business is different and why they wanna
27:05
different and why they wanna work with us. besides our
27:06
work with us. besides our competitors and yes some
27:07
competitors and yes some testimonial. Social proof so
27:09
testimonial. Social proof so we’re gonna go in and hit send
27:10
we’re gonna go in and hit send and I’m gonna hop on my screen
27:13
and I’m gonna hop on my screen here and I’ll pull up my email
27:14
here and I’ll pull up my email and show you what the consumers
27:16
and show you what the consumers actually gonna get in their
27:18
actually gonna get in their email, but this is you know,
27:19
email, but this is you know, basically the the ideal set up
27:21
basically the the ideal set up for service Autopilot and one
27:23
for service Autopilot and one it’s 100% set up. This is what
27:25
it’s 100% set up. This is what you’re getting out of the
27:26
you’re getting out of the system. A predictable system
27:27
system. A predictable system can be delegated to an office
27:29
can be delegated to an office person, a virtual assistant
27:30
person, a virtual assistant halfway across the world, or if
27:31
halfway across the world, or if you’re using it yourself you’re
27:33
you’re using it yourself you’re buying hours and hours a week
27:34
buying hours and hours a week back with predictable systems
27:36
back with predictable systems and processes. So what we’ve
27:37
and processes. So what we’ve got here now is I’m pulling it
27:40
got here now is I’m pulling it over. We’ve got the. Email So
27:42
over. We’ve got the. Email So right now, if you’re looking at
27:43
right now, if you’re looking at this, I am your potential new
27:45
this, I am your potential new consumers. I’m going in as a
27:46
consumers. I’m going in as a consumer saying, alright
27:47
consumer saying, alright perfect. let’s check this out.
27:48
perfect. let’s check this out. let’s click the view my
27:49
let’s click the view my proposal. And when this is here
27:54
proposal. And when this is here it loads in and uh obviously it
27:56
it loads in and uh obviously it doesn’t have to look like this,
27:58
doesn’t have to look like this, but we’ve got an estimate.
27:59
but we’ve got an estimate. We’ve got billing information
28:00
We’ve got billing information step one select the services
28:02
step one select the services step to accept and sign the
28:04
step to accept and sign the screen so as a proof of
28:05
screen so as a proof of concept, I don’t recommend this
28:07
concept, I don’t recommend this for lawn mowing or any other
28:08
for lawn mowing or any other service to have this much
28:09
service to have this much detail on the service item, but
28:11
detail on the service item, but you can have as much as a
28:12
you can have as much as a little detail as you want, I’d
28:14
little detail as you want, I’d recommend having just some
28:15
recommend having just some service details in the mowing
28:16
service details in the mowing in terms in the extra stuff
28:17
in terms in the extra stuff down below this in the
28:19
down below this in the contractual area. I’ve got my
28:20
contractual area. I’ve got my lawn mower for. Cut so I’m
28:22
lawn mower for. Cut so I’m gonna click and accept it fully
28:25
gonna click and accept it fully set up. I highly recommend
28:26
set up. I highly recommend creating a video in embedded on
28:29
creating a video in embedded on the service line and then some
28:29
the service line and then some other ones down below and I’m
28:31
other ones down below and I’m gonna get into that. Second.
28:32
gonna get into that. Second. This is your road map for
28:33
This is your road map for success of SA this video
28:37
success of SA this video actually plays live inside the
28:38
actually plays live inside the estimate so you can create your
28:41
estimate so you can create your virtual 24/7 sales person. We
28:42
virtual 24/7 sales person. We wanna address what’s included
28:43
wanna address what’s included in the service. What’s not
28:45
in the service. What’s not included in overcoming sales or
28:46
included in overcoming sales or price objections, so we’re
28:47
price objections, so we’re creating a higher perceived
28:48
creating a higher perceived value, so you can charge a
28:49
value, so you can charge a higher price and we’re
28:50
higher price and we’re shortening. Cycle by addressing
28:53
shortening. Cycle by addressing things like do I need to be
28:54
things like do I need to be home to have the service done
28:55
home to have the service done is a certain insurance I should
28:57
is a certain insurance I should be requiring this is a way to
28:59
be requiring this is a way to automate the sales process and
29:01
automate the sales process and not have it revolve around the
29:02
not have it revolve around the business owner to close sales.
29:03
business owner to close sales. We’ve got our fertilization. A
29:07
We’ve got our fertilization. A lot of states require all the
29:08
lot of states require all the EPA information, so I’ve got
29:09
EPA information, so I’ve got each application with all the
29:11
each application with all the information and time and the
29:13
information and time and the price I can go in now and
29:15
price I can go in now and select the five-step
29:17
select the five-step fertilization and now the last
29:19
fertilization and now the last thing is shrub pruning. special
29:20
thing is shrub pruning. special job notes. Merges right into
29:23
job notes. Merges right into the as it does not include the
29:25
the as it does not include the head on the West line. We
29:25
head on the West line. We didn’t forget it. We put it in
29:27
didn’t forget it. We put it in our mobile On-Site form. it was
29:29
our mobile On-Site form. it was predictable now the consumer
29:31
predictable now the consumer gets all the information they
29:32
gets all the information they need here. What’s included, but
29:35
need here. What’s included, but we’ve been able to break down
29:36
we’ve been able to break down the production based on small
29:38
the production based on small medium and large shrubs hedges
29:40
medium and large shrubs hedges with or without a ladder and
29:41
with or without a ladder and disposal and drive time. we’ve
29:44
disposal and drive time. we’ve created a glorified invisible
29:46
created a glorified invisible estimating checklist behind the
29:47
estimating checklist behind the scenes and now we make sure we
29:49
scenes and now we make sure we have profitable predictable
29:51
have profitable predictable estimates each and every time
29:52
estimates each and every time we’ve got invoice. General
29:55
we’ve got invoice. General contractor terms more clickable
29:56
contractor terms more clickable buttons if they’re on mobile
29:58
buttons if they’re on mobile and I included nine more videos
29:59
and I included nine more videos of our core services where we
30:01
of our core services where we educated what was included.
30:02
educated what was included. What wasn’t included. So it’s a
30:04
What wasn’t included. So it’s a soft education with possibly an
30:06
soft education with possibly an up sell on it, then the most
30:08
up sell on it, then the most important part if you need a
30:11
important part if you need a signature which I recommend,
30:12
signature which I recommend, click here to sign they can
30:13
click here to sign they can sign electronically with their
30:15
sign electronically with their mouse They print their name and
30:19
mouse They print their name and accept and before I hit that
30:20
accept and before I hit that accept if you need to provide
30:22
accept if you need to provide MSD labels or anything else for
30:23
MSD labels or anything else for chemicals for chemical
30:24
chemicals for chemical tracking. Information can be
30:26
tracking. Information can be built right into the system
30:28
built right into the system Service Autopilot, so it’s a
30:29
Service Autopilot, so it’s a one stop shop uh especially if
30:31
one stop shop uh especially if you’re a state like New York
30:32
you’re a state like New York that requires a signature
30:33
that requires a signature electronic or physical. This is
30:36
electronic or physical. This is actually gonna cover you for
30:37
actually gonna cover you for New York State DEC law amongst
30:39
New York State DEC law amongst other states as well, obviously
30:40
other states as well, obviously always check with your state,
30:42
always check with your state, but this is a process that’s
30:43
but this is a process that’s gonna do that. so what I’m
30:45
gonna do that. so what I’m gonna do now in a minute is
30:46
gonna do now in a minute is jump back in the service,
30:47
jump back in the service, Autopilot and show you what a
30:50
Autopilot and show you what a um electronic signature looks
30:52
um electronic signature looks like and the stamp in IP
30:54
like and the stamp in IP address. So I’m back in here,
30:57
address. So I’m back in here, I’m gonna close out of this
30:58
I’m gonna close out of this assessment and lo and behold
31:00
assessment and lo and behold the estimate is already marked
31:01
the estimate is already marked to one. So I’m gonna click into
31:03
to one. So I’m gonna click into this and when you have the
31:04
this and when you have the fully set up service Autopilot
31:06
fully set up service Autopilot based on the simple blueprint,
31:08
based on the simple blueprint, you’re gonna have that
31:08
you’re gonna have that signature information all up
31:10
signature information all up here time and date stamped to
31:11
here time and date stamped to the IP address and under
31:14
the IP address and under attachments. we’re gonna be
31:15
attachments. we’re gonna be able to go in and click the
31:16
able to go in and click the attachment and get a printable
31:18
attachment and get a printable PDF with the electronic
31:21
PDF with the electronic signature um and I will tell
31:22
signature um and I will tell you as far as like pesticide
31:24
you as far as like pesticide laws. Check with your state,
31:26
laws. Check with your state, but this works we’ve been
31:26
but this works we’ve been audited with it or if you’re
31:29
audited with it or if you’re going to collections between
31:30
going to collections between the time and date stamp IP
31:31
the time and date stamp IP address in the electronic
31:33
address in the electronic signature on your contract, it
31:34
signature on your contract, it is a slam dunk and if you can
31:36
is a slam dunk and if you can see it here and I bumped this
31:38
see it here and I bumped this right out, you can see my
31:41
right out, you can see my electronic signature here so.
31:42
electronic signature here so. so if. This is something of
31:45
so if. This is something of interest whether you’re using
31:47
interest whether you’re using service Autopilot or another
31:49
service Autopilot or another platform um feel free to click
31:51
platform um feel free to click the link here for the SA audit
31:53
the link here for the SA audit or basically the CRM audit. but
31:55
or basically the CRM audit. but what we’re gonna do is take you
31:57
what we’re gonna do is take you through this fully set up um
32:01
through this fully set up um process and make sure that
32:03
process and make sure that you’re not missing any of the
32:05
you’re not missing any of the dots a lot of times when people
32:05
dots a lot of times when people come in to set service
32:07
come in to set service autopilot or any other
32:08
autopilot or any other software. A lot of the dots are
32:09
software. A lot of the dots are there, but they’re not
32:10
there, but they’re not connected in a streamlined
32:12
connected in a streamlined workflow so to set this up,
32:15
workflow so to set this up, there’s probably. Thirty place
32:17
there’s probably. Thirty place you need to touch in the
32:17
you need to touch in the system, but once it’s set up,
32:20
system, but once it’s set up, we’re working on five to six
32:21
we’re working on five to six screens of Sachs with basically
32:24
screens of Sachs with basically streamlined predictability and
32:26
streamlined predictability and success for your service
32:28
success for your service business. This can be done for
32:29
business. This can be done for lawn care pest control home
32:32
lawn care pest control home cleaning a home cleaning a lot
32:33
cleaning a home cleaning a lot of times uh the question is and
32:34
of times uh the question is and even in lawn care. uh maybe you
32:36
even in lawn care. uh maybe you don’t wanna give an exact price
32:37
don’t wanna give an exact price we figured out based on this
32:38
we figured out based on this process to how to do a high low
32:41
process to how to do a high low price range so spring and fall
32:42
price range so spring and fall cleanups are ideal. Maybe you
32:43
cleanups are ideal. Maybe you don’t wanna do a set price, but
32:45
don’t wanna do a set price, but you can set a minimum with a
32:46
you can set a minimum with a maximum and the customer and
32:47
maximum and the customer and you are. On both ends and uh
32:51
you are. On both ends and uh we’ve done this through paving
32:53
we’ve done this through paving driveway seal uh hardscape
32:55
driveway seal uh hardscape design build This is the
32:56
design build This is the foundational set of service
32:57
foundational set of service Autopilot for success with some
32:59
Autopilot for success with some minor tweaks based on your
33:01
minor tweaks based on your industries. So if you’re
33:01
industries. So if you’re interested to see if you’re
33:03
interested to see if you’re using all the parts of success
33:04
using all the parts of success in service, autopilot or any
33:05
in service, autopilot or any other CRM, click the link below
33:07
other CRM, click the link below for your free essay audit.

Why You Should Dig Into Your Numbers Weekly & What Can Happen If You Don’t

Video Transcript

00:01
hey mike kelly here i want to make a
00:02
quick video about
00:03
digging into your numbers weekly in your
00:05
business uh today’s sunday when i’m
00:06
actually making this business and
00:08
it doesn’t matter the day that you
00:09
actually go in and set aside to dig in
00:12
your numbers but i preferably
00:13
like sundays i try to get up before
00:15
everybody in the house
00:16
and literally dig into the numbers of
00:19
the previous week
00:20
um i ideally like sundays is because it
00:23
gives you a really
00:24
good look at what happened the week
00:26
before and it allows you to set some
00:28
goals for the week that you’re getting
00:29
into
00:30
a quick early sunday or late sunday
00:32
rhythm
00:33
i really really like that and the idea
00:35
is that it’s going to create a sense of
00:37
urgency to see if you’re on track
00:39
budget versus actual where your expense
00:41
is higher or lower
00:43
and where were you going but literally
00:45
diving in
00:46
to those numbers on a weekly basis
00:48
preferably on a sunday morning or sunday
00:50
night before you start it’s going to
00:51
give you a clear picture where
00:52
you were last week and where you want to
00:55
go
00:56
next week so highly recommend diving
00:59
into your numbers
01:01
uh if you don’t have your budget in
01:02
quickbooks i really recommend
01:04
doing so but running a quick accurate
01:07
basis
01:08
um actual verse budget for the month and
01:10
year to date taking a look at that
01:12
so it’s the first thing i’m looking at
01:14
the next thing i’m looking at is our
01:15
actual verse budgeted
01:17
man hours in the field so what do we got
01:20
going far is
01:21
where we at budget below or over for
01:23
each crew each division so i have a good
01:25
look at where we’re at
01:26
uh for last week and going into this
01:29
week
01:30
have we already dispatched those jobs in
01:32
our crm
01:33
and um basically seeing
01:36
are we setting ourselves up for success
01:38
going into next year or next week
01:41
and then the final thing is um
01:44
just going into taking a look at our
01:45
labor and how are we situated for
01:48
uh the rest of the season so you want to
01:50
be going in and
01:52
looking at budget versus actual in your
01:55
quickbooks budget the next one is
01:58
um how do we look for budget versus
02:00
actual
02:01
for labor and really the third one tied
02:04
into that is have we set ourselves up
02:05
success for scheduling
02:07
um for the amount of hours or revenue we
02:09
should be building out each day
02:11
in each week so comments questions drop
02:13
below callahan’s corner you drop
02:15
the questions and we answer them live
02:16
right here on facebook digging into
02:18
financial numbers today
02:20
and a possibly weekly rhythm on either
02:22
sunday morning or sunday
02:23
evenings we’ll see you soon

SA Weekly Talk Show: Fully Automating Your Business

Video Transcript

00:00
you’re listening to the simple growth
00:02
podcast
00:03
the show that helps business owners get
00:05
their life back
00:06
here’s your host mike callahan welcome
00:09
back to the sa weekly talk show mike
00:11
kelly i’m here with cody owen
00:12
my co-host i’ve got a huge lineup coming
00:15
next week
00:16
carla from the landscaping accountant is
00:18
going to be joining cody and i
00:20
talking about all things landscape and
00:23
accounting but this week
00:25
kind of backed by popular demand a lot
00:26
of people were asking
00:28
over the last several months mike would
00:30
you mind going in and breaking down
00:33
how you automated your service business
00:35
um and kind of the story behind that
00:37
and if i’m going to look at a business
00:40
fully automated on service autopilot
00:42
what are
00:43
the things i should be looking at to
00:45
doing that so whether you go out and
00:47
utilize a certified advisor you’re
00:49
building them yourself
00:50
or working with all the experts over at
00:52
the automation pro plus launch team
00:54
over at service autopilot which is also
00:56
a great resource
00:57
as you’re going in and kind of
00:58
conceptualizing what does a
01:01
service business look like fully
01:02
automated i’m going to kind of break it
01:04
down
01:05
how we actually did it in my company
01:07
step by step and what you’re going to
01:08
find
01:09
in your business is you can’t really
01:10
automate the whole thing out the gate
01:12
there’s certain areas that you want to
01:13
look at look at and i’m going to kind of
01:15
expose some of the biggest pain points
01:17
in my business as we started the scale
01:19
um and there’s basically as we find
01:21
traditionally in most service businesses
01:23
there’s really
01:24
three main hurdles or blocks in your
01:27
business
01:28
of growth to that million mark and well
01:30
beyond and if you’ve been lucky enough
01:31
to
01:32
kind of blow past some of these hurdles
01:34
or just kind of as we say grind through
01:36
them
01:36
um if you can automate these areas in
01:39
your business
01:40
it’ll start pulling that time back and
01:42
allow you to as michael gerber says work
01:44
on the business and not in it or
01:45
um if you’ve got a long-lost family and
01:47
friends you haven’t talked to in the
01:48
last five years because you’ve been
01:49
working 100 hours a week well
01:51
uh you may be able to make some
01:52
reacquaintance of actually seeing your
01:54
wife or husband at
01:55
dinner for once in a while and seeing
01:56
them on the weekends so i’m going to be
01:58
kind of diving into that before we jump
01:59
into it cody though um
02:02
just kind of touching base with you
02:03
what’s going on what’s new what’s good
02:05
uh since last time we talked last week
02:06
on the essay weekly talk show with uh
02:08
dylan rothenberg
02:10
um well i have disappeared into a
02:13
world of virtual reality my uh my vr
02:16
headset arrived and that’s kind of been
02:17
what i’ve been doing for fun i don’t
02:19
have anything exciting to report
02:22
all right well you know maybe the fun is
02:24
inside the goggles you never know
02:25
so i was they’re pretty cool we’ll have
02:27
to give a little show and tell later in
02:29
the
02:29
show today but um and if you’re watching
02:31
the podcast or listen to the podcast you
02:33
may want to tune into this one live
02:35
uh so you can see this apparatus that
02:37
cody has is purchased off of amazon or
02:39
wherever he got that thing but uh
02:41
be a little little teaser for later but
02:43
very very cool uh technology investment
02:45
uh
02:46
by the young millennial here so as we
02:48
pop this out here i’m going to um
02:51
kind of flip it around here so we can
02:52
probably get the best view of
02:56
the deck here and what we’re looking at
02:59
here is
03:00
um basically uh
03:03
my my journey from beginning uh my lawn
03:06
care business approximately about 25 26
03:08
years ago
03:09
um and the story behind it so the idea
03:12
here is that
03:13
um the business that i actually started
03:16
um
03:16
if you haven’t heard the story i’m going
03:18
to give you a quick two minute rendition
03:19
but the business i started in high
03:20
school through college
03:22
um basically had revolved around me as a
03:24
single point of failure
03:25
and that business literally would have
03:27
crumbled if i left for a day or two at a
03:29
time or even a week at a time for
03:30
vacation i was constantly tied to this
03:32
business
03:32
um and that business ended up causing a
03:34
lot of pain and suffering inside my
03:37
uh personal life as i was kind of joking
03:39
about with cody here
03:41
um literally working about 100 hours a
03:43
week seven days a week
03:44
um just trying to keep this business
03:46
going because everything that had to
03:48
happen
03:49
needed me to approve it or actually do
03:51
it so
03:52
uh once we kind of hit a point where
03:54
that business actually caused a divorce
03:56
uh we went out and found automation so
03:59
uh right now we’re looking probably
04:01
closer to four to five thousand hours
04:02
that we personally have spent inside my
04:04
business and simple growth automating
04:06
uh systems and processes on service
04:09
autopilot i went out and invested well
04:11
over 150 thousand dollars finding the
04:13
experts in automation so was it text
04:16
messaging sms was it email marketing
04:19
was it upsells whatever that was we went
04:21
out and
04:23
literally i flew around the whole united
04:24
states over a five to six year span
04:26
and actually canada to understand um
04:30
how to make the best decisions in an
04:32
automation and how to build them out
04:34
as we hit each pain point also if you
04:37
haven’t seen it
04:38
author of callahan’s corner in snow
04:40
magazine and lawn and skate landscape
04:42
magazine and obviously
04:44
simple growth is a certified advisor
04:46
with
04:47
service autopilot but that’s really not
04:49
what today’s about today is really going
04:51
in and breaking down
04:53
what a fully automated business looks
04:54
like in service autopilot i’m gonna just
04:57
break down
04:57
literally um how we did it how you can
05:01
do it
05:01
um and this should hopefully clear up a
05:03
lot of the questions that have been
05:04
coming in especially with a lot of
05:06
people who
05:07
have either bought pro plus and one of
05:08
the specials and haven’t fully
05:10
implemented or
05:11
um you’ve just upgraded a pro plus or
05:12
maybe you’re a brand new service
05:13
autopilot subscriber because there has
05:15
been a massive influx
05:16
of service autopilot users that have
05:19
actually come in
05:20
so the first thing we want to look at is
05:23
traditionally your sales
05:24
process and this is a flow chart of the
05:26
sales process on a very high level i’m
05:28
going to break down
05:29
some of the tips and tricks to have this
05:31
fully implemented but
05:33
as we always kind of do at simple growth
05:35
or even in the essay weekly talk show we
05:36
really like to talk about
05:38
workflow and standardization we don’t
05:40
want to just talk about features and
05:41
functions
05:42
we want to actually connect the dots
05:44
because a lot of times in any software
05:45
especially service autopilot
05:47
you may have a lot of these dots in the
05:49
system set up but they’re really not
05:50
connected in an optimal workflow so that
05:52
leads for
05:53
inefficiencies or confusion for your
05:55
office staff or yourself so
05:57
the thing you really want to first do is
05:59
go out and create an
06:00
estimate request form and that’s going
06:03
to be under the marketing tab
06:04
in service autopilot now we’ve got two
06:06
different options we’ve got a v2 option
06:09
and we’ve got a v3 option so what i’m
06:11
going to recommend for best practice at
06:12
this point
06:13
uh v3 forms in my opinion
06:17
are show ready now when jonath
06:18
petrochnick the co-founder of service
06:20
autopilot
06:21
made a video uh several months ago he
06:23
was talking about how they’re continuing
06:25
to evolve v3
06:26
and some of the things are building on
06:27
top of each other some of the things may
06:29
not be
06:29
show ready but they’re there so they can
06:31
found out foundationally build upon
06:33
uh the next features are gonna be
06:35
released when they make the next v3
06:36
release so
06:37
um i highly recommend using the v3
06:40
uh form for your estimate request
06:42
there’s several reasons
06:44
why and it the main reason is gonna be
06:46
it’s going in to do duplicate
06:48
checking and we can have some logic
06:49
built into that uh
06:51
v3 form uh based on different
06:54
decisions and things they make in there
06:56
but uh at a bare minimum whether it’s v2
06:58
or v3 form you want that on your
07:00
on your website and what that’s going to
07:02
do is when the consumer enters their
07:04
name in
07:04
and selects what the service they’re
07:05
interested in it’s going to
07:07
automatically enter them into service
07:08
autopilot with no double entry and
07:10
that’s why i’m recommending a v3 because
07:12
it’s going to do some duplicate checking
07:13
cody
07:13
um and that’s going to make sure you
07:14
have a clean database database hygiene
07:16
is a lot of things we talk about here
07:18
in addition i’m going to recommend you
07:20
going into a bot similar to facebook
07:23
messenger
07:24
and connecting that automated estimator
07:26
bot or chat bot
07:28
on your website and your social media
07:30
platforms and what we’ve done
07:31
in my business um is created a sync with
07:34
facebook messenger and service autopilot
07:37
and we can now automatically enter those
07:39
leads and clients
07:40
through social media in your website
07:42
automatically in the service autopilot
07:44
and trigger all the things we’re going
07:45
to be talking about here
07:47
and then the other thing we did is we
07:48
created a um an office entry form so i
07:51
would call this kind of like your master
07:52
form corey
07:53
or cody and what this allows allows us
07:56
to do cody is go in and
07:59
get all the right information in there
08:00
so when somebody calls it creates a
08:02
standardized intake
08:03
um so how do they hear about us what
08:05
services they’re interested in so no
08:06
matter who is working that office phone
08:08
we’re getting the data inside the
08:09
software the same way um in the same
08:12
predictable fashion and
08:13
it’s going to start triggering these
08:15
automation so the first thing right off
08:17
the bat cody is we’re looking at
08:18
uh the website estimate request uh with
08:21
some logic built behind it entering him
08:23
in sa
08:23
hopefully tying the facebook messenger
08:25
in social to get them an assay
08:27
and a standardized phone intake form um
08:31
obviously i don’t want to go through
08:32
this whole thing and kind of preach but
08:33
any thoughts or comments before i kind
08:34
of really dive into the um
08:37
the immediateness so looking at the lead
08:40
capture section
08:41
the only thing that i don’t immediately
08:43
understand how you’re doing it
08:45
in essay is that connection between
08:49
messenger and essay because we we talk a
08:51
lot about
08:52
how service autopilot doesn’t have an
08:55
api
08:56
so it can be difficult to use other
08:59
tools with service autopilot
09:01
how are you making that connection
09:04
yeah great question so uh we’ve got a
09:07
simple growth as a certified advisor has
09:09
its own development team i mean it’s a
09:11
pretty deep bench so what we’ve done
09:12
is going in and wrote some custom code
09:16
um tying into the api
09:19
of facebook messenger and then being
09:21
able to
09:22
insert that code into service autopilot
09:24
through a couple different methodologies
09:26
that’s why we’re also recommending that
09:28
v3 form because that v3 form now
09:31
is going to do duplicate checking based
09:32
on certain criteria of basically
09:34
there’s many combinations but let’s just
09:36
say real basic first name last name and
09:38
email so if that combination comes up
09:40
wait they’re already in the system let’s
09:41
append the new information
09:43
in to the existing leader client right
09:46
um
09:46
whole different conversation about happy
09:47
willing to have that conversation as
09:49
well kind of how we built that out but
09:51
yeah
09:51
we definitely have created a one-way
09:52
sync with duplicate tracking from
09:54
messenger
09:55
um and messenger on your website into
09:58
that into that
09:59
form and then into the system so yeah
10:01
it’s been pretty good i mean we probably
10:02
got well over 100 essay users
10:04
already using that process and it’s it’s
10:06
been very popular
10:07
um so the main thing here now is what
10:09
we’ve got is we’ve got somebody coming
10:10
off your website and cup or somebody
10:12
coming from your office here
10:13
um or even from messenger but the first
10:15
thing we’re going to do is we’re going
10:15
to automatically fire off a thing called
10:17
a lead letter
10:18
the lead letter is the five or six main
10:20
reasons why your business is different
10:22
and why people want to work with you so
10:23
immediately we’re going in out and
10:25
differentiating ourselves from our
10:27
competitors
10:28
now what we can do or if you’re doing it
10:30
yourself is we can also tie into another
10:31
product that is integrated with service
10:33
autopilot called send
10:34
jim and what send jim can do is trigger
10:37
off an automated
10:39
uh hard copy mailing in the mail
10:42
with this lead letter and the envelope
10:44
can look like it’s hand addressed
10:46
so now we’re not only just sending the
10:47
lead letter automatically in email but
10:49
we’re sending something hard copy in the
10:50
mail so this would really be
10:52
something if importance of doing like a
10:54
design build per se
10:55
because it’s a higher you know 50 60 100
10:58
000 job
10:59
and you probably have to schedule one or
11:00
two on-site estimates and proposals
11:02
before you actually
11:03
get them the estimate so now they can
11:05
physically grab something
11:07
and hold it and there’s an emotional
11:08
connection when they get that lead
11:10
letter
11:10
uh in the physical mail and that
11:12
reinforces why you’re different
11:14
than your competitors so before the
11:16
estimate here
11:17
uh we want to go on to a thing called
11:19
short-term nurturing what this is all
11:21
based on is life cycle marketing so life
11:23
cycle marketing was applicable eight or
11:24
nine years ago when i started automate
11:26
my business
11:27
and now uh even eight or nine years
11:29
later it’s still very applicable
11:31
um but the idea here is we want to take
11:34
the logic from that v3
11:35
uh website form and say okay if
11:38
somebody’s interest in
11:39
weekly lawn mowing or weekly cleaning we
11:42
are going to educate them
11:43
to the specific service they’re
11:45
interested in themselves so
11:47
uh let’s just use the example of lawn
11:49
mowing so if mrs smith hit the website
11:51
she’s automatically getting that lead
11:52
letter via email
11:53
and before the estimate or in
11:54
conjunction with the estimate if you’re
11:56
closing those gateway services we talk
11:57
about over the phone
11:58
she’s going to get between one to three
12:00
emails of short-term education and it’s
12:02
literally
12:03
no sales pitch we are going to teach her
12:05
how to do that lawn mowing as a
12:06
professional
12:07
uh herself how to sharpen the blades
12:10
maybe proper mowing height proper
12:11
irrigation to go with
12:13
that service and what that’s done is
12:17
created you as the expert we’re creating
12:18
that higher perceived value so you can
12:20
charge a higher price
12:22
in addition what i really recommend is
12:24
if you’re building this yourself
12:25
go in to those short-term education
12:28
education documents
12:29
and overcome any sales or price
12:32
objections up front
12:33
so we’re going to shorten that sales
12:35
cycle traditionally in my market in
12:36
upstate new york for my lawn care
12:37
company
12:38
was do i need to be home to have the
12:40
service done and are you going to close
12:41
that fence gate behind you because a lot
12:43
of people obviously are nervous
12:44
if they get home they’re afraid the
12:46
technician didn’t close the fence gate
12:48
neither the dog
12:48
or the kids are going to be running out
12:50
of that fence gate and possibly running
12:51
into traffic so
12:52
we’re going to address the concerns
12:54
before they’re even brought up so we
12:56
shorten that site that uh
12:57
sales cycle and we create a higher
12:59
perceived value as you as the expert to
13:01
charge the most in your market
13:03
and this is right up to the point of
13:05
where we submit that estimate cody
13:06
um any thoughts or questions around that
13:08
process up to this point
13:10
no that is that’s awesome uh what you
13:13
were saying
13:14
about like life cycle marketing being
13:15
relevant eight or nine years ago
13:18
and still today those principles don’t
13:20
change the tools that we use
13:22
to exercise them will definitely
13:24
continue to change
13:25
over time but i mean eight and nine
13:27
years ago sending
13:28
you know email nurtures was still
13:30
something that
13:32
yeah those tools were still relevant
13:33
then as well so it’ll
13:36
this knowledge will stay with you
13:37
regardless of what tools you need to use
13:39
in the future
13:40
yeah and very similar to so we’ve got
13:42
marcus sheridan i believe is going to be
13:43
the keynote speaker at sa thrive this
13:45
year
13:45
uh the virtual summit well marcus uh
13:48
sheridan owned a company called river
13:50
pools and spas
13:51
by no means by comparing myself to
13:52
marcus but what marcus was doing
13:54
um outside of some of the seo and videos
13:56
was doing
13:58
life cycle marketing that’s something
13:59
that he learned on another uh crm
14:01
platform called hubspot
14:03
we were doing this originally in
14:04
infusionsoft before service autopilot
14:07
had automations and some of the things
14:08
i’m going to touch on later in this is
14:09
why
14:11
if you’re going to automate using
14:12
service autopilot it’s really important
14:13
to keep your automations inside natively
14:15
and pro plus
14:16
and the major benefits of that but
14:19
marcus sheridan of the sales line
14:20
was out there doing this literally eight
14:22
or nine years ago i was doing and he was
14:24
doing pools
14:25
and i was doing this in lawn care um so
14:27
i will tell you no matter the industry
14:28
if it’s a service business
14:29
this works um and it’s about education
14:33
very similar to marcus’s book they ask
14:35
you answer you’re answering those
14:37
questions or concerns before they arise
14:39
and shortening that cycle becoming the
14:40
expert so very
14:42
very interesting uh perspective when i
14:44
saw marcus speak first time at uh one of
14:46
the s8 conferences
14:48
um so the next thing is we’re looking at
14:49
cody is we’re going to submit that
14:50
estimate
14:52
i know we always talk about it here you
14:53
know it usually takes five or more
14:54
follow-ups
14:55
to land 80 of the sales so eighty
14:57
percent of sales are made on five or
14:59
more follow-ups on an estimate so
15:01
what you really need to do is create a a
15:03
sales pipeline
15:04
so you can see where people are at and
15:06
we’ve chosen through a lot of research
15:08
20 days so we call just this process
15:10
right here 20 days to close
15:12
but what it does as soon as that
15:14
estimate is submitted
15:15
it goes out and follows up on each and
15:18
every estimate
15:19
um via automated email automated text
15:21
and phone calls yeah believe it or not
15:23
phone calls
15:23
we’re going to recommend you do that um
15:25
and they will come in as a form of a to
15:27
do and in v3 once some updates kick in
15:29
it’ll
15:30
be in the form of a ticket but what you
15:32
want to do and that to do is what we
15:33
recommend and what we’ve done is
15:35
we literally have a script for the
15:37
person in your office calling saying hey
15:38
call mrs smith
15:40
it’s been three days since we dropped
15:41
off that lawn mowing estimate
15:43
here’s what to say if she says the price
15:44
is too high here’s some call script
15:45
overcome that sales or price objection
15:48
and then the most important part really
15:49
in my opinion cody is at the bottom it
15:51
says if she becomes a client do this in
15:52
a service autopilot if she doesn’t
15:54
become a client
15:55
do this in service autopilot she’s like
15:57
you know what i’m not sure if i’m going
15:57
to hire you guys or not
15:58
i’m price shopping and it’s the spring
16:00
and i’m going to get a couple quotes
16:02
cool do this in service autopilot so
16:04
what we’ve done is created a predictable
16:06
workflow
16:07
for either your eternal team or a
16:09
virtual assistant
16:11
such as pink collars or call boss or
16:12
some of the other certified advisors
16:14
that are working with inside service
16:15
autopilot so
16:16
you’ve created a um a process there i
16:19
want to say what’s up to hobie barrett
16:21
obviously hobie uh your longtime watcher
16:24
there he says
16:25
ringless voicemail bomb so absolutely
16:27
hobie so that was
16:28
you stole my thunder so if you don’t
16:30
want to make those phone calls
16:32
we also tie into that product called
16:34
send jim
16:35
what a ringless voicemail bomb does is
16:38
it literally hits the cell phone on
16:39
record
16:40
it doesn’t ring but it looks like a
16:43
missed call here
16:44
and it’s a pre-recorded message so you
16:47
would have probably a different message
16:49
at day one and day
16:50
three but in my instance be like hey
16:51
it’s mike from callahan’s lawn care so
16:53
sorry i missed you wanted to leave you
16:54
this voicemail it’s been
16:56
one day since we dropped off your
16:57
estimate if you have any questions call
16:59
our office back at this number or
17:01
better yet feel free to accept the
17:03
online estimate
17:04
but we’ve created a personalized but
17:06
automated
17:08
phone call follow-up based on the timing
17:11
of this estimate and the service
17:14
or the status of that estimate so it’s
17:16
fully automated and the
17:18
secret to success here and i will tell
17:19
you time and time again a lot of people
17:21
want to mess with the methodology
17:22
and every time people want to tinker
17:24
with it um the issue is
17:27
it doesn’t work unless
17:30
um you actually do that so it looks like
17:32
we may have lost cody here
17:33
uh hopefully he’ll be back here in a
17:35
minute uh but let me uh
17:38
swing over here to see if i can’t grab
17:40
him and get him back in
17:47
um and we’ll see if cody joins us again
17:49
but uh going back into that so
17:51
the secret to this success is if you’re
17:53
building this yourself you want to go in
17:54
and alternate it
17:55
via automated email text and phone calls
17:59
and if not a phone call a ringless
18:00
voicemail but i’m tied into
18:02
the integration with send jim it’s those
18:04
different mediums that are going to be
18:05
successful
18:06
when people say they don’t want to make
18:08
phone calls or they don’t want text
18:09
messages
18:10
it really um depletes the effectiveness
18:13
of this 20 days to close process
18:15
if you’re building it yourself highly
18:16
recommend it that’s where you go with it
18:19
now the next thing that we’re looking at
18:21
here is an estimate
18:23
process here and it looks like cody is
18:26
back in
18:27
action all right so perfect we got we’ve
18:29
got the kid back all right
18:30
nudge the cable in that happens so
18:33
cody what you missed here is we’re
18:35
talking about the the process and the
18:37
ability of uh 20 days to close the
18:39
automated that’s involved the secret is
18:41
different communication channels of the
18:43
text email and phone call or ringless
18:45
voicemail bound so
18:46
now that we hopefully have won that
18:48
estimate
18:50
right here we want to automatically
18:53
trigger a welcome and wow sequence and
18:55
that welcome and wow sequence just like
18:57
jonath patosnik
18:58
of the lawn care millionaire talks about
19:00
a lot of it and something that i adopted
19:02
early in the early years as well is
19:04
requiring a credit card on file to have
19:06
service
19:07
so the welcome and wow sequences an
19:09
automated email that automatically
19:11
triggers no one in your office has to do
19:12
anything
19:13
but it welcomes and acclimates the new
19:15
customer to your
19:17
service business and then it also uses a
19:20
clearance pci compliant
19:22
credit card form we capture that credit
19:25
card form so those
19:26
credit cards are secure they’re
19:27
tokenized and then clarence takes care
19:29
of that so
19:30
um those are the things i would
19:31
recommend in the initial welcome and wow
19:34
and next thing we do is we drive in and
19:36
build logic in the automation so if
19:38
you’re building this in your service
19:39
business
19:40
you want to have some logic in that
19:41
automation because if the first person
19:43
or the first time they sign up is a
19:45
reoccurring say weekly or bi-weekly
19:47
mowing or cleaning
19:48
we want to follow up with 30 60 and 90
19:50
days so 90 days is the biggest area
19:52
where people cancel
19:53
and what we’ve done is made a very
19:54
personal looking email so this is
19:56
another kind of expert tip i’d rather
19:58
share is
19:59
automated emails are great but they
20:01
probably shouldn’t look
20:02
automated so we want a plain text email
20:04
they’re going to deliver better
20:06
and make it personal so the way we built
20:07
this out um in our process is it looks
20:10
like it’s a personal email coming from
20:11
somebody in your office just checking in
20:13
and touching base
20:14
what you’re gonna find is the consumer
20:15
if they’re unhappy is probably gonna
20:16
write back and be like hey
20:18
guys and girls are doing a great job
20:20
mowing the lawn but occasionally not
20:22
blowing off the back patio or
20:23
cleaning hey they’re doing a great job
20:24
cleaning the house but they’re not
20:25
wiping down the tiles in the master bath
20:27
so we’re capturing those little issues
20:29
before they escalate the cancellation
20:31
issues
20:31
but it would be kind of weird cody like
20:34
if you just signed up for one time
20:35
aeration and overseeing
20:36
the first time in my business in the
20:38
fall it’s gonna be goofy if i follow up
20:40
three times so what i recommend here is
20:41
you build logic in that automation
20:43
to follow up only once if it’s a
20:45
one-time service or if it’s a
20:46
reoccurring service
20:48
you follow up the 30 60 and 90 and this
20:50
is going to be part of the benefit
20:52
of automating having your automations
20:54
inside service autopilot through pro
20:56
plus because it’s going to be able to go
20:58
in natively
20:59
and jump into different statuses and
21:01
features of the actual service and
21:03
scheduling and billing
21:05
where if you used an outside platform
21:08
it would never do that and that’s one of
21:10
the things you talked about cody’s like
21:12
how did you do that without an api and
21:13
an api allows two softwares to talk to
21:16
each other very similar to the
21:17
quickbooks sync
21:18
there isn’t that in there but you really
21:20
don’t need an api with service autopilot
21:22
because
21:22
the automations tie into all the native
21:24
features that already there so it’s it’s
21:27
um if you have an experience it’s
21:28
something i think you really should
21:30
because that’s what
21:31
allowed us to shift from our other
21:33
automation platform and move it all in
21:34
sa
21:35
once they started having automations and
21:37
we had huge success even more than we
21:38
did in the earlier days
21:40
because there wasn’t multiple system
21:41
chaos yeah
21:43
mike real quick one of the the themes
21:46
that i’m seeing here
21:47
is that we’re we’re maintaining a very
21:50
close relationship with these clients
21:52
but we’re able to automate
21:54
all of our side of that relationship
21:57
while giving them
21:58
every opportunity to raise their hand
22:00
and tell us hey i have a problem
22:02
hey something’s going on here that’s not
22:04
like up to my expectations
22:07
that that keeps you really close and
22:09
feeling really
22:11
uh like small and mom and pop
22:14
while having the customer service of a
22:16
much larger
22:17
company exactly um there’s a couple
22:20
things that i actually i’ll touch on
22:22
that before i kind of get into the happy
22:23
holidays and some of that long-term
22:24
nurture
22:25
is um in this kind of welcome and wow
22:28
process or kind of uh extended nurture
22:31
is
22:33
we built several automations that do
22:34
just that cody so i’ve got the pleasure
22:36
of having one of the service autopilot
22:38
users actually do the home cleaning
22:40
at my house um and tina and her crew
22:42
utilize a
22:43
automation that we call be there
22:46
been there real tongue twister but the
22:49
automation basically says
22:50
hey we’re going to be at your house to
22:52
either cut the grass or mow the lawn or
22:54
do the pest control and it
22:55
depending on the dispatch when it
22:56
happens traditionally we recommend 24 to
22:59
48 hours as a heads up
23:01
so i know i got to leave the key or do
23:03
something for the cleaner so she can get
23:04
in the house and clean the house
23:06
cool thing i mean and i’m working from
23:07
the house today so it’s a little bit
23:08
different but normally i’m at the main
23:10
office for simple growth
23:11
i’ll get a text message that they just
23:13
left the house within about five minutes
23:15
so now i know okay the house has been
23:17
secured
23:18
it’s locked and i know the cleaning’s
23:19
done
23:21
so um yes and but a larger company
23:25
would probably do that you don’t see
23:27
that from smaller companies but the
23:29
power of automations
23:30
now gives you the ability to have those
23:33
extra touches that you would never have
23:34
as a smaller organization
23:36
um pretty much at no extra cost it’s
23:38
once it’s set up it’s kind of set it and
23:40
forget it
23:41
um the other big one that i really like
23:42
is we call it nps to social review so
23:46
this is something you can definitely
23:47
build out yourself but when you do it
23:48
nps to social review
23:50
um you’re probably gonna have two
23:51
different ways to trigger it at least
23:52
that’s the way we tackled it so you can
23:54
have it automated
23:55
you know once a quarter once a month or
23:58
you can manually just dispatch but what
23:59
it does is it literally goes in
24:01
um it does an nps score so it’s a one to
24:03
ten ranking and like hey
24:04
how how happy are you or how likely are
24:07
you to refer us to your friends and
24:09
family
24:10
a net pro uh a promoter is gonna be that
24:12
nine or ten so what it does is oh you’re
24:13
nine or ten
24:14
what it does then is kicks you into
24:16
another communication
24:18
with email or text depending how you set
24:19
it up to actually push them out to
24:21
social reviews so it’s going to go to
24:23
your google your yelp your facebook
24:24
review
24:25
if it’s an eight or below so a neutral
24:27
or detractor
24:29
it kicks it back to your office and
24:31
allows them to know like hey you’ve got
24:33
some people that may be at risk
24:34
you want to go out and actually try to
24:37
get them up to a promoter
24:39
and what we’ve done is actually created
24:41
processes around that automation
24:44
that actually reports out in their new
24:45
report center and you can visually see
24:48
all the people grouped as promoters
24:49
neutrals and detractors
24:51
and all their comments and actually see
24:52
a pie chart so you have a visual
24:54
representation of where is your customer
24:55
stat
24:56
um right now based on the time of the
24:58
season and the actual response
25:00
so these are things that we would never
25:02
be able to do um especially until we hit
25:04
scale
25:06
but now the power of automations once
25:07
it’s set up continues to do this and has
25:09
that personal touch
25:11
that you’re talking about cody
25:12
absolutely
25:14
all right so the next thing is happy
25:15
holidays sounds a little corny but i
25:17
will tell you
25:18
people enjoy it so what i suggest doing
25:20
is going out educate them around that
25:22
holiday
25:22
and just wish them a happy holiday it’s
25:24
just a nice touch
25:26
newsletters a lot of people bock at
25:28
newsletters like oh my gosh like they’re
25:30
old school we don’t do it
25:32
i take i like to take a look as a
25:34
newsletter is more of a long-term
25:35
nurture it’s education
25:37
with a very soft upsell based on the
25:40
time of season
25:41
so as we’re going into the winter months
25:42
we may be talking about ornamental
25:44
pruning in the lawn care industry
25:46
so the proper types of cutting the
25:47
timing and how to do it and
25:49
and educate the consumer to do it it’s
25:51
just a free give but at the bottom if
25:53
you do that service by the way if you
25:54
need some help
25:55
click here to to request nets or ask for
25:57
some help very similar in home cleaning
25:59
maybe we’re going in the holiday season
26:01
we’re talking about fridge clean out
26:02
stove cleanouts
26:03
what’s the proper technique what
26:04
products do we use on the inside the
26:06
outside the stove
26:07
we’re probably not using chemicals on
26:08
the inside of the um the fridge
26:11
i mean so we’re talking about what best
26:13
practice is and then you can say hey by
26:14
the way if you need some help with those
26:16
services we’re here
26:17
but the idea is a newsletter is just
26:18
providing consistent education
26:20
month in and month out of what what
26:22
should be going on in their month their
26:23
home
26:24
or outside how out the side of their
26:25
home in the yard depending on your
26:27
industries we educate what they should
26:28
be doing in the month in advance
26:29
with a soft upsell nice now the the next
26:33
thing here is this was kind of a new
26:34
thing that we we figured out
26:36
um in automations in the last 12 to 24
26:39
months
26:39
uh but we figured out kind of like you
26:41
said cody we want to have a personal
26:43
conversation with these people where
26:44
they’re at but have it automated
26:46
so the conversation that we’re having
26:48
with someone who isn’t a client like a
26:50
leader a cancelled client versus a
26:51
customer
26:53
is potentially a completely different
26:54
conversation
26:56
so what we’ve done is segmented our
26:57
pipeline of communication for leads
27:00
and clients separately and that allows
27:01
us to send out special communication
27:03
promotion or tips based on where they’re
27:05
at in a customer life cycle
27:07
yeah very meaningful now obviously if we
27:10
haven’t won the estimate we’ve lost the
27:12
essence so our first take of this which
27:14
i think is still very applicable
27:16
and i’ll tell you why i kind of lean
27:18
more towards an upsell
27:20
model now but originally what we call
27:21
these guys here
27:23
is service automation so very um
27:26
100 life cycle marketing if you had a
27:28
lawn mowing customer they were either a
27:30
lost
27:30
estimate for lawn mowing they were
27:32
canceled lawn mowing or
27:34
a client of lawn mowing or someone who
27:36
needed a renewal or reminder if you run
27:38
year round for that service without
27:39
contract renewal
27:41
we were able to go in and talk
27:42
specifically to the service whether a
27:44
loss
27:45
canceled or needed renewal or a reminder
27:47
that we’re coming back out after the
27:48
slower uh winter months
27:50
that died down a little bit very
27:52
applicable
27:53
but what we came up with is uh the
27:55
upsell model
27:57
and the upsell model literally kind of
27:59
came out of callahan’s lawn care when i
28:00
uh
28:01
was acquired and callahan’s was bought
28:04
out we needed to have i believe it was
28:05
about an 80 percent
28:07
uh re-sign-on rate basically
28:10
contractually to get the final payout
28:12
for uh the business being acquired so
28:14
what we did it’s simple growth
28:16
is we kind of opened up the gates a
28:17
little bit said okay if they’re in my
28:19
database
28:20
and i’m trying to renew my lawn mowing
28:21
contracts if they don’t have
28:23
lawn mowing as a service they don’t have
28:25
an open estimate for lawn mowing
28:27
or on a waiting list the upsell would go
28:29
out and sweep through your whole entire
28:31
database not just your clients
28:33
and upsell that service so predominantly
28:36
there’s about five or six
28:37
uh times a year you probably want to do
28:39
this you want to do about a month or so
28:40
in advance that
28:41
season so the big one that’s kind of
28:43
right now in the middle of is aeration
28:45
and overseeing
28:46
or holiday lights or potentially snow
28:48
removal if you’re in the northeast
28:50
but what we’re finding is when we did
28:51
this with service autopilot clients and
28:53
you can see on the facebook page
28:55
um in the users group if your service
28:56
auto pilot member is um
28:59
people are getting 70 or 80 estimate
29:01
requests in two to three hours
29:03
um a lot of times people will actually
29:05
call us if we help them with this and
29:06
say hey
29:07
stop the second or third communication
29:09
because i’m booked the whole entire fall
29:11
like i can’t
29:12
i’m a capacity um but the idea here is
29:15
through a very soft upsell based on
29:18
where they’re at in the customer life
29:20
cycle that allows us to have a very
29:21
specific
29:22
message the biggest mistake you can see
29:25
and a lot of people who are just getting
29:26
the automations and it’s a rookie
29:28
mistake and i made it myself
29:29
until we really adhere to life cycle
29:31
marketing is that um
29:33
you may shoot out a lawn mowing upsell
29:36
or
29:37
fertilization upsell to everybody in
29:38
your database including the people who
29:40
have already signed up so what that does
29:42
is causes confusion
29:43
it’s probably going to cause some some
29:44
issues for your office um
29:46
but now the the blanket’s been pulled
29:49
back the cover’s been pulled back
29:50
cody because now they know it’s
29:52
automated it’s an email blast
29:54
where the difference in my opinion
29:55
between an automation and an email blast
29:58
are significantly different if an
29:59
automation is built with logic
30:01
and understanding of the customer life
30:02
cycle with with segmentation
30:05
that’s where you’re gonna win and some
30:07
of these emails
30:08
um and i’m going to show you one here in
30:10
a minute we wanted to make them look
30:11
personal
30:13
before i hop into that cody any
30:14
questions or thoughts up to that point
30:18
mike this is awesome this is taking
30:22
everything that we know is true about
30:24
marketing
30:25
putting it into service autopilot
30:28
getting service autopilot to work
30:30
for you to free up all of this time i
30:32
mean
30:33
most of these things your office staff
30:35
couldn’t even do
30:37
if you asked them to and gave them you
30:39
know as much time as they wanted there’s
30:41
only so much time in the day
30:42
you can only do this for so many
30:44
customers yeah
30:46
and and i think i’m glad you hit on that
30:47
here um is
30:49
the point of automations is not to
30:51
replace people
30:52
in your office it is truly to take the
30:55
monotonous repetitive tasks that nobody
30:56
likes doing or you don’t have time for
30:59
and allow the higher you know 20 30 100
31:02
an hour jobs to go to the actual people
31:04
in your office and if there is a manual
31:06
task like a phone call
31:07
it puts accountability and creates
31:09
predictability um and that’s i’m glad
31:11
you touched on that because that’s the
31:12
biggest concern but what if you looked
31:14
at everything on the screen here cody
31:15
what i would say is
31:16
if you’re a company from about 750 000
31:19
to about a million is what i find or
31:20
above
31:21
that process right there uh if you were
31:24
to do it all manually in the peak season
31:25
will save about 35 to 40
31:27
hours a week of manual process in your
31:30
office
31:31
so it really does and everybody’s stress
31:34
level
31:35
during busy season um it’s going to
31:38
improve
31:39
just the quality of being in the office
31:41
because everybody’s not going to be
31:42
running around like a chicken with their
31:43
head cut off
31:44
100 and the other thing too is um
31:48
i made a video about it on callahan’s
31:49
corner where we answer a lot of facebook
31:51
questions live you know every day or
31:52
every other day
31:53
uh but one of the questions submitted to
31:55
callahan’s corner was you know
31:57
what size is the appropriate size to
31:59
automate or beyond pro plus
32:01
um and obviously there’s some gray area
32:03
but i would say
32:04
working with well over i mean several
32:06
thousand clients now
32:08
um through service autopilot and in
32:10
simple growth
32:11
uh i i see i see a benefit of where
32:14
you’re going
32:15
uh probably around that 250 000 mark and
32:18
beyond
32:19
uh we used to think it was around a half
32:20
a million um but what we you kind of see
32:23
here is that level one two and three
32:26
we’ve kind of chunked out this part here
32:29
for a smaller business and then a little
32:31
bit larger business goes up to 10 to 20
32:33
days to close and then when you kind of
32:34
get
32:35
into that process then you open it up so
32:37
we kind of basically call it level one
32:39
two and three
32:40
um and if you’re building yourself
32:41
that’s where i mentioned the front of it
32:43
you don’t want to try to automate the
32:44
whole business
32:45
tackle the biggest pain points first and
32:47
then sequentially build upon that
32:49
um so that’s where i’m saying you know
32:50
you don’t have to be a million dollar
32:51
half a million dollar business to
32:52
benefit from this
32:54
uh just the ability to update credit
32:55
cards and overdue invoices and things
32:57
like that
32:58
is a huge huge um thing that’ll pay for
33:01
itself
33:02
um and just like the ar accounts
33:04
receivable
33:05
um in the early days of callaghans they
33:07
got out of control but we automated a
33:09
process that systematically followed up
33:11
on those past two invoices and when
33:12
credit cards were about to expire
33:14
or failed um it just started to buy that
33:17
consistency back
33:18
um and to get into that that
33:20
personalized view of
33:22
you know uh it needs to look personal it
33:25
doesn’t
33:25
it shouldn’t look automated this is
33:26
literally right out of my email inbox
33:28
um before we even went over to gmail uh
33:31
but this was out of 2016 and we had
33:33
almost 500 people there you can see on
33:35
the screen
33:35
that responded to this email it wasn’t
33:37
500 people sent it was
33:39
496 people actually responded to this
33:42
email and i call it a quick follow-up we
33:43
still do
33:44
but this is the email right here and
33:45
some people may have seen this but i
33:46
want to reinforce this
33:47
if you can’t read it on the screen here
33:48
it’s probably pretty small what that
33:50
email says it says hey stacy just want
33:52
to reach out to any questions regarding
33:53
your estimate
33:54
if you want me to save you a spot on the
33:55
list this season just let me know have a
33:57
great saturday
33:59
and it’s got my name underneath my cali
34:00
and you probably can’t see it on there
34:02
but the m on mike
34:03
is lowercase now everybody knows
34:05
sometimes i fail to proofread some of my
34:07
stuff going out if i’m in a hurry but
34:08
this was intentionally left with a
34:10
lowercase
34:10
m because i wanted to look like it was
34:13
sent from my iphone and if you can see
34:15
it on the screen there
34:16
it looks like it’s sent for my iphone so
34:18
this email goes out two days
34:20
after every estimate and it closes on
34:23
average right now in lawn care and home
34:25
cleaning within a percent or two either
34:26
way
34:27
20 of all the cells that you win
34:30
are usually closed on this one email
34:32
because it looks like you actually took
34:34
the time
34:35
it’s 6 6 30 in the morning after two
34:37
days every estimate to follow up
34:38
personally
34:39
um these things close lady wrote back
34:42
i’ll talk it over my husband and get
34:43
back to you asap i love the business
34:45
practice and all the info you provide up
34:47
front
34:48
so stacy loved the short term nurture
34:50
and the lead letter
34:51
because we were different just another
34:53
copy this here
34:54
uh lady wrote back she says um we have a
34:58
puppy and don’t want anything toxic in
34:59
our yard so it allowed us to upsell our
35:01
organic fertilizing so cody we built
35:03
this
35:04
uh this is the winner of 12 to maybe 15
35:06
different versions of this email and it
35:07
sounds so stupid right now saying
35:08
hey make it look like a person actually
35:10
send it don’t plaster your logo and
35:12
videos and pictures all over it
35:14
because at this point the customer life
35:15
cycle a person
35:18
or an automated person is going to
35:19
convert better than something that looks
35:21
like an email broadcast very similar
35:23
going through your facebook feed we tune
35:25
that out and advertisements and
35:26
advertising same thing when we’re in an
35:27
email
35:28
so this email uh has been a b split
35:31
tested and this was the
35:32
winner by a landslide so if you don’t
35:34
take anything away from this
35:36
if you’re going to automate your
35:37
business or even if you’re sending
35:39
manual emails make them look like
35:40
they’re sent from a person
35:42
they will interact and convert a lot
35:44
better
35:45
absolutely all right so i know we’re
35:47
almost near the top of the hours i want
35:48
to go through this a little bit quickly
35:50
but we’ve tackled your sales process
35:53
now in my business we had all this work
35:56
we almost went out of business because
35:57
we couldn’t get enough employees
35:58
uh to do the work and this was well
36:00
before the labor crisis we’re all seeing
36:01
right now
36:02
um so what i’m going to recommend is
36:04
this can be done in service autopilot
36:05
and this is what we are doing in service
36:07
autopilot
36:08
so first thing we want to do is create a
36:09
hosted landing page that’s going to be
36:11
your v2
36:12
or v3 form in an office entry form if
36:14
they come into the office so i’m going
36:16
to recommend
36:17
is the way we tackle it is english and
36:19
spanish
36:20
not textbook spanish street spanish
36:22
there’s
36:23
huge shocker that the textbook spanish
36:26
application didn’t quite convert the way
36:27
we thought it would
36:28
but once we put it more of a street
36:29
spanish um it flowed
36:31
people filled it out and it worked but
36:33
the idea is once you get them to fill
36:34
out that application we drop them in
36:37
to the or the entry point we drop them
36:39
into an online application english or
36:40
street spanish
36:41
make them jump through some virtual
36:42
hoops cody so a lot of times people are
36:44
just filling these out to stand
36:45
unemployment
36:46
let’s at least have a couple processes
36:48
here that make them walk through this
36:50
but let’s say joe’s our applicant he
36:51
gets through that now what to do or
36:53
ticket pops up in service autopilot and
36:55
says hey call
36:56
joey and set up an interview date time
36:58
he’s made it through the application
36:59
process you’d enter that into i would
37:01
recommend
37:01
what we call our employee master form if
37:04
you plug in start the
37:05
application date in time the automation
37:08
now
37:08
is going to text message joe the day
37:10
before and the week before the interview
37:12
letting him know where to show up when
37:13
to show up
37:14
in the ability to opt out of it so if
37:15
the guy’s not going to show up hopefully
37:16
gives us courtesy
37:17
because he’s already met his
37:18
unemployment threshold so you’re not
37:20
having 10 estimates and only having one
37:21
person show up maybe
37:22
which happens especially nowadays
37:25
other cool thing i would recommend doing
37:27
in this if you do it this way is
37:29
assign some homework to this guy or girl
37:30
send them out to the dmv to get a
37:32
driver’s abstract they got some skin in
37:33
the game so by the time they get to your
37:35
office
37:36
um we know they’re at least interested
37:37
and i don’t hope about you cody but i
37:39
right before covet i i had to spend some
37:40
time in the dmv
37:42
if that individual is willing to sit in
37:43
that dmv for 45 minutes to an hour
37:46
they’re committed to getting a job um
37:48
usually cost four or five bucks and we
37:50
would just literally pay him when they
37:51
showed up with that to reimburse him
37:53
uh what we’re gonna do here is create a
37:54
standardized interviewing package five
37:56
or six main questions you’re asking
37:57
every applicant
37:58
the automation in my opinion should
38:01
prompt the interviewer
38:02
to rank the applicant in a b and c
38:05
fashion this is built around
38:07
stacking the virtual bench that we talk
38:08
a lot about here in the assay ecosystem
38:10
so we’re going to go out at least once a
38:13
week and interview all the positions in
38:14
the company
38:15
whether we need them or not and the
38:16
automation ranks in a b and c and what
38:18
we did in essays we created a
38:20
custom view or filter in uh reporting
38:24
that literally allows you to say i want
38:25
all my a applicants from the last say 20
38:27
days and it
38:28
gives you a glorified laboring
38:31
or a labor pool to hire from that’s
38:33
qualified or basically a glorified
38:35
hiring checklist
38:36
so now when you need that person you’ve
38:37
got them in your database before
38:40
normally you’d have to go out and find
38:41
the person when it’s too late so we’ve
38:42
created that virtual bench
38:44
when you hire them we’re going to go out
38:46
and automatically indoctrinate them
38:48
your mission vision uh values uh jason
38:51
cupp uh
38:52
really near dear to the essay ecosystem
38:53
talks about culture a lot
38:55
so we need to indoctrinate them to that
38:57
culture peace
38:58
we concentrated more on the mission
38:59
vision values to get the alignment to
39:01
not just a paycheck but the culture
39:03
and tax documents i all know we all know
39:05
too well too in the spring
39:07
when things get crazy we don’t always
39:08
get the documents filled out when we
39:10
should we just need to get them in the
39:11
field trained up so we can get going
39:13
so we allow the automation to take care
39:15
of what should happen uh to happen each
39:17
and every time and when we built some
39:18
uh timing this so indoctrination tax
39:21
documents goes up to three and final
39:22
attempts
39:23
so one thing to keep in mind is when
39:25
you’re building your automations here
39:26
cody is you don’t want to think about
39:28
just the perfect path but what happens
39:29
if this guy or girl just
39:31
after three attempts doesn’t fill out
39:32
their tax stocks i’m guessing they’re
39:34
not a good fit if they won’t take the
39:35
time to actually get
39:36
paid then they’re probably not a good
39:38
fit so what the automation does here is
39:40
it says
39:41
hey through a task or a ticket or a to
39:44
do says hey
39:45
joe didn’t fill out his tax documents
39:47
after the third and final attempt at
39:48
this point i recommend fire and joe
39:50
um so the automation here is really
39:52
built out if you model it after this
39:54
to buy time back from you and your team
39:57
to screen out the right applicants to
39:58
only get them the
39:59
the interview and then after you
40:01
interview them here we indoctrinate them
40:03
and on boredom
40:05
before we train them and test them again
40:08
and then the final part here is kind of
40:10
my favorite
40:11
um we go out and actually we made
40:14
about 36 videos on how to use service
40:17
autopilot in the office
40:19
with testing so we created an online
40:21
automated video training series
40:23
to and basically on board any new admins
40:26
so that took
40:27
sometimes a 20 or 30 40 day period to
40:29
get someone up and running 100
40:31
on sa now we’ve standardized it to about
40:33
a 7 to 10 day learning curve and they’re
40:35
up and running on their own
40:37
and then that worked so well that we
40:38
went out and actually took a tripod a
40:40
wireless mic for about 100 bucks
40:41
and a smartphone and made videos in the
40:44
field how to do every service we did
40:46
so instead of going out and buying an
40:47
online generic uh
40:50
process to train your field staff we
40:52
created a video training process inside
40:55
our business
40:56
and what we found is that cut off at
40:58
least a week to a week and a half of
40:59
learning curve because we had them watch
41:01
the videos before we ever put them in
41:02
the field
41:04
and that was huge but if you’re looking
41:06
to create a turnkey business
41:08
that’s almost like a franchise without
41:09
the franchise fees this was one of the
41:11
things that allowed me to leave the
41:12
business at 30 days of pop
41:13
because every time we hired a new person
41:15
myself the guy who ran the business had
41:17
to be there
41:18
the first two to three weeks to get this
41:20
individual up and trained
41:22
um and then the final thing here is the
41:24
employment contract
41:25
and handbook so these are things once
41:26
again i mentioned jason cupp
41:28
um really really good resource for these
41:30
type of things
41:31
but the problem is even when you had
41:33
them in place things got crazy in the
41:35
spring
41:36
half the time you you’d forget to get
41:37
the person to sign it or actually go
41:39
through it
41:39
so now the automation tracks what should
41:41
happen and make sure it happens when it
41:43
happens now the business owner
41:44
manager doesn’t have to babysit the
41:46
process so as we wrap it up here in
41:48
the last few minutes here cody any
41:50
thoughts comments around this before i
41:52
dive into the third
41:53
final hurdle to get to that million mark
41:55
and beyond when you’re automating your
41:56
business
41:57
mike i think you’re you’re touching on
42:00
one of the really important things about
42:02
automations
42:03
that i think people forget about is that
42:05
automations act as
42:06
guard rails for the processes in your
42:09
business
42:10
you’ve set things up to work a certain
42:12
way but when things get crazy
42:14
that’s when we start cutting corners and
42:16
skipping things that we know are
42:18
important but we just
42:19
we don’t have time to deal with it right
42:21
now
42:23
um and having an automation that pushes
42:25
all of these things that handles them
42:26
for you
42:28
acts as those guard rails that keeps you
42:29
within the bounds of what you
42:31
said you were going to do correct you
42:34
know you couldn’t
42:35
it’s kind of like bumper bowling with
42:36
the kids i mean it kind of keeps you in
42:37
that lean it keeps you focused
42:38
and if you start veering off it it takes
42:40
care of it for you so the final part
42:42
really cody is
42:42
this was kind of my final journey to be
42:44
an absentee owner um
42:46
like i call it repetitive tasks but what
42:48
triggers what we do is we just take
42:49
what’s in the business owner’s head
42:51
um and obviously if you’re in my head
42:52
that’s probably a scary place but what
42:53
we do is we go in and delegate and
42:55
automate
42:56
um and what we found inside service
42:57
autopilot is there’s actually seven
42:59
core areas of business can be automated
43:01
on service autopilot
43:02
um and they are sales customer service
43:06
scheduling billing office manager
43:08
maintenance and owner
43:09
and what i found is if we’re not there
43:12
telling people what to do every day
43:13
every week every month quarter or even
43:15
annually it’s not happening
43:17
um so now that you’ve got 20 30
43:20
employees that’s great
43:21
you get sucked back as a full-time
43:22
daycare so
43:24
you know you thought you got yourself
43:26
out of the fire but you really haven’t
43:27
now you’re just
43:28
literally fighting fires all day by
43:29
telling people what to do and if they
43:31
don’t do it you got to follow behind
43:32
them
43:32
so just an idea here of kind of some
43:35
things you can do here
43:36
um if you’re watching the recorded
43:38
version you want to zoom in that’s
43:39
awesome but these are like the 38 or 39
43:41
core things
43:42
um when people work with simple growth
43:44
as a certified advisor we just give them
43:45
these are like some of the big things
43:47
um that we recommend on a repetitive
43:49
nature that you should be doing
43:51
but a real quick example here is let’s
43:52
say you got a full-time sales guy his
43:54
name’s joe
43:55
and joe’s job is to go out and do all
43:58
his estimates today
44:00
and make his follow-up phone calls if
44:01
you’re not utilizing ringless voicemail
44:03
bombs
44:04
so what happens is when joe signs in he
44:06
gets
44:07
a notification that these are all the
44:08
things he needs to do at 5 or 5
44:10
30 the automation will notify joe if he
44:13
doesn’t have his job done via text or
44:15
email depending how you set it up
44:17
you know based on the severity of it and
44:18
then it can auto automatically notify
44:21
the business manager
44:22
or owner via text or email depending how
44:24
important it is
44:26
um so what we do is we allow the
44:28
automation to handle the
44:29
delegation of repetitive tasks with a
44:31
deadline and instructions
44:33
and if it doesn’t happen it notifies the
44:34
person responsible and escalates a
44:36
person to come in
44:38
uh physically to manage the process so
44:41
we’re leveraging the power of service
44:42
autopilot to do this and a quick
44:44
story is actually cody when i was at gie
44:46
with you and bear and a bunch of the
44:47
service autopilot
44:48
team um when i had camel hands that the
44:51
the gentleman that ran callahan’s
44:53
had a repetitive task to do to winterize
44:55
all the fertilizing tanks for
44:57
uh the northeast because after a certain
44:58
point things get cold they freeze and
45:00
the tanks would blow up
45:01
uh but he inside that repetitive task he
45:04
had a grocery list or a shopping list of
45:06
the things he needed materials
45:07
so how many gallons of rv fluid per tank
45:10
um
45:10
written instructions how to do it pilots
45:12
checklist and the manufacturer’s video
45:14
all embedded inside this
45:16
so everything he needed to know was
45:18
inside that too so now
45:20
the information and everything was
45:22
relying on what was in the software not
45:24
as me out on the floor of gi out in the
45:27
middle of kentucky
45:29
so my phone didn’t ring because the guy
45:30
knew what he needed to do he knew how to
45:31
do it
45:32
and he had a video and the pilot’s
45:33
checklist and by the time i got onto
45:35
that plane
45:36
um that friday night if it wasn’t done
45:39
literally that was the day i would have
45:40
got a text message saying dude you
45:41
better get back and
45:42
winterize the spray tanks um but that’s
45:44
the power of automations and what we’re
45:47
looking at here
45:48
and how we want to dive into that um
45:51
and i know we’ve been talking a lot
45:53
about just automation so i want to be
45:55
conscious of the time here with your
45:57
uh top of the hour here but in the last
45:59
two to three minutes cody i want to hit
46:00
on some other things because i think a
46:01
lot of people
46:02
assume that it’s the automation they
46:05
need to
46:06
build themselves or help with the launch
46:08
team or off the market place some of the
46:09
free ones the paid ones
46:11
um all that but there is automations
46:13
that are built inside service autopilot
46:15
that are just
46:16
part of the system um so the automated
46:18
part of
46:20
invoicing on a daily weekly or monthly
46:22
basis depending how you the system set
46:23
up those invoices automatically generate
46:25
for you
46:26
and if you have a quickbook sync online
46:28
or desktop it automatically syncs and
46:30
creates those
46:30
invoices in quickbooks um natively
46:34
jonathan and john the founders of
46:36
service autopilot have this vision
46:39
of what a service business software
46:41
should look like
46:42
even before we actually had custom
46:44
automations um and then the last thing i
46:46
want to hit on here is
46:48
this is just a a snippet out of my kpi
46:50
demo so it’s key performance indicators
46:52
um and the thing that has been bothering
46:55
me as of late cody is a lot of people
46:56
are talking in the facebook groups right
46:58
now industry specific
46:59
lawn care a little bit in the cleaning
47:00
industry more lawn care right now
47:02
because we’re thinking about
47:02
renewing contracts for next year is
47:06
that we should raise our prices by two
47:08
or three dollars a cut or as a
47:09
percentage across
47:10
the board so i’ve got two sample clients
47:12
here directly out of a job cost and
47:13
report
47:14
um and if you’re an essay in the report
47:16
center it looks like a little toaster
47:17
icon you can download this
47:19
and bring it into excel or google sheets
47:21
but this lawn mowing was a 54
47:23
cut and the actual revenue per man hour
47:25
was fifty four dollars and twenty eight
47:27
cents and sixty dollars and thirty one
47:28
cents
47:28
on average we generated fifty seven
47:32
dollars and thirty cents
47:33
per man hour and this is literally from
47:36
the mobiles
47:37
or somebody printing them out and
47:38
manually typing the nsa but this is
47:40
this is the real deal cody this is this
47:43
these two jobs on average generated
47:45
57.30
47:47
so if we’re making 57.30 and we’re going
47:50
in and saying you know what in 2021 or
47:52
whatever time you’re watching this video
47:53
next year we’re going in we need
47:55
we we’ve met with an industry consultant
47:57
and we know we need to charge
47:59
60 an hour so we plug that in this sheet
48:03
what the sheet does is tells you your
48:06
current price is 54.
48:08
the new price has to go up 2.56 cents to
48:12
the penny
48:12
to 56.84 that’s what you need to charge
48:15
to hit your hourly goal
48:17
so we’re only raising the prices on the
48:19
accounts
48:21
that um require it and we talked about
48:24
it before but when you go out and do
48:26
this
48:26
and you do a wholesale price update
48:28
you’re raising the prices on your most
48:30
profitable clients and you’re forcing
48:32
them to go out and shop
48:34
you you’re raising your prices on your
48:36
least profitable clients they already
48:37
know they’re getting a deal so they’re
48:38
staying with you
48:39
so that’s what you’ve done is just
48:40
taking your most profitable clients and
48:41
alienating them
48:42
um the cool thing is like if you plug
48:44
this number and made it 50
48:46
and we’re making 57 when the sheet
48:48
updates lo and behold you don’t have to
48:49
change that
48:50
price so very similar to jack welch only
48:53
raising or getting rid of the bottom 10
48:54
percent
48:55
we can do this in service autopilot so
48:57
this is the manual approach
48:59
but here’s something kind of cool cody
49:02
so this is a test account but i’ve got
49:05
all the
49:05
services here um in here and what you
49:09
see here is
49:10
on average this job needs over the
49:12
course of the year needs to be raised by
49:13
ten dollars
49:14
all these are zeros um obviously this is
49:17
fictitious data like this one here needs
49:18
to be raised by 551 dollars of this
49:26
know what but the idea here is you can
49:28
build
49:29
job costing reports and put in that
49:31
variable of 50 or 60 bucks an hour
49:35
and then automate it yep so if you’re in
49:37
here
49:38
i believe the limit right now is up to
49:40
five reports but if you kind of hover
49:42
over this little guy here i can send
49:45
this once
49:46
i can send it weekly monthly and i can
49:49
send it to anybody in my organization i
49:50
want so you can
49:51
take the data from the report center
49:54
and automate the reporting to the people
49:57
that need to know what’s going on when
49:58
they need one
49:59
you know when it’s going on and and get
50:01
that in there so once again
50:03
these are reports if you’re busy in the
50:04
spring you’re probably not going to have
50:05
time or
50:06
it’s the last thing on your mind to
50:07
actually go out and automate that being
50:09
sent to your team
50:10
but now you can even send it to yourself
50:11
so if you’re in the field still being an
50:12
entrepreneur
50:13
uh on the truck that’s great like i love
50:15
that i love my time on the truck
50:17
but man would it have been cool cody if
50:19
i could have got that once a week or
50:21
daily to know how did i
50:22
actually do the day before to keep you
50:25
know keep me on
50:26
point so that’s kind of all i got for
50:28
you today cody but uh it just
50:30
you know a lot of people been asking
50:31
about what does that service business
50:32
look like
50:33
uh fully automated and
50:36
in my opinion that’s it um and some of
50:38
the stuff is already automated in
50:40
service autopilot without you doing
50:41
anything
50:41
but they’ve given you such power between
50:43
the report center and automations now
50:45
to really go out and just dominate your
50:49
competition
50:50
absolutely uh as always
50:53
great great stuff mike uh these systems
50:56
if you’re able to implement them
50:58
into a service business will help you
51:01
like mike said at the top of this
51:02
move from working in the business to
51:06
working on the business and that’s where
51:07
we want to
51:08
end up yeah and i’ll just throw it out
51:10
there too as a certified advisor of
51:12
service autopilot
51:13
uh right now we’re not gonna be doing it
51:15
for much longer but we are still
51:16
offering a free
51:17
audit of service autopilot so if you
51:20
want to hop on a call with myself dylan
51:22
or anybody else in the simple growth
51:23
team for a half hour
51:24
no charge just to help the ecosystem
51:26
getting ready for the end of the season
51:28
going into next year
51:29
um if you want to drop us a call or
51:32
just hop on our website and the website
51:34
chat simplegrosssystems.com
51:36
we’re going to give it a 30 minute free
51:38
audit um there’s no pitch nothing like
51:40
that
51:40
it’s just literally this is what we see
51:43
and based on your goals these are the
51:46
pain points i would hit first and some
51:47
of it may not even be automations it may
51:48
be pricing matrix
51:50
custom fields lead sources whatever that
51:52
is um
51:53
but dylan and i who both have run pretty
51:55
successful seven plus figure businesses
51:57
amongst you know in the addition of
51:58
simpler team we built this audit
52:01
yeah predominantly for service autopilot
52:03
users just to be able to get the most
52:04
out of the system
52:05
um and a lot of the things when people
52:06
hop on there aren’t even aware this
52:07
people aren’t aware the system does it
52:09
so we just show them where it is and hey
52:10
here’s a video how to do it yourself
52:12
so trying to still pay it forward before
52:14
things get crazy in our our crazy sales
52:15
season here coming up so
52:17
um appreciate it cody once again essay
52:19
weekly talk show coming at you
52:20
live 1 p.m eastern 12 p.m central every
52:24
friday gonna have carla
52:25
from the landscaping accountant coming
52:28
on next friday the 18th
52:30
uh we’ll see you there once again cody
52:32
appreciate it and uh
52:33
i believe there’s still a short time
52:35
left for essay thrive the virtual summit
52:38
um special ticket i believe it’s a
52:41
hundred dollars off
52:43
go through uh i believe the end of
52:46
september
52:47
uh okay so if you have an email in your
52:49
inbox that says otherwise
52:51
it’s correct absolutely make sure you
52:55
grab those i know they’ve been selling
52:56
like hotcakes from what i heard from the
52:57
essay team
52:58
myself martha woodward obviously marcus
53:00
sheridan the keynote of the sales lion
53:02
uh amongst uh a whole bunch of other
53:05
experts from service autopilot clarence
53:07
and other industry experts so i think
53:09
the full speaking list
53:10
it just keeps evolving as it it’s been
53:12
being released now so look forward to
53:13
see you next friday cody once again
53:15
thanks buddy
53:16
thanks mike if you like this show
53:20
you might want to check out our
53:21
resources at www.startsimplegrowth.com
53:26
while you’re there enter to win an
53:27
estimator chat bot
53:29
mike callahan is available for private
53:32
coaching

Why It’s Important To Automate Your Business When You Are In The Field

Video Transcript

00:04
hey mike callahan here with callahan’s
00:06
corner you asked the questions we
00:07
answered live
00:08
right here on facebook so kind of
00:10
getting back in the cab today
00:12
and talking about a question that was
00:14
submitted to
00:15
callahan’s corner of what are the issues
00:19
and the possible downfalls financially
00:21
and workflow wise
00:22
if you don’t automate your business
00:24
while you’re still literally in the
00:26
field here working a machine
00:27
or a mower so the idea here is that we
00:31
really want to go out
00:32
and create an automated system so
00:34
there’s basically four to five stages of
00:36
business
00:37
and the five stages of business i’d like
00:39
to say is one
00:40
is one breaks out to one a and one b so
00:42
one a’s you’re still working part time
00:45
in your landscape or home cleaning
00:47
business
00:48
one b is basically you’ve left your
00:50
full-time job and now
00:51
you’re going out and trying to make a go
00:54
at it
00:54
and there’s some definitely some painful
00:57
pitfalls there so the next step is
01:00
stage two so stage two business now is
01:03
gonna be go out and your main problem is
01:04
going out and creating leads
01:06
and creating a sales process stage three
01:09
is going to be
01:10
creating a predictable system that
01:13
allows you to go out and estimate and
01:15
delegate those estimates to other people
01:17
in your business and stage four
01:18
really you’re going to that 750 to a
01:20
million mark and beyond
01:22
and we’re creating process systems and
01:24
creating emission vision values that we
01:26
want to push through our
01:28
uh basically our management team but
01:31
if you are probably a stage two business
01:33
doing about 250 000
01:35
of sales and beyond uh it is probably
01:38
the right time to actually go out and
01:40
automate your business and the reason
01:42
why i would suggest that is
01:44
if you are literally sitting in an
01:45
excavator or riding a lawnmower right
01:47
now
01:47
running a cruise on a day-to-day basis
01:49
here the
01:51
problem is that you are not answering
01:54
uh the phone you are not following up on
01:56
estimates
01:57
you don’t have an automated processing
01:59
system so
02:00
one of the processes i highly recommend
02:02
is 20 days to close
02:04
and what 20 days to close goes in
02:06
basically once you submit an estimate or
02:08
bid it follows up for a 20-day period
02:12
it’s fully automated so
02:14
if you’re still in the field or working
02:15
a machine like this you can go out
02:18
and have a series of communications
02:20
until they say yes or no to your
02:22
estimate
02:22
fully automated so we can do it through
02:25
automated text messaging automated
02:27
emailing
02:28
and phone calls and obviously if you’re
02:29
working a machine like this with some
02:30
headphones on you’re probably not making
02:32
those calls but we can substitute those
02:34
calls
02:34
for a thing called a ringless voicemail
02:37
bomb
02:38
and what it does is it hits the cell
02:39
phone on record it looks like the phone
02:41
call
02:42
uh was missed and then it’s a
02:44
pre-recorded message but unlike
02:46
a robo call it literally is a message by
02:48
you the business owner
02:50
kind of nervous and jerky saying hey
02:52
it’s mike from callahan’s lawn care so
02:54
sorry i missed you wanted to leave you
02:55
this voicemail it’s been
02:56
three days since we dropped off this
02:57
estimate exactly the same time it has
02:59
been automated and personal
03:01
and if you have any questions regarding
03:02
that call our office back at this number
03:04
or feel free to accept the online
03:08
estimate so the idea here is if you’re a
03:10
smaller business and you don’t have a
03:12
full-time office staff
03:14
or you have a virtual assistant
03:16
part-timer full-time we want to create a
03:18
predictable workflow and system
03:20
for accountability and standardization
03:23
and that’s where automations comes in so
03:26
if you’re watching this video live right
03:27
now
03:28
um in the next week or so we’ve got some
03:30
really exciting news of a whole new
03:33
brand new automation suite that’s going
03:35
to be coming out
03:37
that you’re going to be able to automate
03:39
and
03:40
this automation suite is going to start
03:42
out with a lower price point
03:44
for those stage 1b businesses or stage 2
03:47
businesses so
03:48
it’s going to be the most applicable
03:50
things to the stage of business where
03:52
you’re at so it’s not a generic
03:54
cookie cutter approach that fits your
03:56
business um
03:58
you know across the board this is really
04:01
dialed in now this new automation we’re
04:03
building up for a stage one b
04:05
or stage two business and then we’re
04:07
gonna go in to the stage two and stage
04:09
three and then the stage four slash five
04:12
business so what we’re doing in simple
04:13
growth is really building
04:15
a automation suite now that really dials
04:17
in even
04:18
more to the stages of business because a
04:20
lot of business owners have reached out
04:21
and said
04:22
hey mike we really would love to use
04:23
your automations but we’re not quite
04:25
there yet um and one of the questions
04:27
submitted that really got us thinking
04:29
over the last few weeks was
04:31
what can we do in an automation to
04:33
benefit a business that technically
04:35
thinks they’re not ready for automations
04:37
but to bring enough value
04:39
that at a really lower price point it
04:42
is a huge return on investment and it’s
04:45
double triple
04:47
sometimes six or seven times uh return
04:49
on investment so the idea here is we
04:51
really want to be able to go out and
04:53
automate these smaller businesses to get
04:56
them
04:56
to a more of a stage two or stage three
05:00
business and eventually stage four going
05:01
to break that 750 to million market well
05:03
beyond
05:04
but the idea here is if you’re looking
05:06
at automations in your business
05:08
it’s not too early to start what we’re
05:10
going to be doing is on the next few
05:11
weeks we’re releasing
05:13
a few new programs to uh let people get
05:16
their feet
05:16
wet and their toes wet in an automation
05:18
platform
05:19
um to follow up on the core things they
05:22
need to be doing while they’re in a
05:23
machine like this
05:24
or out cleaning homes and they’re too
05:26
busy to do that so the idea
05:28
is it’s never too early to automate but
05:30
instead of
05:31
eating the whole elephant at once we’re
05:33
gonna break off little pieces and we’re
05:34
gonna
05:34
focus on the most biggest parts of that
05:38
that’s going to
05:38
focus on the biggest roi for your
05:40
business so comments or questions drop
05:42
below but i wanted to make a quick video
05:44
here
05:44
if you’re still in the field and
05:46
grinding it out in a piece of equipment
05:47
or cleaning homes
05:49
mowing lawns whatever that is it’s never
05:52
too early to automate and i’m excited to
05:55
kind of do a pre-announcement that we’re
05:56
going to build some some automation
05:58
suites
05:59
or settings that basically will allow a
06:02
business owner that’s
06:03
still in the field to automate the core
06:05
things to accelerate their follow-up and
06:07
growth
06:08
to hopefully get them out of the field
06:09
or if you want to stay in the field
06:11
which is nothing wrong with that i
06:12
definitely enjoyed my time in the field
06:14
and machines
06:16
allow those things that you don’t have
06:17
the time to do
06:19
to happen when they should happen
06:21
without you having to worry about them
06:22
after hours and affect that family time
06:24
or friends and family time so you’re
06:26
you’re going to be able to create an
06:27
automated process to
06:30
follow up on the sales and close them
06:32
and
06:33
we’re going to be including some upsells
06:34
so the seasonal upsell so whether your
06:36
design build like this here
06:38
or your landscape maintenance or home
06:40
cleaning uh we’re also gonna have the
06:41
benefits and some upsells in there so
06:43
uh hold tight watch out for it but we’re
06:45
gonna be releasing some new automation
06:47
packages here from simple girls
06:48
soon but the whole point of the video is
06:50
is it really ever too early to automate
06:52
and i say
06:53
absolutely not if you are going full
06:55
time
06:56
in your business you don’t have time to
06:59
follow up on these things
07:00
and after grinding all day in a piece of
07:02
equipment like this or
07:03
riding a mower or cleaning homes you’re
07:05
not going to have the ability
07:07
or the energy to follow up on those
07:09
estimates and
07:10
the ability to grow your business the
07:12
way you should let’s just face it we’re
07:14
human
07:14
so why not put an automated process that
07:17
feels personal but still automated
07:19
and closes sales and they say 80 of all
07:21
sales close
07:22
at five or more touches so who has time
07:25
if they’re in a machine
07:26
to have five or more follow-ups on an
07:29
estimate
07:30
we need to automate it so that is uh the
07:33
conversation today so
07:35
watch simple growth check it out we’re
07:36
going to be uh releasing some new
07:38
packages
07:39
how to automate your business while
07:41
you’re still in the field
07:42
and if you want to continue stay in the
07:43
field and have these repetitive tasks
07:46
taken care of for you
07:47
through just automations or a va with
07:50
accountability we can do that or
07:52
we can automate it and help you scale
07:54
your business exponentially
07:56
and get you out of the field sooner than
07:58
later so
07:59
really excited to kind of give a preview
08:01
of what we’re working on here
08:02
uh but i thought the question was asked
08:04
a few days ago was really appropriate
08:06
is it too early to automate a business
08:09
um
08:10
and i think once you go full time you’re
08:12
about 250 000 in sales maybe a little
08:14
bit less than that
08:16
anytime past that is appropriate so
08:19
callahan’s corner you ask the questions
08:21
we answer them live right here on
08:22
facebook
08:23
any questions you may have uh drop them
08:26
in the comments because we’re happy to
08:27
answer them but
08:28
um we’re giving you experience from
08:30
living in the trenches
08:32
uh in a landscape and service business
08:35
and just kind of lifting the hood up
08:38
of how we did it and we’re successful so
08:42
uh camera’s a bit far away so i can’t
08:43
see any comments or questions right now
08:44
but if you have any comments questions
08:46
drop below
08:46
and i’m happy to answer those um
08:49
after this recording or actually i may
08:51
just hop out of this scene and ask him
08:53
answer real quick if there is any so
08:54
let’s see what happens
09:01
so looks like there is a couple
09:04
questions probably not appropriate yet
09:06
for the live stream but if you have any
09:08
questions drop me but i really honestly
09:09
if you’re looking at a business whether
09:11
you
09:12
work with a professional like simple
09:13
growth or you automate your own systems
09:16
this is a time to take a look at it
09:19
you’ve got uh probably good cash flow
09:21
from this year
09:22
even with covet if you’re running a
09:23
solid business and take a look at the
09:25
pain points if you were sucked back in
09:27
the field or you’re working in the field
09:29
of the repetitive things that you can do
09:32
um or are doing
09:33
and what is the biggest roi so is it
09:37
going out and upselling ancillary
09:39
services to raise that client lifetime
09:40
value is it
09:41
hey your credit card’s about to expire
09:43
in 45 days you need to update your
09:45
credit card or
09:46
your your account is past due and here’s
09:49
three to five steps all the way up to
09:51
collections that are automated
09:53
so whether you’re in the field still
09:55
working a machine
09:56
or in the office automations are going
09:58
to help you take your life back from
10:00
your business create a predictable
10:02
process and system
10:04
to drive bottom line profits and buy the
10:06
time back as an owner
10:08
as a business owner even if you’re still
10:11
in the field working a machine
10:12
your ultimate job is to go out and
10:15
create
10:16
the mission the vision the values and
10:19
project the strategy
10:20
for your team and even if it’s a team of
10:23
two that strategy and vision
10:25
is really really important um so that is
10:27
part of your time that you really need
10:29
to focus on in my opinion so
10:31
comments or questions dropping below but
10:32
i wanted to talk about when is it too
10:34
early
10:34
to automate but i would say if you’re a
10:36
stage 1b business
10:38
or stage 2 business about 250 000 in
10:40
sales or above
10:42
the time is to automate because we want
10:44
to start buying that time back and
10:45
create predictable processing systems
10:48
to make things happen when they should
10:49
happen without the business owner
10:51
babysitting it
10:51
and if you’re the business owner and
10:53
you’re a solopreneur that’s okay
10:55
but automations can help you be
10:57
accountable to yourself
10:59
um so we’re not only automating
11:00
accountability for your team or
11:02
automating accountability to um yourself
11:05
as well as a business owner and those
11:07
sometimes are the biggest wins
11:08
when we automate those things so
11:10
comments or questions drop below
11:11
kellehan’s corner you ask the questions
11:12
we answered live
11:14
right here on facebook getting back um
11:17
in the machines and bringing it to you
11:19
live on callahan’s corner

Ready to take back your life?