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Toolbox for the Trades Growth

Fuel, Fertilizer, Frustrations: How to Know Your Margins in June, Not December

⏱️ 33:53 🎤 Amanda Salvatore, John Goul, Travis Wills
AUDIO EPISODE
Fuel, Fertilizer, Frustrations: How to Know Your Margins in June, Not December
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Chapters

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  • 0:19
    Purchasing Process Importance
    The discussion highlights the critical role of a well-defined purchasing process in managing costs and preventing waste, even more than vendor negotiations.
  • 1:57
    Landscape Industry's Current State
    The hosts and guests describe the current landscape industry as facing unexpected costs, labor shortages, and consumer apprehension, despite its ability to pivot.
  • 6:32
    Mitigating Rising Costs
    Strategies for mitigating rising fuel and fertilizer costs are discussed, including thoughtful surcharges for new work and updated pricing based on current realities.
  • 11:29
    Smarter Purchasing Decisions
    The conversation delves into making smarter purchasing decisions by implementing order systems, forecasting needs, and building strong vendor relationships.
  • 13:42
    Impact of Labor Shortages
    The speakers address the ongoing challenge of labor shortages, particularly with visa workers, and the importance of investing in and developing existing employees.
  • 17:07
    Working Smarter with Labor
    This section focuses on optimizing existing labor through route optimization, distinguishing productive from non-productive time, and empowering leaders with financial understanding.
  • 24:35
    Finding New Talent
    The discussion explores new avenues for talent acquisition, including tech-savvy individuals, university programs, and local tech schools, recognizing the appeal of trades.
  • 29:38
    Strengthening Soft Skills
    The importance of soft skills like communication, relationship building, and integrity is emphasized, with suggestions for development through public speaking and role-playing.
  • 35:05
    Mid-Season Audit Benefits
    The segment explains why a mid-season audit is crucial for assessing performance, identifying problems, and making timely adjustments to achieve year-end goals.

Speakers

A
Amanda Salvatore
Host
J
John Goul
Director of Customer Experience with Aspire
T
Travis Wills
Senior Manager of Advisory Services with Aspire

Key Takeaways

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Implement a robust purchasing process with PO numbers and scheduled deliveries to manage costs more effectively than focusing solely on vendor prices.

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Avoid adding unexpected surcharges to existing contracts to maintain credibility, but ensure new quotes reflect current material and fuel costs.

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Cultivate strong vendor relationships to lock in prices early and ensure material availability, viewing them as partners in your business's success.

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Invest in your existing labor force through development, leadership training, and a positive work culture to mitigate ongoing recruitment challenges.

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Utilize technology and data to optimize routes, track estimated versus actual hours, and identify non-productive time to maximize labor efficiency.

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Conduct a mid-season audit to understand your current financial standing, identify winning and losing services, and make strategic adjustments to routes, pricing, or service offerings.

✦

Encourage and provide opportunities for employees to strengthen soft skills like public speaking and client communication, as these will increasingly differentiate top performers.

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