Preparing Your Lawn Care Business for a New Year

The seasonal nature of the lawn care industry presents some specific challenges, but there are positive aspects to the cycle as well. The winter slowdown offers a chance to vary our routines and genuinely reflect on our accomplishments and plans. Here are a few ideas for taking stock and preparing for a fresh start.

• Review your budget for the year that’s ending to see what kind of changes you need to make for the year ahead.
• You probably subscribe to some industry periodicals. This is a good time to catch up on any recent issues you haven’t read to look for ideas you might be able to use. In particular, this is the season to make decisions about any new gear you’ve had your eye on.
• That’s partly because it’s also the season for sanding, repainting, and any ambitious maintenance and repairs you’ve been putting off. That process will help you decide whether some of your equipment needs to be replaced.
• This is also the moment to check your stockpile of parts and repair kits. Ordering a few extra of the components you have to replace most frequently can save you a lot of expensive downtime later.
• Many people who enter the lawn care industry have studied agriculture and enjoy working outside. If you’re like most of them, you know a lot more about grass than about running a business. To succeed in the long run, you’ll need to develop those skills. It’s a good idea to commit to some kind of continuing education for small business owners during slower periods each year.
• Your staff might benefit from some continuing education as well. Most business owners are very well aware of the importance of regular and open communication with your employees, but the press of daily activities can stop us from dedicating time to that project. The slow season present a great opportunity to sit down with as many of your staff as you can. How are they feeling about their jobs? Have they thought about goals for the coming year?
• The transition from the slow winter to the influx of new customers that appears in spring can be jarring. Think about a group activity to celebrate and prepare your staff. Some companies host a dinner for employees and their significant others. The important thing is to recognize top performers and emphasize the need for teamwork to navigate the busy days just ahead.

The theme that connects most of these ideas is making your company a great place to work. When people feel like they’re part of a team working toward a common goal and are recognized for their contributions, they approach their jobs with positive attitudes. That includes you as a business owner.

It’s true that we don’t do lawn care ourselves here at Tuflex, but when you’ve helped as many small business owners as we have, you pick up a thing or two. Check out our other blog posts for most tips you might find helpful. If you have questions about our tanks or other products, we’re here to help. Just give us a call at 954.785.6402 or visit tuflexmfg.com/contact-us/.