how do you prioritize jobs/customers

[huggytree]

im very busy lately and have started working 9 hour days and saturdays

im still having issues keeping up and have had to start prioritizing customers and jobs.....ive always done 1st come, 1st serve in the past......but thats not going to work for the next few weeks

the problem is that i have a few large jobs (40-60 hours).......and at the same time i also have some 8 hour to 20 hour jobs.......and of course ive got some emegency calls (1-2 hour) and a few bids (1 hour)........

im having trouble getting the large jobs done....i keep having to handle other issues and cant spend as much time as i want on them.....i thought i had the largest one done today, but a tool broke.......so im back on sat. to finish it

ive been taking the 1 hour emergency calls daily....when they come in i just do them.....i leave the large job early or work late

well im starting my last large job tomorrow, but ive got (4) 20hour jobs lined up looking for me also....

do i juggle 3-4 jobs at once (a day at each over and over until they are done) OR do i pick one and finish it, then go onto the next.........im most likely going to do something inbetween.....maybe 2 or 3 days on the large job and then take 2 days off to complete the next one and then back for 2 days......i dont like way it looks working 1 day and off for 3......it looks better to get a few days in in a row before you leave......


yea its time to hire.....but i know in 4 weeks ill be sitting doing nothing all day.......the slow season is 1 month away.....

i dont want to hire and lay off in a month...

so im just looking for any advice on how YOU juggle when you have a over booked month

[MyITGuy]

With your particular situation I'd suggest what your doing. Emergency Calls, Bids (To keep the work coming), followed up by the scheduled work.

Depending on the time frames I quoted to the customer, I'd personally probably be working 15-18 hour days to get the work done and staying on track.

This month and next are my slow periods due to the holidays, so I'm liking it as it makes up for the 250+ hours I've been putting in every month lately.

[huggytree]

i cant work 15 hour days due to multiple reasons

1. the large project i am finishing up had 'rules' imposed by the city....work cant start before 7:30 am and must end at 5:00....also daylight is an issue
2. homeowners dont want their water shut off until 9pm......they want me out of their house when they come home from work
3. weekends....some homeowners dont want me around during the weekend


im really limited to 9-10 hour days......in some cases 8 hours or less......todays job has a fussy homeowner that wont let me start until 8am and wants me out at 4pm.......they want their personal life......and they are also complainers that the job is moving too slow..(not my fault...im on time on this one)

i have promised nothing to anyone....i am most likely acting like what subcontractors typically do......its just not how ive run my company thus far....

its really not too bad....just something i thought id bring up

[nealrm]

The best time to handle would have been when they were being scheduled.

Start looking into what you can minimize that is not a priority. One of the main ones would be travel. Don't leave one job to make a quick trip for another job. All that travel time is time that you are not working on one of the jobs.

Also sometimes home owner will need to make a decision between what they want and what they need. They want you out of the house at 5:00 but the need the plumbing fix. Give them a choice, that can have it fixed today (or tomorrow) after 5:00 or next week. Same for the weekends. If you are upfront that you are booked already, they will understand.

Also, look into bring in some temp help. There are a lot of people that would love to have a weeks worth of work. In some case it would make the difference between present under the tree or not. Manpower or other temp firm can get you low or semi-skilled worker on a daily basis. They won't be able to all the work, but could easily help with handing you tools, cleanup, simple cuts ....

[billbenson]

There is a guy that does sprinkler systems here. They call him Cowboy and he looks like the Marlboro man except he's alive. In Florida we run sprinklers year around. Most people have wells so the water is free or cheap.

Cowboy really knows his stuff. He has a helper who has been with him for a number of years. Might be his son, I don't know. Cowboy pretty much points at a pipe and says cut it here. He pretty much smokes on his Marlboro and tells his helper what to do. He gets his hands dirty on the difficult stuff.

I mention this because you are always talking about being able to hire an employee. I'd suggest you hire a part time apprentice instead. While you are frequently talking about your quality workmanship and speed. Some of these jobs sound like you could use an apprentice / helper. Someone who can go to your truck for tools, pvc etc.

I bet he slows you down at first, but if you are helping him learn a career, he will stick around and become an asset. Even if you only use him for the trivial work.

[dianecoleen]

I think you need to set a hierarchy on your jobs. From the most important up to the least important one. You can also hire a freelancer that will work for you on a project basis. You can look for the on-site person so you wont have the hard time on the communication. For sure there are lots that will grab that opportunity.

[huggytree]

as far as scheduling ahead of time..impossible.....i litteraly have customers that will call the day before they need me for a 80 hour project and say 'can you start tomorrow'....12 hours notice....

that just happened last week

of course i cant is my typical answer

nothing is scheduled more than 1 week out....they all call me right before the job is ready....it would be nice to have 2-3 weeks notice, but its never happened



as far as hiring temp help......im still in the union....still have the typical union issues......i cant see hiring anyone part time without a long term plan for them...yea if this busy streak lasts 2-3 months its worth it, but its probably only going to be 1 month.....it always is....especially this time of the year

thanks for all the advice

[nealrm]

I don's see why you can't schedule. You get called for a 80 hour jobs, you go plan for 6 hours a day for the next 13 days with 2 hours of finish up on day 14, maybe add in a little extra as a safety. Next call that comes in is for a job that will take 1.5 - 2 hours. You plan it for after the 6 hours from the prior job, and close that day for scheduling. The next call gets scheduled for the next day with open time. I do this everyday, many times with less an hours notice. It can be done.

Check with the Union, it most cases they will have contingents for allowing very short term labor. If not, see if there is a union member that has some extra time and is willing to do some work.

[huggytree]

i would lose customers if they were told they would have to wait 2 weeks for me to show up.....

example: a kitchen....what homeowner is going to have their kitchen all done, but cant use it because the plumber is 5-8 days out....nope...the day that kitchen is done is the day the plumber MUST be there to put the faucet/sink in.......no builder would wait more than 1 day

the problem is that remodelers and new home builders are HORRIBLY unorganized....funny since organizing the job IS most of their job

they all call me last minute and im expected to jump



i got lucky today....the newest 80 hour project isnt ready for me yet......i put off returning to the job until the middle of next week(when it should be ready)...now i can catch up on the smaller 4-8 hour projects....im working through the weekend and should be caught up by Tuesday next week 100%

ive talked with the union over and over...they stopped returning my phone calls since our conversations just went in circles....with so many members laid off they cant give me a retired guy part time....they just are willing to give me the next guy on the list part time....these guys are typically hired full time within 1-2 weeks of being at the top of the list....so id be retraining a new employee weekly....

depending on how Obamacare effects the union insurance i may be non union and then i can just do as i wish......the insurance is really the only reason im still with them...

[Steve B]

It's ironic that you appear to be such a conservative - yet, you stick with the union - which is such a traditionally democrat/liberal stronghold. You'll probably sleep better if you drop out of the union and eliminate the inconsistency in your life. It sounds like you're making enough money to buy your healthcare on the open market.