This post is the first in a series I will be writing that is focused on the lawn care and landscape industry. Since I have worked with several landscape companies as clients, I am sharing some of my lessons learned that are specific to that industry. Today’s post looks closely at the labor market in the landscape industry.
I recently spoke with two landscape company CEOs, and I’m sure you already know what they said to me.
One of them I have worked with for almost two years. He has never had significant constraints with hiring more workers as he grew. Now, he is competing against construction companies who can’t get enough workers. He has a full pipeline, and yet he doesn’t have enough labor to grow. He is feeling the labor market constraint.
How One Landscape CEO is Trimming
He asked me to crank out our Semi-Annual Property Review spreadsheet using data from BOSS LM. He needed to send termination notices to customers who were marginally profitable to make room for better work in the pipeline.
The report was memorized. I merely changed the dates and exported it. I dropped the data into the Excel file that I created and out popped the actionable information that he needed. The report highlighted which customers he should consider terminating.
This report shows more than just gross margin. When making termination decisions, gross margin isn’t enough information.
He spent his time reviewing the report, not creating it.
That’s just one story.
The CFO Magic
The other CEO was working to create some of these reports because of the significant labor market issues he faces.
There is no doubt that you could probably figure out how to create reports like this one. Although the reports aren’t rocket science, I have organized and calendared them in such a way as to make them fast, logical, and clearly actionable. They may not be rocket science, but there is some CFO magic.
Here’s a question for you: Is figuring out how to think like a CFO and create reports like a CFO really how you want to spend your time? Is spending time that way how you create the most value for your company? Would you rather be focusing on the changes in the labor market?
What’s the alternative?
We like to think the answer lies in outsourcing your Financial Leadership. It allows you to focus on the areas that you’re really passionate about and frees up your time and energy for additional life margin. Let’s start with a conversation and see if we’re a good fit for you and your company.
A few tips to help build a thriving company culture in a tough labor market
Here are 5 areas where lawn and landscape companies need to narrow their focus on to make sure growth doesn’t ruin all of the things that make them great places to work.
Try a few of these ideas to build a thriving company culture, and you’ll see the end result in lower turnover, higher productivity, and a palpable sense of positive energy around the office.