What’s your #1 focus when the winter slowdown hits—sales, systems, or equipment?
As temperatures drop and the phone stops ringing quite as fast, it’s easy to either kick back or start stressing about cash flow. For a lot of us in seasonal trades, these next few months are actually the most important time of the year for setting up next spring. When your field schedule opens up, where are you putting most of your energy right now? Some pros go all-in on outreach and marketing, pushing winter-specific services, running past-client email campaigns, or locking in recurring maintenance contracts for spring. Others use the quiet stretch for systems and admin—cleaning up Jobber workflows, updating pricing sheets, building out quote templates, or dialing in SOPs. And plenty of folks spend their time in the shop on equipment and fleet maintenance, tearing down rigs for winterizing, knocking out preventative work on trucks, or upgrading gear while they have the downtime. Drop what trade you're in and the main project you're tackling this off-season—always great to see how everyone else is using the colder months to stay ahead!!!What's the One Process You Refuse to Automate in Your Business?
Running a home service business means constantly juggling crew schedules, client quotes, change orders, and follow-ups. While tech and software can handle a massive chunk of the daily grind, most seasoned pros still have at least one hands-on process they insist on keeping personal. For some, it's walking the job site for the final walkthrough. For others, it's making the initial phone call to build rapport, or personally handling custom quotes for high-stakes projects. Where do you draw the line between software efficiency and the personal touch?Hey GCs - Have Any Of You Thought About Refining Your Services?
I was listening to this episode of Home Service Millionaire and the couple was talking about how they were doing all sorts of things then decided to just do outdoor pergola's and decks. Lately we've been having a lot of issues on jobs and I think a lot of it stems from the fact that everyone isn't doing the same thing all the time, can't be systemized and it creates a ton of operational strain. I'm looking for a little advice - If you've drastically shrank down your services, how did you do it? How did you deal with the reduced revenue in the short term? How did you pitch it to your team?What’s Your #1 Go-To Strategy for Handling Last-Minute Schedule Changes?
Managing a full schedule of service calls is hard enough, but last-minute cancellations, unexpected delays, or emergency add-ons can completely throw off your day. Every business handles these curveballs a little differently—some use automated dispatching and instant customer messaging, while others keep a dedicated buffer in their daily routing or have a strict cancellation policy in place. When your day doesn't go according to plan, how do you keep your crews efficient and your customers happy without losing your mind? Drop your best tips, software workflows, or field policies below!
How do you estimate cleaning time before sending a quote?
I’m curious how cleaning business owners estimate labor time before sending a quote, especially for a new property. Square footage and number of rooms are easy to get, but things like buildup, clutter, pets, bathrooms, and the overall condition can change the actual cleaning time quite a bit. Do you usually estimate from experience, use a formula, ask for photos/videos, or visit the property first? And how often does the actual cleaning time end up being very different from what you originally estimated?What's your protocol for handling unexpected property damage on site?
Accidents happen no matter how careful you are. When a crew member accidentally breaks a light fixture, cracks a paver, or damages something on a customer's property, what is your immediate step-by-step process? How do you communicate it to the homeowner, and what is your policy for handling the repair or credit?
Hiring Subcontractors: How Do You Screen and Vet to Avoid Costly Mistakes and Rework?
At our company located in Mansfield, Ohio, we provide the majority of interior and exterior services. We use all subcontractors, most who typically strictly work for our company. We have had many issues hiring subcontractors who have done bad work, which has caused us to spend more money/time sending other subcontractors back out to fix the mistakes. It is also pushing our schedule back completely. This issue has set back our company in the last year because of multiple different crews. We have a few good, reliable crews, but the workload is too much for them. What can we do/use to help us with the process of elimination when it comes to hiring? Are there any types of quizzes/tests that we should provide? Any specific questions that we should be asking? Are there any places we may not be thinking of to find reliable subcontractors?What's your go-to method for handling late-paying commercial clients?
Commercial accounts are great for volume, but waiting 30 to 60 days on payments can put a real dent in cash flow. We’ve tried everything from upfront deposits to offering small discounts for early payment, but some property managers still drag their feet. How do you handle past-due commercial invoices without burning the bridge or losing the contract?
