New, Used, or Lease? And WHEN?
As a small business owner it has been nothing short of challenging to build a business from nothing. I came from nothing and have built this thing from the ground up. I didn't have a lot of money. When I first started I couldn't afford company vehicles. I eventually bought used vehicles in the $20K-$30K range and financed them and that was fine until I unexpectedly slowed down and had to sell off my trucks just to survive. Once I rebuilt from the slow down I decided to buy used vans around $9K to $10K cash. Right now I have 6 vehicles. One of those vehicles needs major work done. And the others are all 100K miles or more and I feel like they are just ticking time bombs. I want the reliability of newer, or leased vehicles but the risk intimidates me after my struggles in 2022. Is there a formula for when you should go from paying cash for used, to financing newer/new, and to finally leasing? Is there a revenue metric, a number of vehicles in your fleet, or some other sign that going one route over the other is more advantageous or less risky? Thanks for taking the time to read this and share feedback!
Electrical flat rate VS assemblies VS t&m
I’ve been using AccuPrice Lists for my material pricing since it syncs right into Jobber and saves me from having to constantly update material prices manually. I saw they’re adding flat-rate pricing and assemblies, and I’m curious which direction you guys have found works best for electrical service work. Do you prefer a true flat-rate price book, assemblies that build out the labor and materials, or some combination of both? For those of you already pricing this way, what’s been the easiest for your guys to use in the field and the most profitable? Trying to figure out which direction makes the most sense before I change up my current setupIs Jobber's dedicated business phone number a game changer for small businesses?"
So i had a brake and was watching reels and saw that Jobber offers a dedicated business phone number that lets customers text and call while keeping everything tied to your business. That's definitely A game changer 💪... For those of you using it: • Has it helped you win more customers? • Do clients respond more when they recognize your business number? • Is it better than using your personal cell phone or services like Google Voice? • Would you pay extra for this feature, or is it something every CRM should include?
Does anyone have input on how to leverage business certifications for profit?
I know certifications can open doors, but I’d love to hear how people are actually turning them into revenue, stronger partnerships, or new opportunities. What’s worked best for you in scaling with certifications like WOSB, SDVOSB, 8(a), or others?
