As a gardener, you need to combine a lot of physical labour with your experience and knowledge, to be able to provide a high level of service to your clients. Whether commercial or residential, you want to ensure that the work you carry out meets the needs of the individuals in question, while still keeping yourself assured that your hard work is paying the bills. Finding ways to make the most of your time, and expand upon your existing knowledge, can help you to cut down the time you spend at each job, and even give you more valuable skills within your trade.
Taking Payments
Receiving payment for the work you carry out is essential for your business to remain operational. Spending time waiting for these payments from the client can cause you to run late to your next client. At the same time, cash payments mean that you may also need to find the time to deposit these into your business account. Instead, it can be beneficial to set up a recurring payment system with the client, where the invoice is settled via a subscription service based on the frequency of your visits, or by using what is known as a virtual payment system. You can learn more about virtual payment options here to figure out which would best suit your business needs.
Making Bookings
Booking appointments with clients can also be a lengthy process, especially if they would like you to come at regular intervals for an extended period of time. While paper-based planners can be useful to figure out who you are seeing and where you are going, these can be cumbersome and take time to fill in. Opting for a simple and free calendar app for your computer or cellphone can allow you to quickly insert appointments, as well as clearly see when you are free. In addition to this, it is likely that you will have your cellphone on you at all times, meaning you can take calls regarding appointments, check your schedule, and insert bookings without needing to postpone until you are next in your van or at your home office.
Extra Training
Another way of simplifying and streamlining your existing gardening business can be to put yourself through extra training courses and programs. These can help you to build on your skills, develop new ones, and even gain essential information regarding safety within your trade. On top of this, it can also be a good idea to keep yourself informed with working practice laws, as well as to seek training in successfully completing tax returns. While these may involve you sacrificing some of your time in the present, they can aid in cutting down the time all these processes take in the future.
When your passion is for plants and the outdoors, you want to make sure you offer the best service possible, especially if there are a number of competitors in the area. By making yourself more available, keeping payment processes simple, and continuously expanding your knowledge, you can help elevate your company’s standing in society.
