Contractor Success Map With Randal Dehart | Contractor Bookkeeping And Accounting Services

This Podcast Is Episode Number 504, And It's About Year-end Closing And Planning For Construction Business Owners The end of the year is typically a reflective time. Something about that lull between holiday festivities and New Year's Eve sets the stage for introspection and review. While you're busy reflecting on the year ending and making plans for the new one about to begin, make sure you take some time to consider your finances.  Preparing your End of Financial Year (EOFY) information often feels stressful—there are receipts to sort out and reports to review. You must ensure you have all the necessary information about your income and expenses. It can be overwhelming, and it can make the EOFY feel daunting. The end of the financial year isn't just a time to collect receipts and find invoices. It's also a time to reflect on how your past year went, what went well and what didn't, and what you can change for next year. Here are three tips to make the most of your end-of-financial year: 1. Consider redoing

This Podcast Is Episode Number 503, And It's About Reclaiming Your Time And Switching Off During The Holidays Small construction company owners like you already have a time-consuming and challenging job running your business. If you're working on weekdays, you usually need the weekend to catch up on paperwork, pay bills, and manage any tasks you didn't get to during the week.  But this weekend is Christmas, and with it comes time to relax, focus on family and friends and take stock of what is essential in life. Phone calls from employees dealing with a minor crisis will pull your focus from your family, or your Christmas dinner will be taken over by business talk. Like the merry bells of Christmas, your cell phone will constantly chime with the sounds of urgent text messages and emails that must be dealt with. Clients will need your attention. So, if you've been waiting for a sign or permission to pause, this post could be the one you're waiting for. It's easy to let the construction company take over your

This Podcast Is Episode Number 502, And It's About How To Prevent Your Construction Company's Yearly Cycle Of Chaos The year is almost over. Fourth-quarter and year-end deadlines are approaching. Most construction business owners who reach out to us describe this as their "Year End Madness" to prepare their documents for the tax accountant.  The end of the year tends to be chaotic for construction company owners, but it's an excellent time to get some extra housekeeping done for your business. If you're on QuickBooks, you can click the Help Menu; depending on the year and version you're using, you can access the Year-End Guide, which will show you how to wrap up your business year. It's not an easy process, but it's all worth it.  Why? Because tax preparers will take what you give them - they don't have the time, and it's much work that you've paid for, but a good tax preparer will know how much you can save if you can track your money. Bottomline - pay your taxes right, but it doesn't have to be more than

This Podcast Is Episode Number 501, And It's About Key Drivers To Improve Construction Profitability And Cash Flow Enlightened contractors like you understand the value of developing your own unique Construction Contracting System, a collection of documented repeatable processes and operation manuals. The key is continuously refining your construction company's practices and procedures. Your office ensures your contracting company has a steady flow of projects. Proper accounting and bookkeeping develop timely financial reports to show which jobs are profitable so you can pursue more. Thus, you can focus more on the following: Acquiring the right clients Doing the project as close to on time and budget as possible Get job deposits and timely progress payments Follow-up with clients to monitor satisfaction and line up new projects Boost profitability by recognizing your key drivers Identifying the key drivers of your business is critical to boosting profitability. A key 'driver' significantly impacts your spe

This Podcast Is Episode Number 500, And It's About Cost-Reduction Strategies For Construction Company Owners Cutting costs can be a quick and easy way to improve the profitability of your construction business. Introducing cost-control measures can bring immediate savings and ensure you remain profitable in the long term. But cost-control measures must be carefully managed. Eliminating errant expenses is beneficial, but indiscriminate cost-cutting could lead to a drop in quality or poor morale if staff fear being made redundant or are not given the tools they need to do their job efficiently. This risk is heavily reduced by identifying where you can safely trim costs, setting clear cost-reduction targets, and researching any cost-saving initiatives before making changes to your contracting business. Planning for effective cost-control The first step towards reducing costs is identifying your major cost areas. These are likely to include: Production Purchasing Sales and marketing Financing Administration F

This Podcast Is Episode Number 499, And It's About Construction Company Employee Vs. Contractor - What You Need To Know Depending on the nature of your construction business, you may have workers who are employees or contractors, or you may have both. Each has its merits, but it's important to review which are to meet your tax obligations. With so much discussion about employees, payroll, and payroll taxes, you may feel like missing out by not hiring many employees. The reality is that as a small business owner, you do not have to hire employees. To hire or not to hire employees is one of the few optional things where the business owner can choose, change their mind, and change direction as needed. When you have an employee, you must withhold income tax and report on additional benefits. Contractors generally look after their tax obligations. Is there another way? Yes - to outsource most of the mundane low-value tasks that take time away from what you are skilled in. As the owner, you can use that time to

This Podcast Is Episode Number 498, And It's About The Solution To Your Construction Company Equipment Dilemma Is it time for your construction business to invest in some new equipment? And if so, is it a more brilliant business decision and cost-effective to rent or buy? Black Friday, followed by Cyber Monday, is coming. The real question is what equipment is on your business shopping list. It is all a question of your budget, income, cash flow, profit & loss, and taxes. Why you might need new equipment: The right equipment can enhance your processes, productivity, innovation capacity, and bottom line, but should you buy now or wait till a later date? A few reasons you might need to purchase new equipment now are because: - You have some big contracts coming up and need to increase production. - Your construction business is expanding at a fast rate. - You need to replace some aging equipment to maintain your business’s high standards and keep up with the competition. Evaluate your existing financial s

This Podcast Is Episode Number 497, And It's About A Guide To Construction Client Retention Long-standing customers form the backbone of a robust and well-established business. Make it your mission to ensure that most of your current customers stay with your company for many years. Understanding the High-Profit Client Most of them have personality traits commonly known as drivers. Folks accustomed to getting things done quickly and efficiently do not mind paying professionals for servicing, repairing, remodeling, or building new construction projects related to their houses and commercial buildings. Why it's vital to keep existing customers Your current customers already have personal experiences dealing with your business and using its services. You won't need to spend much time, money, and energy convincing them to continue hiring you. You and your staff know your current clients well. They're likely to increase the amount (or the frequency) of their purchases and recommend your business to others if yo

This Podcast Is Episode Number 496, And It's About Managing Payment Terms For Your Construction Business Clients Getting paid correctly and on time by customers can be a constant frustration for business owners. Communicating your terms is the best way to ensure you aren't out of pocket – or are left chasing debtors. Investors, developers, and shrewd business people designed the most popular method - those who understand the concept of divide and conquer - it is when contractors get little or no down payment for a construction project, do all the work, including change orders, and then try to collect their money. What often happens is that contractors hate paperwork preferring to keep everything in their heads. Then when it comes time to collect their money, they have to re-sell the job and talk their customer into parting with their money. Contractors who finance working capital with their own money and whatever they can borrow will earn less profit and put themselves at a higher risk of failure than contr

This Podcast Is Episode Number 495, And It's About The Common Construction Payroll Implementation Errors You Can Easily Avoid   Small business owners spend an average of eight hours monthly performing payroll functions. That's 12 business days a year that could be spent generating sales, prospecting new business opportunities, improving products or services, or servicing customers. Upgrading or changing your payroll system comes with a ton of attractive benefits. Saving time and money, making everyone's account more manageable, and better integration are all excellent reasons to consider a change. But if the switch is mishandled, the results can be catastrophic and lead to long-lasting problems. Read on for tips on avoiding a disastrous payroll system migration. 1. Give the project the time it needs People may indeed enjoy coming to work. But for most people, earning money is the main reason they seek employment. Our jobs make the world go round and support our families and us so that we can afford everythi

This Podcast Is Episode Number 494, And It's About The Five Signs You Need To Start Outsourcing Your Administrative Tasks When you start a small business, it's usually only you behind the whole operation. You wear many hats, from CEO to clean-up crew. As you pour your heart and soul into your business and it begins to grow, the amount of work involved grows. Because a small business focuses on survival, you pay much attention to the bottom line. This makes much sense, but it also leads to being seriously overworked. These days, contractors are under increased pressure to cut their prices to get enough work. And that means they need to reduce costs. New technologies and approaches in cloud computing for construction accounting give forward-thinking contractors a fantastic ability to get more for less -but in most cases, contractors' heads are still stuck in 1990, thinking they have to do everything themselves. There will inevitably come a time when you must consider letting go of some control and paying othe

This Podcast Is Episode Number 493, And It's About Management Priorities For New And Experienced Construction Company In the past, Construction Project Managers were laborers or served an apprenticeship in one of the skilled construction trades and were promoted to foreman. This meant many people were more comfortable in manual labor without management skills. And when "things" were put in charge of "people," the results were not usually favorable. Because of this, many construction companies failed and went out of business due to the Cost of Chaos in their businesses. And it is still happening today. In the late 20th century, construction and construction management were separated into individual disciplines, each with its methodologies, terms, and definitions. Project Management Institute developed a set of standards and guidelines, including a glossary of terms to make it possible for construction project managers worldwide to have a common language to communicate. In today's construction business world,

This Podcast Is Episode Number 492, And It's About The Top Construction Company Marketing Blueprint Construction contractors like you are primarily in the "Hurry Up" and "Wait" zone. Hurry up and answer the call from the customer.  Wait to make the appointment.  Hurry up and get to the job.  Wait for the customer to come home, to be available.  Hurry up and create the proposal.  Wait for a decision.  When the client says "Yes," it is - wait for the Job Deposit. Wait to Start The Job This Hurry Up and Wait for activity makes it hard for the contractor to schedule other jobs. Many contractors only hold a place open for the client once a job deposit has been received.  Unless your construction company has lots of work stacked up, there will be times when there is nothing to do, and that is the best time to think about Strategic Marketing and following the adage: "Dig your well before you are thirsty" You won't build a loyal client base if you can't earn your visitors' trust, which is why companies value so

This Podcast Is Episode Number 491, And It's About What Sets Your Construction Company Apart Let me start by saying it's good if you have competition. Indeed, competition pushes you to be innovative. It also means there's an established community for your services. If no one else is offering the service, there's a chance there's no market for it.   But, have you always wondered how a small construction company like yours could stand out from the crowd and its competitors? Awareness of what others in your industry have developed and provided leads to a newfound motivation and belief in making an impactful difference, whether within your company or your community.     The key to benefitting from the competition is knowing how to take on competitors. You measure your share in the particular segment you operate in and obsess about your immediate competition, just as contractors who did not market effectively did years ago.   But first, you need to step back and ask yourself these three key questions and make sur

This Podcast Is Episode Number 4890, And It's About How To Raise Your Prices: Value Over Price As prices continue to rise, you've likely noticed that your cost of doing business has increased as well. After all, the main point of any business is to make money, and you can't do that if you're no longer breaking even.    It's inevitable in every industry – you must raise your prices to continue making a profit. Many factors decide how much to charge, all of which are dynamic. The rising cost of goods, inflation, and a changing market are just a few reasons why any small business has to reevaluate its rates regularly to stay competitive (and to stay in business).   If you're overworked and overbooked, you're undercharging. People know your worth and are fighting for your time. It's time to increase your prices!   Although there's a lot to consider when raising your rates, make a point to reevaluate every six months. Here are some tips on how to increase your prices and how to tell your customers.   Accept that

This Podcast Is Episode Number 489, And It's About Construction Company Employee Compensation And A Note On Taxes There are a few different methods that employers use to pay their employees, and while they may have similarities, they each also have implications for your construction business and employees. On top of that, there may be a blended model at play, in which you offer two types of compensation at once, such as a wage and bonuses.    When paying employees, laws and the IRS have made the payroll function a time-consuming nightmare for the small business owner.   Small business owners spend an average of eight hours monthly performing payroll functions. That's 12 full business days a year that could be spent generating sales, prospecting for new business opportunities, improving products or services, or servicing customers.   How you pay your construction employees will impact your finances and your reporting requirements. Read on to learn the differences between the main ways of earning money in the

This Podcast Is Episode Number 488, And It's About Ways To Get Rid Of Construction Accounting And Bookkeeping Confusions Doing something different is hard. Do you feel like everyone else is the most brilliant person in the room, and you just don't get it? Getting into a rut and repeatedly doing the same things is easy.   If those things work, then yes, continue to do them repeatedly. The problem is when something is not working, and you continue down the same path expecting a different result. The opposite of too much change can create another form of chaos. How do you know what is broken if you change a zillion things all at once?   Looking for ways to make your job easier is the goal of all construction contractors. The last thing you want to hear from your staff or a trade contractor is, "Do you want me to do that over?" Your answer is "No!" (thundered, with many extra words). What you expected was that your staff did it correctly the first time.   In accounting, the first piece of the confusion comes fro

This Podcast Is Episode Number 487, And It's About Five Effective Ways To Retain Employees And Keep Your Company Healthy Traditionally, employers have relied on giving employees raises to retain their staff and reward them for being hard-working and loyal. Raises can get expensive, and there is often an upper limit for what you can offer regarding increasing salaries and wages.   Keeping your employees happy makes business sense. You want to keep your good employees, and it costs money to find, hire and train new staff. Beyond that, satisfied employees who feel valued are more motivated and productive.   Here are some ways to keep your employees happy that don't rely on higher salaries.   1. Pay for professional development Good employees want to improve their skills and grow professionally. Often, other priorities get in the way of upgrading skills. Paying for professional development, for example, by having a fund people can access or by bringing in experts to run workshops, shows your staff you care enoug

This Podcast Is Episode Number 486, And It's About Are You Charging Enough? Why You Should Raise Your Prices There comes a time for every small business to raise its prices. While it may seem scary, remember that it's your job to keep costs fair for you and your customers. That means you have to charge prices that work for you and allow you to remain in business.  Am I Not Charging Enough? Knowledge leads to profits and cash flow. What makes knowledge powerful? Use of knowledge. In this cutthroat construction industry, you may not be able to outgrow your competition forever, but you can always outlearn them. Knowing The 80/20 Rule For Construction Contractors will surely help: 20% of your customers typically generate 80% of your net profit  20% of the goods or services you sell contribute 80% of your revenue 20% or 2 out of 10 of your staff create 80% of the value for your customers The frightening consequence of the 80/20 rule is that 8 out of 10 hours we spend at work drive almost no value to the bottom l

This Podcast Is Episode Number 485, And It's About Six Tips To Respond Effectively To Construction Client Complaints Complaints are an unfortunate part of running a business, but they happen. No matter how hard you work to please your clients, eventually, someone will have something negative to say. However, with the right approach, you can turn complaints into a valuable tool to strengthen your business.   When reviews are great, that's a fantastic thing. But unfortunately, when you get negative ones, you have to adjust. You can't please all customers all the time.   Here are six tips for effectively responding to complaints: 1. Remember that this is not an argument The reason that a client complains is a disappointment. It's a symptom of a need that wasn't met. They are not looking to fight with you. Taking the time to complain signals that they wish to continue the relationship. Don't muck it up by getting into a defensive, back-and-forth argument. Nobody wins in that scenario. Your client is allowing you