Invoicing is a headache. We've talked before about how time spent on accounting is a sunk cost, it has to be done but it isn't generating any profit. That being said, there are a few ways you can improve your invoicing process to make it easier for you get them sent out in a timely manner, and easier for your customers to pay you.
Making the leap from solo glass contractor to small business owner is both exciting and intimidating. While there's a lot to consider when growing your business, stay positive — glass isn't going anywhere! It’s an increasingly popular architectural feature in both residential and commercial projects and it makes sense to try get in on that action.
With so many glazing businesses in the market, what do you need to consider when trying to grow your own glass operation? We’ve compiled a list to help you get started.
Process mapping is visual way of showing a series of steps in a workflow. Often it's done with the end result in mind — the map itself. However, you may find that the exercise itself is more beneficial for your business. It gives you an opportunity to talk to everyone in your business (glaziers, administrators, management etc) and really understand what they do on a day-to-day basis and how they do it. Chances are you'll find holes, overlaps and just plain ol' gray areas where things get done but no one is really sure how or who's responsible for it. These are the areas where you need to focus your attention.
Accounting is a necessary evil when it comes to running a glazing business. It's a time-consuming task and it's an overhead — it must be done but it doesn't generate an income in itself. This is where great accounting software comes in — find the right solution and your day-to-day accounting tasks will be quick and manageable, making tax time a breeze.
We often rave about the benefits of using software (perhaps we're a little biased?) but we understand that the reality of implementing new software can be more challenging, especially for your team. Having walked many glazing businesses through this process, here are our tips for a pain-free software switch in your business.
The general consensus on going paperless is that it is a good idea, but is it? The idea is commendable but the reality for many businesses, especially glazing businesses, is that paper is simply too damn useful. It isn’t practical for us to remove it from our daily operations and trying to eliminate it completely is, in my opinion, a total waste of time.
However, does this mean we should abandon hope altogether? The answer is no. I believe that we should be striving for a different goal: “Reducing paper reliance”.
We've discussed the importance of technology in glazing before, but today we're going to look at three specific areas that are important to customers: how they find you, how you quote them, and how they pay you.
You may have heard reports recently about a large scale, ongoing, ransomware attack known as WannaCry (or WannaCrypt). It has affected over 230,000 in 150 countries, and has affected large companies like Telefónica in Spain and the National Health Service in the UK. It is a timely reminder of the importance of cybersecurity and staying vigilant in your security efforts.
adj. something that is future-proof will not stop being used because it has been replaced by something newer and more effective (Macmillan Dictionary)
Calling all glazing business owners and managers — how prepared is your business for the future? Do you have systems and processes in place? Is business-critical information documented and available to the whole company, or does it exist in the heads of one or two people? Is innovation part of your company culture?
