How do you structure your days for prep/ maintenance, doing jobs, appts

I am wanting to start work at 7am. I have a limited daylight in the winter, and would like to avoid some heat in the summer.

I generally hope to do vehicle checks, last minute job-specific gear loading, etc in the morning (by employee, as much as possible) while I return phone calls/ emails/ etc.

I generally don't split out a full maintenance day. I try to keep everything up and running right. I don't have a stable full of saws, I just like the one's I have to be kept sharp and clean. A guy I used to work for would have us load and unload everyday into his shop, ALL the tools, sledge hammer (wedge pounder), rakes, etc. We'd take about 4-5 MS250 ground saws because nobody else could file a chain (bench grinder only, trying to get 4 sharpenings out of a chain), just grab a sharp one and dump the other dull saw in a pile of gear on the bucket truck deck, or whatever.

Bids are time-sensitive, and hard to plan for how much time to allot.
I am going to get a wristwatch to monitor my time better, along with having a emailed document for people to start what will become the Scope of Work part of the bid. So often it will take 30-45 minutes to walk around a property and look at a bunch of trees, suss out impact levels, material disposal, etc, then people ask 'how much?'. I say I just have found out what they want, now I have to figure out what it will take with the big picture developed.
I probably take too long at bids, I know. End of the day is rough, as I'm tired. Beginning of the day is rough as I'm trying to get us to the job and working.

This will be a fillable Google doc that will be able to be sent back and automatically go into Google Drive as a spreadsheet.
Tree #1 evergreen by front door, canopy raise off house
Tree #2 maple removal, 16" firewood, chips on site
Tree#3 don't know what kind, by rear door, 16" firewood, chips on site.

This will be a tool to weed out tire kickers, and give me more info before showing up, and forcing the decision makers to think about things in advance (where is my septic?, do I want to save that bush/ tree/ portion of lawn or can it get flattened? Where is my gas line buried? Oh yeah electric lines exist).

If they're not email savvy or resistant, then I feel like I should charge them to fill out a basic form of their demographic info, and basic things that I will have to ask them on the phone or onsite. Doctor's offices require you to send in your info in advance, or time to fill out the forms at the office before taking up the doctor's time.

By having the form, I can save us both time during our busy days, so its a plus to HO and me.

The other day, I was out for a roof clearance pruning bid. Turns out the guy needs 5 Large doug-firs craned out between the neighbor (just cut a lot of big roots near the trunk down one side of the row for his sidewalk, and HO just built a huge fancy house on the water under these trees. I spent half an hour with him, so he could understand the implications of construction damage.

Maybe 15' between houses.

Thoughts, comments, experiences, jokes...

Sean you're beginning to sound like mark wahlberg and Ted planning to open an Italian restaurant on coke in the film "Ted"

hahaha, no breakfast yet 1015am, just coffee. Need to get up from the computer, but you guys are so cool.

Step away from the keyboard. I just put it down, then picked it up to put on music. ha. Really, step away from the keyboard.

Just relax a bit, it'll wait, like I say to my clients when they're in a rush,
This tree's waited a hundred years, it'll wait a few weeks more.
Smell the flowers.

I work full-time as my own employee, plus I'm the owner. So for me it's 40hrs in the trenches plus about 20hrs quoting, maintenance/repairs, and books. Pretty standard week. Ahhh living the life!

Plan your work, then work your plan.

squisher said:

I work full-time as my own employee, plus I'm the owner. So for me it's 40hrs in the trenches plus about 20hrs quoting, maintenance/repairs, and books. Pretty standard week. Ahhh living the life!

Click to expand...

So do you do bids one day a week, as soon as convenient, leave the guys on the jobsite and go.



Ya, Butch, planning the work and working the plan goes well for tree operations, but not so much for the broken this or that, need to have it repaired, etc.

I'm hoping for tips that people have developed to make their schedules less hectic.

Two good tips I got about bids at an ISA deal from Dr. John Ball:
Never call your customers tree a "tree". A child can call it a tree. Its a Siberian Elm, or a Black Cottonwood. Heck, Dahlia could do the ASL sign for tree before she could say it.

Don't ask customers when they are available, ask them if they are available at Tuesday at 10am. If they wanted they doctor to schedule an appointment on Saturday because its the customer's day off, no way. Make them accomodate your busy schedule (no matter how slow you may be). Stephen does that with his job scheduling...Right now, I can get you in on X day. I've tried to adopt that plan. I'd like to not worry about getting the next job started ASAP, but gotta pay the bills, especially the unexpected ones.

La becasse said:

Just relax a bit, it'll wait, like I say to my clients when they're in a rush,
This tree's waited a hundred years, it'll wait a few weeks more.
Smell the flowers.

Click to expand...

Clients in a rush are my pet hate, call you on a Sunday morning and announce " I'm home this morning, can you come over and give a quote asap". To me these people are not "in a rush", mostly just pricks that want everything done on their terms only, city folk from the premium postcodes etc.

I have started to spread my work out a bit to ensure that I can attend to quoting and maintenance as required. Any local quotes I try and nail asap during the week, then Saturday mornings round up the remaining quotes. Sundays go to dump site then clean saws and sharpen as many chains as can be bothered.

This is a great idea for a thread as us self employed are so time poor...

Sean I do not leave the jobsite to go and quote. Abandoning guys on a job is demoralizing imo, everyone likes the boss who makes a big mess and then buggers off to go quoting while it gets cleaned up. I work as a crew member 40hrs a week, the other 20hrs of quoting is done on 2 to 3 afternoon/evenings during the week or sometimes a saturday of quoting. I try my best not to work weekends at all though. Everyone needs a break.

When people call to schedule a quote my line is, "Lets pick a time that works for both of us". Then I'll throw out the day/time that works for me and see if it fits their schedule.

Squish has it down.
I will gladly do a quote after work if it's in the area. But clean up as a crew comes first. I helped make the mess, by the gods I should help tidy it up.
I do most my quotes by appointment. But I don't have that urban rushy rushy crap. Usually mine are a referral as well. Already 90 percent sold before I get there.
I do most on the weekends. I do some paper work and call backs every day. Sharpen extra as we go sometimes, or just take a couple hours on the weekend to tinker.
Still have to make some time for the family... Kids and I are making model air planes this month. Good lesson in following directions, patience and details.
It is also easy to look at my schedule and see when I am going to be in an area for an estimate. Then I just do it on my way by at the end of the day.

I like your advice Sean, I sent that to my new Secretary.
We tell people our free estimates are between 9 and 4 Monday through Friday, if they want a bid outside of that time they will pay portal to portal if we are available at those times. Suddenly they find a time during the week to meet me.
Also, I've learned not to answer the phone after hours, then people don't ask you to bid on the weekend

Good tips, Willie.

For around that area, sure.
Here, that attitude would kill a business, pronto.

Here, too. People want people to answer their phones.

Trying to get back "normal" business hours. Works here

I'll always answer the phone up until around 8.30.
It's the optimist in me!

My wife takes the calls. I like to try and hit my estimates on my way home from work. Its getting easier for some reason. For the people that aren't around at that time, I venture back out a night or two a week for estimates. This year my wife texts me all my calls for the day while Im at work. I go through and call all of them. A lot of people are home/able to be home as Im done and pulling out of my yard. That's been a major time saver for me this year. MAJOR. Again, those that aren't around, I try and line up for the next night on my way home from work. Do I still do late nights doing estimates? Yes. But Im learning to try and figure out which night the customer will be home in the time frame I prefer. Its has shaved 5-12 hours off my work week, and saves me money each money on fuel. Double winning. Weekend bids are over unless the customer has a legitimate reason why it would work then. Do I grill them? No. But if they tell me they would rather me come on Saturday when they are outside gardening, well, they can blow me. If they tell me they will have a hard time meeting with me during the week because they go from work to their sick mothers house to make her dinner, then absolutely. As I start working more and more on repeat customers, the estimates are becoming easier. A lot of times they'll tell me over the phone what they are after, and I leave an invoice in their mailbox. They rarely feel the need to meet with me. A few of them anymore are telling me bill them when Im done, that they trust me and don't need to waste my time driving for a quote. I never do that though. Always on paper and agreed to first.

Long story short, try and work estimates into when you are still out on the prowl for the day. Don't assume they have to be done in the evening. More people are working from home these days and more people have flexibility in the work force to leave an hour early on occasion to meet you.

Too much organization and words for this old fart.....If I wuz organizededed, I'd be "DangeRuss"

I'd come help you with the crane job, if'n I wasn't rather slammed....

Exactly. Nicely put.

Who you talkin at Squish?

You talkin to me, Crazy canuckistanian?...

I'll never be as underpaid, or over appreciated, as "DangeRuss" Poor fella is stuck with his rookie contract as a third rounder... only making less than $400 k a year.... but, next year, the Hawks will have to shell out big time.... upwards of $12 million a year for that pint sized stud.... who lost his wife...rumors are she was doing a teammate...maybe a higher paid one...

Go Hawks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No Roger I was responding to Chris(Tucker). But I won't dispute the craziness.

Good point about telecommuters. They are often 'fake working' anyway. well, some.

I often say, "Generally speaking, when are you free? Do you work 9-5-ish, or retired or... ...? They usually give me some indication. I shouldn't ask if they work 9-5, but possibly, "When are you available to be at home for a site visit? ".



I'm with you Chris, that I'd rather have it on paper. I would at least like to call and say, "Ballpark $xxx +/-, I'll let you know for sure when we're done. Are we cool in that ballpark?"

I've given repeat customers a break on a job that has gone well, after they've coughed up a little extra when it went long. I like those relationships.

Unless they are a total shitbird, they'll use you until the day they die for having knocked their bill down a bit after the fact. Im not decent enough to give money back.

If the phone rings I answer it. I'll answer very few questions without seeing the job. Most of my Customers seem to understand that I don't often answer the phone during the working day but will call back when I take a break. Evening and weekend calls are appreciated as I am home and have acces to my calendar, job descriptions, schedules, etc.

I treat bids like jobs...they go to the end of the line and wait until my next open time unless I can fit it in earlier. I explain that my schedule is fluid and may change at any time due to weather, unforseen delays, etc. I set a general date with no absolute gaurentee and a confirmation call that I will be there the day/night before.

Upon confirmation to do the job we set a tenative date w/confirmation again.

We change what we bring as the jobs demand it, clean and fix things as needed (I could probably do a better job on saws), Hire out all vehicle and engine maint. (I'm a tree guy; not a mechanic).

I rarely bid, but give an hourly rate. The job takes whatever amount of time it takes to do it safely and professionally. I do give "rough estimates" of what a bill may come to when pushed, but we normaly come in less than the estimate for the actual cost. I have, however, gaurenteed folks that a job wouldn't cost less than an amount.

I don't charge for looking at things, I don't charge for advice, and hardwood logs that need to be removed get taken for free and given to folks I know who need it for heat at no charge (kind of my way of giving back).

I charge the same rate to be on a job and just drop a tree as I do for climbing or chipping. It averages out fine so far and if that changes I'll raise rates. I do charge a bit more for grinding stumps because of the higher maint. cost.

Keeps it all easy for me and gives me a fair amount of freedom keeping it relaxed. Much of the time I enjoy the cutsomer relations part of the job as much as the work part. Been time in the past when I had to brow-beat myself into going in work one more day at a job I wasn't happy at...Never again, I'll either keep it sane and "in its place" in my life or find something else.