[BJR]

I got a book titled 'Work Smarter Not Harder'. Great reading.

Any ways that you work smarter not harder?

The big one is to deligate a lot of your work. That is if you have someone you can trust to deligate to.

[agla]

Yes, I click a mouse doing design work while the tear in my disc heals.

One interesting thing that I observed this year, is a higher end company switching to 2" saw cut bluestone for dry work. It is more expensive, but they are able to lay them like pavers because of the consistent thickness. The time saved combined with the higher quality of the stone and less call backs makes it more profitable (they only saw cut the nicest stone). The work smarter aspect is that you don't screw around leveling out each individual random thickness piece of stone.

[Bill Schwab]

I have heard this term kicked around our industry for a few years now. Along with that term comes work "on" your business rather than "in" your business. This in my opinion is a gross oxymoron simply because if you are working in the field, you are working in your business. So, how is sitting at a computer screen working on a case of carpal tunnel working on your business rather than in it?

Work smarter? Yes. Like using recrush class 2 for base, while at the same time dumping broken concrete rather than dumping concrete than going to the gravel put to load mined class 2.

Or heavily mechanizing to eliminate labor. Those make sense to me. The in your business on your business thing, I just don't get.

[site]

I agree with Bill. How about this- If you procrastinate...delegate. In other words hire someone else to do anything in your business that you find tedious. Save the fun stuff for yourself.

[jwholden]

If you know you are going to be late to a job or an appointment, call and let your client know. If you know you are going to be rained out, call and let them know when you'll be back on the job. A little phone time goes a long way toward your client knowing you have the situation in hand. Clients like to see that!

[justgardens]

We buy the more expensive equipment we use regularly such as a small front end loader/backhoe, sod cutter and EZ trencher edger. All save an incrediable amount of man hours. We sub out or rent any other big ticket equipment. I don't want the storage, insurance or monthly payments that go with anything else unless we can use it in at least 50% of our jobs. I frequent nurseries where I can drive in and drive out with what I want on a whim or that will deliver the day after I call. Service , service, service from those I buy from saves us time and money. I have found over the years that paying my bills ahead of or on time establishes a relationship of great service from suppliers. I agree with Site on doing what you do well and leave the rest to others. Henry Ford once said " I don't have to know how to do everything. I just surround myself with people who do." It works in small companies as well as large.

[Paul]

Planning is one area that can help most business. An owner with good knowledge of his or her crews, time lines, advance sales and organizational skills should have time lines down for ordering, material scheduling. I have often wondered why so many of us send trucks out to pick up material, I always had it delivered to sites. Even with deliveries running anywhere from $100 to $300 per load what can that one driver install in that time? You will save $$ in the long run by having it delivered. Sure it's nice to go out and pick up a small order but what are you losing by doing that? Production is still the name of our game, if your not producing $$ but being a delivery person then you need to rethink. Your suppliers should know what you want and what quality you expect. If they don't a rejected load will wake them up. I often hear of lost days and lost hours, rain and poor weather can open up new jobs, spreading out the jobs (having more than two or three open at any one time can make these day productive. Sure you can't do finish work but excavations, layouts, larger plants can all be done in poor weather.

What I'm trying to say is think outside the box.

[AZTLANLC]

I just purchased a laptop and a printer which I carry in my truck all the time, I can invoice right after I finish my work and get paid instead of sending the invoice and wait, also do estimates and proposal in the spot, and annual contracts fot lawn maintenance.

[jwholden]

And the model of that printer was...

[AZTLANLC]

Hewlett-Packard Deskjet Mobile Color Printer
Model: 450cbi

$299.00

[justgardens]

I also want to go mobile with invoices and bids by getting a laptop for the truck. Great time saver! That is my biggest headache...coming home and doing bids and invoices. Next spring.

[jwholden]

Thanks AZTLANLC.

[GLAN]

I get alot of tips of working smarter by chatting with my friends and competition.

Playing to your laborers strengths is by far the best advice I can give.

And for the Working in or on your business.........I understand the terminology but in reality whether working out in the field or in the office.......it is the same thing.

I don't go out in the field with the maintenance much during the season...I can set up and coordinate other work for other personel and be in the office.

I thinks it's a matter of being flexible that has always worked well for me. Sure is less stressfull

[justgardens]

JW- Finally picked up that Laptop Presario 2210. I found it at about $200.00 off or more at Office Max this week. I couldn't find it for less anywhere on the web. I will see about the portable really cool printer($300.00) that goes with it after my account tells me how much I'm going to have to pay Uncle sam this year. I thought that was steep but it runs off a battery and prints beautiful. I could carry it along in the truck and print out an instant bid when talking with clients. My biggest time hog at night. I can't wait to start playing with it!