In our asphalt businesses we are in the service business, meaning we provide a service to others. Maybe we provide our service to residential customers, maybe commercial or municipal. Regardless, we are the problem solvers. If your parking lot needs lines, we can do it. If you have a sink hole, we can fix it. If you need a new parking lot, yep that’s us too.
When I look at our clients, nearly all of them need something fixed or a problem solved. It could be there’s something causing a problem on their lot, or maybe they need a simple design change. So, they reach out to all of us – pavement maintenance pros -- for assistance in fixing their problems. But what if we can’t? What if the solution lies outside our capability? What if we don’t have the necessary equipment? Or what if our crew doesn’t have the needed skills?
What “Being Resourceful” Means
This is where being resourceful comes in – and being resourceful is important in both serving your clients and growing your business.
It’s not a secret. If you can be that contractor who is resourceful enough to solve virtually any problem a client brings you and take care of business relatively easily, you will likely become the “go to” contractor for this client and others.
I have found through subcontracting or partnering that our scope of services can be much broader than I ever thought. Now, because I have developed these relationships, when I get a client with an issue that normally we couldn't have solved, I can utilize my network of partners to solve the client’s problem and become the hero. It’s not difficult, yet this approach is overlooked by so many. You do need to use caution to not get too far out of your abilities, but being able to solve problems and be a resource will help your business grow like no other.
An Example of Resourceful Success
A very good client of ours owns and manages an apartment community. Well, a resident hit a garage causing damage. The client called and asked if we knew anyone. (We’ve become a “go to” contractor for him after providing years of quality work.)
I have a good friend that does these types of repairs, so I told the client that we did have a connection and would get him a number. I got the bid from my friend, applied a reasonable markup and submitted it to our client. Not surprisingly, we were given the project. All I had to do was coordinate scheduling and make sure things stayed on track. The job was completed, we made a few bucks, and I got work for my friend’s business. But most importantly, I became a resource to my client. As things would go, we now get dozens of these types of work orders from this client.
Resourcefulness to Help Yourself
That’s how you can be resourceful to help a client. Here’s how to be resourceful to help yourself. You might find yourself in a market that has cooled, or with an abnormal amount of #lowbid competition to take the work that you once had. What happens when sales are way down, cash is not flowing, and things are looking bleak?
Well, be resourceful!
I know, easier said than done if you are in that position, but it's a strategy that can work. I’ve done it and I have seen it some time and time again. Being resourceful in this case means that you might need to think outside of the box for ways to generate revenue for your business. Some ideas are actually quite simple, yet effective:
- Sell sign upgrades (think upgrading old stop signs, parking signs or handicap signs).
- Offer an ADA inspection service for a fee.
- Sell plastic bollard covers, or parking curbs.
- Offer site cleanup or handy man service.
Being resourceful is doing some things different that others may not be doing. I knew of a guy that used his sealcoat tank (cleaned out of course) to spray hydro turf. Yep, think about it:
The tank can mix the pre-purchased ingredients, the pump is more than capable to pump the solution, and then you have a 100-ft. spray wand to cover broad areas. That’s being resourceful!
Just remember: Whether you are working to build your business and become the clients’ one-stop shop, or you are trying to think outside of the box to deal with a slower market, be resourceful. It will pay off!
