The list of “to do’s” in the life of an owner operator contractor can seem endless and many day’s you might want to curl up into a ball and suck your thumb, while Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb” plays on loop inside your over saturated brain. Friday’s we don’t have that luxury and somehow we muster up the courage to soldier on and close down the week with a little bit of order that just might appear that we have the slightest grip on our business.
Friday is the day we have to step up and make sure at least 3 things get done. Regardless of whether you are in the middle of just a single job or 7, these fundamental tasks will give you a fighting chance to see the sunrise on Monday and keep your business chugging along. I like to call it 3C Friday or taking my Friday vitamin C.
- Cash
- Close
- Communication
Cash- Friday is pay day. Even if your employees or subs get paid on different days and in different methods than actually handing them checks, Friday is the day you survey the landscape of your jobs and make sure that everyone you have commitments to are taken care of. The point here is about settling your accounts before the weekend and giving all the people you work with, the peace of mind that getting paid will never be an issue.
Close- Friday is always an exciting day on the job sites. It’s the end of a long week and everyone is anticipating quitting time and starting their weekend. Often times, the subs will pull off a few hours early and your own workers appreciate getting a head start on Bud Lite time and beating the Friday traffic. There is one thing however that has to be done. The jobs MUST be closed for the weekend. Closing the job for the weekend includes making sure everything and everywhere is clean, organized and secure. Most clients will be poking around over the weekend and nothing causes more anxiety and trepidation than an unsecured house and a messy job site. It’s your responsibility as the owner to make sure that ALL of your jobs are secure and presentable leading into the weekend. DO NOT rely solely on your subs to do this for you as they simply don’t have the same incentive that you have in making sure these details are addressed.
Communication- Friday is the day to communicate with your clients on the happenings of the week. This small task is often overlooked as owners get caught up in the same Friday swirls and want to be done early and put the week behind them. Taking 10-15 minutes at the end of the day for a quick email update to your clients, highlighting what happened during the week and what is on tap for the following week, will pay huge dividends towards an ongoing healthy relationship with your clients. You may assume that they see and know all the things that are happening on the job, but most times they do not. It is entirely up to you to show professional leadership skills, by keeping transparent communication lines open and letting them know they are your #1 priority. Never forget that point! Without your client, there is NO JOB. Make sure they are well fed and cared for from beginning to end and especially on Fridays or at the very least, over the weekend when you have a few minutes to sit down.
Being a remodeling or building contractor can be extremely complicated, but it also can be boiled down to just a few key fundamentals. When you find yourself lost in a sea of details and decisions, just go back to the basics to get back on track and you will remember that you have what it takes and you can do this man!