[Ken S.]

General question:
What is or has been your biggest challenge for you in your painting business in the last 90 days/3 months?

Mine has been maintaining a steady flow of the right leads(for my business) and having a good closing ratio(sale) of the projects at my price, that we need to maintain profitability.

 

[PressurePros]

Ken1, that you can overcome easily enough. You have to dump more dollars into advertising. What is your closing ration on estimates/proposals?

My biggest ongoing issue is employees. More guys that don't want to work than guys willing to earn an honest day's pay.

 

[vermontpainter]

My biggest ongoing issue is employees. More guys that don't want to work than guys willing to earn an honest day's pay.

DITTO. Definitely putting enough of the right people in place is the challenge. An old timer told me recently, there are millions of guys out there looking for work, and thousands of us employers willing to let them. The issue is that they have to want to work hard and commit to the program. Its important for all of us to require alot more than clock punching on our crews.

 

[MAK-Deco]

I concur I have had a hell of a time finding good employees as well. I am behind where I wanted to be schedule wise at this point due to lack of help.

 

[mattrecov]

when it comes to managing employees, I have found that it really helps to set it up that the painters have a stake in the business. This doesn't have to be an actual financial stake, it can just be as simple as giving praise when a job is well done or a worker goes above and beyond, and showing disapproval when thats not the case. Having had many jobs, I worked harder and went the extra mile on jobs where I felt I wanted to make my boss happy, but when I felt mistreated, then I slacked off and just did the minimum. Also, keeping workers "in-the-know" about whats going on with the business really helps, letting people know that a big job just got landed, or that I'm about to buy some new equipment that will make the employees workday easier and faster, and asking their imput/advice on some business decsions (cant figure out how to spell that lol). Additionally, having a good sense of humor and knowing when a situation is just not that important, and being able to laugh at my own mistakes as the boss really helps, making me more human and not just "the boss".

 

[Ken S.]

Ken1, that you can overcome easily enough. You have to dump more dollars into advertising. What is your closing ration on estimates/proposals?

My biggest ongoing issue is employees. More guys that don't want to work than guys willing to earn an honest day's pay.

Ken Fenner: My closing ratio in the past 4 weeks ( May) was up at 65%, which is an exception. The previous 2 months, I was down at 21%. I have made a change in my "target market" strategy to get what I'm looking for at my door.

Thanks for everyone's great replies and insight!

 

[Brian]

My challenge is similar to Ken Fenner's-- finding good help.

I have a job starting tomorrow. It's our annual school repaint. For one sub, last year's project was about 25% of his annual revenue and the project lasted 5 weeks. He made very good money.

I offered him a big chunk of this year's project. He said he could put 2 guys on the project. And all he is is one 3 day job!?!

I guess it's easier to complain about not having work than to actually do the work.

Brian Phillips

 

[George Z]

Hiring more people and training them fast enough, is our bigest challenge.
The ones we have are with us for a while now and happy to be with us.
So turnover is very low.
We are now raising the bar, on what we offer our employees
http://www.ecopainting.ca/employment_for_painters.html
hopefully, this would help attract more people.

 

[Housepainter]

I am at the crossroads of having to decide IF i want to move from a one man operation to either an employee or two or using some type sub-agreement. I have recently had to turn down a couple of jobs due to scheduling and or time frame issues.

I know there are guys out needing work, but I also hear you guys and the issue of quality workers, who will give a good days work for a fair wage.