How to Make the Most of Your Off-Season Downtime

This year’s construction season is quickly winding down – cold and snow are settling in, as are thoughts of tropical vacations and relaxation.

The Canadian construction season is short – and some years are shorter than others. As a construction business owner, you are working long days and running at 110% capacity when conditions are right to get the job done. When the last pipe is in the ground, or the last cable is laid, or the last nail is hammered, it’s time to take a breath and reflect on the season’s successes – and think about ways to improve or build your business in the off-season.

Here are some things you can do now to get next year’s season off to a running start:

1. Think about the challenges you experienced over the last season and analyze how to address them for the next year:

- lack of skilled personnel? Consider training courses for retained staff and filling gaps with focused hiring.

- safety compliance concerns or incidents affecting your WCB rates? Now is a great time to engage a safety trainer for staff and review procedures.

- estimating miscalculations? Review original estimates against actual job costs to identify gaps and updated costs.

2. Think about process improvements:

- are your equipment maintenance schedules up to date?

- are you utilizing your crews in the most efficient way possible?

- is information flowing from the field to the office in a timely manner?

3. Take care of the details that get overlooked when you’re busy:

- review insurance policies to ensure appropriate coverage for any business or asset changes.

- check licenses and certifications to make sure they are current and applicable.

- make sure employee details and payroll information are current.

4. Research current trends and technology to benefit your business and improve efficiency and profitability.

- Could mobile technology improve communication? simplify timekeeping and streamline payroll? utilize paperless technology to speed up approvals and workflows?

- Is new equipment available that could speed up production times?

- Do you have the right accounting and project management software to give you relevant decision-making information day-to-day?

The Asyma Solutions team can help you with several items on this list from consulting on business processes and best practices to working with you and your team to find the right software solution to streamline job costing, automate repetitive procedures, improve visibility and increase profitability.

Technology advances have made robust, scalable solutions accessible and affordable to contractors of all sizes. Investment in technology early on gives your business the foundation it needs to grow. The right solution can integrate all your accounting, payroll, and project management functions into one easy-to-use package that will help you make the most of all of your resources – people, equipment, and time.

Sage 100 Contractor is one construction solution that provides visibility across all operations. Its customizable dashboard provides daily information on critical metrics so you can see how your business is performing at a glance. Build fast, accurate estimates with eTakeoff Bridge and integrated estimating that converts won bids into jobs with the touch of a button. Save time by creating templates for similar jobs, assemblies for commonly used functions, and easily adjust projected production metrics. Track your production daily against job budget to view progress continually and address issues quickly. Enter invoices and payroll information once and have it flow through accounting and project management seamlessly for accurate, balanced accounting.

For more information on Sage 100 Contractor, click here