Don’t Just Survive, Thrive with 8 things all successful tree services do from the experts in tree care insurance, ArboRisk! Plan to Succeed – Create a business plan that identifies specific goals and objectives for your company as well as what potential challenges you will face. As you work through the plan, you will uncover the tasks that you need to complete to accomplish your business goals. Write out this plan and refer to it every quarter to see how you are doing. Life happens quickly, so making the most of each day starts with having a plan of action to follow. Commit to Safety – Not only do injuries hurt the injured employee, but they hurt the business in a big way! OSHA estimates that a simple muscle strain can cost a business $67,869 in direct and indirect costs. Make a commitment to safety within your company by installing a written safety plan and weekly safety meetings. Every employee must the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment each day and that they are trained on the equipment before using it. Invest in Your Employees – Encourage everyone within your organization to improve their knowledge and skill level by paying for seminars and conferences and inspiring them to get their Certified Arborist, Tree Care Specialist or Certified Treecare Safety Professional designations. The more that they know, the more valuable they are to your organization. Listen to Your Customers – Without customers, you have no business. Use online surveys after a completed job ask your customers how your team did that day. Utilize online review forms like Yelp, Google Reviews or Facebook to gain valuable feedback from those who have used your services. Create a Board of Directors – Establishing a solid group of advisors to your business is critical to helping you make the right decisions. This Board of Directors does not have to be a formal entity that makes decisions for your business, but rather a collection of professionals that will advise you when you need it. They can be attorneys, accountants, bankers, insurance agents, other tree service owners, anyone that you can turn to for help. Say No – Know what you and your team are good at and what you are not. Don’t take on jobs that you are uncomfortable with. If you haven’t set up a Plant Health Care Department yet, don’t just jump into it until you understand all of the ins and outs of it and are confident that you can make it work for your business. Some jobs require specialized equipment like cranes or or a mini-lift. If you don’t have that equipment pass that job to a company that you know can handle it. Maintain Your Equipment – Well maintained equipment saves thousands of hours and therefore dollars each year that are lost due to downtime from busted equipment. Adhere to the manufacturer’s recommendations on maintenance and make sure to budget for the maintenance expense so you are never caught off guard when a piece of equipment goes down. Get Involved – Join the Tree Care Industry Association, International Society of Arboriculture and your local ISA chapter to learn and network with the best in the industry. The conferences and meetings that these organizations put on are fantastic ways to talk directly with your peers and find out ways that you can improve your business. The TCIA has a mentorship program that is a great way to get one-on-one help. Want to take your tree service to the next level? Contact ArboRisk today!