Last time we checked in:
Heather and Jeremy Dirksen had moved into a smaller office and rented out their old office. They also replaced unprofitable clients with profitable ones. They were debating whether to repair or replace an old spray truck that broke down.
Latest update:
The Dirksens replaced the spray truck, which was a 2000 Ford with more than 200,000 miles on it. It would have cost $4,500 to fix the transmission, so the couple found a 2011 truck in decent shape with 140,000 miles for $11,500.
The Dirksens recently moved homes, and one of their neighbors was unhappy with their current landscaper. After speaking with the new neighbor, the Dirksens found out the homeowner owns a large commercial real estate company in Oklahoma City.
As the season winds down, so does the 2017 Turnaround Tour. As the three winners approach fall, they have experienced a number of wins, but also still have challenges. Freedom Lawn & Landscapes has a good feeling about a large job they bid on, but will need to make sure it’s profitable. Vineland has had no trouble getting work, but still has problems getting paid. The Wades have what they think is a solution on examining revenue streams, but it’s too early to tell if it will work long-term.
They put a bid in for all of their commercial properties, and they hope to sign a deal by December.
“We have a lot of customers in that area, so we have a great reputation that we’ve built,” Heather says.
The Dirksens’ daughter is friends with the homeowner’s daughter, but that wasn’t only the connection that helped. “Something that Bill and Ed had talked about is place yourself as No. 2,” Heather says. “So not necessarily going there to get the job, but just let them know who you are and what you offer.”
Bill and Ed’s take:
While the company has dropped in sales, they’ve doubled in profit. The company was surrounded by potentially profitable clients, and didn’t know it until they started scouting them out. Arman says owners should take a 30-minute drive around their dispatch yard looking at properties, especially new construction.
“I start pinpointing the jobs that are in there and the types of jobs. What do I have that’s in a half-an-hour drive point of my dispatch yard?” Arman says.