As a small business owner, getting to the point where you are having to prepare to expand your business is a thrilling milestone. All of your hard work and determination has paid off, and you can safely call your company a success. Running a landscaping business has the potential to reach these heights, as both domestic and commercial clients all want their gardens to look well looked after. If you have started to gain traction as a local landscaper and are ready to branch out, here is a brief checklist to help you get started on these preparations:
Staff Wages
You may already employ a few staff to help you manage your workload as a landscaper, but if you are going to expand the business, you will need to hire more employees to cover the additional jobs you will be taking on. Firstly, make sure you can afford to pay a good, fair wage to any new employees, as well as cover any additional perks you offer staff like dental or medical expenses. You should also take the time to make sure you’re hiring the right people for the job, so consider looking at using a recruitment agency to help you find the best candidates.
Equipment and Materials
Taking on more jobs will mean the need for more landscaping equipment and materials. You might already have a good deal set up with your current supplier, but it’s always worth looking around just in case you can get a better deal elsewhere, particularly if you’re going to be making big bulk orders to send out to each job site. You should also consider your current storage space and whether or not you will need to hire a bigger warehouse to keep your equipment and materials secure when they’re not in use.
Insurance
Check your current insurance policy as if you’re expanding your landscaping business, you might need additional cover. You might also want to consider looking at various providers to see if you can get better deals elsewhere. For example, this landscaper insurance at nextinsurance.com has been specially designed for businesses like yours and can be tailored to your needs at an affordable rate. Whether you stick with your current provider or switch, always make sure your policy is up to date, and you have the exact cover you need.
New Services
If you’re expanding your landscaping business, you should think about offering new services to customers as well. If previously you have only offered maintenance services like pruning, trimming, mowing, and so on, why not start offering landscape design or installing water features and other permanent fixtures in gardens? You should try to get involved in landscaping both commercial and domestic properties to vary your jobs and add more to your business’s portfolio as well. The more services you offer, the more interest your landscaping company will get.
If you think it’s time to expand your landscaping business, take the time to make the right preparations to give yourself the best chance of success. Use the tips above as a starting point to help you move forward to the next phase of your business venture.
