Running a small construction business is a constant juggle, and managing your receivables is one of the more frustrating tasks. How often have you been waiting on overdue invoices? Do you have enough cash flow to cover next month's expenses? If this sounds familiar, you're not alone. Many small business owners need help keeping their accounts receivable in check, which can ultimately impact their business's health and sustainability.

 

This guide will provide practical steps to streamline your invoicing process, confidently approach past-due invoices, and ensure steady cash flow.

 

Understanding the importance of timely invoicing

 

Timely invoicing is more than just good business practice; it's critical to maintaining a healthy cash flow. When invoices go unpaid, your cash flow takes a hit, potentially affecting your ability to pay suppliers, cover payroll, or invest in growth opportunities. By sending invoices promptly, you lay the foundation for timely payments.

 

Studies show that businesses that practice timely invoicing and set clear payment terms see fewer delays and disputes.

 

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Topics: High Profit Repeat Construction Clients, Clients, How To Charge Clients, Get Paid On Time, Bad Customer Service, invoices, Receivables, Construction Business Receivables

Have you ever paused to consider the real impact of your business's customer experience? Is it lifting your brand or dragging it down, along with your team's morale? Today's consumers expect nothing short of excellence, so understanding the consequences of poor customer service is vital.

 

So, what does poor customer service cost you? Let's delve into the details—they might change your perspective.

 

The ripple effect of dissatisfied customers

 

Every business faces it sooner or later—a client who leaves less than satisfied. But don't be fooled into thinking that the story ends there. Unhappy customers, in your case, homeowners, rarely stay silent. They're more likely to share their experiences with friends, family, and the vast world of social media. What's worse, a scathing online review can echo for years, impacting your brand's reputation far beyond the initial complaint. 

 

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Topics: Give Your Customers And Clients What They Want, High Profit Repeat Construction Clients, Clients or Customers, Clients, How To Charge Clients, Client Feedback, Bad Customer Service

Contractors like you know how to pound nails, pour concrete, build homes and commercial structures, bend pipe and pull wire, install roofs, lay carpet, paint walls, and perform a thousand other tasks. So why are you not enjoying the same standard of living as other professionals? Because you are doing all of those things for anybody and everybody who asks you to.

 

Too many contractors are overworked, undervalued, and underpaid. We seek to change that for as many contractors as possible as we know how almost every sound, solid, hardworking, well-intentioned contractor is going out of business or barely scraping by, and that has to end here and now.

 

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Topics: No Charge consulting, Secrets Of Highly Successful Contractors, Contractor Guidance, How To Charge Clients, Value of Construction Contractors

If your customers owe you money, the faster you can obtain it using effective collection tactics, the better. Ideally, you want to reduce the chance of bad debts and pressure on your construction company's cash flow.

It can be easy to neglect to manage your debtors when you're busy growing your business, but intelligent credit control is important. So it's crucial to have the skills to handle the people who owe you money well, especially if you want to avoid taking them to court.

When negotiating contracts with clients, try to set payment terms that help your cash flow, such as deposits or progress payments. Dealing regular payments for contracts that take months to complete has two purposes: it gives you cash flow to match your expenses and protects you from total loss on a project if the customer goes into liquidation.

 

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Topics: Invoicing, High Profit Repeat Construction Clients, Contractor Tips, How To Charge Clients, Get Paid On Time

As prices continue to rise, you've likely noticed that your cost of doing business has increased as well. After all, the main point of any business is to make money, and you can't do that if you're no longer breaking even. 

 

It's inevitable in every industry – you must raise your prices to continue making a profit. Many factors decide how much to charge, all of which are dynamic. The rising cost of goods, inflation, and a changing market are just a few reasons why any small business has to reevaluate its rates regularly to stay competitive (and to stay in business).

 

If you're overworked and overbooked, you're undercharging. People know your worth and are fighting for your time. It's time to increase your prices!

 

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Topics: Construction Bookkeeping And Accounting, Contractor Tips, Contractor Guidance, Pricing Jobs, How To Charge Clients, How To Raise Prices

There comes a time for every small business to raise its prices. While it may seem scary, remember that it's your job to keep costs fair for you and your customers. That means you have to charge prices that work for you and allow you to remain in business. 

Am I Not Charging Enough?

Knowledge leads to profits and cash flow. What makes knowledge powerful? Use of knowledge. In this cutthroat construction industry, you may not be able to outgrow your competition forever, but you can always outlearn them.

Knowing The 80/20 Rule For Construction Contractors will surely help:

• 20% of your customers typically generate 80% of your net profit 
• 20% of the goods or services you sell contribute 80% of your revenue
• 20% or 2 out of 10 of your staff create 80% of the value for your customers

The frightening consequence of the 80/20 rule is that 8 out of 10 hours we spend at work drive almost no value to the bottom line, and the most significant drain is trying to save money doing our contractor bookkeeping instead of reviewing the Key Performance Indicator (KPI) Reports. 

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Topics: Construction Bookkeeping And Accounting, Contractor Tips, Contractor Guidance, Pricing Jobs, How To Charge Clients, How To Raise Prices