Pulse of the PROs: What are Your Winter Plans?

Typically, the portable restroom rental business slows down during the winter months. At first, PROs may welcome the brief hiatus and use the time to catch up on maintenance, inventory, and marketing tasks. But too much downtime is a cash flow killer.

We’ve heard from PROs across the globe telling us about the challenges faced during cold months. Now, we’re asking you, what are your winter plans? Do you have a tip for keeping teams busy? Or advice for improving cash flow during the off-season? Go through the questions below and submit your answers on our contact form, email them to info@johntalk.com, or message JohnTalk on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter.

What are Your Winter Plans?

Some business owners use the slow season to tackle capital improvement plans. Others focus on improving day-to-day operations by installing new software or revamping their approach to holiday service.

Are you planning a big project like updating your restroom trailers that you’ve put off due to COVID? Or are you doing anything different during the off-season compared to previous years?  Drop us a line and tell us about your winter plans and any challenges that might hold you back from completing them.

How Will You Keep Teams Busy?

Downtime can be a real problem during the slow season. But there’s plenty you can do to keep employees focused and engaged. PROs tell us that they spend the winter months organizing inventory, updating records, and repairing damaged units. Indeed, refurbishing units could be vital this year, as long lead times for new equipment persist.

Other winter tasks include:

• A physical walk-through for inventory purposes
• Quick fixes, like graffiti removal, on rentals
• Completing maintenance on equipment and building systems
• Training employees on new systems or technologies

Do you have a checklist for your crew? If so, will you purchase related supplies or equipment before the year ends?

How Do You Make Money During the Winter?

Your cash flow can take a severe hit during the winter months. But it’s also a great time to take stock of your marketing efforts, identify new revenue streams, and reach out to potential customers. Are you acting on your money-making ideas this winter?

PROs can avoid losing business by:

• Touching base with local governments and businesses
• Assessing alternative revenue streams
• Exploring ways to increase value with upsells and add-ons
• Sharing a sneak peek of updates or new ventures on social media

Concerned About Inventory? What Steps are You Taking?

Although the supply chain issues may improve in 2022, it’s left an indelible impression on how PROs do business. As such, many are considering winter projects like updating inventory software. Have you switched restroom products this year? Or held off on buying equipment? Will you change your tech stack to make it easier to track assets or prevent shortages?

Share Your Feedback with JohnTalk

So, what are your winter plans? And what challenges could hold you back from getting them done? Regardless of whether your project is big or small, we want to know. Get in touch using our contact form or at info@johntalk.com, Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.

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