Business Workloads - Up & Down!

[baileyuph]

The only thing that is predictable about the business -- that is, it isn't predictable.

At a certain time there is a backlog - but the incoming business is very slow which gives
sunshine to the idea that maybe "catching up" is possible.

Then, just before "catch up" is possible, there is an influx of work, repeated by another influx; making it impossible to catch up --- then the cycles repeats itself.

Does your business ever catch up? 

Wouldn't it be nice to be able to clear the workbench, then the next job would smoothly
arrive?

But, that won't happen!  I guess the conclusion is:  This isn't a bus line!

Your business more regulated or.......?

Mine is very diversified - upholstery, wood, marine, auto, furnitue, then furnitue repairs - probably has the most to do with it?

Doyle

[SteveA]

It's what comes along with being in business.  Feast or Famine sometimes but the trick is to turn business into a steady flow so you really never have time to sweep up.  I have become very selective choosing the easier jobs but not necessarily the higher paying ones.  As long as I'm in the black I don't care anymore how close to the red line I come.  Trying to get to 66-1/2 without too much stress -

SA

[MinUph]

Catching up is a dream. We have slow times and they allow us to sweep the floor more often but I never want to "catch up".

[kodydog]

When I was growing up a friend of mine had parents who owned an office supply store. They were a great inspiration to me as I was able to watch them grow their business from one store to three stores in St Petersburg.
One day my friend asked, why don't we ever go on vacations? His father thought for a moment or two and said, because we're always either too busy or not busy enough.

[bobbin]

I had to laugh when I read this thread.  It seems I'm either buried or freaked out that I'll never work again!  In spite of the fact that I tend toward the "nervous Nellie" side of business ownership, more work always seems to arrive when it's most needed (mercifully).  Better yet, the lulls seem to be of shorter duration.  And even when I'm in a lull, I have steadfastly refused to drop my price on requested estimates.  I know what I have to make and I don't want to be known as a "professional" who will negotiate price. 

I'm a lot more accepting of the ups and downs with respect to work load than I was when I first dropped my "straight job", but I still sweat more when there isn't much work in the pipeline.  To that end, I tend to be very conservative about income, always with an eye to quarterlies and the (usually) lean winter months.  My key to riding out the inevitable lulls in business? plan for necessary and required bills when I'm "flush" with money and never look at a fat bank account without an eye to the "lean months". 

[Mojo]

Ironic that you brought this up right now. July is our slow month and always has been. So I run special discounts during the month of July. These specials get passed on through the owner forums so many find out that way as we never advertise.

Last week we ran out of orders and so I was excited as I had alot of admin stuff for Mindy to do. Then wham............ We just got slammed and are right back to a 2 week back log on production.

Never fails. We have never ran out of work and the day we kill all the orders on the board and I am looking at catching my breath, the very next day we get slammed again.

When fall hits we will be back to 6 days a week to keep up. But I have always been like Bobbin explained, when things slow down a little I get nervous.

Chris

[rebeccaanderson009]

The only thing that is predictable about the business -- that is, it isn't predictable.

At a certain time there is a backlog - but the incoming business is very slow which gives
sunshine to the idea that maybe " Paris Shuttle Airport catching up" is possible.

Then, just before "catch up" is possible, there is an influx of work, repeated by another influx; making it impossible to catch up --- then the cycles repeats itself.

Does your business ever catch up? 







a lot of unknowns here:  type of work, size of office, marketing, state of incoming projects, salary/hourly.



Wouldn't it be nice to be able to clear the workbench, then the next job would smoothly
arrive?

But, that won't happen!  I guess the conclusion is:  This isn't a bus line!

Your business more regulated or.......?

Mine is very diversified - upholstery, wood, marine, auto, furnitue, then furnitue repairs - probably has the most to do with it?

Doyle