Rubbish summer affected business?

D

DiggerBoy

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Hi all,

New here so be gentle!

I've been hiring-out and operate a couple of diggers for just over a year and was relying on the summer months to bring decent business. Obviously, like so many others, we were pretty much washed out.

Now concerned that heading into the winter months, business will face another slow-down. I'm just wondering if everyone in this sector faces the same problem? Almost 3/4 of our customers are private/domestic, so I'm pretty sure any grand DIY plans will be put back to next year, but I'm wondering if the building trade goes the same way??

Cheers in advance!

Conor

(By the way, I'm definitely not fishing for sympathy, or advertising!)
 
Ha! Yeah, but I didn't like to ask.

Maybe next few jobs I could get a bit wayward with the digger bucket and see if I can throw some replacement gas-main business your way?? :wink:


(Kidding obviously - knackering gas-mains isn't big or clever and it doesn't do much for repeat business...)
 
weve been fairly lucky, weve been busy all year round and are booked up well into november now with more stuff coming in. One thing we have found is that a lot of businesses stop advertising in the autumn/winter in things like friday ad etc. We still advertise and pick up a lot of enquirys at that time of year probably because we are one of the only ones around in the papers.

It does tend to quieten down around now mainly due to kids being off scholl (people dont want disruption when kids are around) and the fact people are on summer holidays. We get some customers who are surprised that we work during winter, what do they think we do hibernate! We have made a point in the advertising that we work all year round. I also try and put money aside for a rainy day, but never needed it yet thank god.

Try approaching small builders/landscapers etc. Theres always work being done out there. As long as your rates are good and the service is prompt people will use you.

what part of the country are you in?
 
All good stuff - thanks for that.

We're based in South Manchester, but we cover Cheshire, Manchester, Lancs etc. Plenty of builders/landscapers out there, but it's getting the word out and the name across to them is the problem.

What's been your most effective form of advertising? We're in Yellow pages and local papers, and hammering the website. Website seems to have been the most effective, but I've asked in other forums and everyone reckons they wouldn't go near the internet to find plant hire companies - and tradesmen in general!
 
look left <<<<<<<<<<<<

the competition in Bournemouth is quite heavy and yes i spend a lot on advertising most seems to be a waste of time
my A5 double sided leaflets seem to be the best, then Yellow pages / yell.com
 
A5 leaflets - Mail drop or in papers?

Anyone reckon it would work for a digger hire company? Or would I get more joy from hitting the businesses?

(hitting in the marketing sense, of course!)
 
I personally am having the busiest summer period yet. Normally this time of year I am about 1 - 2 weeks ahead, whilst at present I am about 6 weeks and struggling to cope with breakdowns/servicing etc. Having to do them evenings and weekends :x

Hope it lasts though.
 
gas4you said:
I personally am having the busiest summer period yet. Normally this time of year I am about 1 - 2 weeks ahead, whilst at present I am about 6 weeks and struggling to cope with breakdowns/servicing etc. Having to do them evenings and weekends :x

Hope it lasts though.
Click to expand...

us too

the guv LOVES it

I hate it

:)
 
sorry about delay in reply been out all evening!
A5 leaflets work either with the local rag or delivered on their own although get a better response seperately (my feet prefer the paper way) :lol:
i used a local leaflet delivery service once i found out they delivered my leaflet with 8 others all nicely wrapped in their own leaflet! didn't get a single job from that batch :twisted: :twisted:
 
The Bikini Waxing trade has been very quiet :(

Mostly just the regular "commercial" customers.
 
I'm a sales rep for an aggregate company. We've been so busy the last month we can barely keep up!

Since the rain stopped we've been flat out busy, in fact, we've not been able to keep up with demand, I assume due to the fact that the weather has played havoc with everyones schedules.

All the quarries are struggling for stock, no one has got enough wagons to get said stock to sites and, to top it off.. I'm now on two weeks holiday, so the office are lovely and busy without me there to help out :lol:

Sorry boss if you're reading this :D
 
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