roadtosuccess
The value of time management BY ROD McDONALD
I have a friend (we all do) who is continually late. He walks in at the end of meetings looking for a full recap. He misses busses. The habit affects his employment. He is a good fellow who would give you the proverbial shirt off of his back if you needed it. But he would be late doing so. He drives me crazy. My friend and I were having a coffee and I told him that no matter what he is late for, and he is late for most events, he always has an excuse. “I missed the bus. I ran into someone who needed my help. I stopped into this place and it should have only taken five minutes, but they were behind and I was there for 45 minutes instead.” The list goes on and on. I bring this up not to rant, but rather as a way to discuss time management. We all have 24 hours in each day, and how we use that time determines our accomplishments. Smart time management increases productivity, financial success and personal serenity. Some people don’t connect time management and serenity. But
nothing upsets my emotional wellbeing more. There’s nothing more irritating than wasting time in the greenhouse searching for a tool that has been misplaced. We’ve all been there. I explained to my friend I don’t make excuses because, “I am paid for my production, not excuses.” It was harsh, but true. Customers pay for finished work.
YOU CAN’T SELL FROM AN EMPTY CART Still, not everyone understands the concept. There is a fellow in our neighbourhood in Saskatoon who is quite a lovely person. He builds excellent fences and decks, but lacks organizational skills. Our neighbour built a deck for a friend. The project was just four boards short of completion when the contractor ran out of lumber. Instead of finishing the job, he left it, idle, for months, leaving the customer irate, and his business without the paycheque. These kinds of companies rarely stand the test of time. Retailers face the same issue when they fail to order products on time. We don’t make money on products that aren’t in stock. The adage, “You can’t sell from an empty cart,” while over a hundred years old, remains relevant. Some customers return to your store when their item is in stock, but many will shop at a competitor instead. That’s no way to build a client base. Time management is about being ready to produce and sell.
BE READY FOR SPRING One October I walked into Dieter Martin Greenhouses in Saskatoon and saw a staff member putting the finishing touches on cleaning the greenhouse. She had, at most, two hours of work left before everything was “tickity boo.” I joked, “Getting ready for the spring, are you?” And she laughed and said, “I guess I am.” I often share that story with greenhouse operators, especially when I see their place is not tidy or organized in January. I told one operator, last January, “Now is the time to get ready as spring has an annoying habit of exploding upon us.” It is true. Spring never washes against the shore. Rather, it’s an incredibly intense event that leaves garden centre professionals scrambling for their lives and sanity.
MAY IS FOR SELLING
Be ready for spring with lots of stock to ensure your customers can get what they come shopping for.
20 | JUNE 2018 | LANDSCAPE TRADES
Many years ago I had a sales rep drop by during the busiest part of May, ready to go through his catalogue. He was new to me, and therefore quite surprised when I bluntly explained, “May is for selling not for buying.” Reorders, sure, but new orders aren’t my thing. He and I did not click. He left disappointed and I was irked. He failed to understand time management. Time is precious and I strive to spend it wisely. I like to plan out