Prepare for Success in 2017

by Tony Enger, MEA Chair

As we wrap up 2016, one of our biggest challenges is carving out time to analyze our business so we can operate it more successfully in 2017. Planning and budgeting for those resources that will allow for the time and knowledge required to fulfill business development needs is crucial for our business and personal needs. Here are some ideas we may want to consider for the coming year:

1. Do we have enough assistance (part time or additional full time people) to free us from administrative work so we have the time we need to focus on growing our businesses?

2. Are we scheduling time for our own education? MEA has a resource library of webinars developed by industry experts to help you run our businesses. In addition, there are 3 conferences a year held by the association. Presentations from regulatory agencies, discussions during committee meetings and exchanging ideas with other contractors during social time provide ideas for how to run our businesses more effectively. These discussions also give us the opportunity to tell the association staff how they can continually provide better services to meet our needs.

3. MEA’s apprentice training can take the training pressure off of contractors and journeyworkers. Not only will this help reduce mistakes, eliminate inspector-required rework and increase employee retention, but it also makes us the contractor that electricians want to work for.

4. Are we hiring professionals who are good at helping us make strategic decisions about the direction of our contracting business? Does our accountant help analyze where we make money, lose money, what kinds of work is most profitable? Do we belong to organizations that provide information about trends in the marketplace and the kinds of work that are less susceptible to economic swings?

5. How can we communicate effectively with our customers? Are we wasting time using methods of communication that are not in line with our customers? Asking if texts, emails, and even faxes are preferred helps us make customers happier and saves time for ourselves and our employees.

Many times we get so busy that we forget to take a step back to determine what we need to help us move forward. Now is the perfect time to evaluate how we are spending our time and our resources. Think of MEA as you determine your 2017 annual business plan and what resources are available to you. Also, let MEA know if there is anything else they can provide for you to make your job easier. As with everything in life – it takes a village.