With the year coming to a close, janitorial contractors should be planning for 2020. A new year means a fresh start, possibilities, and hope for the future. But how do you plan for a new year? If we are honest with ourselves, plans are often created, resolutions made, but results are rarely produced. How can you avoid another year of failed promises and goals? What should a 2020 plan look like for your cleaning company? Here are four steps to creating a successful plan for the upcoming year.
Step 1 – Gather the troops
It doesn’t do any good for you to create a master plan and then expect everyone to follow it. Good leaders create buy-in from the team. Gather your leaders (or just the best three or four people on your team) and decide what you’d like to accomplish in the upcoming year. Take a full day, buy lunch for everyone, and brainstorm together.
Step 2 – Create 2 or 3 big picture goals
As Zig Ziglar once said, “If you don’t have a target, you’ll hit it every time.” Your team needs a goal to hit, something to orient and motivate action. Maybe you would like to increase revenue by 30%, implement back-office technology, or increase customer satisfaction. Don’t start the new year without at least two or three goals that stretch and motivate your team.
Step 3 – Identify specific steps to reach those goals
Having a goal is not enough. You need specific steps to reach that goal. Think of these as mini-goals or activities that need to be accomplished in order for the big picture goal to become a reality. Often we set big, ambitious goals for a new year, but we never outline how we will meet that goal. For example, let’s say you want to sell $40k worth of new janitorial contracts in 2020. In order to hit this goal, you might need 200 qualified prospects and 25 proposals delivered over the course of the year. Figure out what steps will be needed to hit your 2020 goals and write them down.
Step 4 – Create accountability charts
Goals and steps aren’t enough. You need accountability – people assigned to specific tasks and held accountable for results. If you have goals and steps in place, assign those steps to individuals and put a time parameter on them. Using our sales example, maybe by January 31, you have Jane in sales have a prospect list built that includes at least 200 names. She then must have 4 proposals submitted by February 28. When you can get everyone rowing in the same direction, there isn’t anything your team can’t accomplish.
If you need help creating a 2020 business plan for your cleaning company, let me know. I’d be more than happy to help.
jordan@elitebusinesscoaching.net
