How do you run your business

[desmorse]

There's an awful lot of moaning going on at the moment, most of it justified, but it would be nice to see how others organise their business.
I've been with Hillarys 16 years, but it doesn't mean I can't learn from others who've tried things I've not thought of.

A lot of FSMs seem to like fit days and sales days. Does anyone do this successfully? I've always been against it on the basis that if you don't have enough work to fill fit days, you have nothing left to do. I've always sold and fitted any week day.
I normally work Saturdays and Sundays, but only for selling. I find I'm more likely to see both partners, and they seem to be more relaxed and receptive on a Sunday than a week day evening. I rarely take less than £2k, and in the summer generally £4k-£6k ;Dof orders from 15 leads.
Monday to Wednesday I work noon to 9PM, Thursdays, 9AM to 2PM, selling or fitting.

Due to poor conversions and poorer order values, I'm now taking a step back and reviewing what I do, so what works for you?

These sort of hours suit me as I've no kids left at home and want to escape from the endless TV soaps of an evening. It also helps in that me and wifey can go out Thursday/Fridays when it's less busy - but we are surrounded by wrinklys in the restaurants!!!!!

[JoY]

That's what is so good about this job..... (see..there are good things! )

We can all do the hours that suit us, and put in as much time as we want to.

I have just changed my selling days to 3 instead of 4, Mon/Wed/Fri , but do 5 calls a day instead of 4. I have stopped any evening or week-end calls, as I want that time with my family. (Still got school age children).

Hubby fits what I sell on his days off from his full time job...... and if he gets too busy, (chasing up DOR's seems to taking a big chunk of his time lately ), then I just cut out a few appointments, and give myself time off.

Suits us both really well...... ;D ;D

[grumperbear]

I do appointments only on 2 days of the week, availability is up to 9 appointments per day. The rest of the week l fit the blinds including if required Saturday morning. l never do Sundays.
lf l have space availble to do more appointments l then get these added in as required.
l do not give Hillarys all the availability then take out the fittings.

[gloryboy]

I fit and sell daily and sell in evenings, i fit some Saturdays when it suits. only fit Sundays when v. busy like xmas and just before my holidays.


question for everyone.

now that we are referred to as advisors are we still running our business as an agency?

[Augustus]

I work fulltime with Hillarys and allow myself to be open mon/fri all day with just one call in the eve.

Sat mornings are mostly taken with fits, but if I haven't filled it then the odd sales call creeps in.

Although I have a young family, the pressure from above has made me take on the extra calls in the eve. - as I was told 'if you won't then we will have to take on another advisor you will' .

This kind of crap has been going on for ages and we really don't have any control if HQ put in another person. - it suits them end of story.

P.

[desmorse]

How have people adapted to SAM paperwork? I found it very strange not having full order details when fitting.
I've never printed an order copy for myself, partly because of cost of paper, partly because it doesn't tell me much. I now put quite a few comments in the fit comment field, like local map ref. concrete or catnic so I know what drill to take in, rev roll for roller blinds and find that useful.
I summarise every order on a spreadsheet, (order no. name, fit date, no. & type of blinds), and sort in fit date order. Wifey uses this to check off delivery and prepare invoices for next date fits. I find it a bit of pain maintaining the spreadsheet, after all SAM is suppose to save time, but can't think of anything better.

Any suggestions?

[Augustus]

I have to admit to relying on the system to get things right !

The boxes have the room on the label for each blind so that helps. Most of the time I can remember once I'm in the house anyway.

There is no sure way to make things easier as far as I can see.

P.

[desmorse]

Are any of you VAT registered? I heard a whlie ago that some advisors had registered and were paid VAT on top of their commission. My understanding is any VAT you're paid has to be passed on to the VATMAN, less any VAT you've spent on tools etc, but they reckoned they were better off.

I've recently formed a limited company, accountant reckons it'll save £2k-£3k/annum in tax & NI. So here's an interesting point.
I'm no longer self employed, I'm an employee of a Ltd company. Hillarys can free issue workwear to my company, which will be evenly distributed among all its employees - me & wifey!

[Augustus]

I'd love to know more about that - might even be worth using an accountant as the savings would more than pay their fee !

Any websites you can recommend ?


P.

[desmorse]

Motters,
don't know of any websites, and really unsure about VAT.
By running as a Ltd company, you have a company bank account for all commissions and outgoings. We get a monthly salary of £407 each, which means we have no income tax to pay. We're still liable for NI, but it's waived due to low income, so we get the benefit without the cost. At the end of each month, we take 80% of that months profit as a shared dividend, which is tax paid so have no liability. At the end of the year, the remaining 20% is company tax, but there should still be a final dividend as the monthly one doesn't take account of capital depreciation.
Company tax is a flat 20%, so you you pay less tax per annum than as an individual.
I've only been Ltd a couple of months, but other things I need to look at is whether I now qualify for free prescriptions, reduced council tax, DSS sick pay, unemployment benefit if Hillarys bombs etc.
I can also tell people I'm a company director and my wife is a company secretary, just not that we're it's only employees.
Not sure where to hold this years annual crimbo outing or shareholders meeting. Pub or living room?

[farmer]

nice one grey van man, i am about to have a meeting with my accountant. will mention this.
I have been trying to find someone at HQ to tell them i am going vat registered, but always draw a blank. On fuel costs alone i would save 800 quid per annum.
I sell around 300 -350k a year, and need to get maximum returns for my efforts. thanks for enlightening me..................... ;D

[desmorse]

I'd be very wary of VAT, Farmer.
I'm no financial expert, and I heard the story about advisors becoming registered 3rd hand. All the advice I've had is that VAT improves cashflow, not profits and involves a lot of extra work. I think you have to make monthly returns. I've also been warned it makes you more liable to a Customs & Excise investigation as scope for fiddle is greater, and once registered you can't unregister.
Ruth Hinch is the contact at Nottingham to change your agency name to a company name or notify of VAT details.

Interesting turnover figures. If I take yours at £325k that gives us approx £1.06m excl. VAT from 4 advisors.
I believe Hillarys did £85m last (don't know latest) but that would include Arena. Haven't a clue what Arena contributes but lets say £15m, leaving £70m for agents.
4 agents out of 900 is 0.44%
£1.06m out of £70m is 1.5%
so 0.44% of advisors account for 1.5% of turnover.
If we're typical of the users on this website, we easily account for 20% or more of business. That's a much more powerful arguement than number of names

[inkjet]

Grey Van Man

if you are only paying yourself £400 SOMTHING A MONTH you are breaking yhe minimum wage regulations

What does your accountant say about that?

[desmorse]

Dibsdobs,
I struggle to get my head around the VAT question. Going Ltd was fairly clear cut, but I don't get bonus so am nowhere near the dizzy heights of £60k commission.

What I struggle with, is that Hillarys pay you VAT, you pass that money on to the the VAT man, less what you've paid in VAT - I think. So if you pay £10 for fuel, you claim £1.75 back in VAT and have a business expense of £8.25. I have a business expense of £10 - doesn't that work out the same? Or am I missing something?

If you were below £60k, would you still consider it worthwhile to register? I'm all for anything that will improve my profits and reduce what I pay to the Fat Controller Gordon.


Whilst I agree and participate in all the moans, this is the sort of topic that could benefit many of us. If I can save £500/annum it's like having pay rise

[miss measure]

hillarys run my business into the ground