The last few years were full of unexpected challenges for many businesses. As we move forward into the new year, it’s uncertain whether this will bring about the same challenges. In order to ensure the future remains successful, it’s important to plan ahead in order to stay ahead. Now is the time to channel your energy into planning ahead and taking your business to the next level of success.
Your plan for 2024 doesn’t have to be overly complex, but it should be prepared to help you map out your year. This can consist of updating your marketing strategy, assessing your service portfolio, developing new customer leads, training your team for a new service, or evaluating your purchases & inventory—every business can benefit from planning out their upcoming year. When you plan ahead, you get ahead!
Be Strategic With Your Purchases
Planning your purchases can help you save money on your bottom line. An Early Order Program is one of the easiest ways to be strategic with the purchases you make. See how an Early Order Program can help you get a step ahead of your competitors and grow your business. Check out these five benefits:
1. Beat the Supply Chain Issues & Manufacturer’s Price Increases
A major challenge our industry has faced in 2020 is with the supply chain. Supply chains have been disrupted for nearly 75% of U.S companies and the shipping/trucking industry has been facing limited travel schedules, along with a workforce shortage & high demand. Take this, and the demand for the new Covid vaccine, there will be an increase in manufacturer’s prices as there is less transport available and costs associated with it are increased.
Increased materials cost could mean trouble for your bottom line. Get ahead of the increases and lock in your material costs now, before the prices go up. Central’s Early Order Program will help you lock in lower prices. Better yet, there is an opportunity to take advantage of additional cash discounts, double reward points, and extended terms.
If you’re not sure what products you need, don’t worry! Your Central sales rep can help provide you with the history of your past purchases to make sure you are purchasing what you need for a successful year. Looking for another way to combat price increases? Check out our Contractor’s Pricing Guide that can help you raise your prices without losing customers.
2. Increase Your Cash Flow: Get Products Now, Pay Later
Ordering products early can result in significant cost savings. This is important as mentioned previously, the pandemic has created many challenges for businesses and may have increased the concern of cash flow for business owners. This is no different for landscape contractors, especially early in the season. Perhaps, you also have a large project that is slow to pay or an unexpected expense.
Strategic purchasing can help ease your cash-flow worries. When you take advantage of an Early Order Program, you get the products you need to finish your job now, and pay for it later in the season when cash is flowing better for your business
3. Easy Inventory Management
Whether you’re installing a new irrigation system, fixing a broken one, or planning to provide a new service this year, you will need product prepared in your inventory. When you don’t have the materials needed to complete a job, work can be delayed or even stopped. You want to ensure you’re prepared in order to avoid losing time as well.
Maintaining the right amount of inventory will help make sure that your team doesn’t stop working and that your customers get the services they need quickly. Central can help you forecast your inventory levels based on your historical purchases, so that you have the right quantity of the products you need. Leverage Central’s Early Order Program to get the inventory you will need all season long.
4. Streamlines Your Day-to-Day Operations
As mentioned before, having to stop work due to having to wait for material can be time consuming, especially if your team has limited employees. If you have to stop an employee from completing his part of the job to go pick up more material, it will delay your project and cost your business money, time and resources.
An Early Order Program helps streamline your day-to-day operations by helping you have the inventory you need at your jobsite. It will allow your team to stay on schedule without any interruptions of having to drive across town for more supplies.
5. Earn More Rewards
Central offers the most flexible and rewarding loyalty program for the professional contractor. Earn points with all of your purchases of irrigation, lighting, turf and equipment products which can be redeemed toward your choice of rewards.
Your participation in the Central Rewards Program also gives you access to educational, employee recruiting and marketing resources tailored to drive your success. You are automatically enrolled in the program. When you commit to Central with an Early Order Program, you can even double your rewards! Ask your Central Rep to learn more.
Finally
Rely on Central to help, whether it’s questions about inventory management, strategic purchasing, marketing strategy, or business planning. We stay at the leading edge of the industry and we’re ready to help you grow!