Our Top Tips for Managing a 24/7 Service Business

Any entrepreneur will tell you that running your own business is no easy feat. With a to-do list that never ends and a host of challenges to overcome daily, it’s easy to exhaust yourself. At 1800 HOSE VAN, we think constantly having your foot on the pedal is not beneficial to your mental health. That’s why we’ve developed 5 top tips for managing a 24/7 service business so you can better equip yourself with running a business without running yourself into the ground.

1. Ask yourself whether you need to operate around the clock

While there’s a lot of compelling economical reasons to run your business nonstop (such as improvements in customer service and increased capital investment, to name a few), there are certainly some negatives. Employee fatigue is a real concern, and as a result of this, increased errors in judgement may emerge as well as accidents, high staff turnover, absenteeism and health care costs. When calculating your hours of operation, it’s important to quantify the costs of major fatigue-related accidents compared to minor fatigue-induced errors - and then reduce your hours of operation accordingly.

2. Build a continuous operations culture

In a fixed shift environment, it can be difficult to create a unified culture that is committed to continuous operations. However, one way to achieve this is to create a well-defined corporate mission with standards and policies that must be uniformly applied 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from the start. The goal here is to retain employees who are loyal and committed to your business - and this can only be achieved when you make a sincere dedication to the safety of your entire workforce. When this is achieved, your employees will see a Tuesday afternoon as no different from Saturday evening.

3. Acknowledge that there are human limits

Our bodies are complex machines with limitations - we’re not designed to work around the clock or consistently perform at peak level all day, every day. Keeping this in mind, consider the position you may be putting your employees in. Are you respecting each individual’s strengths? Have you set the workplace conditions up as best as possible? Do they have sufficient and sustainable work and rest schedules? If not, you may be setting up your shift workers for failure.

4. Prioritise your tasks

As mentioned earlier, your to-do list will never end, and it’s a myth to think that you have “competing priorities.” The truth is, you can only dedicate your time and effort to one priority at any given time. To prioritise your tasks well so you’re not biting into your rest and relaxation time, look to your core company values. That way, you’ll have clarity over what task needs to be done today and what can be pushed back tomorrow.

5. Make your health your prime concern

Your health is your biggest wealth, so make sure you protect it first thing above all else. After all, if you’re unwell, you won’t be able to run your business to the best of your ability. When you’re well-rested, you have a more clear mind and can make the right choices. Some ways that you can make health your prime concern is to exercise, meditate or even eat a healthy breakfast. There are no shortcuts to being healthy, so you need to put in the yards before it’s too late. You also can’t delegate this responsibility to anyone but yourself. 

Own a small business franchise today

Would you like the opportunity to be your own boss? Become a 1800 HOSE VAN franchisee. We’re proud to be one of Australia’s leading on-site hydraulic hose mobile repair providers since partnering with the Gates Corporation. With more than 70 years of experience under our belts, you’ll be joining a leading industrial service organisation that promotes security and stability for your business as well as your employees.