Why should restoration companies take part in strategic business planning? Who should be involved? When should it happen? How do you ensure it fuels action? Where do you begin? Is putting a plan together worthwhile in a world of heightened uncertainty? 

Jeff Jones, director of sales and marketing with Violand Management Associates, offers a crash course in annual business planning, as well as longer- and shorter-term strategic planning, in this episode. 

Jones points out that most companies in the restoration industry do not have strategic business plans, and that if all you are doing is reacting, there is no room for growth. 

“A business plan is so integral to the success and direction and management and leadership of your business,” Jones said. “Sit down and really focus on who the company is, where it is going, most importantly why, and what steps have to be taken to get there in all core functions of your business.” 

Jones continued, “Our business is here. We want it to get here. Exactly what does that look like, how and who? And that’s what a business plan does. It provides that clarity, that vision, that understanding and most importantly the accountability.” 

This episode covers:

• Annual business planning defined
• Why property restoration companies should engage in business planning; what benefits the process brings
• Key components of an annual business plan, done right
• When and how often strategic business planning should happen
• Who within the company should be brought to the table during the annual business planning process
• Why planning for 2022 is still critical in a climate of constant change
• The importance of treating a business plan as a living, breathing document
• The complete spectrum of business planning, including both shorter- and longer-term than annual planning
• How to ensure a business plan is implemented, adopted by employees, and truly comes to life in day-to-day operations
• The two most common misconceptions Violand sees with regard to business planning among restoration companies
• First steps business owners and leaders should take if they want to create an annual business plan for the first time or to elevate their existing planning process
• Details on Violand’s upcoming business planning retreats in Canton, Ohio, and Captiva Island, Fla. 

Check out this episode of Ask the Expert to learn more. You can watch the video here or listen to the audio version of our conversation here. You can also find our show on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Just search for Restoration & Remediation Ask the Expert, then hit Follow.