I know what you’re thinking, an article about preparing your tools and vehicles for spring. This should be automatic for most of us and even the new guys. So I won’t bore you with the old “make sure your oil is changed, and you have enough squeegee rubber.” Instead, let’s discuss ways to look at your equipment and vehicles to help you be more efficient. It’s easy to ensure your fluids are topped off and order all your supplies for the upcoming spring rush. However, have you given any thought to all the things that went wrong last spring?The twelve-volt pump on my pure water skid took a dump, and I was left scratching my head. Why wasn’t I ready for this? Yea, I tested my skid, and it was running perfectly. But I wasn’t prepared for it to take a dump on me in the middle of a large job. So this year, I have a backup pump. I have new seals and fittings at the ready. I found out last spring that even though I thought I was ready, in all reality, I wasn’t.
I wasn’t prepared for the unexpected. The random breakdown and the freak accident. The pole with a busted section, and the truck with a thrown belt. It’s easy to order willy-nilly and buy the standard things. But it’s good practice I’ve found to use the past seasons to prepare myself and my equipment for the season ahead. Yeah, it’s unlikely that my pump will go bad again this spring, but if it does, I’ll grab one off the shelf, swap it out, and be right back on the glass, which is what we all strive to do to be more productive and efficient. While having doubles of everything can be costly, items like an extra water-fed pole or an extra pump will ultimately save you money in the long run in time on the glass. Plus, who doesn’t like a tax write-off? Having a backup is nice, especially for the items that make you most efficient. While an Unger zero-degree handle is always at my side and hasn’t let me down yet, I have a new one ready, so my routine isn’t changed. I make sure my truck gets routine maintenance. The oil is changed and running great, but I have money set aside for the “ oh sh*t” moment if I lose a tire and need to replace it quickly. The little things you don’t think about always bite you on the rear when you least expect it or when Mrs. Snoozebom needs her windows cleaned for the last-minute party you said you’d have them beautiful for.
Being prepared is something I wasn’t very good at when I started cleaning windows. It’s something that took hard lessons for me to learn to make sure I’m ready. Even after all these years, I have found myself resting on my laurels. I’ve ended up stuck without a pump or a pole with a broken section. Take the time to reflect on the previous season to prepare your equipment for the next. Having yourself and your equipment prepared can reduce the stress of a busy spring season so you can focus on finishing the task at hand and putting money in the bank. That will lead to more time with the family and less time in the shop prepping for the next day. Cleaning stress-free will always lead to happy customers and a better-finished product, which of course, will lead to you being more productive because you’re not all stressed out about simple things you could have been prepared for when things were slower. Some of us live in climates where you’re busy almost all of the time, but some, like me, live in areas where things tend to slow down some, and you’ve got time to get everything in order and make sure where ever you are and whenever you’re slow to take that time to get things lined out. Organize that shop, get rid of the junk and make sure you have everything you need when the time comes. Let’s all have a busy and profitable Spring of 2023!
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