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Ready to Scale? Why Electricians & Plumbers Are Hiring Virtual Office Managers

That’s where a Virtual Assistant (VA)—or, more accurately, your Virtual Office Manager—comes in. We’re not just here to book appointments; we’re here to manage the entire back end of your business so you can focus on getting the job done. But when is the right time to engage a Virtual Office Manager? Sooner than you think....

October 25, 2024

Understanding Markup vs. Margin: Key to Profitable Quoting

In the world of trades, getting your pricing right is crucial for success. Whether you're a plumber, electrician, or builder, quoting jobs accurately can make or break your business. But what's the difference between markup and margin, and why does it matter?Let's break it down in simple terms....

September 2, 2024

How to Ensure Smooth Communication Between You and Your Tradie VA

Effective communication is the backbone of a successful partnership with your Tradie Virtual Assistant (VA). Whether you're coordinating job schedules, managing invoices, or delegating tasks, clear and consistent communication can make all the difference. Here are some tips and tools to ensure smooth communication with your VA, helping you maximise efficiency and productivity....

August 7, 2024

Getting started with Fergus Job Management Software

Hell YES!!  The team at Fergus has made the software really easy to set up and start using it straight away, especially if all of the information is at your fingers tips. It will make it easier if your accounting system e.g. Xero or MYOB or existing job management tool are nice and tidy and you’ve been diligent with the data that you’ve entered.  Fergus has a wizard that will help you to import this data, so you will be ready to go.At Virtual Coastie we have worked with many Trades...

April 21, 2023

Preparing for End of Financial Year – EOFY

As we fast approach the End of Financial Year in New Zealand (31st March) most businesses will be scrambling to get everything in order so that they can have a somewhat smooth transition into the new financial year. We have prepared some tips and helpful hints to make the EOFY scramble a little easier....

March 23, 2023

How to ensure smooth sailing when onboarding your new Tradie employee

Onboarding a new employee is essential because: 1. It makes the best use of time on their first day as you have prepared for their arrival, they won’t sit around waiting. 2. It slowly introduces the employee to the company without having to necessarily be on site straight away. 3. Gives you the opportunity to impart knowledge and it gives the employee an opportunity to ask questions. Before the new employee arrives make sure that you plan for their first day (or half day) to be in the office a...

November 14, 2022

What is your vehicle fleet costing you to run?

As a busy Tradie one of your biggest overheads after wages and materials is maintaining a fleet of fit for purpose vehicles. Depending on if you are a sparkie, drainlayer or a civil contractor you might have a few vans, utes, earthmoving equipment or even truck and trailer units and it is important to keep on top of the maintenance required to ensure that they are running well.One of my clients had an engine blow up in his Kenworth wheeler last year and that was a $60k repair job that he hadnâ€...

November 13, 2022

5 reasons why your Tradie business needs an online presence

You can’t escape social media and the internet these days, even if you are on a job site that is nowhere near a computer. Is it important for a Tradie business to be online? Why? Your businesses online presence is a culmination of all your social media accounts, websites, blogs and reviews pages that your business has, it’s a visual CV for you and your business. It’s about being online and giving customers the chance to start recognising you or your brand and associate that with your busi...

October 3, 2022

Tasks to outsource to a Tradie VA

There are so many tasks that you as a Tradie could outsource to a Virtual Assistant to give yourself more time in the day to focus on what you are good at instead of being stuck in the office all day and all night trying to get through all the paperwork. Here is a list of a few key things that a Tradie VA could take off your hands....

August 22, 2022

7 Benefits of Hiring a Tradie VA

Why did you become a Tradie?  We are pretty sure it wasn’t for the love of paperwork!   As a busy Tradie how many times have you been in the middle of something and phone rings and a client has an urgent job and you’re off to put the fire out?  How often are you putting the admin off until later only to forget about it?...

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