The Backroads Newspaper Dealership

Article Tools

Image Gallery

Print

E-mail

Comments

RSS

As for the long-term outlook on fuel: I don't have that answer for you. The shortage we all experienced a couple of years ago caused us so much concern that we filled our car's tank every other day while the bind was on. Later, when gasoline began to flow freely again, I bought two 55-gallon drums, filled them, and stored them out behind a small shed . . . just in case. The 100-plus gallons in the tanks will give our little delivery service two weeks' breathing space if the supply of gas is ever shut off again.

SET YOURSELF UP ON A BUSINESSLIKE BASIS

Probably more self-employment ventures fail because of poor management than for any other reason. With only a little thought, though, you can organize this enterprise as "tight as a drum".

For example, if you run around haphazardly every month trying to personally collect from your customers, the gasoline and time you'll burn up will soon total as much as if you were to service the route several extra times.

We bill our customers about the 25th of each month by simply rolling an inexpensive envelope into a newspaper and holding it in place with a rubber band. The customer's name, subscription number, the number of months the bill covers, and the total amount owed are all written right inside the envelope's flap. It's then an easy matter for the customer to pay us by mail or to put the money into the envelope and leave it in the paper box or under a rock.

In addition, we cut our bookkeeping time in half by billing for two months at once (one ahead and one back). If we haven't received payment by the 25th of the second month, we leave a reminder. This is simply a dittoed note which asks, "Have you overlooked your paper bill?" Another-slightly more pointed-reminder goes out on the first of the following month. And, if we haven't received our money by the 10th, we make a phone call and stop delivery until payment is made. We really don't have a lot of trouble, though, because we don't keep customers who are "bad pay".

And such people can be a real drain on your business. So much so that it'll pay you to keep an eye out for sudden moves. For example, there was the morning I noticed a rental moving truck backed up to the house of a fellow who'd been one of our customers for about three months. As soon as I finished the route, I went back, checked the truck, and hammered on the front door. The guy was still half asleep when he opened up . . . but I got the money. The next morning, when Wanda went by, he was gone.

RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print