smart information technology like CBCDashboard they can evaluate their own company’s performance against his- toric numbers or their peers’ numbers.

Everyone’s Needs Are Different Companies come in all sizes and have

varying service delivery models. But all companies need to be able to have con- trol over their costs. All companies need to know if they are maximizing their expenditures. What is an acceptable cost of sales percentage or how do I lower my adjusted overhead? This could be seen as overspending on employees in a particu- lar department, overtime, freight and shipping cost, or purchasing major equip- ment out of cash flow. Evaluating inventory costs are also criti- cal and needs to be done daily. Fresh inventory is the most important fuel that supports growth in your business. Are you buying the right inventory? Are you buy- ing enough inventory? How quickly should you break even? Are you reaching

projected revenue? Are you even using projected revenue? Do my vehicles pro- duce enough gross profit to cover their cost and their share of the company’s over- head?

Other companies fail to realize the money they leave on the table by ignoring profit centers that have grown significant- ly over the last 2 to 3 years costs them needed revenue. As cost of vehicles con- tinue to rise and sales per part per vehicle reduces, you can still grow revenue by looking at your business model in new ways. Sales people who want to last in this industry must become increasingly stronger in “secondary” sales categories, like cores or warranties. Lastly, evaluating employee perform- ance is another weak spot for many com- panies. How many vehicles should a good dismantler get through in a week? What kind of vehicles? Do I need a full-time shipper or loader/driver? How long should it take to inventory a vehicle? What percent of my sales should be brokered?

How much should I pay? How should I pay? Smart technology like CBCDash- board and its staff can provide that infor- mation to you wherever you are at any time you desire.

All these questions have answers for your operation, but it would be quite dif- ficult for you to have all the answers. What are your resources for information? As data sources and needs continue to increase it stands to reason you will need smart technology tools to make dollars and sense out of this information. Many thriving recyclers know what is driving their business. Do you?

CBCDashboard and CBC support salvage and recycling business owners to improve and grow through PRP Profit Teams, Inde-

pendent Owners' Groups, On-Site Consulting, and Online Consulting using CBCDashboard: personnel, buying, in- ventory, income, sales activity, operations, and financials. Contact Chad Counts at (512) 963-4626 and Robert Counts at (512) 653-6915. Visit www.cbcdashboard.com and www.countsbusinessconsulting.com.

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