Warning to tradesmen not to put all your eggs in one basket!

It's really important for tradesmen not to put all their eggs in one basket in more ways than one!

Security in one basket: We have always suggested a multi-strategy approach to van security

• Protect the manufacturer's weak point (usually our internal door shielding)
• Add an additional layer of security (deadlocks or slamlocks)
• Have an alarm system with cargo area protection
• A locked area inside your van (tool safe etc)
• Download and use of free van security app Vavoid

Tools in one basket: Another use of the analogy of not putting all of your eggs in one basket has recently come up as suggestions from tradesmen on comments on our YouTube video where a Ford Custom had a high level of destruction attack where the thieves were not going to be stopped by anything. We always hear comments like 'Don't leave your tools in the van, end of' but are those comments really helpful? when you absolutely need to have tools in your van in order to complete your work and get to your job. But this particular idea was something that sounded very sensible, where the tradesmen said that he spreads his tools around a bit; he leaves some tools at the job he is working on, he leaves other tools that he doesn't need for the job at home and then he only leaves the bare minimum in his van. This idea of his was so that if his van gets broken into, then he won't lose everything in one go. This would also work if the site he was working on was hit by thieves or even if thieves burgled his house. It's an interesting idea and we thought that now is a great time to share it with as it is very much in the Easter theme of not putting all of your eggs in one basket!

Customers in one basket: Other uses for this not putting all your eggs in one basket not related to van security, but quite possibly equally as useful advice is with regards to your customers. It can be easy to find that you get lots of work from one builder, developer or other business and that can lead you to neglecting your core retail customer base and letting that slipping away. This is all good all of the time that your now main customer is providing you with good quality work and paying your bills, but you have to be very careful with a situation like that. Before you know it, that one good customer can effectively turn into a boss and when he says 'jump', you then need to say 'how high?' if you let yourself become completely reliant upon them for the majority of your income. A worse situation would be if they go to the wall and become bankrupt; potentially leaving you with a huge outstanding dept for materials you have paid for and your unpaid labour costs; if you have neglected the rest of your customer base, then the phone might not be ringing very often with potential customers for you to fill up your diary and pay off your business debt.

Thanks for reading, Jeff Scott, Director of Sussex Installations