Remodeling is a risky business. It's a minefield of permits and inspections, hazardous material testing and remediation, and safety concerns. In addition to managing the complex processes of project design, resource scheduling, and product selection and installation, remodelers have to establish and maintain client relationships that are often the most fragile commodity on the site. The slightest irregularity -- delayed delivery of a special order, slight imperfections in finish materials, misunderstandings over contract language -- can trigger a chain reaction of client emotion that quickly escalates from disappointment and annoyance to stubborn anger and even rage.
Is the risk worth it? For most remodelers, there's a lot of satisfaction in avoiding all the pitfalls, producing a product of enduring value, and building lasting relationships with customers. But real financial risk has to be balanced by real financial reward. We need to know we're being adequately compensated for the risk we assume.
One measurement is what Les Cunningham of Business Networks calls the "risk quotient." It's part of a "Crucial Data" report all of his clients receive at their semi-annual meetings, and it's calculated with this simple formula:
Risk Quotient = Produced Gross Sales/Owner's Total Compensation
Cunningham uses the risk quotient, along with a dozen or so other ratios, to help his remodeler clients understand the effects growth can have on their financial well-being. Most remo
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