I'm in the same boat, I can't take on any new customers or work. 1 job at the customers site, turns into 3 jobs. It screws up all the scheduling I had planned out. It's a great problem to have! I have just been up front with potential new customers, and let them know im 1 month or better on being able to maybe get to them. I answer every call or atleast call them back. People appreciate that, that way they can plan accordingly. I also tell them, I will touch base with them if something falls through or if I have to wait extended time on parts. Most people understand, some will wait or move on. Your only one person, and there's only so many hours in a day! Good luck and be safe out there!
Scheduling??? I gave up on scheduling months ago. I'm just a firefighter now. A few years ago I came up with the mantra "One call wrecks it all!!"
Weds night got a call around 5pm. Mack dump truck w/ MP8 engine blew a fan belt. Went and looked at it..........still smoking hot. Belt ripped the wires out of the ELECTRIC FAN CLUTCH (those smart engineers at work again). Called local Mack dealer.........no fan clutch........NO FAN BELTS!! Seems they are being bought by Ballard truck at the END OF JULY...maybe. This deal has been going on for 2 years now. So they aren't ordering or replenishing stock.......just ordering as they need it. Called Ballard, yup, they got em. In Mass.........close at 7pm. The guy across the street (big spread and acreage) had come over to see what was going on, offered us a beer, and a place to park the truck. Took him up on the latter, declined the former (no beer). Dropped driver off at shop, the owner (freind and customer for years and years now) was busy with little league (he's got 2 boys HEAVY into sports). Off I went with 6mpg parts chaser. Got belts, clutch, etc.........got home 9pm. 0600 up and out the door, threw the belt on, went to shop, picked up driver, brought him back to truck for him to drive to shop. NOW in Macks infinite wisdom, they decided to do 4 updates on this fine electric clutch. This variation needs a completely different bracket for the eeeee lectric clutch. Spent an hour trying to figure out how the wires were supposed to be supported with the old bracket........got one of the other trucks to swing into the shop to look at 1.) how the wiring should go 2.) what the bracket should look like (other one got fold, bent, and mutilated......she needed some tin work and straightening). Called Mack...........oh yea, there is a TBI. Email it please. First email didn't come through. Called again........different guy.....he looks it up (more pain). Email it please........I'll wait on the phone with you until it arrives. It shows up..........do you have these parts??? NO!!!
Back to MA I go. So from 0600 to 1900 I got a fan clustch done, fan and AC belt put on, AND I got a fan belt on another truck. I look back at days like that and wonder what the hell is wrong with me??? I only got that done?? ALL DAY?? REALLY?? I do keep the my buddy appraised.........he gets it. He's worked side by side with me into the wee hours of the morning getting crap done.........or try to get stuff done.
I have a customer that has a dozer that needs to have the sprockets changed. We might be going on a month now since I got the sprockets in. I don't have time. My wife forbids me (well.......emergencies are ok......I guess) from working weekends now. She has work for me HERE!!LOL
No............no new customers. Thankfully, like you; my existing customers understand. If their down, I come running. Scheduled services will be done when time allows.
I'm also a commercial diver. Tomorrow I have 2 moorings to move. I've cut back a ton on that as well. Used to be hot and heavy spring, summer, and fall fixing equipment, popping props off, the occassional welding job or cutting a cable out of a prop.
Feast or famine...............