TCOS Diagnostic Scorecard

Trade Contractor Operating System — Better Back Office

Not in place — costing you money

Partially there — inconsistent

Locked in — working and trusted

Pre-Gate: Viable Business Model

V1 My gross profit consistently covers all my overheads and leaves room for net profit — the business model works.

Foundation: The 3 C's

F1 I have at least 4 hours every week dedicated to working ON the business — doing new things, not just running the day-to-day.

F2 I know my gross profit %, my breakeven point, my net profit, and I can see profit at the individual job level.

F3 I review my key numbers every week. If something goes off track, I know within 7 days.

Know — Get a grip on the business

Consistent Pipeline — Marketing + Sales

PK1 I know exactly who my best customers are and what my ideal job type looks like. My focus is narrow — I'm not chasing everything that moves.

PK2 I can clearly and confidently explain why a customer should choose me over my competitors. My message is sharp and it resonates.

PK3 Every quote gets followed up systematically. My quotes are professional, persuasive, and I never let a good opportunity go cold.

Operations — Operations + People

OK1 My team structure is clear. I know where the gaps are, I've dealt with the people dragging me down, and my team is right-sized for current demand.

OK2 I hire well with clear expectations. New starters know exactly what's expected of them in week one — onboarding is structured, not sink-or-swim.

OK3 My job stages are defined and basic processes are in place. Work flows through the business without me making every decision or solving every problem.

Profit You Deserve — Finance + Leadership

MK1 I know my true labour costs — the all-up cost per hour including super, leave, and workers comp — and I price every job to hit my target margins.

MK2 My invoicing goes out within 24-48 hours, I have a collections process, and I have clear visibility of cash coming in and going out.

MK3 I've stopped doing low-value work that should be delegated. I spend meaningful time each week in CEO mode — leading and improving, not just doing.

Grow — Build the systems

Consistent Pipeline — Marketing + Sales

PG1 My marketing runs consistently — not stop-start. I have tactics that match my target market and leads come in every week without me chasing.

PG2 Every lead is captured and tracked in a CRM. Follow-up is systematic — I know my conversion rate at every stage and no leads fall through the cracks.

PG3 My estimating is accurate and profitable. I offer good/better/best options, I win on value not price, and my quote-to-win rate is above 40%.

Operations — Operations + People

OG1 Every person has a clear role with documented responsibilities. KPIs are in place and reviewed weekly. Performance conversations happen regularly.

OG2 I can see every job's status, margin and timeline in real-time without asking anyone. Quality control is systematic — we catch problems before the client does.

OG3 Job P&Ls are reviewed within 3 days of completion. Rework is under 5%. Every job hits margin targets because profit comes from design, not luck.

Profit You Deserve — Finance + Leadership

MG1 My pricing decisions come from data, not gut feel. I have margin targets by job type and I know exactly which work is profitable and which isn't.

MG2 I have a profit dashboard that shows GP%, net profit, DSO and WIP at a glance. I review job P&Ls weekly and have a 12-week cash flow forecast.

MG3 I've delegated day-to-day operations. I spend the majority of my time leading, planning, and improving the business — not running it.

Scale — Build the machine

Consistent Pipeline — Marketing + Sales

PS1 My pipeline is visible 30, 60, 90 days out. I can forecast revenue with confidence. Feast and famine is a thing of the past.

PS2 I'm known in my market. My personal brand and reputation generate inbound enquiry. I'm the go-to contractor, not one of many.

PS3 My sales team handles quoting and account management. My marketing department runs campaigns. The pipeline engine runs without me feeding it.

Operations — Operations + People

OS1 My field leaders and team leads run jobs independently. I develop leaders, not just workers. A leadership pipeline exists.

OS2 SOPs exist for every key process. Quality systems are audit-ready. New people get up to speed fast because the machine is documented.

OS3 Multiple teams operate as self-contained units. A GM or ops lead manages day-to-day. The structure supports 3 teams of 10 without me in the middle.

Profit You Deserve — Finance + Leadership

MS1 I run 90-day planning cycles with structured annual planning. Every decision ladders up to a 3-year vision backed by real numbers.

MS2 Finance rhythms are embedded — my GM/COO owns the reporting. Profit share structures reward performance. We consistently hit 10-15% net.

MS3 I've exited the engine. The business runs without me day-to-day. I'm designing my role — chairman, investor, acquirer — on my terms.

Your TCOS Scorecard Results

Red

Not in place

Yellow

Partially there

Green

Locked in

Foundation

Know

Grow

Scale

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