Busy but Not Profitable? Measure Your Efficiency with This Free Tool
How Measuring Efficiency Can Save You Thousands Every Week
Most tradies reckon being flat out means the business is making money. But here’s the reality — being busy doesn’t always mean being profitable. Hidden inefficiencies in your week could be costing you thousands, and you won’t know it until you measure them.
That’s why our accounting coach Ali created the Efficiency Calculator — a free tool that shows you exactly how efficient your team really is and what it’s costing your bottom line.
The Reality Check: Why Efficiency Matters
Efficiency impacts every part of a trade business — travel time, job blowouts, admin, even picking up materials.
Ali puts it simply:
“If your business costs $5,000 a week to run and you’re only billing out 62.5% of your available hours, your cost per hour isn’t $125 — it’s actually $200. That’s the difference between profit and loss.”
Once you see the numbers, you’ll realise how much those little gaps add up.
The Turning Point: From Guesswork to Clarity
Most business owners don’t track efficiency — they just hope the hours stack up. But without clear numbers, you’re guessing.
The calculator removes that guesswork by giving you:
Your team’s efficiency percentage
Your true cost per billable hour
The profit you’re losing at less than 100% efficiency
One business Ali worked with discovered they were only running at 60% efficiency. The result? $20,000 profit per week lost compared to where they could be.
How the Efficiency Calculator Works
Here’s how quick it is:
Enter your field staff and their weekly hours.
Record the actual billable hours invoiced.
Input your weekly labour and operating costs.
Let the calculator show you the real efficiency numbers.
Straight away, you’ll see how efficient your business really is — and what it’s costing you.
Building a Business That Runs Smarter
Knowing your efficiency isn’t about blame — it’s about clarity. Once you see the data, you can take simple steps to improve it.
That could be:
Cutting down on travel gaps
Tightening up scheduling
Training staff to upsell onsite
Improving quoting accuracy
Each small change adds up to big improvements in profitability.
Lessons for Every Trade Business Owner
Being flat out doesn’t guarantee profit.
Efficiency is one of the most powerful numbers in your business.
Small inefficiencies multiply into big losses.
You can’t improve what you don’t measure.
The calculator gives you the clarity to act.
Ready to See Your Numbers?
👉 Try the Free Efficiency Calculator today and find out if your business is really as profitable as it looks.
