Where Service-Based Businesses Waste Time & Money—And How to Fix It

Many service-based businesses—including home service providers, coaches, consultants, and creative professionals—struggle with inefficient spending and poor time management. This leads to lower profits, burnout, and missed opportunities for growth.

Dr. Bryan Raya, a QuickBooks ProAdvisor, has helped countless business owners streamline their finances, automate tasks, and increase profitability. Here’s where businesses waste time and money—and where they should be investing instead.

🚨 Where Businesses Lose Money & Time (Low ROI Activities)

1️⃣ Manual Administrative Tasks

• Manually tracking expenses, invoicing, and scheduling wastes hours every week.

• Fix It: Use automation tools like QuickBooks for bookkeeping, Jobber for home services, or Calendly for scheduling.

2️⃣ Ineffective Marketing

• Many businesses waste money on broad ads that don’t attract the right clients.

• Fix It: Focus on Google My Business, Facebook retargeting ads, and referral programs for higher ROI marketing.

3️⃣ Poor Job Scheduling (For Home Service Businesses)

• Unoptimized service routes lead to higher fuel costs & wasted time.

• Fix It: Use route optimization software like Housecall Pro or ServiceTitan.

4️⃣ Chasing Unqualified Leads

• Too much time is spent on low-intent prospects who don’t convert.

• Fix It: Pre-qualify leads with intake forms & a pricing page before taking calls.

5️⃣ Underpricing Services

• Many business owners don’t account for overhead & profit, leading to low margins.

• Fix It: Set pricing based on value, not competition—and track profit margins using QuickBooks Online.

6️⃣ Doing Everything Themselves

• Handling marketing, admin, sales, and service work alone leads to burnout.

• Fix It: Outsource bookkeeping, admin tasks, and social media management so you can focus on high-value work.

📈 Where Businesses Should Invest (High ROI Activities)

✅ Financial & Cash Flow Management

• Profitability starts with clean books! A bookkeeper or QuickBooks Online prevents financial blind spots.

✅ Lead Generation (SEO & Paid Ads)

• Optimize Google My Business for free local leads.

• Use Facebook/Instagram retargeting ads to convert warm prospects.

✅ Customer Retention & Referrals

• It costs 5x more to get a new client than to keep one.

• Offer loyalty discounts & referral incentives to generate repeat business.

✅ Hiring & Training for Growth

• Doing everything yourself limits your income—hiring helps scale operations efficiently.

✅ Time-Saving Software & Automation

• Use Jobber, Housecall Pro, or HoneyBook for CRM & booking.

• Automate invoicing & payments with QuickBooks or Stripe.

🚀 Work Smarter, Not Harder!

✅ Eliminate wasted time & spending on admin, ineffective marketing, and underpricing.
✅ Invest in high-ROI areas like lead generation, automation, and financial tracking.
✅ Scale efficiently by delegating, streamlining, and charging what you're worth.

💡 Need help optimizing your finances? Book a free consultation with Dr. Bryan Raya today and start Doing Business Right! 🚀