The Front Office Playbook

Who it’s for

Owners, managers and office leads of service businesses from $500K to $25M in revenue: trades and home services, restoration, construction, environmental and route-based services, and professional or creative firms. Some companies call it the admin team or the back office. This playbook calls it the front office: the people and systems that answer, schedule, bill, collect and keep the records.

What’s inside

1. Start
   Stage and readiness checkFind your stage, then seven questions that show where to start.
2. 01
   Work inventoryEvery office task logged for two weeks, with minutes, trigger and owner.
3. 02
   Sort the workEliminate, automate, delegate or keep. The hours left are the seat.
4. 03
   Five office functionsEach with a written standard and one number that proves it.
5. 04
   Seat designRole scorecards, functional seats, redesigning a seat someone holds, and what to outsource.
6. 05
   Hours and payPrice a new seat or re-price an existing one, checked at four hour levels.
7. 06
   Recruiting packJob post, five step screen, interview scorecard and a paid trial task.
8. 07
   Training rampThe gated 30-60-90, where the person in the seat writes the manual as they learn.
9. 08
   ManagementThe seven office numbers, the weekly cadence and the coach or cut rule.
10. 09
    Tools and automationSix tool types that are enough at every size, and the first automations to set up.
11. Finish
    Five day build planWorksheets, then the decision: hire, redesign or remove.