I've been doing utility auditing solo for 4 years now here in Louisville and finally hitting consistent $15K months. LG&E territory keeps me plenty busy but I'm turning away work. When did you all know it was time to bring on help? Looking at maybe a part-time person to handle data entry and initial bill reviews.
When to hire your first assistant?
Jack, I made that leap at around the same revenue level. Best decision I ever made. Started with 20 hours/week for someone to handle the grunt work - rate schedule lookups, demand analysis, basic math checking. Let me focus on the complex stuff and client relations. My advice: hire before you think you're ready.
Same situation here in Knoxville with TVA territory. I waited too long and burned myself out trying to handle everything. When I finally hired an assistant, my monthly revenue jumped 40% within six months because I could take on bigger clients. Don't make my mistake of waiting.
The key is finding someone with basic accounting background who can learn utility billing. I've trained three people over the years here in Charlotte. Duke Energy's rate structures are complex enough that you need someone who can think, not just data entry. Budget about 3-4 weeks for proper training.
What are you all paying hourly? I'm in Atlanta and the market here is pretty competitive for good accounting help. Thinking $18-22/hour for someone with 2-3 years experience. Georgia Power customers generate good revenue but the labor costs are climbing.
Derek, that sounds about right. I'm paying $20/hour in Hartford for someone part-time. Eversource territory keeps us busy but finding qualified help is tough. I'd rather pay a bit more for someone who gets it than go through multiple hires.
Just hired my first assistant last month here in Huntsville. Alabama Power customers have been great but I was drowning in paperwork. Already seeing the benefits - closed a $45K recovery last week while she handled three smaller audits. The investment pays for itself quickly.
Training is everything. I created a whole manual covering OG&E rate schedules, common billing errors, and our audit process. Took me two months to write but now I can get someone productive in 2-3 weeks instead of 8-10 weeks. Oklahoma City market has been solid for expansion.