Columnists
Managing, Protecting Materials is a Priority
We've all witnessed the severe rise in commodity prices and corresponding price increases for finished goods both within our industry and elsewhere. Things...
Daily Backup Software Provides Peace of Mind
Among office calamities, unexpected loss of data on an office computer from a virus or hardware breakdown ranks right up there on top of the list. Are you prepared? ...
The Tax Game is More Than Just Beating the IRS
I recently read an article titled “What Makes for Success?” by Kemmons Wilson, the founder of Holiday Inn. In it he said, “It is great to attain wealth, but money is really just one way — and hardly the best way — to keep score.” ...
Don't Leave Walk-Away Money Behind
How much walk-away money (WAM) are you leaving on the table every day? Before I learned how to up-sell our sales, I used to leave lots of WAM lying around. The not-so-funny part of it was I couldn't see the WAM. We were busy and the business was making money. ...
Color of Green Found in New Resource, Part 2
A search of the Internet with the key words “gasifying wood boilers” bounces back 19,800 hits. When you Google just “wood boilers,” you get about 289,000 hits, so it is apparent that this new classification of boiler is relatively new to the world market. ...
What Has Happened to Lien Waivers?
In the course of preparing a more “scholarly” article, I recently learned that the earliest version of a mechanic's lien statute in the U.S. was passed by the Pennsylvania legislature in 1784 — not to attach to real property, however. Neil v. Kinney (Ohio 1860) referenced the Act of 1784 created to protect the rights of shipbuilders in Philadelphia. We have come a long, long way since then. ...
What is Green? Criteria Remain Lacking
In May of this year, Mechanical Service Contractors of America introduced its GreenStar program, a certification program that's similar to the association's...
Create Lead-Generating Yellow Page Ads
Yes, I'm aware that the Hollywood writers' strike is long over, but the core issue has gained momentum and is snowballing straight toward your industry — and your bottom line. ...
Work Management Software for the Field
The new Trimble MEP layout solution (www.trimble.com) for mechanical, electrical and plumbing contractors takes advantage of several technologies to deliver...
Qualifying for Set-Aside Work is No Easy Task
Some time ago I stopped counting the number of telephone calls I had gotten from contractors who wanted to find a way to qualify as a Minority Business...
The New Daily Reality of Project Management
One day this spring, we woke up to a new reality. We joined the rest of the world in paying a very high-price for gasoline, food and other personal commodities....
WaterSense Needs More Backing and Teeth
We're pleased to report on page 1 and page 3 of this issue about the issuance of draft WaterSense specifications for high-efficiency urinals and for whole-house...
Tuning Up an Appliance for Optimum Efficiency, Part II
At the end of last month's column (p. 46), I promised to reveal the facts about my efforts to become healthier. But first, here is a bit of background....
Smart Summer Marketing vs. Overreactions
Okay, let's get the bad stuff out of the way first. The government is out to get you and me, except I'm hiding under my desk while I write this. It is...
Color of Green Found in New Resource, Part 1
As the most recent Earth Day came and went this year, I found myself mesmerized by the number of companies, large and small, that suddenly have turned...
Tuning Up an Appliance for Optimum Efficiency
As mechanical contractors, you do an amazingly good job of keeping your customers' systems in good health. You clean drains, save water with low-consumption...
Site Offers Small Business Management Tools
Cloud computing occurs when software applications and all information generated within them are stored entirely online on an array of interdependent servers...
The Right Way to Value Your Family Business
Do you own all or part of a closely held business? Like it or not, some day you'll have to value that business. ...
Hydronic Radiant Heating Options, Part 6
At the end of last month's column, I promised that I would share the results of the most recent Kansas State University ABOVE tests being performed on the Radiant Glass Industries LLC Power *e Heated Glass product....
What Are You Going to do About the Weather?
In this industry, we get so used to certain issues that we sometimes don't notice when they gradually drift away from where they started. Then, we end up changing the risk allocation between owner and contractor or contractor and subcontractor that we were used to. The way weather is treated in contracts is one of those issues....
Be a Saver, Not a Hoarder; Be Thrifty, Not Cheap
We all know that contracting is such a ruthlessly cutthroat business that we literally try to save a penny or two here or a nickel or two there every...
Features for Fleet Tracking Solutions Vary
Fleet tracking and management solutions are increasingly popular in the service industries, enabling awareness of where all your service trucks are when technicians are out in the field (typically within three meters) and a lot more data covering how they got there and when....
Marketing to the Mass Affluent, Part 1
It never fails. The same sentiments that have haunted business owners for years still persist. Willie Loman, who was convicted after numerous successful...
Alternatives to Hydronic Radiant Heating, Part 5
At the end of last month's column, I promised I would tell you about the results of the operational efficiency tests of radiant glass. ...
Adding an Extra Degree of Effort Has an Impact
Most of us know that an open pot of water sitting atop a constant heat source at 211F basically sits there doing nothing. As long as the heat source is...
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