Magnetic marketing: make your magnet stand out
It is one of the most fundamental marketing tools for plumbing contractors and nearly all plumbers use them, yet few plumbers use them well. It is the refrigerator magnet....
Using smartphones for productivity, credibility, efficiency
According to a recent survey by Gartner, 67 million smartphones were sold in 2010. That number is expected to rise to 95 million units in 2011. It's likely that your peers, competitors, and customers have already made the switch. The question is, "How can you best utilize a smartphone in your business?"...
Adapting for survival; what do you do when nothing is working
It is becoming more difficult to find topics for this column that point to an upbeat outlook for our current economic malaise. I’m not telling you anything that you don’t already know when I say work and job prospects, across the board, are in the tank. ...
Offering energy conservation value
Do you want to sell high-efficiency equipment like hot cakes at a pancake jamboree? If so, then you’re an energy conservationist and you need to stand out from the crowd during your sales pitch. There is a real value to what it is you are offering and the term Energy Conservation Value (ECV) fits it like a glove....
More than ever, p-h-c industry must get back to grassroots
Now more than ever, members of Congress are reaching out to "the people." They want to hear directly from their constituents in their districts and states and especially from small businesses. It is vitally important to remind lawmakers of the significant contributions small businesses make to local, state and national economies. ...
Working with a letter of intent
Show me a letter of intent and I'll show you an invitation to a dispute — typically over unpaid work....
Three planning companions for family business owners
Do you own (all or part of) a closely held business? Sooner or later, like it or not, you must deal with what is commonly called the "succession planning problems." Hands down, the reason most readers of this column call me is for help with their business succession plan....
When you are faced with a blank page
While I'm a pretty good writer, as evidenced by the fact that Contractor magazine has kept me around for 12 years now, I know that I'm an even much better project manager/estimator as evidenced by my track record....
Tools, methods to increase speed, efficiency — Part 3
Editor's note: This is the third and final in a series of articles addressing means manners, methods and tools that will increase employee speed and efficiency in the field....
What impressed me most from the shows
There were plenty of good things to see at the International Builders Show and the AHR Expo, some of them high-tech and a lot of them just plain practical. ...
One for the office, three for the phone
Almost two thirds of computer users have been victims of cybercrime from viruses, Trojans, and other malware that can wreak havoc on a PC. You can protect your business, to an extent, by never giving out company-related passwords and never opening attachments or links from strangers. However, a robust internet security program that defends against as many threats and malicious software variants as possible and has strong firewall protection from online dangers without sacrificing performance should be the basic defense. ...
Understanding hydronic controls terminology
It's not news that the hydronics industry is changing. The news is that terminology once limited to computer-controlled HVAC systems found in large commercial buildings is now being applied to hydronics....
Simple ideas to jump start your marketing
Could your marketing use a boost? Here's a few quick ideas to jump start your marketing....
Proper usage of the standard pipe wrench
When it comes to having the right tools for the job, no toolbox or tool corral is complete without a standard, straight, heavy-duty pipe wrench. A tool designed to grip and rotate cylindrical material appears very simple on the exterior but peel back the covers and it becomes apparent that a lot of thought went into the engineering of this tool. The pipe wrench has changed over its 140-year history, but the current design of today has remained virtually the same for the past 90 years....
Customer relations: Put yourself in the customer's shoes
Some attention needs to be paid to a very important, and often neglected, part of your business: customer relations. For service businesses, customer relations are the fountain from which word of mouth referrals and a great deal of future work springs. Repeat customers are what make up the bulk of service businesses income stream....
Management by results vs. the 3Ps
Management by Results did yield success and still does today. However, there is one problem they never told us in MBA school. At best it will only achieve short-term results and tends to cause employee behaviors contrary to teamwork....
The chicken or the egg?
"What's the first best investment: upgrade the shell by sealing infil-exfiltration air leaks, adding insulation, installing new windows and doors, or replacing the heating and air conditioning equipment? You can only afford to do one or the other."...
Selling energy- and water-efficient products
Michael Gray's letter to the editor that was published in our November 2010 issue garnered a big reaction, both pro and con. Mr. Gray wrote that he wouldn't be renewing his subscription to CONTRACTOR because he couldn’t relate to green products and projects, most of which he considered to be a monumental waste of effort and money....
Three technologically astute solutions
Bill and Patti Feldman cover the technological benefits of a voice recognition software, a multi-funtion all-in-one printer and Internet radio...
Marketing: Websites, the Internet and beyond
It really isn't all that surprising that many contractors are not computer literate, or as computer literate as they need to be in this era. After all, they are out trying to make a buck in a crummy economy with no real light at the end of this particularly dark tunnel. If they are not up to speed on computers now, the thought of spending the time to learn how to use them effectively is not a high priority. ...
Head-to-head with a PI — Pt. 2
When last we spoke, we were in a pickle due to a PI who had failed to properly interpret the plumbing code. ...
Customer retention starts in the field
Most contractors are surprised how often field service employees destroy relationships. Most field service employees are surprised how easy it is to damage the service company/consumer relationship....
The Wall Street business model is broken
Since the drubbing the stock market (read Wall Street) took during the recent recession, callers, including my estate planning clients, are pleading for investment help. Sorry, this is not my skill. But their constant cries for help motivated me to try and determine if there is a logical, profitable and safe alternative to the current way Wall Street does business....
What happened to the one year warranty?
What about the standard one year warranty? It's a myth. And, so it seems, one of the most misunderstood concepts on the commercial side of the construction industry. ...
Project managers can learn from Hollywood
Did you know that as a project manager you’re the mirror of a Hollywood movie director? Well, if not exactly a director then for certain an executive producer? ...
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