For a while now I have been looking for a good mantra. Something I can toss out when asked my opinion or repeat to myself when the going gets tough and I need words of wisdom to carry on.
I finally found my mantra at a recent Nexstar Super Meeting in Pittsburgh. Nexstar is a member-owned association of independent service providers whose goal is to share best practices.
The mantra wasn’t buried in a bunch of rhetoric or unearthed from a deep conversation with the Dalai Lama of the hvacr industry.
My new mantra came at the end of a session dedicated to creating a winning company culture. It was then that our leaders asked us to repeat after them two very simple words: Don’t Suck.
Soon the entire room full of contractors from various industries started chanting Don’t Suck, Don’t Suck, Don’t Suck.
At first I thought someone spiked the hot apple cider, but then I realized that I, too, was chanting along with them.
I was amazed at the simplicity and power of the message and pleased that this mantra could be applied to virtually any aspect of business.
With those two magic words in mind, think of the possibilities:
Wondering how to grow profits? Consider implementing a service-agreement program and dedicate yourself to being the best in your market. If you are better than the competition, your profits will prove it. You also can read Ruth King’s column, "How Do You Operate Your Business?" which helps you decide how to operate your business for maximum benefit.
Need to refine your sales technique? Attend a sales seminar to learn best practices that have worked for others. Another tactic, read Tom Piscitelli’s column, "Managing Sales Performance," to learn how to offer constructive feedback and keep the salesperson on track.
Want to improve customer retention rates? Provide customers with added value. Revisit Ron Smith’s column in the October issue to learn more about making every customer more than satisfied. Customers are fickle. They will take their business elsewhere for myriad reasons. Ron suggests going above and beyond by replacing smoke detector batteries or trimming hedges around outdoor units.
Want to be the employer of choice in your market? Make your business culture productive and fun. It’s no secret that attracting and retaining good employees is the No. 1 challenge for companies. If you don’t offer employees a reason to stay, they will take their knowledge and go elsewhere — preferably a place that doesn’t suck.
Who knew that a business journalist would latch onto such a pearl of wisdom at a contractor event? I attend these events to report best practices to readers— to help them run their businesses better. I had no idea that I also would benefit from the curriculum.
I stumbled across more wisdom from another institution aimed at helping contractors put their best foot forward — The Service Roundtable.
Matt Michel, The Service Roundtable’s president and CEO, told me that inertia is the curse of the hvacr contractor.
I say that inertia is the curse of every individual. Defined, inertia is a tendency to remain in a fixed condition without change; disinclination to move or act. After all, the path of least resistance is the easiest to follow but it certainly doesn’t lend itself to scenery, knowledge and success.
During my conversation with Matt we also discussed the new generation of workers — aka Gen Y.
Matt has put a lot of thought into this generation, astutely observing that some of these kids have never known tough economic times or what it means to want for a job. This pool of potential employees needs to be constantly patted on the back, or many will think you don’t appreciate them. He likened the management of this group of workers to managing volunteers — they show up for work on their own terms and treat it like they are doing you a favor.
According to Matt, The Service Roundtable is a peer group that looks out for each other and his role is to help members be the best in the business.
Having a cynical nature, I asked Matt why he does what he does. His answer: If you want more out of life you have to give more. If you do that, you will be rewarded.
In short, don’t suck.
