Customer-service training must be continuous and thorough. If you just tell your technicians what you want, they will only think about what they are going to say and never say …
Published: 10.01.10
By Ruth King
Published: 09.01.10
By Ruth King
Published: 08.01.10
By Ruth King
Published: 07.01.10
By Ruth King
Your credit score can be the key to home ownership, an auto loan, consumer credit, and even employment. How much do you know about this three-digit number that holds so …
Published: 07.01.10
By Bruce Cornelius
Making calls to past-due customers, former customers, and happy customers helps to keep the cash flowing.
Published: 06.01.10
By Ruth King
Businesses can improve profitability in many ways. Some require making substantial investments, such as buying new equipment or expanding marketing efforts. But there are inexpensive ways as well. Here are …
Published: 05.01.10
By Ruth King
Take a tip from farmers. Plant seeds in the spring t decrease your dependence on the weather and increase customer loyalty.
Published: 04.01.10
By Ruth King
One of the toughest things owners and managers have to do is to productively manage a labor force. But companies that manage their labor and their inventory effectively are among …
Published: 03.01.10
By Ruth King
I observed five trends in 2009 that helped contractors not only survive in a bad economy-but thrive in a bad economy.
Published: 02.01.10
By Ruth King
Why commercial contractors need to get 'tough' on payments.
Published: 02.01.10
By George Hedley
Everyone knows that 2009 was not a great year economically. Some contractors did well. Perhaps they were not as profitable as they were in 2008, but they still were profitable. …
Published: 01.01.10
By Ruth King
Your ability to use financing to close sales can be a key differentiator from your competitors because offering payment options makes it less likely your customers will take their business …
Published: 01.01.10
By Bruce Christensen
If you want to improve your business, skip resolutions and change what you are doing.
Published: 12.01.09
By Ruth King
In many cases, a new heating and/or AC unit amy be an unplanned expense. A consumer credit program is a powerful sales tool that also helps customers.
Published: 11.01.09
By Bruce Christensen
Sharing this information will open their eyes to waste and the true value of benefits.
Published: 10.01.09
By Ruth King
This article will summarize the business, tax, and other financial considerations associated with the lease-versus-purchase decision. Ultimately, only you can decide which approach is best for your business.
Published: 09.01.09
By Mike Coyne
Fall is the time to be proactive and make sure your customers understand that heating and air conditioning are necessities, not luxuries. Make sure they call you for the repairs …
Published: 09.01.09
By Ruth King
Most employees are honest. However, when faced with stressful situations, even honest people can do things that are wrong, most notably stealing
Published: 08.01.09
By Ruth King
If you don't have a system in place to prevent theft by employees, you won't be able to control it once it starts.
Published: 07.01.09
By Ruth King
Financial benchmarking, both short and long term, is critical to making good business decisions that will keep your company financially healthy. When you see the numbers trending in the wrong …
Published: 06.01.09
By Ruth King
Financial benchmarking provides you the assurance that your business is going well, or the clues to when it isn’t so that you can take action.
Published: 05.01.09
By Ruth King
To keep your small business flush with cash while the government attempts to create programs designed to ease lending and improve our economy’s conditions, entrepreneurs should be creative and resourceful …
Published: 04.01.09
By Chris Talis
When the economy struggles, you don't have to. Keep making telephone calls, talking with clients and prospective customers, and keep a positive attitude. If you do this, the tough times …
Published: 03.01.09
By Ruth King
A third party debt recovery team can help you improve accounts receivables while also educating you on how to spend time chasing new business, not past due accounts.
Published: 03.01.09
By HVACR Business Staff
An explanation and some clarity on the IRS guidelines
Published: 03.01.09
By Mike Coyne
If you account on a cash basis, you record a sale when you get the money in the door. You record an expense when you write the check for that …
Published: 02.01.09
By Ruth King
Forecasting your annual tax benefits for 2009 may help you increase your business.
Published: 02.01.09
By Mike Coyne
Whether you should take a discount is totally dependent on the terms of the discount, your cost of borrowing, and plugging the numbers into the formula.
Published: 01.01.09
By Ruth King
By using a margin contribution accounting method, you can report net profits by division and properly allocate expenses.
Published: 12.01.08
By Ron Smith
Smart money management protects your business in slower times.
Published: 12.01.08
By Ruth King
To get your business ready for sale, good due diligence asks questions in all areas of your business.
Published: 11.01.08
By Ruth King
Whether an employee is labeled "salaried" or "hourly" does not answer whether the employee is entitled to overtime pay. The Fair Labor Standards Act has very specific rules regarding overtime …
Published: 11.01.08
By Mike Coyne
Annual check fraud losses now exceed $20 billion. Businesses with checking accounts face a substantial shared risk. Frank Abagnale reviews your liability and offers procedures to follow to reduce your …
Published: 10.01.08
By Frank W. Abagnale
Service agreements, marketing and diversity will decrease dependence on the weather and flatten out the seasonality.
Published: 09.01.08
By Ruth King
Limit access to the warehouse. You may need to hire a parts runner or a warehouse person. It’s the best way to save your hard-earned cash. Make the time to …
Published: 08.01.08
By Ruth King