I recently attended a function held by the St. Louis Business Journal regarding family businesses and how they had transitioned to the second, third, and even fourth generations. It was a program of interest to me because so many HVAC and sheet metal businesses have traditionally been family-owned and have been passed from father to son.
Making intelligent, informed financial decisions is the best way to keep your business running smoothly and profitably. Businesses are very much like fine-tuned machines: each complicated part must be developed independently, but they must work well together to deliver consistent, long-term results.
Success is a locked door, and strong customer relationships shape the key that opens it. Happy customers can carry businesses across the threshold that divides the companies that fail from the companies that thrive, and all it takes is communication.
There is no right or wrong way to approach shoulder seasons, but most contractors find that having a plan in place helps them make the most of the slower times.
When Wayne Gretzky was asked in an interview why he was so good, the Hall of Famer stated that he skated to where the puck was “going” to be rather than where the puck was at the time. And much like Gretzky, you should not necessarily be looking at what your market is demanding this week or even next month. Skate to where the puck is going to be.
Last week, I wrote an article for a contractor-focused publication titled, “Are You Getting Everything Your Favorite Distributor has to Offer?” In this piece, I imparted two very important points: First, contrary to popular belief, distributors don’t produce enough profits to impact the contractor's price of materials substantially, and, more importantly, most contractors don’t get all of the value their distributor partner has to offer.
Here are some reasons why you should consider adopting new, cordless technology as well as a brief list of some must-have tools to add to your arsenal.
Every HVACR company wants a stronger team — a tight-knit culture of high-performing A-players who can show up at a customer’s house and confidently handle any situation. You probably want that for your company too, but some business owners feel like their payroll budget doesn’t allow them to hire the top guns. That’s a shame because that’s wrong thinking. Here’s the secret that most HVACR business owners don’t realize: you can mold a team of superstars out of employees who don’t appear to be A-players today. It starts with training.
Do you feel like you’re running a daycare more than a home service company at times? Well, before you start blaming your team for any headaches, it might be time to take a moment to evaluate the “why.” The answer may be staring you right in the face every morning.
In my opinion, you recommend what you hear and what you know. It’s called top-of-mind awareness, and every business wants it. So, what’s an easy way to get it? By sticking out. And how can you stick out? With a catchy jingle.