“My company has high service sales and yearly growth, but it doesn’t translate into bottom-line profits. I don’t know why it’s happening or how to fix it.”

I and many others have written articles for this magazine about the importance of planning, and all of those articles were right on target. We must plan in our businesses.

When you were a tech at someone else’s company, the customers loved you because you were the one tech who could actually fix things.

A shortage of skilled labor is an industry problem, a specialty trade problem, and a national problem. It does not need to be your problem if you effectively utilize the manpower mix.

One of the biggest challenges I see with contractors is a failure to understand how our beliefs and expectations of the sales function impact our business success.

In the Dec. 4, 2017 issue of The NEWS, I discussed some common obstacles that customers present when offered a preventive maintenance agreement and solutions to overcome them. This week, let’s take a close look at how to design and market your service plans.

All contractors claim to provide good, quality service ... it’s your actions that set you apart

I have been involved with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) here in St. Louis for about 30 years. I continue to serve on the Standards and Compliance (formerly Ethics) Committee. This committee reviews cases where a company has not responded regarding a complaint and, therefore, is in line to be expelled from the BBB.

I’m back to dive deeper into the strategic initiatives that can help all of us improve ourselves, our businesses, and our industry.

Never discount today for the promise of business tomorrow.