If that title sounds like a challenge, it is. I want everyone who reads this to think about all of the things that went wrong last year and write them down. Now that we know what gave us trouble in the past, let’s put some thought into what we can do about it.

I love technology and automation; I am a fan of things that help streamline our work lives and processes. I admire the concept of a paperless office. I like all of these things until they lead to poor customer service.

After all of these years in this industry, I am still more than a little impressed that consumers pay to be a part of our service company clubs. But I have a question: Can you say with all certainty that your club customers are treated across-the-board better than everyone else who uses your company?

This is the time of year when we all think about thanking the people around us. As we enter the new year, we begin to make plans for how we will be better in the upcoming months. While we are in this mood, we need to seriously consider thanking the other people that make our businesses possible: the customer.

The holidays are a great time of year, depending on who you are and what you do for a living. Most people on the front lines in a retail organization will tell you that this time of year is exhausting. This time of year can also be stressful to our people in the home service industry.

I work with owners and managers all the time, talking about various parts of their businesses, but one aspect that gets little thought is the definition of their ideal customer. I realize that we would all like to take care of everyone who calls our business, but we need to put some thought into our ideal.

Everyone has trouble hiring good employees: This is a fact of business that has been around as long as people have thought about it. But when I ask a manager exactly what employee he or she is looking for, the most common answer I get is, “Someone good.” What does this mean?

Take a listen to the way your company answers the telephone. Not just the half-an-ear listen as you walk by their workspace. Really take the time to hear how you sound to your customers.

I get questions about interviewing all the time. Something that comes up over and over again is how to figure out if an employee really wants the job. We all know that someone who needs work will say whatever it takes to land the gig.

Have you ever told your team what you want your company to sound like? Seriously, what do you want your business to sound like on the phone? If this is a foreign concept to you I am challenging you to put some thought into it.