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DanHolohan
Member, Moderator, Administrator Posts: 16,539
e-PHC Profit Report, August 4, 2003
A weekly e-newsletter filled with money-making tips for busy PHC professionals.
Table of Contents:
1. Featured Article of the Week
2. Business Tip of the Week
3. Industry News, Unusual Stuff
4. A Shameless Pitch for Advertising
5. Subscription Information
6. Lawyer Joke of the Week
Contact: Jim Olsztynski, Editor-Publisher, 630-694-4006, wrdwzrd@aol.com
(The HTML format offers the best viewing and clarity for this newsletter. However, if you are receiving a truncated version or unable to print it out, it may be because your e-mail program cannot display HTML e-mails. In that case, try opening this e-mail as text only rather than HTML. There should be a setting within your program that allows you to view e-mails in text format only.)
1. FEATURED ARTICLE OF THE WEEK
20 Common Sense Tips About Uniforms
By Matt Michel
The Service Roundtable/Comanche Marketing
1. Wear a uniform.
Make sure the company logo appears somewhere on the uniform. That helps make the employee official. It reassures the customer. Its the baseline expectation.
2. Consider variations on the old workshirt.
While the standard workshirts are fine, theres no rule that requires them. Consider outfitting technicians in company polos. Consider button down colors in cooler weather. Whatever you select, make sure it looks sharp, wears well, and is suitable for adding the company logo.
3. Do not forget the pants.
Lots of technicians like to wear jeans. Heck, most people like to wear them, but not when meeting customers or suppliers. Lose the jeans. Wear a cotton poly blend that lasts long and looks professional.
4. Shorts are okay I guess
While Im not sure I would like it, I know that more companies have gone to shorts during the summer, especially in extremely hot locales like the desert southwest. UPS and Fed Ex have gone a long way towards making shorts accepted. As long as they are uniform shorts, they can work.
If you make the switch to shorts, the uniform effect is important. The shorts must not only be uniform shorts, but worn uniformly by all technicians. Pick a date. Switch to shorts on that date. Wear them through the summer. Pick another date. Switch back.
5. Dark pants.
Whether shorts or long pants, the pants should be dark for the simple reason that dark hides dirt.
6. Dark socks.
Your technicians can have great uniforms, look sharp, and then blow it with white socks. When I see a tech with white socks, I think of Archie Bunker. For those too young to know, thats not an especially good association. Require dark socks.
7. Great shoes.
Techs are on their feet all day. They want to wear comfortable shoes or boots. You want them in comfortable shoes as well because theyll have more energy and be more pleasant at the end of a long day.
As their employer, you should also want them to wear safe shoes to minimize lost time and expense due to injuries. The problem is quality footware thats both safe and comfortable is expensive.
Specify their footware. Help them buy it if needed, by taking a little from their check each month. Oh, and make sure its dark.
8. Shirt color.
Theres no rule that says the shirts need to match the company colors, but its a good idea, especially if youre outfitting them in company polos. It helps associate that color with your company for the category.
Its okay to be a little bold here. Use bright colors to stand out. And remember, you will get sick of the color long before your customers. Stick with it. Be consistent.
9. Carry spares.
There are times when technicians get dirty. It goes with the job. Rather than wear something filthy or waste time driving home or to the shop, everyone should keep a spare shirt in the truck.
10. Tee-shirts.
There are times when tee-shirts are appropriate, such as when a plumber is digging a ditch. Provide company tee-shirts with huge logos for those occasions. Why huge logos? If theyre working outside, your employees become walking billboards. So make sure the logo can be seen.
Kerry Prudhomme at Acadian Services in Louisiana decided to have fun with his tee-shirts. They put a Superman logo on the front and cleaner, better, faster on the back (credit John Ward and Contractors 2000 for the latter). The technicians loved them and they got noticed. Customers asked Kerry if they could get an Acadian tee-shirt.
11. Patches.
If your technicians earn certifications, add patches or embroidery about the certifications to their uniforms. Walk into an automotive service center and you will usually be confronted with a wall full of framed ASE certificates. The auto shops display them because they build credibility. Since customers seldom see the walls of an in-home service company, the uniform (or truck) must carry the credibility of certification.
12. Allow only company caps.
Theres nothing wrong with supporting the brands of equipment you carry, the local supply house, or the local sports team, but not when it conflicts with your uniform. The hat, if the tech wears one, should match the rest of the uniform.
13. Use company jackets.
Its tough to think about jackets and windbreakers this time of year, but the same rules that apply to caps, apply to jackets. There should be company jackets that match the uniform.
14. Make picture ID badges.
You can buy low cost laminating machines at any office supply store. Buy an instant camera, snap a picture, and laminate it on a clip on ID badge (the office supply stores sell lamination blanks specifically for this purpose). The photo ID badge is a nice touch. Its reassuring to the customer. Ive actually heard people comment about them in focus groups.
15. Use shoe covers.
Shoe covers are getting old hat now, except that so few companies actually use them theyre still a pleasant shock for homeowners. And remember, even though you provide shoe covers, does not mean your technicians actually use them.
My guess is that the typical consumer has yet to encounter a service technician who used shoe covers. Larry Taylor at Air Rite in Fort Worth told me that he buys a dark blue shoe cover from Shubee, which allows reuse. He likes the Shubee covers because theres anti-skid spots added to the bottom.
Larry switched from white to dark blue because the blue allows reuse when the shoe cover gets a smudge or scrape that doesnt otherwise soil or dirty it. With the white, any smudge shows up. With the blue, it doesnt. Larrys technicians get still more duty from the shoe covers by turning them inside out and reusing them.
16. Surgical gloves.
Surgical gloves are cheap. Theyre also a nice touch when work inside the home requires coming in contact with the interior paint (e.g., adjusting or replacing a thermostat). If this seems like show business, it is. Its a way of demonstrating care and respect for your customers home that is appreciated and makes you stand out. Little service touches like this help justify higher prices.
The gloves can also represent a safety factor for your employees. Vikki Nicholas from Bay Temperature Control, one of the leading experts on mold in the air conditioning industry, says that they coach their technicians to NEVER touch anything they suspect might be mold. When they suspect mold is present, they are to put on the gloves immediately.
17. Carry a company tool rug.
You can order small carpets customized with your company logo. Give one to each technician to use when working inside. Instruct them to roll out the carpet and set the tools on them. Again, this shows respect for the customers home. Besides, sometimes the tool box is dirty on the bottom. Get the carpets laundered on a weekly basis.
18. Enforce neatness.
Ive known people who can wear a thousand dollar suit and look like a slob. You can provide great looking uniforms, use shoe covers, tool rugs, and so on, but its all for naught if the technician fails to keep the shirt tucked in.
19. Get employee input.
While its true that its your company, your technicians have to wear the uniform. Give them some input on the uniform decision and they will be more likely to willingly follow the program without coercion. When you get a new hire, the older technicians will help enforce the policy. Nothing beats peer pressure.
20. Your employees will follow your lead.
If you want your employees to look sharp and to keep their shirts tucked in, youve got to set the standard. If you dont look good, why should they?
(c) 2003 Matt Michel. Reprinted by Permission.
Free email subscriptions to Comanche Marketing are available courtesy of
the Service Roundtable. Visit www.serviceroundtable.com and click on
the Comanche Marketing tab.
********************************************************************************************
Mr. Rooter is a turnkey plumbing business with proven systems enabling you to:
Implement marketing programs that increase customer demand and sales calls.
Hire the best technicians.
Add new customers through brand name recognition.
Boost repeat business.
Eliminate low margin bidding.
Utilize Mr. Rooters proven business systems.
Find out how some of our franchises have been able to grow their business tenfold.
Contact Ed Young at: 800-583-8003, eyoung@dwyergroup.com
********************************************************************************************
2. BUSINESS TIP OF THE WEEK
Youre asking for trouble if you allow service techs to enter a home with only minor children present. When booking service calls, its best to ask who will be home to authorize work and provide payment. If a home owner says son or daughter, ask the age. The policy should be no one alone under 18. If your tech arrives at a home and only a minor is present, decline to offer services until an adult will be present.
Thanks to Becki Fox of Steve Fox Plumbing.
Click on the banner above for more information.
3. INDUSTRY NEWS, UNUSUAL STUFF
Lennoxs Service Experts division saw revenues decline 5% to $243 million in the second quarter, with profits dropping from $16 million to $8 million. The sales decline was attributed to slumping commercial new construction business, while the profit fall was blamed on lower construction margins, higher insurance expense and increased investment in advertising.
The worst is over for nonresidential construction, said Kenneth Simonson, chief economist for the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC). Several indicators suggest that private nonresidential construction may be stabilizing, although I think it is too early to predict an upturn, Simonson said. Last weeks advance report on gross domestic product from the Bureau of Economic Analysis showed that investment in private nonresidential structures in the second quarter rose after six quarters of decreases, most of them steep. Simonson added, Another favorable sign came from McGraw-Hill Construction, which reported Wednesday that the value of new construction contracts rose 9% from May to June, led by a 29% surge in nonbuilding construction and a 10% gain in nonresidential building construction. This data is less complete than the Census figures but does provide a look into the future, since the contracts turn into construction put in place over a period of years Manufacturing may be poised for a pickup at last, according to the latest report from the Institute for Supply Management. And the latest Beige Book survey from the Federal Reserve shows that the economy in general and nonresidential construction are still struggling but perhaps not as badly as in prior months.
********************************************************************************************
Whos Your THIRD Most Profitable Customer?
The answer is: a Lost Customer. Thats right, a customer that hasnt called you in over two years and isnt likely to call you UNLESS you give them a compelling reason to is still likely to be anywhere from 25% to 95% more profitable than a brand new customer!
How do you get a lost customer back? Make them an irresistible OFFER, something of value to THEM maybe a free or low cost inspection of their plumbing system along with a free box of Bio-Clean. This will very often uncover work that needs to be done - at a very nice profit.
Next week: find out who your SECOND most profitable customer is.
Marty Heer and his brother, Bernie, are advisors to the Plumbing and Heating industry. Get a copy of their FREE Report, 127 Powerful Marketing Secrets for High-Profit Plumbing Contractors by calling toll-free 1-866-444-3220 ext. 3010 for a recorded message.
*********************************************************************************
4. A SHAMELESS PITCH FOR ADVERTISING
********************************************************************************************
This is what your advertisement would look like in e-PHC Profit Report. The message will be inserted between editorial items, in a distinct font and set off by borders like those above and below. For only $300 a month ($75 per issue), your message will appear with each weekly edition, 4 times a month. Messages can have a maximum of 100 words. IF YOU PREFER, THE MESSAGE CAN RUN IN AN ALL CAPS FORMAT, LIKE HERE. By the way, this sample message runs 96 words. To advertise or for more info, contact Jim Olsztynski at wrdwzrd@aol.com.
********************************************************************************************
5. SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
Know someone else who wants to receive e-PHC Profit Report? Send them to the following subscription link.
http://lb.bcentral.com/ex/manage/subscriberprefs.aspx?customerid=9599
If the link doesnt work, try subscribing via the PM magazine website, www.pmmag.com. Go to the e-PHC Profit Report icon in the upper left-hand corner, and follow directions from there.
To stop subscribing, send a message to that effect to: Kunkelj@bnp.com
Visit our affiliated magazines at:
Plumbing & Mechanical www.pmmag.com
PM Engineer www.pmengineer.com.
Supply House Times www.supplyht.com
To subscribe to any of these publications, visit www.subscribeforfree.com.
6. LAWYER JOKE OF THE WEEK
Attorneys definition of the ideal client
A very wealthy person in very deep trouble.
A weekly e-newsletter filled with money-making tips for busy PHC professionals.
Table of Contents:
1. Featured Article of the Week
2. Business Tip of the Week
3. Industry News, Unusual Stuff
4. A Shameless Pitch for Advertising
5. Subscription Information
6. Lawyer Joke of the Week
Contact: Jim Olsztynski, Editor-Publisher, 630-694-4006, wrdwzrd@aol.com
(The HTML format offers the best viewing and clarity for this newsletter. However, if you are receiving a truncated version or unable to print it out, it may be because your e-mail program cannot display HTML e-mails. In that case, try opening this e-mail as text only rather than HTML. There should be a setting within your program that allows you to view e-mails in text format only.)
1. FEATURED ARTICLE OF THE WEEK
20 Common Sense Tips About Uniforms
By Matt Michel
The Service Roundtable/Comanche Marketing
1. Wear a uniform.
Make sure the company logo appears somewhere on the uniform. That helps make the employee official. It reassures the customer. Its the baseline expectation.
2. Consider variations on the old workshirt.
While the standard workshirts are fine, theres no rule that requires them. Consider outfitting technicians in company polos. Consider button down colors in cooler weather. Whatever you select, make sure it looks sharp, wears well, and is suitable for adding the company logo.
3. Do not forget the pants.
Lots of technicians like to wear jeans. Heck, most people like to wear them, but not when meeting customers or suppliers. Lose the jeans. Wear a cotton poly blend that lasts long and looks professional.
4. Shorts are okay I guess
While Im not sure I would like it, I know that more companies have gone to shorts during the summer, especially in extremely hot locales like the desert southwest. UPS and Fed Ex have gone a long way towards making shorts accepted. As long as they are uniform shorts, they can work.
If you make the switch to shorts, the uniform effect is important. The shorts must not only be uniform shorts, but worn uniformly by all technicians. Pick a date. Switch to shorts on that date. Wear them through the summer. Pick another date. Switch back.
5. Dark pants.
Whether shorts or long pants, the pants should be dark for the simple reason that dark hides dirt.
6. Dark socks.
Your technicians can have great uniforms, look sharp, and then blow it with white socks. When I see a tech with white socks, I think of Archie Bunker. For those too young to know, thats not an especially good association. Require dark socks.
7. Great shoes.
Techs are on their feet all day. They want to wear comfortable shoes or boots. You want them in comfortable shoes as well because theyll have more energy and be more pleasant at the end of a long day.
As their employer, you should also want them to wear safe shoes to minimize lost time and expense due to injuries. The problem is quality footware thats both safe and comfortable is expensive.
Specify their footware. Help them buy it if needed, by taking a little from their check each month. Oh, and make sure its dark.
8. Shirt color.
Theres no rule that says the shirts need to match the company colors, but its a good idea, especially if youre outfitting them in company polos. It helps associate that color with your company for the category.
Its okay to be a little bold here. Use bright colors to stand out. And remember, you will get sick of the color long before your customers. Stick with it. Be consistent.
9. Carry spares.
There are times when technicians get dirty. It goes with the job. Rather than wear something filthy or waste time driving home or to the shop, everyone should keep a spare shirt in the truck.
10. Tee-shirts.
There are times when tee-shirts are appropriate, such as when a plumber is digging a ditch. Provide company tee-shirts with huge logos for those occasions. Why huge logos? If theyre working outside, your employees become walking billboards. So make sure the logo can be seen.
Kerry Prudhomme at Acadian Services in Louisiana decided to have fun with his tee-shirts. They put a Superman logo on the front and cleaner, better, faster on the back (credit John Ward and Contractors 2000 for the latter). The technicians loved them and they got noticed. Customers asked Kerry if they could get an Acadian tee-shirt.
11. Patches.
If your technicians earn certifications, add patches or embroidery about the certifications to their uniforms. Walk into an automotive service center and you will usually be confronted with a wall full of framed ASE certificates. The auto shops display them because they build credibility. Since customers seldom see the walls of an in-home service company, the uniform (or truck) must carry the credibility of certification.
12. Allow only company caps.
Theres nothing wrong with supporting the brands of equipment you carry, the local supply house, or the local sports team, but not when it conflicts with your uniform. The hat, if the tech wears one, should match the rest of the uniform.
13. Use company jackets.
Its tough to think about jackets and windbreakers this time of year, but the same rules that apply to caps, apply to jackets. There should be company jackets that match the uniform.
14. Make picture ID badges.
You can buy low cost laminating machines at any office supply store. Buy an instant camera, snap a picture, and laminate it on a clip on ID badge (the office supply stores sell lamination blanks specifically for this purpose). The photo ID badge is a nice touch. Its reassuring to the customer. Ive actually heard people comment about them in focus groups.
15. Use shoe covers.
Shoe covers are getting old hat now, except that so few companies actually use them theyre still a pleasant shock for homeowners. And remember, even though you provide shoe covers, does not mean your technicians actually use them.
My guess is that the typical consumer has yet to encounter a service technician who used shoe covers. Larry Taylor at Air Rite in Fort Worth told me that he buys a dark blue shoe cover from Shubee, which allows reuse. He likes the Shubee covers because theres anti-skid spots added to the bottom.
Larry switched from white to dark blue because the blue allows reuse when the shoe cover gets a smudge or scrape that doesnt otherwise soil or dirty it. With the white, any smudge shows up. With the blue, it doesnt. Larrys technicians get still more duty from the shoe covers by turning them inside out and reusing them.
16. Surgical gloves.
Surgical gloves are cheap. Theyre also a nice touch when work inside the home requires coming in contact with the interior paint (e.g., adjusting or replacing a thermostat). If this seems like show business, it is. Its a way of demonstrating care and respect for your customers home that is appreciated and makes you stand out. Little service touches like this help justify higher prices.
The gloves can also represent a safety factor for your employees. Vikki Nicholas from Bay Temperature Control, one of the leading experts on mold in the air conditioning industry, says that they coach their technicians to NEVER touch anything they suspect might be mold. When they suspect mold is present, they are to put on the gloves immediately.
17. Carry a company tool rug.
You can order small carpets customized with your company logo. Give one to each technician to use when working inside. Instruct them to roll out the carpet and set the tools on them. Again, this shows respect for the customers home. Besides, sometimes the tool box is dirty on the bottom. Get the carpets laundered on a weekly basis.
18. Enforce neatness.
Ive known people who can wear a thousand dollar suit and look like a slob. You can provide great looking uniforms, use shoe covers, tool rugs, and so on, but its all for naught if the technician fails to keep the shirt tucked in.
19. Get employee input.
While its true that its your company, your technicians have to wear the uniform. Give them some input on the uniform decision and they will be more likely to willingly follow the program without coercion. When you get a new hire, the older technicians will help enforce the policy. Nothing beats peer pressure.
20. Your employees will follow your lead.
If you want your employees to look sharp and to keep their shirts tucked in, youve got to set the standard. If you dont look good, why should they?
(c) 2003 Matt Michel. Reprinted by Permission.
Free email subscriptions to Comanche Marketing are available courtesy of
the Service Roundtable. Visit www.serviceroundtable.com and click on
the Comanche Marketing tab.
********************************************************************************************
Mr. Rooter is a turnkey plumbing business with proven systems enabling you to:
Implement marketing programs that increase customer demand and sales calls.
Hire the best technicians.
Add new customers through brand name recognition.
Boost repeat business.
Eliminate low margin bidding.
Utilize Mr. Rooters proven business systems.
Find out how some of our franchises have been able to grow their business tenfold.
Contact Ed Young at: 800-583-8003, eyoung@dwyergroup.com
********************************************************************************************
2. BUSINESS TIP OF THE WEEK
Youre asking for trouble if you allow service techs to enter a home with only minor children present. When booking service calls, its best to ask who will be home to authorize work and provide payment. If a home owner says son or daughter, ask the age. The policy should be no one alone under 18. If your tech arrives at a home and only a minor is present, decline to offer services until an adult will be present.
Thanks to Becki Fox of Steve Fox Plumbing.
Click on the banner above for more information.
3. INDUSTRY NEWS, UNUSUAL STUFF
Lennoxs Service Experts division saw revenues decline 5% to $243 million in the second quarter, with profits dropping from $16 million to $8 million. The sales decline was attributed to slumping commercial new construction business, while the profit fall was blamed on lower construction margins, higher insurance expense and increased investment in advertising.
The worst is over for nonresidential construction, said Kenneth Simonson, chief economist for the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC). Several indicators suggest that private nonresidential construction may be stabilizing, although I think it is too early to predict an upturn, Simonson said. Last weeks advance report on gross domestic product from the Bureau of Economic Analysis showed that investment in private nonresidential structures in the second quarter rose after six quarters of decreases, most of them steep. Simonson added, Another favorable sign came from McGraw-Hill Construction, which reported Wednesday that the value of new construction contracts rose 9% from May to June, led by a 29% surge in nonbuilding construction and a 10% gain in nonresidential building construction. This data is less complete than the Census figures but does provide a look into the future, since the contracts turn into construction put in place over a period of years Manufacturing may be poised for a pickup at last, according to the latest report from the Institute for Supply Management. And the latest Beige Book survey from the Federal Reserve shows that the economy in general and nonresidential construction are still struggling but perhaps not as badly as in prior months.
********************************************************************************************
Whos Your THIRD Most Profitable Customer?
The answer is: a Lost Customer. Thats right, a customer that hasnt called you in over two years and isnt likely to call you UNLESS you give them a compelling reason to is still likely to be anywhere from 25% to 95% more profitable than a brand new customer!
How do you get a lost customer back? Make them an irresistible OFFER, something of value to THEM maybe a free or low cost inspection of their plumbing system along with a free box of Bio-Clean. This will very often uncover work that needs to be done - at a very nice profit.
Next week: find out who your SECOND most profitable customer is.
Marty Heer and his brother, Bernie, are advisors to the Plumbing and Heating industry. Get a copy of their FREE Report, 127 Powerful Marketing Secrets for High-Profit Plumbing Contractors by calling toll-free 1-866-444-3220 ext. 3010 for a recorded message.
*********************************************************************************
4. A SHAMELESS PITCH FOR ADVERTISING
********************************************************************************************
This is what your advertisement would look like in e-PHC Profit Report. The message will be inserted between editorial items, in a distinct font and set off by borders like those above and below. For only $300 a month ($75 per issue), your message will appear with each weekly edition, 4 times a month. Messages can have a maximum of 100 words. IF YOU PREFER, THE MESSAGE CAN RUN IN AN ALL CAPS FORMAT, LIKE HERE. By the way, this sample message runs 96 words. To advertise or for more info, contact Jim Olsztynski at wrdwzrd@aol.com.
********************************************************************************************
5. SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
Know someone else who wants to receive e-PHC Profit Report? Send them to the following subscription link.
http://lb.bcentral.com/ex/manage/subscriberprefs.aspx?customerid=9599
If the link doesnt work, try subscribing via the PM magazine website, www.pmmag.com. Go to the e-PHC Profit Report icon in the upper left-hand corner, and follow directions from there.
To stop subscribing, send a message to that effect to: Kunkelj@bnp.com
Visit our affiliated magazines at:
Plumbing & Mechanical www.pmmag.com
PM Engineer www.pmengineer.com.
Supply House Times www.supplyht.com
To subscribe to any of these publications, visit www.subscribeforfree.com.
6. LAWYER JOKE OF THE WEEK
Attorneys definition of the ideal client
A very wealthy person in very deep trouble.
Retired and loving it.
0
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