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Polished Sales Appointments Sell More Jobs and Save Time

Tuesday, May 1st, 2012 by victoria

“It’s useless to be a good craftsperson . . . unless you can also sell what you create.  Your customers cannot be expected to recognize a good idea unless it is presented to them by a good salesperson.”

This is a paraphrased quote from David Ogilvy, one of America’s advertising legends. You can develop the very best solution to an exceptionally complex problem, but if you can’t present that idea in a way that will convince your prospects, all of your work has been wasted.

Your time in the spotlight is your sales presentation.  The way you conduct yourself during the few hours you spend with your prospects is crucial to your sales success.  Far too many remodelers go to meeting after meeting after meeting with no plan of attack–they simply wing it.

Sales professionals have a plan and they work it.  They know exactly what they want to happen in each phase of the selling cycle and they work toward those goals. They know that each element of their presentation builds upon the next and that they can’t move on until they’ve successfully completed each step.  They leave nothing to chance and they pay attention to the six main elements that can make the difference in any sales presentation.

1.  Make an outstanding first impression.  You have only three seconds to make your first impression and 30 more seconds to revise it if the impression is not favorable. So don’t take any chances.  Show up on time, with the right materials and ready to go.  Dress neatly and professionally at all times.

Remember that people communicate information in a variety of ways:  7% through the spoken word, 38% through tone of voice and 55% through non-verbal communication.  Watch how you’re conveying information through your facial expressions, posture (stand up tall and confident), tone of voice, attitude (be enthusiastic), handshake and eye contact.

2.  Ask open-ended questions to draw prospects out. Open-ended questions starting with Who, What, Where, Why, How and Tell me about . . .   This type of questioning allows prospects to participate in the sales process.  It will feel less like a “pitch” and more like a discussion.

They will use less emotion and justify their decision through logic.

3.  Always determine the budget early in the sales process by asking if they have an investment amount in mind.  Otherwise you can’t give them the right solution. If your prospects don’t have an investment amount in mind, “bracket” a ballpark figure with a high and low number to see if their budget idea is at all realistic.

4.  Your materials should be organized and neat.  Presentation books full of pictures of your work and testimonial letters are a must as it is the only concrete representation of your company. Be sure to use professional photos.  They make every project look great.

5.  Know the best ways to handle objections.  Remember that the best time to handle an objection is before it surfaces. Cover potential problems in your presentation.  Studies show that there are only six main objections in any one industry. Write down the objections you’re running into and develop responses.  Learn these responses until you can answer naturally. Then, practice, practice, practice.

6.  Always ask for the prospects’ business.  Amazingly, studies show that 65% of all sales calls do not include a direct request for business! Just think how many more sales you’ll close if you just ask directly and confidently!

If you follow these six guidelines, you’ll cover the important basics of professional selling.  In order to do your best job, observe your selling habits now, work to change them, and then watch how you’ll have grown and developed into a top-notch salesperson for your company.

Posted in Business Coaching, Business Growth, Marketing, Sales | No Comments »

Boost Your Brain: 5 Tips for Brainy Success at Work

Thursday, April 12th, 2012 by victoria

One organ in your body dictates much of your behavior and ultimate success at work. The activities of this organ occur at a level of which you are not even consciously aware.

It’s your brain! While phrases like, “Use your brain!” or “Think outside the box!” are casually tossed around in the workplace every day, we take for granted our brain will function precisely how we want it to, when we want it to, regardless of how we treat it.

Yet there are concrete steps we, as individuals, and as corporations and businesses, can do to optimize the function of the brain.

Five factors that can boost your brain’s performance when properly attended to include:
Stress
Exercise
Nutrition
Sleep
the physical work Environment

Going well beyond casual conjecture, cutting edge neurological findings now tell us we need to address all five factors in order to effectively care for and to boost our brain’s performance, in every S.E.N.S.E.

Stress
Stress tops the list when it comes to productivity eaters. Stress hormones directly impact the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain controlling executive function, resulting in reduced working memory and sadly diminished decision-making ability.

Reducing unnecessary stress must be a goal for every work environment. As American scientist and director of the Center for Organizational Learning at MIT Sloan School of Management Peter Senge points out, stress can be likened to a rubber band stretched between your hands. Some tension on the band results in accountability and focus, but too much tension results in the rubber band breaking.

TIP 1: Don’t miss your morning kiss! Start your day by kissing your significant other or giving extra hugs to your children. The very act of caring reduces cortisol and increases the trust hormone oxytocin. Take a short break after lunch to relax. Go outside at least once during the work day and consciously notice the simple things around you – the weather, the scenery and the sounds.


Exercise
The brain requires a BDNF, or brain derived neurotrophic factor, sometimes referred to as Miracle-Gro® for your brain, which is produced after exercise to improve mood and memory, reduce stress and depression and decrease anxiety.

BDNFs also grow new neurons, enhance learning ability, increase self-esteem, improve body image, and diet control, just to name a few.

TIP 2: Beyond just offering access to a company gym, workplaces that utilize standing desks, ball chairs or walking clubs during work hours can help produce BDNFs and maximize brain function.

Nutrition
Your brain uses as much as 20 percent of our daily calories, but the quality of your food is far more important than the quantity. To boost your brain, you need at least one serving (8 grams) of protein to start the day.

TIP 3: At lunchtime, don’t rush to order fries or offer too many carbs in the cafeteria or break room, as carbohydrates and foods rich in sugar can create highs and lows, resulting in that mid-morning brain crash, crabby employees and more disagreements.

Keep your employee kitchen or break room stocked with low sugar, low caffeine and brain food snacks like strawberries, raspberries, plums, avocados, oranges, red grapes, red bell peppers, blackberries, cranberries, blueberries, and kiwis. Having protein rich foods like yogurt and peanut or almond butter on hand is also recommended.

Sleep
According to the American Time Use Survey, conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 85 percent of working adults receive adequate sleep, but sleep patterns are still a concern. People go through a series of 90-minute cycles of awareness and rest during sleep, but did you know these same cycles continue to a lesser extent all day long? These cycles create variations in your attention span and directly affect your decision-making ability.

For most, the greatest down period occurs mid-afternoon, when your body just wants to take a nap.

TIP 4: Don’t schedule very important meetings after 3 p.m. Do encourage 15-minute breaks for team building or idea sharing later in the afternoon to encourage movement and stimulation.

Work Environment
Within the first minute and a half of entering a new environment, your brain subconsciously decides how you will interact in that environment, new research suggests.

So the science of environmental motivation should not be an after-thought but should be considered first and foremost. Everything from room colors to wall hangings, signage to lighting, and even odors, can boost your brain at work.

TIP 5: Try changing the photos on your desk regularly or bring a flameless scented candle to work. Change your computer’s desktop image as often as you change your toothbrush. Remember, this is a part of your health regime for your brain.

One organ in your body dictates much of your behavior and ultimate success at work. The activities of this organ occur at a level of which you are not even consciously aware. ??It’s your brain. While phrases like, “Use your brain!” or “Think outside the box!” are casually tossed around in the workplace every day, we take for granted our brain will function precisely how we want it to, when we want it to, regardless of how we treat it.

Yet there are concrete steps we, as individuals, and as corporations and businesses, can do to optimize the function of the brain.

Five factors that can boost your brain’s performance when properly attended to include:
Stress
Exercise
Nutrition
Sleep
the physical work Environment

Going well beyond casual conjecture, cutting edge neurological findings now tell us we need to address all five factors in order to effectively care for and to boost our brain’s performance, in every S.E.N.S.E.

Stress
Stress tops the list when it comes to productivity eaters. Stress hormones directly impact the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain controlling executive function, resulting in reduced working memory and sadly diminished decision-making ability.

Reducing unnecessary stress must be a goal for every work environment. As American scientist and director of the Center for Organizational Learning at MIT Sloan School of Management Peter Senge points out, stress can be likened to a rubber band stretched between your hands. Some tension on the band results in accountability and focus, but too much tension results in the rubber band breaking.

TIP 1: Don’t miss your morning kiss! Start your day by kissing your significant other or giving extra hugs to your children. The very act of caring reduces cortisol and increases the trust hormone oxytocin. Take a short break after lunch to relax. Go outside at least once during the work day and consciously notice the simple things around you – the weather, the scenery and the sounds.


Exercise
The brain requires a BDNF, or brain derived neurotrophic factor, sometimes referred to as Miracle-Gro® for your brain, which is produced after exercise to improve mood and memory, reduce stress and depression and decrease anxiety.

BDNFs also grow new neurons, enhance learning ability, increase self-esteem, improve body image, and diet control, just to name a few.

TIP 2: Beyond just offering access to a company gym, workplaces that utilize standing desks, ball chairs or walking clubs during work hours can help produce BDNFs and maximize brain function.

Nutrition
Your brain uses as much as 20 percent of our daily calories, but the quality of your food is far more important than the quantity. To boost your brain, you need at least one serving (8 grams) of protein to start the day.

TIP 3: At lunchtime, don’t rush to order fries or offer too many carbs in the cafeteria or break room, as carbohydrates and foods rich in sugar can create highs and lows, resulting in that mid-morning brain crash, crabby employees and more disagreements.

Keep your employee kitchen or break room stocked with low sugar, low caffeine and brain food snacks like strawberries, raspberries, plums, avocados, oranges, red grapes, red bell peppers, blackberries, cranberries, blueberries, and kiwis. Having protein rich foods like yogurt and peanut or almond butter on hand is also recommended.

Sleep
According to the American Time Use Survey, conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 85 percent of working adults receive adequate sleep, but sleep patterns are still a concern. People go through a series of 90-minute cycles of awareness and rest during sleep, but did you know these same cycles continue to a lesser extent all day long? These cycles create variations in your attention span and directly affect your decision-making ability.

For most, the greatest down period occurs mid-afternoon, when your body just wants to take a nap.

TIP 4: Don’t schedule very important meetings after 3 p.m. Do encourage 15-minute breaks for team building or idea sharing later in the afternoon to encourage movement and stimulation.

Work Environment
Within the first minute and a half of entering a new environment, your brain subconsciously decides how you will interact in that environment, new research suggests.

So the science of environmental motivation should not be an after-thought but should be considered first and foremost. Everything from room colors to wall hangings, signage to lighting, and even odors, can boost your brain at work.

TIP 5: Try changing the photos on your desk regularly or bring a flameless scented candle to work. Change your computer’s desktop image as often as you change your toothbrush. Remember, this is a part of your health regime for your brain.

By Dr. Ron Bonnstetter, Senior Vice President for Research and Development, TTI. This is the organization with which we work to deliver tools for hiring, training, team building and more– including Talent Management Plus, personality assessments, coaching reports and more. This array of powerful tools will help you be a stronger leader, coach and managaer. Click here to learn more or call us today at 301-490-5620.

Posted in Business Coaching, Business Management, Leadership | No Comments »

Are Your Employees Secretly Planning to Quit?

Thursday, March 8th, 2012 by victoria

I was reading an interesting report by the temp employee people, Robert Half, when a statistic stopped me. They say that, 45 percent of workers say they plan to change employees, careers or industry’s when the economy improves. Wow!

If that’s true, our small businesses could really be left in the lurch.   We all know that turnover really takes a toll on productivity, morale, resources, and client satisfaction.  And we also know that the impact  of wonderful employees who have been with you for years, who understands your systems, and who knows how to deliver great service to your clients, is huge! So let’s not just sit back waiting for the shoe to fall! Instead, take action to keep your top employees with you. Here are some tips that Half shares:

  • Re-recruit your top players. Ask them what they like about their job, what new skills they’d like to acquire and, if they could change anything about their job, what would it be? Afterward, review their answers and take action to show the employee that you were listening and you want them to be happy.
  • Give them room to grow. To help them develop skills and groom them for new responsibilities, start a cross training program for your best people. Shadow co workers who’s roles relate. For example, you might allow an ambitious Lead Carpenter to shadow the Production Manager for a few hours a week, allowing the Lead to learn about management, delegation, scheduling and more.
  • Share your vision and ask for input. Employees want to feel that they impact the future and have a stake in the success of the firm. So let your employees know where you see the company going and involve them in making that vision a reality.
  • Lastly, recognize their efforts.  Recognition is one of the most effective tools you have at your disposal — and also one of the most affordable! Create a program to recognize successes, both large and small. In fact, build in the chance for peers to show appreciation for each other.

The moral of the story is, don’t take your employees for granted. There will soon be plenty of new opportunities for talented folks. . .so take steps now to hold on  to this huge company asset.

If you’re looking for tools to help you improve communication between employees, coach a middling employee into greatness, or hire the best people you can for every position, call Remodelers Advantage today. We offer a complete array of state-of-the-art tools and strategies that will transform your team–leading to increased efficiency, improved employee happiness, and superior bottom line results. 301-490-5620 or click here. We’re ready to help!

Posted in Administration and Human Resources, Business Coaching, Employee Retention, Leadership | No Comments »

PowerTip: Book Club Becomes Team-Building Tool

Tuesday, February 14th, 2012 by victoria

When you give your whole team a say in everything from setting company-wide goals to fine-tuning your day-to-day operations, you get better buy-in from all of your employees. A remodeler I know is using Linda Case’s new book Business Straight to the Heart: The Remodelers Guide to Leadership, Management, and Success to do just that.

Bruce Johnson, co-owner of Lee Kimball in Winchester, Mass., bought a copy of this newly published book for each of his employees and turned a part of their monthly meeting into a book club. Each month, a different chapter is discussed with an eye toward ways to implement what they’ve learned into the fabric of their company.

“The meetings are designed to take the company to the next level,” Johnson told me. “We’ve been using the book as a framework for those meetings.” Topics include Learning and Earning Leadership, Building a Great Team, Planning to Succeed and Magnetic Marketing. The remodeler admits that some of the content in the book is familiar, because the company has been well coached by Linda Case and was a member of Remodelers Advantage Roundtables for many years.  However, some of the best practices that the owners of Lee Kimball learned about were never implemented—until now.

“In each meeting, we take 45 minutes to an hour to discuss what we’re read,” says the remodeler. “We go around the room and the discussions are very lively.” He’s glad to see his employees fired up about the book and how the company can use it. “It’s been great,” he says.

Whether you use this book or another that sparks your interest, creating an-in-house book club is a fantastic way to create conversations, generate ideas, include everyone on the staff, and build a common language.

Other Book Club Ideas:

  • Raving Fans by Ken Blanchard
  • Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni
  • Death by Meeting by Patrick Lencioni
  • EMyth Contractor by Michael Gerber
  • Loyalty is Love by Beverly Koehn
  • The Great Game of Business by Jack Stack

Click here to order any of these books.

If you’re interested in building a stronger team, identifying core values or developing a vision and mission for your business, the Remodelers Advantage Business Coaches can help. Our senior Business Coaches have an array of interactive tools, along with the experience and knowhow to lead a highly productive session, involveing everyone on your team.  Call us today at 301-490-5620 to get started.

Posted in Business Coaching, Business Growth, Business Management, Employee Retention | No Comments »

PowerTip: The Commitments

Tuesday, January 17th, 2012 by victoria

Paul Winans, Remodelers Advantage Business Coach, shares his thoughts on reflection and moving into the new year with the right mindset.

The New Year has come, once again, and with it a sense of renewal and rebirth.  Boy, if there was ever a year where that is needed, this is it!

We attended a solstice celebration before the turn of the year.  Part of the event was to write down one thing you wished to let go of from the past year and one thing you wished for in the New Year.  I pondered and made my notes.  Just stopping to reflect felt good.  All too often we rush from one activity to the next, never pausing to reflect about anything.  After all, results are what matters, right?

Actually, I think intent matters a lot.  In 2011 so many small business owners were intent on doing what was needed to simply survive.  Many made it, some did not.  Everyone who lived with the challenges learned something.  We sometimes forget to pay attention to what is given us by circumstances.

Many of you have probably seen the movie “The Commitments”.  It is a wonderful story about a barely functional disparate group of Irish musicians who put together a soul band that is quite good.  In fact, the sound track is very good.  But the band cannot stay together, as it has no real leader, and a core sense of purpose to pull the band forward is lacking

It is popular to come up with resolutions for the New Year.  I suggest for this year that you keep any resolutions very simple.  And that you communicate to your people clearly and often what the ones you make for your company are.

Examples might include:

-All phone calls to be returned with 24 hours.

-Email will not be used in place of a phone call, particularly when a difficult issue needs to be addressed.

-All deadlines made will be met.

The above all seem obvious, right?  In my experience many remodeling companies (and their owners) have a difficult time doing the obvious.  We often are guilty of the behaviors that drive us crazy when we seem them in other people.

So stop and take a moment with your people to look back and to look forward.  Then commit to some simple ways of working together and with your clients.  By doing so you and your company can make rocking music (and money!) that will help you be successful in 2012!

If you’re unhappy with the results that you’re achieving with your remodeling business, let Paul Winans or one of the other experienced Remodelers Advantage Business Coaches help.  Our goal is to help you build a business that is strong, consistently profitable and that allows you to have a fulfilling life outside of work. Our clients have seen revenues grow, profits rise, and personal compensation significantly improve. You will see results like this too. Give us a call today at 301-490-5620.

Posted in Business Coaching, Business Management | 1 Comment »

PowerTips: Resolutions for Better Business Results

Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012 by victoria

Since January is the year for resolutions, I want to get on my soapbox to encourage you to make some important resolutions for your business. Pledge to take these actions and you’ll see productivity, efficiency, and team morale all improve. And when these essential parts of your company improve, profits will follow.

Resolution 1. Create a Plan for Profit! Smart remodelers take the time to create a plan for their business on paper so they can see exactly what they need to sell during the year and at what price. Without this powerful piece of paper, also called a Budget, you’re flying blind.

Resolution 2. Praise more often. Let your valuable team members know that you appreciate their efforts. Everyone wants to get an “atta boy” once in a while and your employees are no different.

Resolution 3. Focus on customer service. This is a key to long term success and will help you rise above competitors who don’t understand how to run professional businesses. People will still pay more for a great experience.Talk to your team about the importance of beating client’s expectations and how each individual on the team can impact this.

Resolution 4. If you’re thinking about hiring this year, hire the best people you can get. Don’t get scared by the higher price tag. Superstars will bring so much productivity to the table that they will quickly earn their keep and more.

Resolution 5. Get the word out! Most remodelers who are succeeding today have increased their marketing budgets from the 1-3% of revenue to 3-5%. Include a healthy marketing allocation in your budget and then track the results. Ask everyone how they found you and then tweak your plan regularly to get the most bang for your buck. If marketing has been on the back burner for years, it’s time to bring it up front and center.

Resolution 6. Make Meetings a priority! Yes, yes, I know that you see your Production Manager every day and talk about projects on the fly but it’s not the same as holding a sit-down meeting during which you eliminate distractions and focus on production issues and opportunities.  Scheduled meetings should be a priority for you and your team.

Happy New Year and I, for one, am expecting 2012 to be a blockbuster!

Cordially,

Victoria signature

For more information on Remodelers Advantage and the array of services they offer to help remodelers build strong, consistently profitable businesses, visit our web site at www.RemodelersAdvantage.com

Posted in Business Coaching, Business Growth, Business Management, Leadership | No Comments »

PowerTips: Leveling The See-Saw Called Life

Tuesday, December 20th, 2011 by victoria

Each member of the Remodelers Advantage team brings a unique and powerful point of view to our organization and I love it. Having an array of personality types, and people with differing sets of experience on our bench means that we can have a wide set of information at our fingertips, and we deliver that much more value to the members of our learning community. One of our most effective business coaches and  popular facilitators is Paul Winans. Paul’s thoughtful yet exacting input helps our members identify the stumbling blocks that are holding them back from reaching their potential. Here, Paul shares his views on the importance of building a balanced life.  I thought it was particularly appropriate for this time of year.

Remember going to the playground when you were young and riding the see-saw?  Some people call it the teeter-totter.  Little more than a board centered on a fulcrum, you and a friend would get on each end, alternately pushing one another up and down.

After doing that for a while (sometimes trying to move the see-saw so violently that you would knock your partner off!) you might work with the person on the other end to try to get the see-saw balanced, so nobody’s feet were touching the ground.  This took a little more work than simply pushing up and down, and you and your playmate had to work together to make it happen.

I mention the see-saw because the way we played with that is a lot like how we approach trying to create work-life balance in our lives as adults.  It IS possible to create it, though not without investing effort that is often counter-intuitive for motivated people.

Why bother creating such a balance in your life?  My wife, Nina, and I went to a wedding recently.  The bride was the daughter of dear friends we met 33 years ago.  We knew them before their daughter (the bride) was born.  Now we were watching her get married

Sitting in the chapel I couldn’t help but reflect on where did all the time go?  How did she get to be such a beautiful young woman, no longer the young child who once played with our children?

I was grateful for the choices I had made which allowed me to see much of the growing up their children and our children did in all those years.

At the same time, there were times when I was too consumed with work.  So much so that I was not able to appreciate how ephemeral so much of what I took for granted as being permanent truly was.  My see-saw got out of balance pretty regularly.

My experience of being alive for all these years so far is that each year makes it easier to understand how important it is to get the board level.  Yes, there will always be that tension between work and life on either ends of the see-saw.  Those choices about what to pay attention to are your life in the long run.

How to make it happen in your world?  Simply put, take a long term perspective when trying to decide what to do today.

What does that mean in real practical terms?  Consider this: When you are lying in your death bed what will you be reflecting on?  Probably not that you wish you could have worked more hours and days!

Rather, you will likely be thinking about the relationships and memories you helped sustain and create.  Try keeping that in mind when the board is being pushed down by the weight of work and all its attendant obligations.

Put into your planner all those things which will help keep you healthy and keep you connected to family and friends.  THEN fit in the remaining space your work.  This looks like a simple thing to do and I know that it is not.  Remember how you had to work with your friend to get the board balanced and that it took more work than simply pounding your side of the board up and down?

Your life is as balanced as you take responsibility for making it be.  There is no right way or wrong way to live your life.  Do keep in mind what you want to be reflecting on when watching people who used to be your age going through one of life’s wonderful transitions.  That is all up to you.

If creating the life you really want is a challenge for you, let us give you a hand. Everything we do is aimed toward helping you life a better life — and our coaches are ready to work with you.  Contact our friendly staff today at 301-490-5620 or complete this form and we’ll give you all of the details on this very effective service. Learn how we’ve helped our clients — straight from the horse’s mouth!

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Posted in Business Coaching, Business Management, Leadership | No Comments »

PowerTips: Using the Power of Job Cost Reports

Tuesday, December 6th, 2011 by victoria

We are lucky enough to work with some of the smartest people in the industry — and I love it because they, like everyone here, believes in sharing their expertise and knowledge to help everyone in the community succeed. One of my favorites is Tim Faller, president of Field Training Services. Tim is a master of production and the systems that make this department hum (as well as being a super nice guy!)  As a consultant, Tim’s changed the profit picture for many remodelers by showing them how to shore up their internal processes and capture every bit of profit.

Tim’s allowed me to share the main article from his recent newsletter with you.  It’s all about Job Cost Reports — one of the most important information sources you have.  Too few remodelers use this tool effectively.  Tim shows you how.

Everyone reading this understands how important it is to set and meet a budget for a job but many find it difficult to do. Half the battle is setting and selling an accurate budget for the job, the other half is getting everyone involved in meeting it.  Here are some tips.

Use the estimate as the first Job Cost Report. The estimate for the job should be evaluated as a job cost report looking for issues that may present themselves in the future. The person running the job should spend time before the job starts to evaluate and learn the estimate so that they can identify any potential errors or omissions. If any of these are found then they can be dealt with before the job starts. Most problem areas are either swept under the rug or not even found leading to ignorance during construction. But if a discussion of them is started early than a possible solution can be found. In other words, simply discussing them will lead to solutions whereas ignoring them will lead to financial loses.

Train non-managers to read the reports. One very common mistake that business owners make is to ask a Lead Carpenter to use a job cost report but neglect to train them in how to use them. Every business owner has had a learning curve to learn the financial aspect of the business. This is true even though they have a heavy motivation to do so. It is unrealistic to expect someone that is in the business to work with their hands to pick up financial info without time, training, and patience.

Train solutions. The most important aspect of training is to get around the age old statement, “it is what it is.” This statement is usually uttered after an owner shows a Lead Carpenter a report stating that the job is over budget on framing! The meaning of the statement is “there is nothing we can do now”. By letting this stand an owner reinforces the belief that the reports are worthless and can be ignored. So what has to be done is for the Lead Carpenter and owner/manager to stop for a few minutes and identify the problem and find a solution.  There is always a solution. It may be for a future job estimate or it may be recouping the money on another aspect of the job.

To learn more about Tim and how he helps his remodeling clients succeed, click here.

And if you’re getting ready to hire new employees as your workload increases, be sure to take the time to hire the best. Click here for your free report on Selecting Superior Performers.

Posted in Business Coaching, Business Management, Production | No Comments »

PowerTip: What to Say When Something Goes Wrong

Tuesday, October 4th, 2011 by victoria

Conflict Management

One of the most challenging parts of running a successful company is dealing with conflicts.  We are in a people business which means that conflicts are inevitable.  Because most people simply don’t like dealing with unpleasant issues – issues that could potentially mean loss of business or tension in the office —  a common response is to ignore it and hope it will go away!  Experts say that this is exactly the wrong approach. They recommend an immediate response which clears the air and keeps relationships moving productively.

How you handle conflict makes has a major impact on the overall health and productivity of your company. Handle it correctly and your company thrives. Handle it poorly and the it can fall apart.

Here are some tips for handling conflict effectively:

Maintain personal ownership of the problem.

Keep the initiation mild, not threatening. Don’t say, “You do X and it’s wrong!” Instead, start the conversation with a request for help. “Bill, do you have a few minutes? I have a problem that I’d like to discuss with you.” Indicating that it’s your problem helps diffuse any defensiveness – a common barrier!

Use the X-Y-Z Approach to stating a problem

“I have a problem. When you do X (a very specific behavior), Y results (consequences), and I feel Z (emotion).”

Here’s an example:  “Bob, I have a problem. When you don’t show up on time at the client’s house . . . they get rightfully angry since they were expecting you. This makes me feel very frustrated because we try so hard to deliver top customer service. “ Then simply wait for the response.

Don’t make accusations.

Stick with the observable behavior.  Don’t supply solutions. The first step is to agree that there is a problem. If you jump to a solution, you’re assuming that you know what’s going on in their heads and you don’t.  So wait until they acknowledge the problem and then work on a solution together.

Persist until understood.

If you state a problem and they don’t want to listen, don’t understand, or try to change the subject, go back at it again in a different way, still sticking with the XYZ approach.

Encourage two way discussion.

Ask them for input and their view of the issue.

Keep the initial comment short. A rule of thumb is that the longer it takes you to tell them about the problem, the longer it’ll take you to work through it. When someone keeps going on and going on about something, we get defensive and once someone gets defensive, they stop listening and begin to think of a rebuttal making it very difficult to develop a productive solution.

Have the guts to start the conversation! If an employee or trade contractor continually takes actions that are upsetting, bring it up immediately.  Remember, they can’t read your mind so slamming doors and dirty looks aren’t getting the message across. Chances are they are totally oblivious to your frustration.  Plus, if you don’t say anything when rules are broken, what do you think  your other employees are thinking? They’re saying, “Why is Joe getting away with that?” Bringing up issues is may not be easy but speak up early before you are so mad that you’re ready to blow.  And remember the tips above to help you through it.

The more you practice effective conflict resolution the better you will become! This is a managerial behavior that can be learned and the more we learn, the more our customers, employees and subs will appreciate us!

Posted in Business Coaching, Business Management, Customer Service, Employee Retention | No Comments »

PowerTip: Reduce Stress and Prepare for Tomorrow

Tuesday, August 23rd, 2011 by victoria

One of our most popular business coaches is Paul Winans.  Many of you know Paul from his days as President of NARI or from his many blog posts and articles in the industry press.  Today, many of our members call on Paul to share practical steps they can take to improve their company performance.

Many times, these steps include a thoughtful assessment of your business situation and tactics to reduce stress and help understanding that it won’t always be like this.  If you’re feeling burnt out and overwhelmed, listen to Paul as he shares what he learned from being a remodeling company owner just like you.

Tomorrow Will Come

In my work as a consultant to remodelers I am hearing from clients about the challenges they are facing. A downturn looks different in each person’s world. A signed job (or two or three) is canceled. Permitting obstacles delay or prevent a project from starting. Pricing pressures tempt or force the reduction or absence of profit, as work is needed simply to cover overhead. And so on.

It is worth noting that there are remodelers who have work and are doing more than well. Why? To some extent the answer to this question is the same for both situations, both good and not so good. For most remodeling companies, getting the job or not makes a huge difference. If your company does twenty jobs a year and you don’t get 5 in a row that can be devastating. On the other hand, if your company gets an unusually large job the business can be carried for several months until more sales occur. In doesn’t take a lot to make a big difference, one way or the other.

So what can you do?

Consider all possibilities

In general, people tend to get wrapped up in the way things are. The thing is that is just the starting point. Take some time for yourself to reflect on what you would do if…. Many of us never think about such things. We just work a little harder and a little longer thinking it might make the difference.

In the meantime we are miserable, finding very little satisfaction with anything.

Break the patterns and do something different. A client loves to fish but had a hard time finding the time to do so, particularly with the down market he is in. He realized he could take a great client fishing, building the relationship that will translate into more business and referrals, while doing what he loves. What is the equivalent for you?

Live in the present being pulled forward by the future

It is very hard to get up every day and go to work when yesterday was not as successful as you wanted it to be. More of the same old, same old, with likely the same results being realized.

That mindset can cripple your business. You set the tone for your entire company. If you are in sales it is imperative to be focused in a positive way on your future, not being anchored by a yesterday you wished you never experienced. How can you do that without being a wishful thinker?

A client was experiencing real hurdles with his team. They just were not performing the way he thought they could. At the same time, he was not clear about his own goals, the life he wanted for he and his family.

Sales were down. This was before the downturn. Getting people to commit was impossible.  He started getting clear about the life he wanted. He began by doing some simple exercises that got out of his head thoughts that were in there but to which he was not paying much attention. The resulting clarity changed his expectations of his people so that all in the company feel more successful. Clients are signing contracts and the company has work, even when many other companies don’t.

I am not saying it is magic and it works in all cases. I do think that being clear about the point makes you more effective in all areas of your life, not just in business.

For many of us our work is how we define ourselves. After all, we spend most of our working life at work.

Running a small business is very hard, even in the best of times. It does not take much to make it close to impossible to succeed.

I remember in the early 90’s living through a set of circumstances that felt like a perfect storm. Dealing with several difficult remodeling clients, the prospect of no upcoming work in the foreseeable future, and new challenges coming every day: when was it going to end? I was doing everything I could think of and nothing seemed to be working.

I found that stepping away, in even little ways, made a big difference. Carving out some time for me to stop being a remodeler and be a person made me able to be more effective doing what the business needed me to do. For me it was taking walks, reading, spending time with my wife and children, and taking inexpensive short vacations.

You are not your business. Things will get better. What do you want your tomorrow to be? Craft a vision that will pull you forward. And start living it today.

Thanks, Paul!

If you’re looking for an experienced business coach to help you improve the performance of your remodeling business, contact Remodelers Advantage Inc. today.  Our team of coaches are ready to dive in and share the best practices that they have seen work over and over again. Why struggle alone when you can have a business coach to help you become more profitable and productive. To get started, call us at 301-490-5620 x106.

Posted in Business Coaching, Business Management, Leadership | No Comments »

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