Cyber attacks in fire and life safety
In 2019, there’s a fresh wave of ransomware hackers targeting US-based fire and life safety contractors that have legacy server systems. Several have been either forced to pay a bounty or face devastating disruptions when the cyber attack is unleashed. If you believe you are safe because no one is going to notice or care […]
5 questions to help service contractors build more valuable businesses
Much of the popular culture in management consulting today is focused on the customer experience. Matt Dixon, the author of one of my favorite management books, The Challenger Sale, is spending many of his cycles promoting another of his books, The Effortless Experience. Shep Hyken is a customer service guru with a new book called The Convenience […]
5 reasons why hiring millennials no different than hiring previous generations
For the last decade, my career has been centered around recruiting and managing millennials. Plus, I am one. When we talk about recruiting and retaining millennials, I know what a lot of people are thinking: I don’t want to. Millennials have been labeled as entitled, unfocused, and job jumpers. Some even call us narcissistic. When […]
Two ways for contractors to attract more service technician job applications
Your reputation has always been important when recruiting talent because the best techs want to work at the best companies. But the mediums job seekers use to search for potential employers has changed. Word of mouth is still around but pales in importance compared to your company’s online reputation. Before a job seeker even applies, […]
Smartglasses face a blurry future
At the 2012 Google I/O conference, the big “reveal” was Google Glass. A team of Glass-wearing skydivers live streamed their descent toward the roof of the San Francisco Moscone center where the event was underway. It was an awe-inspiring stunt, but Google Glass flopped due to a buggy and ridiculous user experience, and the project […]
Keeping score is not the same as winning
Every major sports venue has a prominent scoreboard so that fans and participants alike can easily review the score with a glance to the outfield or upward at the jumbotron. Knowing the score is a critical element in decision-making. No point in running the ball up the gut in football when you are behind by […]
Case study: Ressac implements Sage Intacct with ServiceTrade integration
For more than 85 years, Ressac has established itself as a high quality, low-cost commercial contractor for heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration systems. Specialties include low-rise office parks, mall retail, and big box retail sites. THE CHALLENGE Ressac recently implemented ServiceTrade to improve their service management and customer service. While this solved their […]
Is your service company’s training program missing something?
“I read the book and followed the instructions.” These words from Samwell Tarly in the third episode of the seventh season of Game of Thrones stood out to me. Sam is a student in a university where he’ll gain an education in medicine, science, and history. In the real world, students gain a general understanding […]
5 incredible ways driverless cars will change service contracting
Driverless cars are coming and we are all going to feel the impact. There will be winners and there will be losers. While the transportation industry undergoes a massive transformation and sheds its workforce, service contractors will harness the new technology and available labor. Service companies that are ready will grow. Those that aren’t will […]
Service hazard (Infographic)
What’s holding your service business back? Is it double data entry and other accounting inefficiencies in the back office? If you solve those problems, are you going to create more value for your customers, make your techs more productive, and differentiate yourself from the competition? Nope. Accounting doesn’t drive better customer outcomes. So, why do […]