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Welcome to the United Servicers Association
e-Servicer Newsletter
Greetings!
Welcome to the fifth edition of the USA e-Servicer published exclusively for members and friends of United Servicers Association.
We dedicate this 5th edition to National Customer Service week. Are you a "yes" person?
Our mission at the United Servicers Association is to develop and provide services and programs to assist members in building strong businesses in North America's competitive environment. This publication is just one of the many ways we achieve our mission. We hope you find this edition informative and educational.
Sincerely yours,
The USA Team
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New Part Finder Website Goes Live
(www.mypartshelp.com)
What
if you could cut your parts research time from hours to minutes every day?
Or locate hard-to-find parts with one Nationwide Search?
MyPartsHelp.com (MPH) was designed by a group of independent appliance service
company owners to allow the user to query parts availability in seconds from
all of your current Parts Distributors (PD). A recent addition is the Nationwide
Search query that will scan participating PD's inventories and show you where
you can purchase the needed part. It even displays the stocking PD's phone
number!
This program allows you to manage your PD accounts from one
interface. You only have to remember one Login and Password that will search
all your distributors at the same time instead of one at a time. Just imagine
the time savings for your parts department. Also, all of the results come back
on one page in seconds.
It has been said that a picture is worth a thousand words. Well
in the appliance service industry pictures can be worth lots of $$$$$$$! MPH
has partnered with repairclinic.com to deliver high quality photos for parts helping
you eliminate ordering errors. You no longer have to wonder if you've looked up
the correct part!
The MyPartsHelp.com program is a pay per use based product (which
makes it fair to all companies that use it.) Sign up today for a FREE
introductory 30 day trial providing up to 1000 parts queries at no charge!
www.mypartshelp.com
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Program  to Offer Appliance Rebates
The Wall street Journal,
Remember
"cash for clunkers," the program that subsidized Americans to the
tune of nearly $3 billion to buy a new car and destroy an old one?
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood declared in August that, "This is the
one stimulus program that seems to be working better than just about any other
program."
Link to full article another article link
USA's response
Letter to the Editor - The Wall Street Journal
Your editorial "Clunkers In Practice" (WSJ
10/5/09), while painfully true missed the hurt that this program put on the
auto service industry. Think about all
the little mom and pop repair shops around the country that earned a living
keeping those "Clunkers" (that many of us would call classics) running.
As an appliance service association
president and owner of an independent service and sales company, I have serious
concerns about the similar program announced for the appliance industry. Since
the recession the appliance service industry has been booming. We have
experienced the highest volume of repairs in our history. Customers are
foregoing replacing appliances and opting to make the repair, keeping the
appliance out of the junk yard and in use for another 5 years. Service
technicians are in high demand and none who want to work are without a job.
Many young people are currently in apprenticeship programs with employers
counting the days until they graduate. Why is it that our government sees a
great value in "redistributing" wealth from the businesses that drive the
service sector, which happen to be small local companies, to the large box
store sales organizations?
Not to mention that the same spike in sales
experienced in the automotive clunkers experiment will only create the same a
lag in future sales of appliances. Why would anyone in their right mind in
Washington want to replicate the same stupid program for other industries?
Please forget about the appliance industry. We don't need or want your "help"
Washington!
Dean Landers
President - United Servicers
Association
President - Landers Appliance, Baltimore,
MD
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 Sub-Zero/Wolf is recalling laid-off workers KAREN RIVEDAL Wisconsin State Journal krivedal@madison.com | Posted: Wednesday, October 7, 2009 3:05 pm |
An increase in home sales and home remodeling projects has prompted Sub-Zero/Wolf to add a second production shift at its factories producing high-end appliances in Fitchburg and Phoenix.
The company said Wednesday it has hired back 165 workers in Wisconsin and 40 in Arizona who were laid off earlier this year. They are needed to meet the increased demand for its "luxury" refrigerators, freezers and wine storage units, the company said.
Another 60 people are to be hired for salaried positions over the next six months. All the hourly employees will be back on the job by November, the company said.
"We're cautiously optimistic that the industry and the economy will continue to recover," said Chuck Verri, vice president for human resources, "and so we've positioned ourselves to rebound quickly as we come out of this recessionary period."
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 October 5-11 National Customer Service Week
One of my all-time favorite quotes is....
"Customer
service is not a department, it's an attitude."
How true it is! As much as we try to complicate what
great service is...it's really pretty simple: It is giving more than the
customer expects...consistently. You notice I said simple, not easy. There is a
big difference.
To celebrate Customer Service Week (October 5-11)
. I'd like to share a chapter I titled: "A Crash Course on Customer
Service." The 10 phrases from my friends at Walk the Talk are an
illuminating reminder of how uncomplicated it is to make customers feel loved.
People don't care how much you know, (or what you sell, or what type of service
you provide) until they know how much you care!
The 10 most
important words:
"I apologize for our mistake. Let me make it
right."
When something goes wrong,
most people merely want to be heard and acknowledged. So listen, apologize,
then ask what you can do to make it right.
The 9 most
important words:
"Thank you for your business. Please come back
again."
Repeat customers cost less
than new customers and are often more loyal.
The 8 most
important words:
"I'm not sure, but I will find out."
It's ok if you don't know
the answer; it's not ok to make the customer keep searching for it. That's your
job.
The 7 most
important words:
"What else can I do for you?"
Be prepared to go the extra
mile, there is less competition there.
The 6 most
important words:
"What is most convenient for you?"
Your customers will be
pleasantly surprised when you ask what's convenient for them.
The 5 most
important words:
"How may I serve you?"
This question reinforces your role in the relationship. Play that
role the best you can.
The 4 most
important words:
"How did we do?"
Feedback is critical! Your
customers have a unique perspective and they appreciate being asked.
The 3 most
important words:
"Glad you're here!"
Customers who feel welcome
spend more time, more money and are more likely to return.
The 2 most
important words:
"Thank you."
Basic manners... but how
often do you get thanked when you're the customer?
The MOST
important word:
"Yes."
Become a yes person.
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USA local Regional Service Meetings (RSM) provide technical and management training with support of local parts distributors.
Are you registered?
  The USA Regional Service Meeting (RSM) program partners with local parts distributors to deliver much sought after management and technical training to service providers on a local level.
RSM's are one day in length and open to all service companies with an open group discussion the night before the event. A typical agenda for a meeting looks like this: 6-9 pm Evening Roundtable (night before event) - Open discussion on current events and issues
8 am-12 pm USA Business Management - Creating A Policy and Procedure Manual
- Calculating Your Cost of Doing Business
- Increasing First Call Completes
- Understanding Financial Statements
- G.L.E.E.P.S. Technician Soft Skills
- Benefits of Flat Rate Pricing
12-1pm Lunch Provided - PD provided pizza or sandwiches
12-5pm OEM Technical Training - OEM trainer provides hands-on product tear down
RSM Resource Guide 2 gig USB flash drive supplied to attendees.
Regional Service Meetings Fall Schedule
Don't miss out book now!
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 H1N1 (Swine Flu) Concerns
(information taken from the CDC web site www.cdc.gov)
During the week of October 4-10, 2009, influenza activity continued to
increase in the United States as reported in FluView. Flu activity is
now widespread in 41 states. Nationwide, visits to doctors for
influenza-like-illness continued to increase and are now about equal to
or higher than what is seen at the peak of many regular flu seasons. In
addition, flu-related hospitalizations and deaths are continuing to go
up and are above what is expected for this time of year.
Each week CDC analyzes information about influenza disease activity
in the United States and publishes findings of key flu indicators in a
report called FluView.
During the week of September 27 - October 3, 2009, a review of the key
indicators found that influenza activity increased in the United States.
Below is a summary of the most recent key indicators:
Visits to doctors
for influenza-like illness (ILI) continued to increase in the United
States, and overall, are higher than levels expected for this time of
the year.
Total influenza hospitalization
rates for laboratory-confirmed influenza are higher than expected for
this time of year for adults and children. And for children 5-17 and
adults 18-49 years of age, hospitalization rates from April - October
2009 exceed average flu season rates (for October through April).
The proportion of deaths
attributed to pneumonia and influenza (P&I) based on the 122 Cities
Report has increased and now exceeds what is normally expected at this
time of year. In addition, 19 flu-related pediatric deaths were
reported this week; 16 of these deaths were confirmed 2009 H1N1 and 3
were unsubtyped influenza A and likely to be 2009 H1N1. A total of 76
laboratory confirmed 2009 H1N1 pediatric deaths have been reported to
CDC since April.
Thirty-seven states are reporting widespread influenza activity
at this time. They are: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California,
Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa,
Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi,
Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North
Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South
Dakota, Texas, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming. Any
reports of widespread influenza activity in September and October are
very unusual.
Almost all of the influenza viruses
identified so far are 2009 H1N1 influenza A viruses. These viruses
remain similar to the virus chosen for the 2009 H1N1 vaccine, and
remain susceptible to the antiviral drugs oseltamivir and zanamivir
with rare exception.
What You Can Do to Stay Healthy
- Get vaccinated. Vaccination is the best protection we have against flu.Seasonal
flu vaccine is available now and initial doses of 2009 H1N1 flu vaccine
also are available, with additional doses available later this year.
- Influenza is thought to spread mainly person-to-person through coughing or sneezing of infected people.
- Take everyday actions to stay healthy.
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.If no tissue available sneeze into your sleeve but not into your hands.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread that way.
- Stay
home if you get sick. CDC recommends that you stay home from work or
school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.
- Follow public health advice regarding school closures, avoiding crowds and other social distancing measures.
- Find healthy ways to deal with stress and anxiety.
Stay informed. The www.cdc.gov website will be updated regularly as information becomes available.
Call 1-800-CDC-INFO for more information.
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"Appliance Service Training Institute" Registration is filling up fast.
Warning!! Organizers anticipate this event is going to sell out.Don't get left out register TODAY  & We'll show you how to put them together.
The ASTI Agenda includes - Breakfasts, lunches, reception, awards banquet & hospitality
- 25 Business management classes
- 47 OEM technical training sessions
- Free Certification classes and testing on-site during the ASTI A $139.00 savings
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Flat Rate
Pricing Guides
If you're not using flat rates you're leaving money on the table & we'll guarantee it or your money back.
The Appliance Service Flat Rate Solution
for more information
click here
Major Appliance Service National Price Guide
Blue Book order
click here to order
Coming Soon!
Do you like those handy Flat Rate Blue Books? Dean Landers, Author has done it again. Soon, you will be able to print your OWN CUSTOM BLUE BOOK! - That's right, based on your Own Hourly Rate. Simply plug in your own cost of doing business numbers and the book is auto-generated and ready to print. Custom printed and bound books available. Stay Tuned, this will greatly improve your bottom line!
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On-Line Resources
Did you know of the following on-line technical resources?
www.servicetechhelp.com
Here you'll find many hard to get service manuals and tech help from others. $50.00 per year.
www.frigidaire.com/tip
Login : service
Password : tips
This site is loaded with essential technical bulletins and other resources. Free!
www.servicematters.com
This site includes information for Samsung, Maytag, Amana and Whirlpool. On-line training, service bulletins & service manuals. Free!
www.mypartshelp.com
This program was designed to allow the user to query parts availability
in seconds from all of their current distributors or nationwide. Pay per use.
www.repairclinic.com
Appliance parts, help and more.
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Peer Groups
A
peer group is a gathering of like-minded businessmen and women in non-competing markets that gather to help one another run
their respective businesses from time to time. In these meetings it is
common to share and compare financial statements and for members to turn to peers for advice or opinion on a
certain issue they might be experiencing in their businesses. Peer groups
will often collaborate on a group project such as a marketing campaign
and then share in the cost of such development. Peer groups generally
meet on neutral ground on a regularly scheduled basis.
Want to join a peer group?
Call 1-800-683-2558
We need one more peer to start the next group. If you're thinking about joining a peer group call us now.
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Need help running your business?
Profits not where you'd like them to be?
Join USA today and gain the confidence you need to run your business instead of it running you.
With a USA membership you'll receive:
- Management & technical training
- Annual national convention
- Networking with fellow servicers
- Peer group facilitation
- Industry relations
- Meet with representatives of all major manufacturers
- Increased business productivity and profits
- Proven service strategies that work
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e-Servicer Archives
Missed an issue or just want to go back and look at past e-Servicer
articles ? We've archived each issue for your easy retrieval at any time.
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Disney gives ASTI attendees discounted theme park tickets.
Come for the meeting, then stay for the magic! Mixing business with pleasure is easy when you make the most of your free time with Disney special meeting convention theme park tickets. Advance purchase lets you skip the lines at the theme park ticket window and customize your free time to suit your individual agenda.
Buy tickets on-line now
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PUT YOUR CAR KEYS BESIDE YOUR BED AT NIGHT
Tell your spouse, your children, your neighbors, your parents your Dr's office, the check- out girl at the market, everyone you run across.
Put your car keys beside your bed at night. If you hear a noise outside your home or someone trying to get in your house, just press the panic button for your car. The alarm will be set off, and the horn will continue to sound until either you turn it off or the car battery dies.
This tip came from a neighborhood watch coordinator. Next time you come home for the night and you start to put your keys away, think of this:
It's a security alarm system that you probably already have and requires no installation. Test it. It will go off from most everywhere inside your house and will keep honking until your battery runs down or until you reset it with the button on the key fob chain. It works if you park in your driveway or garage If your car alarm goes off when someone is trying to break into your house, odds are the burglar rapist won't stick around... After a few seconds all the neighbors will be looking out their windows to see who is out there and sure enough the criminal won't want that. And remember to carry your keys while walking to your car in a parking lot. The alarm can work the same way there ..... This is something that should really be shared with everyone. Maybe! it could save a life or a sexual abuse crime.
Would also be useful for any emergency, such as a heart attack, where you can't reach a phone. Or carry your car keys with you whenever you work outside in case you fall and you need help.
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Coming Soon
Upgrades to USA memberships will soon be activated. We're installing a new chat room e-mail forum, USAnet. This forum is for
business management and technical repair posts. When members sign up they
will automatically receive an email of all posts and will be able to
respond to all members.
Also, members will be able to search the USA membership data base looking for other USA members in their area.
The USA membership profiles will be enhanced allowing members to give more pertinent details about their company's size, operations and post pictures to their profiles.
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