|
|
|
|
|
| The e-Servicer |
Monthly communication from United Servicers Association |
|
|
Greetings! ,
The vernal equinox begins in the Northern Hemisphere on March 20th. In other words, the spring season is here and with it, increasing daylight, warming temperatures, and the rebirth of flora and fauna.
And if you're in Colorado, it also brings epic ski conditions. With snow still falling, it's difficult to think that spring is really here but it is!
People are motivated to spring clean their homes but it's also perfect timing to do so for your business. Here are five areas to target for a thorough clean up.
- Goals. With the first quarter of the year gone, look at your 2012 goals and either celebrate your successes, or revise and reignite your plans.
- Schedule. Do you have trouble cramming it all in? Make a list of what is keeping you busy over a one-week period and assess as productive (keep doing it), semi-productive (but want to keep doing it) or time-waster (has to go). Block off parts of your schedule for time to actually accomplish some of your 'to do' items.
- Social Media Abyss. Create (or hire a teenager/expert to create) a social media plan and calendar so you can target your efforts and maximize results.
- Service Strategy. With so many things competing for a business owner's time, it's easy to take your eye off the ball when it comes to service. Ask yourself, "Do we do everything possible to make it simple for our customer to do business with us?" Is your web site easy to navigate? Is your staff properly trained when dealing with customers?
- Process. Although important to know your company's financial status and CODB, do you have a system that cuts to the chase, are you using the USA CODB? Pouring over endless data, graphs, charts and reports isn't efficient, so just tap into relevant details. Spring clean your office too. Are receivables up to date? Computer cleaned out and daily backups verified?
The common theme here is simplicity. The more complicated something is, the more likely it can go wrong. Focus on streamlining your work life and reap the benefits. Put simply....work smarter, not harder.
eServicer Newsletter Team
United Servicers Association
|
|
|
|
_______________________________________________
Fall 2012 Regional Service Meetings
Technical and Business Management Training
United Servicers Association, Mr. Appliance and NEW, along with your local parts distributor are once again bringing our renowned training program to a city near you this fall. The Regional Service Meeting Program provides owners, managers and technicians with two days of technical and business management training. A $99 registration fee covers meals and all training materials for the RSM and a first year membership in United Servicers Association absolutely free!. 
USA RSM's will take place between September 21 and November 10, 2012. Cities include - Portland, Seattle, Sacramento, Berkley, Houston, Dallas, Phoenix, Maryland, St. Louis, Atlanta, Vancouver, Toronto & Montreal. RSM arrangements are still being made and will be posted on the USA website as they become finalized.
2012 RSM Sponsors
|
|
|
|
We're a Community
A mistake we often make when thinking about business is seeing the other players in our industry only as competition. While it is true that business is competitive, and at times we work against each other to win customers, it is also valuable to consider the industry as a community.
Communities are formed based on respect for the shared value of their members. Once any group of people have come together, they have an opportunity to collaborate on new ideas, share the experience of successful practices, and look to each other for creative solutions for problems. It's the capacity for sharing that gives us the ability to achieve greatness.
The United Servicers Association is committed to the idea that sharing knowledge strengthens our members and makes the appliance service industry better and stronger as a whole. We have two very important tactics for delivering on that idea: Peer Groups, and the Appliance Service Training Institute (ASTI).
USA PEER GROUPS
We've made it a big part of our mission to connect and form 'Peer Groups' - small communities of servicers from non-competing markets who work together on improving their respective businesses. Each group has its own rules and personality. We connect them, but the end result comes from the collaboration of the members.
______________________________________________________________________________ |
Don't Get Tripped Up by a Trip Charge
By Charlie Greer, Contracting Business
 | | |
How do you determine a flat rate for your trip charge? I say it should be $19, $29, $39, $49, $59, $69, $79 or $89. What kind of an answer is that? What about your breakeven-point, your overhead, your direct cost and your market statistics? Unlike the rest of your pricing, the trip charge isn't a factor of your break-even point, your direct costs, your overhead expenses, or anything else like that. Your trip charge is your "regulator."
Two Types of Contractors
For the purpose of this discussion, we'll divide contractors into two groups. One group has all the work they can handle. The other group is short on work. If you have more work than you can handle, go with a trip charge in the higher range, such as $69, $79, or even $89. You might say, "If I do that, I'll lose half my customers!" That's the point. Because you have more work than you can handle, you can use a higher trip charge to discourage overly price-sensitive consumers. If you're not in the position to lose a few customers, then you should go with something more moderate, such as $49. If you're really hurting for business, remember this: The lower your trip charge, the fewer hang-ups you'll get, and the more service you'll run. Go with a number on the lower end of the scale, such as $19 or $29.To this you might respond, "Go out to the house for $19? I'll go broke!" No, you won't.
_____________________________________________________________________________
|
Reinvent the Wheel?
By Mike LaBeau, SoBellas Home Services
Most say we don't need to reinvent the wheel, but I disagree.
Are you, as an appliance servicer, making a conscious effort to reinvent your business? If you're not getting better, you're getting worse. If you're not moving forward, you're falling back. These are two popular sayings that we hear all the time. What are you doing to grow your business?
This topic occurred to me a few years back at one of the ASTI conferences. During the conference I noticed we all have the same problem. We attempt to grow our business and put more trucks on the road. We do our best to track our advertising. We make every attempt to stay current. Yet year after year our margins are still too low. The consensus seems to be the same. "It's what our industry allows". Or, "Our industry is different." What? Really? Our industry blames our industry for not making money?
We blame the manufacturers; we blame the third party warranty companies. We even blame the guy down the street working out of his garage. No offense to the guy in the garage. It might be time to start thinking outside the box to reinvent yourself and your company.
___________________________________________________________________________
|
|
10 Fastest Dying Industries in America
Appliance Repair
2012 revenue: $3.68 billion
2017 revenue: $3.48 billion
The appliance repair industry has taken a hit since many consumers have opted to buy new household appliances instead of fixing them mostly because the price of household appliances has fallen an annualized rate of 2.4 percent.
The factor most directly responsible for the industry's downturn however has been the increasing trend among manufacturers to offer warranties on new appliances. Improving appliance technologies have also resulted in lower demand for repair services.
Revenue for the industry has fallen 5.7 percent per year on average for the last 10 years. Sears Holdings and Best Buy are some of the biggest appliance repair industry players.
__________________________________________________________________________________
|
This AllDolly's Got My Back
A Little Technician Innovation and an AllDolly Walloven Cart 
Richard Lew of
Richard's Appliance Service in
Danville California
I was able to take care of a LG washer problem with the stack dryer pulled out of the way. This was in a narrow closet and hallway but it saved time and my back when I was able to roll it out of the way. Putting it back was a cinch. Hope this gives you an idea of what can be done with the AllDolly.
In this case, the customer helped in pulling out the dryer onto the dolly because of the tight space in the hallway; however, there was no damage to the floor or the walls.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
|
|
Contractor Marketing: Increase Home Service Inbound Lead Generation with these 10 Call Management Blocking & Tackling Basics
By Steven Teneriello, www.theservicecoach.com
 Inbound calls to your service organization are a precious commodity. The way in which you handle hot inbound calls from your marketing and advertising efforts can make or break your opportunity to run the call. I listen into hundreds of calls each week - here are some tips to help you get your foot in the door: 1. Lead the conversation - So many contractors let the prospect lead the conversation. Each of your calls should have a proactive predetermined process where you are leading them down the path to conversion and taking the next step of accomplishing your goal - booking the call. 2. Make the script mandatory - Use a call script and make it a mandatory practice in your organization. Anyone who answers the phone in your organization should answer it the same way. Make no exceptions. A uniform process will help you increase your conversion numbers. Follow the script to the letter and enforce its' implementation. A good script will make or break your conversion numbers. __________________________________________________________________________________ |
|
How to Handle Negative Online Reviews of Your Business
By Mikal E. Belicone, www.entrepreneur.com
 As an entrepreneur or merchant, you should become a vigilant watchdog about what's being written or said about your brand or product online. Reviews show up in a number of places, including sites like Yelp, Angie's List, and Trip Advisor, as well as in comments or full-on posts on blogs and social media utilities. These reviews offer word-of-mouth advertising, and consumers are not shy about participating -- offering both positive and negative opinions about your business. There can even be an impact on a company's bottom line: according to a study released last summer by Boston-based strategy and communication agency Cone, 80 percent of consumers said they changed their minds about purchases based on negative information they found online. Business owners now need to resolve any issues to get their marketing back on track. Here are my tips for resolving negative user-generated press: __________________________________________________________________________________ |
|
Four Ways LinkedIn Can Help Your Business Grow
By Jason Falls, www.entrepreneur.com
 If you joined LinkedIn and filled out your profile thinking it was essentially an online resume, you're probably missing out on a world of opportunity. And no, we're not just talking about finding a new job. Sure, LinkedIn's profile features are essentially the same questions you'd answer on a resume. But there are more than 150 million people there who are ready to do business. It is, after all, the professional social network. Here are four ideas that can help you turn LinkedIn into a prime source of new prospects for your business: 1. Attract a crowd. One of the easiest ways to use LinkedIn is to create thought leadership content in your areas of expertise. Not only can you share interesting content from your own blog or website as status updates on LinkedIn, you also can dive into LinkedIn Answers and leverage LinkedIn Groups.
__________________________________________________________________________________ |
|
US Retail Sales Climb More Than Forecast on Jobs: Economy
By Shobhana Chandra, www.bloomberg.com
Retail sales in the U.S. rose more than forecast in March as Americans snapped up everything from cars and furniture to clothes and electronics.
The 0.8 percent gain was almost three times as large as projected and followed a 1 percent advance in February, Commerce Department figures showed today in Washington. The median forecast of 81 economists surveyed by Bloomberg News called for an increase of 0.3 percent.
An improving job market is giving households confidence to sustain spending in the face of higher gasoline costs, boosting sales at chains such as Gap Inc. (GPS) and Target Corp. (TGT) Strengthening consumer demand raises the odds that the world's largest economy will weather a recession in Europe and slower growth in China.
__________________________________________________________________________________ |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Help Your Kitchen Go Green this Earth Day!
By Mr. Appliance
Celebrate Earth Day by making an effort to live a green lifestyle and grow some green in your pocket, too. This month, make an effort to break old habits and take a step away from energy-waste to energy-smart. "By maintaining your appliances regularly, you can extend the life of your investment and save energy," said Doug Rogers, president of Mr. Appliance. "The harder an appliance has to work to do its job, the more energy it consumes in the process, which puts a strain on the appliance, the environment and on your energy bills." Follow these simple tips from Mr. Appliance to make your appliances not only benefit planet earth, but also your pocketbook. Open the Door to More Savings - Give your refrigerator some breathing room by keeping the appliance at least two or three inches away from the wall. Place your refrigerator away from direct sunlight and appliances that produce heat to make your refrigerator run more efficiently.
|
|
|
|
Jennifer's Warranty Tips
Tip #25 - VIKING
Need a Viking purchase or manufactured date? Do you get confused or have difficulty when it comes to submitting your warranty claims? Do you often wonder if the Viking appliance you're working on qualifies for a recall?
ServiceBench "entitlement" is the key to filing Viking claims, checking warranties, purchase or installation dates as well as Viking recalls and their details.
In order to do any of the above, you must look the appliance details up through entitlement. You need to have a good model and serial number in order to get the appliance and its details to populate. (That includes removing dashes and manufacturer date codes before the letter in the serial number or the version on some appliances.)
Example:
* Displayed on the tag as: Model # VCBB362L-VB, Serial # F03120101867
Entered in entitlement as: Model # VCBB362LVB, Serial # F03120101867
|
|
|
|
|
About USA
USA's mission is to develop and provide services and programs intended to assist members in building strong businesses in North America's competitive environment.
Among these services are:
- Educational Programs
- Manufacturer Relations
- Management, Marketing and Operational Programs
- Peer Group Formation & Facilitation
|
|
|
|
Contact Us
United Servicers Association
3105 North Ashland Avenue, Ste 199
Chicago, IL 60657
1-800-683-2558
March 6-9, 2013
ASTI REGISTRATION
NOW OPEN!!
Click here to register and save |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
