Working with Others that Have the same business as You

I just came back from Colorado Springs for four days of being a member of a group called Business Networks. Its not a leads group, its a group of restoration companies that are all about the same size in revenue. We get together every six months and go to a different members location. We spend the first day educating ourselves by having speakers about various topics. The second day we spend 45 minutes on each company and review our goals, set new goals, discuss where we are at as a company, and we look at each others financial information. What makes it special is we look at everything, owners compensation, direct costs, profit centers, net profit, gross margin etc. The third day we interview all the employees, sub contractors, and owners of the company that we are at. We look for two things. One is that we find as a group and agree on 12 perceptions. These are positive strengths that we see in the company. Second thing is we find 12 opportunities. These are things that we find weaknesses, or areas within their businesses that need to be improved or created. However in order to suggest an opportunity we must be practicing what we are suggesting. We then bring the suggestions to the whole company then meet with each part of the company to answer any questions they may have as to what the problems we see are, how to overcome them and implement the systems.

I wonder where I would be if I didn't have a group to look at another company that does the same as me. Why? How am I supposed to know what a restoration companies margins are? Or how to gain market share or technical advice from others that have been there and done that. How is my company compared to others? This group has some of my peers that push me to excel even harder than what I do normally. They grow, fine tune, and become more profitable each month and every year. If you don't have a peer group you need to get one. It's what makes me a better business owner each and every time I go.

Sunday Night Thoughts

I'm sitting here on a Sunday night and I'm thinking what do I want this blog to become. I know in my businesses I have a lot of struggles just like others. I have been to college but there is no school for this type of learning. To survive in today's economy in a service based business in an area that is gripped with fear and uncertainty what do you do? Construction has stopped an overloaded our industry with competitors by the double digits if not close to a hundred. What do you do when you all fight for the same work? Do you drop your prices and make less, when you don't have the volume to support it? That isn't proper business practices.

What I am doing is accessing the creative part of myself to think and plan how to take advantage of the situation. To take advantage is to stay ahead, change, educate, try something new, motivate your people and get them to perform. Meet the right people, develop relationships, help others, find opportunities, and find the right path.

This is my journal of business. This is where I put the ideas down, then implement them, then measure, and manage. I will give you my day of successes, hardships, failures and victories.

It's Game Time Are you in Shape?

I have been physically working out for 7 weeks now. In business I have a coach. A coach to teach me to manage my people more efficiently, another to hold me accountable for my position to keep me growing. Once I stop growing in business is when my competitor will catch up and I lose my front running position. Now when I decided to lose weight, I have done this many times before year after year. What is going change this time? Just like in a business I need to have a coach. That coach will teach me, motivate me, and push me to the end result. What is my goal? I want to lose weight, gain muscle mass, eat healthy, and look good. Now lets take this to the next step and make it a S.M.A.R.T goal. I want to lose fifty pounds, a 34" waist, and I don't know how long it will take but I am going to do it. What's my reward? I get to buy myself a new wardrobe for the new looking me.
Now what does all this have to do with business? Let me tell you what I have found. Do you know where your going? I have set a goal that I have tried before to achieve and failed. When business is tough hire a coach. Set a goal. If you achieve that goal, reward yourself.
Where am I now? I'm sitting here in my recliner with ice on my back and I can't move without being in excruciating pain. I pushed myself to hard and didn't listen to my body and pushed and pushed and now its time out til I am healed. Just like business there are road blocks that stop you from pushing yourself to your goal. What's the new plan? Take it slower, different exercises, cut down calorie intake (necessary with less exercise) and stretch more. I also have another coach. He is a physical therapists. It is more expensive to do it the way I am but I'm getting the results I want.
Measure your business and yourself. Today was the first measurement day. My waist dropped 2 and a half inches, my chest dropped 1 and half, 8 pounds less, and I can see the difference.
I'm getting results through sweat, determination, focused on results, baby steps, and motivation. These are a few of my company core values I live in my life today. What do I like about being (or should I say getting) in shape? I have an appearance about myself that I am confident and that I like myself which is necessary in managing a business and selling our service on the front lines to people that don't know me.
If I am physically fit, I have more energy through out the day and am focused and motivated. I am the best in my business and now I have another tool in my war chest to carry out my plan.

Is everyone on Your Team really on the Same Page

I had an opportunity today to present to a prospect. They felt that we were a great fit and was impressed of who we were and how we operate. Of course we provide a service that our competition can only dream of. Now that they gave us the opportunity to meet the staff he introduced me to each one of them. Now picture this, the staff is all in one room where everyone is close to each other. I introduced myself to everyone and stated what we did and then a lady said "I think you are doing a job for my Mom". It turns out we were working on her Mom's house or at least we thought we were done. Now she just talked to her Mom and she stated it was cold in one of the rooms and the subcontractor said he was going to show up the next day and they never did. Now it turns out that they told us they had completed the job and actually their manager didn't have enough materials and actually stated to her that he would be back tomorrow. Well that was five days ago. Now the customer never called us, and I found out the hard way, as I am trying to impress someone our company has failed. Our company whether its an employee or a subcontractor they all represent who we are. Now every successful company has to look at every mistake and bad experience or hiccup and figure out what their part in it was and how to correct it.
Lesson Learned
The day before we just had the subcontractors at our shop for lunch and we set our expectations. They were not there. After the subcontractor finished his job we did not follow up with him or the home owner to ensure completion of certain tasks. This should be done the day after to prevent lag time. The subcontractor never had expectations set by us as he was new and never was told the guidelines that we expect to keep our relationship. As with any problem we never do anything but address it right then, right there, and be honest. This will help us succeed on the next project we do and everyone from here on out that gives us the privelege to serve them.

The Customer and service company belief

THE CUSTOMER
The customer is the single most important person in the business life of The Company.
The customer is not dependent on us. We are dependent on the customer.
The customer has a choice. We must be the best choice for the customer.
A customer never interrupts our work. The customer is the purpose of our work.
We are not doing the customer a favor by serving him. The customer is doing us a favor by giving us the opportunity to serve.
A customer is not a cold statistic. The customer is a human being with feelings and ideas.
No one has ever won an argument with a customer.
A customer is a person who brings us a set of wants and needs. It is our job to respond to those needs and wants in a satisfactory and profitable way.
The customer has high expectations. We must strive to exceed those expectations.
If we don’t satisfy the customer, someone else will.
The Company will continue to thrive and grow well into the future, only if we maintain our mission and continue serving our customers to the best of our abilities. We must meet or exceed our customer’s expectations to make this come true.

Brandon Wright
President, Idaho Fire & Flood