Remodeling companies are missing a great opportunity for job training by limiting it to the work site. Yes, there does have to be on-site training to learn a skill, but it might take longer because everything is being taught on the job. Here are some ideas to make the most of training your field staff
When it comes to beating the labor shortage, retaining good people is more important than ever. There are plenty of job openings and other great companies to work for. We talk a lot about wages, benefits, and company culture as reasons people stay or go. Especially in a small business, sometimes it comes down to
I love to catch fish. I didn’t say I love to fish. There’s a difference. I love to put fish in the cooler so I can use them for food or bait. True fisherman love the activity of fishing. If they catch some fish, that’s good, but a day fishing with no catch is still
Almost every organization, at one time or another, talks about their workforce as a team. It sounds friendlier, and puts less emphasis on differences in roles and jobs. But not every company works as a team, getting better results, and lessening friction. It’s more than a feel-good term, and if your remodeling company isn’t running
Many remodeling companies do a handoff process shortly before a project starts. If you don’t, here are the basics. Sales, Design and Production meet to go over the job. The purpose is to get the Production staff acquainted with the job and free up Sales and Design to focus on more sales. The meeting can
Every week we ask our PowerTips Unscripted guests to name their favorite business book, and the choices can be surprising — either because they’re new to us or because they’re old favorites that are worth reading again. Mike Medford Sr., Medford Design Build The Power of Positive Thinking, by Norman Vincent Peale Mike’s pick is
Company culture — we talk about it frequently in our Podcasts, PowerTips Blog posts and in the Roundtables meetings with our members. It’s an important factor in attracting new employees, and in keeping your existing staff happy and productive. A good company culture encourages growth, and in this business environment, many remodelers are taking on
It’s that time of year again — when we look back to see what worked and what didn’t for your business, the good decisions made and others you’d change. Did this year bring the success you’ve been building toward or was it a challenging year that fell short of your goals? But it’s also time to look forward. To figure out and
When it comes to succession planning and determining an exit strategy from your remodeling business there are plenty of options to consider. Many of our Roundtables members have either sold or handed their businesses off to the next generation, for example… but all of them will tell you that making that determination early in your
Is this the scenario for your production meetings? People file into the room in about the same order each week. They sit in the same chairs or lean against the wall in the same place. They sit quietly while you “discuss” information that you think they will appreciate. Then you discuss each job and what
