Business Management
National Comfort Institute br>Summit Offers Solutions
The Ninth Annual National Comfort Institute (NCI) Summit will be held Feb. 5-10, at the Innisbrook Golf Resort, Palm Harbor, FL. ...
Delving into 2012: 'Recession of Confidence' Slows Economy
What we now call the Great Recession officially began in December 2007 and ended in June 2009. It was the longest, deepest, and most painful recession since the Great Depression. ...
Let Me Ask You This. . . Do You Know Which Questions to Ask?
When questioning to promote creative and critical thinking, it is important to use employees' responses to guide subsequent questions...
Bonus Depreciation Available
If you’ve been considering purchasing, financing, or leasing new equipment, you can take advantage of Sec.179 depreciation and bonus depreciation if you act before the end of the year. ...
Tools of the Trade
Each month, Contracting Business picks a leading contractor and takes a look at the products, tools, and services that he or she has chosen to help make their company successful....
Vehicle Warranty Language Often Ignored by Owners
Businesses with a fleet of vehicles could save thousands of dollars each year in repair expenses just by reading and following the recommendations spelled out in the warranty booklet that comes with every vehicle....
She's Baaaack… The Return of Big Yellow
For years, Contractor was a business partner with Big Yellow. At first, it was a good relationship. Contractor paid Big Yellow a little cash and she brought Contractor business. Everyone was happy, but it would not last. ...
Tools of the Trade
Bob Tudi, CEO, TUDI Mechanical Systems, began his company in 1987, with $4,000 and a pickup truck. Starting with modest means and fueled by big dreams, he built TUDI Mechanical Systems into a premier HVAC and plumbing contractor in the Pittsburgh, PA region....
SEO: Letters That Mean More Business From Your Website
Before you can do anything with your website that will make an impact on your business, you need to understand what it’s doing for you. ...
How to Interview an Appointment Seller
When you’re seeking an appointment seller for your business and have identified some promising candidates, conduct their first interview over the telephone. These individuals must sound absolutely fantastic in order to get an in-person interview....
How to Recruit a Great Appointment Seller
The best contractors are the best recruiters. Since recruiting is such an essential component of running a successful service company, you should learn all you can about recruiting. ...
Sales Training for Success
Involuntary terminations of service sales personnel are far too common and far too expensive. A failing salesperson usually (and unfortunately) hangs around for close to a year before the relationship is severed. The employer not only loses the salary paid, but also employment taxes, car allowances, administrative costs, training costs, and other incidentals....
Who Answers the Phone? Why Four Voices are Better than One
Most contracting businesses have one person who answers the phone and, yes, that's one (albeit old-fashioned) way to do it. Ideally, however, you’ll have four different people whose jobs involve the telephone...
The Customer Satisfaction Pyramid
If I’m doing something wrong that may cause me to lose business, I want to know about it. I believe the merchants that I do business with want to know about it too, provided they’re good business people. ...
Tools of the Trade
Environmental Air Conditioning Services, Inc., based in Jacksonville, FL, was founded by Howard Stalls, Jr., (shown at left with Greg Miscally, project manager) in 1987. EAC is committed to providing homeowners, businesses, and builders in Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia with high quality and reliable service. ...
The Value of HVAC Service Agreements
A real life story of what a service agreement can mean to your customers and to your business....
Tools of the Trade
Each month, Contracting Business picks a leading contractor and takes a look at the products, tools, and services that he or she has chosen to help make their company successful....
Top 10 Contractor Apps
ContractingBusiness.com readers were polled and listed their Top 10 favorite apps for mobile devices. ...
Stress-Test Your Business: Two More Financial Ratios
If you don't measure your company's financials, then you're just guessing as to how well you are doing....
Embrace a Holistic Approach to Energy Efficiency and Grow Your Business
Isaac Home Energy Performance is closer to a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) model, in that we take a more holistic view: We start with a thorough "physical" exam of a customer's whole house, and offer a "diagnosis." Next, we prescribe upgrades that will increase the "health" (that is, energy efficiency) of their homes, from the attic to the basement. ...
Financial Ratios To Stress-Test Your Business
Each year, you see a doctor who analyzes your general physical condition. Once you reach a certain age, a good doctor will insist upon a stress test to insure that your heart, the central muscle of your body, is working effectively and efficiently. And just as your good health may depend on a stress test, the good health of your business depends on periodic, consistent, stress testing. ...
Marketing vs. Advertising
What’s the difference between marketing and advertising? These days’ people seem to use them interchangeably, but are they the same or are they different disciplines? Let’s discuss the differences. ...
Building Loyalty with
Strong Customer Service
The right technology can provide contractors with the information they need to offer the best service in competitive markets....
HVAC Champs Hang Tough
The contractors interviewed for the 2011 Contracting Business.com Design/Build Contractor Survey are primed for a business resurgence. New installations have dropped off for most, but service activity has been steady. They say the ultimate remedy will be more shovels breaking ground, and looser purse strings from banks and customers. ...
Tools of the Trade
Since 1967, James River Air Conditioning Company has been providing Richmond and central Virginia home owners and businesses with excellent service, comprehensive maintenance, and construction services in a variety of fields. Hugh Joyce, president (shown above), has been in the family HVACR service business since 1980....
