SAVANNAH, Ga. — Plumbing and HVACR contractors headed to Savannah, Georgia, in March for three days of networking and discussing topics like building business value and marketing in today’s marketplace, but they left with their eyes firmly focused on the future. Centered around a theme of “Future Proofing Your Business,” Power Meeting 2018, hosted by Quality Service Contractors (QSC), an enhanced service group of the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors—National Association (PHCC), equipped attendees with how to establish long-term value and stability within their companies.

“You want your company to eventually take care of you and give you financial freedom, and there are things you can do now, every day, to get the most out of your business later on,” said Lawrence Snow, QSC chairman.

One of those things, according to him, is developing leaders for the future. And planning for adverse circumstances — fire, flooding, economic factors, and global events — is another key element. In the end, Snow urged attendees to keep an eye on the future, particularly in terms of trends and forces that affect customers and their businesses.

“Right now there are many traditional industries and business models that are being severely disrupted and challenged by technology,” Snow said. “We cannot take our eyes off the ball here.”

Setting the stage with those objectives, QSC presented several sessions to help contractors plan for the future. By the end of the three-day event, contractors learned how to build business value, develop strong future leaders, collaborate to develop solutions during a QList LIVE session, manage online marketing and reviews, analyze economic forecasts, create resiliency and prepare for an economic downturn, plan for disasters, and prepare for technology trends.

Also during the meeting, Doug Isley of L. E. Isley & Sons Inc. in Westfield, Indiana, and Jeff Longspaugh of ClearWater Plumbers in Fort Worth, Texas, were elected to serve as trustees for three-year terms. In addition, Dan Callies of Oak Creek Plumbing in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, was elected chairman to the board of trustees, and Jeff Heger of Nixco Plumbing Inc. in Mason, Ohio, was elected vice chairman.

Publication date: 4/9/2018