Similarly, we’ve heard from all corners of the industry that we have a “workforce crisis” upon us as the aging baby boomers who staff this industry retire and no one is left to fill the jobs they leave. We are apparently helpless in the face of this looming crisis. What is a good business operator to do?

Throughout the course of a typical work day, the words accountability and responsibility are used a lot, especially if the results don’t measure up to expectations. So, what do these two words mean? Are they interchangeable? And how can we change our misconceptions to start creating a new level of ownership within your organization and amongst your employees?

As a contractor, you spend a lot of money to bring new customers to your businesses. You have to worry about the intricacies of marketing and advertising, and you try your best to treat every customer like gold…until you don’t.

Labor and wages are a huge part of your expenses, and without an accurate figure, it will be difficult to truly gauge your business’s performance.

I believe that, for the most part, people in our industry do an excellent job initially earning the opportunity to help our clients. We even go as far as convincing them to enter a committed relationship with us. We make promises much like that of marriage vows. However, like many frayed marriages, I often notice that the customer holds up their end of the deal, and yet we as contractors fall short.

A consistent message across all industries is that each month should be closed out by the 10th of the following. It allows for a company to review the prior month’s performance and make any necessary changes in the current period.

If you are in the HVAC world, peak season is either here or rapidly approaching. This is the time of year when you and your team have the opportunity to put some money in the bank, while at the same time truly helping customers in need.

“Somebody just called me from this number…” What comes to mind when you hear this statement?

I didn't invent the rule. I discovered it during my Nexstar interview process with Jack Tester and Julian Scadden. I immediately discovered what makes Nexstar so much different than the majority of other organizations.

Is your call center slowly but surely devolving into a factory assembly line? Does your team show up each day, only to deal with customers in a routine, mechanical motion that is missing a personal touch? Are your employees engaged and motivated to provide exemplary service to each and every customer, or are they simply shouting “Next!” at the end of each call?