Service managers are some of the busiest people that I encounter as I visit companies, and sometimes, despite their best intentions, all the time and effort they put in every week doesn’t translate to the results they’re looking for. Does that sound familiar to you? If so, let’s explore how this situation may have been created and what you can do to refocus your manager’s efforts.

While often unheralded, service dispatch is undoubtedly a key cog in a successful contracting business. With the proper people and procedures in place, dispatch can become a vital part of running an efficient, profitable service department.

I’m sure we’ve all read studies that show fewer than 10 percent of the population sets goals, less than half of these people achieve their goals, and yet everyone believes goal setting is very important. So, why do we all agree having goals is important yet more than 90 percent of us don’t set them? 

Clearly establishing what you want and expect from your people and understanding what they want and expect from you will go a long way toward making things run as smoothly as possible. 

Creating a culture of teamwork is a long-term process and one of the single most important characteristics of all great service companies I’ve been around. Remember, the goal isn’t simply getting people to play on the same team — it’s helping them want to play.

A supervisor’s basic job is to ensure the work he is supervising is manufactured or installed properly to meet the specifications of the customer as efficiently as possible, and the most important skill he needs to accomplish this goal is good communication. 

How many times have you walked out of a meeting feeling everything went great and later found everyone has a different understanding of what you said? Or, maybe you walked out of a meeting feeling the message just didn’t go over as well as you’d hoped. If the answer is yes, it’s very likely you have an opportunity to improve your communication skills.

ACCA, the indoor environment and energy efficiency association, announced that registration is now open for its Service Managers Forum, which is taking place Oct. 9-10 at the Sheraton Charlotte Hotel in Charlotte, North Carolina. This event is presented by ACCA and The NEWS.