Editor’s Note—June 2019

by Michael Hamline, Editor / Published June 2019

Don’t miss out on the low-hanging fruit. Recently, I called an AC company with which I have a service contract to inspect my two AC units and heater twice a year. As this was the second visit, I had asked my wife to ask the company technician to let us know what we needed to do to get a new contract signed. He shrugged and told my wife he didn’t know but that our ac units looked good. In all fairness to the technician, that may have not been an area he handles, but in my opinion it wouldn’t have been asking too much for him to call his company, tell his employer he had someone ready to pay for a new service contract, and ask what he needed to do to get it set up. At this point, I’ll just call the company directly, but my point is that we were ready to pay, and by his lack of action this technician missed out on getting the money/easy sale that day.

This month features two articles that deal with increasing a company’s bottom line. First, turn to the article by Diane Calabrese, “Trailers—Easy to Use and Reliable,” on page 6. As she points out, a “distributor selling trailers must encourage the prospective buyer to begin with the basics. Start with the ‘what’ of it all.” Asking about the number of pressure washers, water, and accessories that need hauling are important to making a good recommendation about a trailer. Kevin Netzer with Ultimate Washer in Riviera Beach, FL, points out the importance of matching the trailer with your vehicle and the purpose for which the trailer is needed.

“Plenty of Opportunity” by Diane Calabrese on page 34 is the second article that provides opportunity for a business to improve its financial situation. The opportunity comes from the fact that the article details how to sell to homeowners, of whom there are many in the U.S. Calabrese notes the opportunity to make a sale while on a job: “Neighbors observe contractors at work and see the results. If they like the results, they may become a customer.” A plus to selling to homeowners beyond the financial gain is the satisfaction they express for a job well done.

Cleaner Times wishes you a safe and productive summer!

Michael Hamline
michael@adpub.com
(800) 525-7038