Comments on: Readers Practice What They Preach http://www.forconstructionpros.com/interactive/2007/09/25/readers-practice-what-they-preach/ Bringing you the voice of the construction equipment owner. Sat, 22 Nov 2008 13:36:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Local Jobs Guide http://www.forconstructionpros.com/interactive/2007/09/25/readers-practice-what-they-preach/#comment-170 Local Jobs Guide Thu, 01 Nov 2007 23:28:09 +0000 http://www.forconstructionpros.com/interactive/2007/09/25/readers-practice-what-they-preach/#comment-170 <strong>Local Jobs Guide...</strong> I couldn't understand some parts of this article, but it sounds interesting... Local Jobs Guide…

I couldn’t understand some parts of this article, but it sounds interesting…

]]> By: Don Turner http://www.forconstructionpros.com/interactive/2007/09/25/readers-practice-what-they-preach/#comment-62 Don Turner Wed, 26 Sep 2007 15:28:25 +0000 http://www.forconstructionpros.com/interactive/2007/09/25/readers-practice-what-they-preach/#comment-62 I think some of the observations are interesting. I just answered a post on the NPCA forums the other evening along the lines of the "wants me on every job" subject. Of course you know the goal of my seminars and consulting is to increase sales & retain customers but there comes a time when a growing contractor reaches a "slippery slope". Often in the "early years" contractors concentrate so hard on being great "craftsmen" that they neglect being "businessmen". A real business needs to grow continually (it's just the nature of "business") but if YOU are the sole craftsman you will hit a limit where you personally can do no more work, and that's as far as the "business" can go. If a contractor is satisfied having a business like another trade, say a plumber, who can only do so much plumbing in a day. He stays "booked" and makes a living that suits him then it's fine if you are the craftsman. However most of the people (99%+) I talk to at the shows want to grow a "business". To do that you MUST cross that line when being the craftsman is turned over to someone you have trained, then several "someones" you have trained as you get more crews and YOU must work ON the business, not IN it in order to continue to grow and prosper. Plus if you are a "1 man band" and you have an accident or injury during your peak season and miss the schedule on some of your best customer's work you might lose them. Likewise I spoke to a fellow NPCA member the other day who had been forced to "work his backside off" this year because 1 key employee that was the main "someone" who had taken his place; had other things come up and couldn't come back to work this season. It put the entire dynamic of his business (and his attitude) into reverse with "too much work"--"more than I can get to" - "up all night doing paperwork so I can seal all day" - "boy I wish winter would hurry up so I could get a break"...he was at wit's end and worn out... You might keep this in mind as you interview these folks for the articles with if they are "happy as they are" or if they are working to implement a plan (and if so what kind, many people would want to know) to train others to do the quality of work and primarily to do the quality while also maintaining the all-important "level of trust" they established with their personal craftsmanship so they can continue to grow their business? I think some of the observations are interesting. I just answered a post on the NPCA forums the other evening along the lines of the “wants me on every job” subject. Of course you know the goal of my seminars and consulting is to increase sales & retain customers but there comes a time when a growing contractor reaches a “slippery slope”.

Often in the “early years” contractors concentrate so hard on being great “craftsmen” that they neglect being “businessmen”.
A real business needs to grow continually (it’s just the nature of “business”) but if YOU are the sole craftsman you will hit a limit where you personally can do no more work, and that’s as far as the “business” can go.
If a contractor is satisfied having a business like another trade, say a plumber, who can only do so much plumbing in a day. He stays “booked” and makes a living that suits him then it’s fine if you are the craftsman.

However most of the people (99%+) I talk to at the shows want to grow a “business”. To do that you MUST cross that line when being the craftsman is turned over to someone you have trained, then several “someones” you have trained as you get more crews and YOU must work ON the business, not IN it in order to continue to grow and prosper.
Plus if you are a “1 man band” and you have an accident or injury during your peak season and miss the schedule on some of your best customer’s work you might lose them. Likewise I spoke to a fellow NPCA member the other day who had been forced to “work his backside off” this year because 1 key employee that was the main “someone” who had taken his place; had other things come up and couldn’t come back to work this season.
It put the entire dynamic of his business (and his attitude) into reverse with “too much work”–”more than I can get to” - “up all night doing paperwork so I can seal all day” - “boy I wish winter would hurry up so I could get a break”…he was at wit’s end and worn out…

You might keep this in mind as you interview these folks for the articles with if they are “happy as they are” or if they are working to implement a plan (and if so what kind, many people would want to know) to train others to do the quality of work and primarily to do the quality while also maintaining the all-important “level of trust” they established with their personal craftsmanship so they can continue to grow their business?

]]> By: Nick Howell http://www.forconstructionpros.com/interactive/2007/09/25/readers-practice-what-they-preach/#comment-61 Nick Howell Tue, 25 Sep 2007 22:02:01 +0000 http://www.forconstructionpros.com/interactive/2007/09/25/readers-practice-what-they-preach/#comment-61 I cant wait to read the articles. I love to hear real life stories of what works. That is one of the reasons I enjoy NPE so much, in addition to the seminars, its networking in the halls, the floor, and the roundtables that often times provides that little trade secret on how to be a better comapny in one way or another. I cant wait to read the articles. I love to hear real life stories of what works. That is one of the reasons I enjoy NPE so much, in addition to the seminars, its networking in the halls, the floor, and the roundtables that often times provides that little trade secret on how to be a better comapny in one way or another.

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