Editor's note: Training and education are an important part of making your business run better, which is why we're adding this new section on that topic to the magazine. Each issue will focus on different educational opportunities available for concrete contractors. This month, we take a look at Increte's two-day flatwork seminar, attended recently by editor Jonathan Sweet at the company's Aurora, Ill., facility.
TRAINING FOCUS: INCRETE
Increte's two-day flatwork seminar offers a good opportunity for contractors to learn what the company has to offer, but manages to avoid the hard sell that plagues some company-sponsored training opportunities.
The first day features a few hours on marketing and business information. This is key because business management is an area too many suppliers ignore in their training. Increte gives detailed pricing information for each package they offer, and shows exactly how much business you need to do to make it work for your company. More importantly, they offer support through advertising and other marketing ideas. Good marketing, more so than in any other segment of the concrete industry, is what sets the successful decorative concrete contractors apart from their competitors.
For the management portion of the training, Increte separates the employees from the owners, so only the owners hear all of the pricing information, with the employees going for more hands-on exposure. So if you're uncomfortable with your field staff having that information, it's not something you have to worry about with this class.
The rest of the first day and the entire second day focuses on hands-on demonstrations of the products. Because of the large line of products Increte demonstrates, there's not enough time to get a lot of experience with any one product, but it's an opportunity to at least get to work with each product to see if it's something you want to offer.
Of course, there is the expected company video and history, but Increte does a good job of keeping the self-promotion to a minimum.
The instructors assume only a basic knowledge of concrete, so any concrete contractor, even those without any decorative experience, should be able to get something out of the training. There's probably not a lot new here for experienced decorative contractors, but it's still a good way to learn about the Increte product line.
The two-day Increte flatwork seminar costs $500. Increte also offers a one-day Stone-Crete seminar for $500 and a three-day course that combines the two for $750. Classes are offered in Tampa, Fla., and Aurora, Ill. For more information, visit www.increte.com or call (866) 342-8760.
