As I sat down to write this, I didn’t want to write another article about COVID19. As much as I appreciate people offering suggestions and tips to get through this, and I do read and listen to most of them, everyone is different and deals with stressful situations differently. For a lot of you, your work schedule hasn’t changed.
With many areas in the home services industries being deemed Essential Businesses, you are still taking calls, booking appointments, and providing services to your customers. You have changed how you are doing business; adapting to remote workers, social distancing guidelines, and more stringent safety guidelines. And you are taking the necessary precautions to keep your employees, their families, and your customers safe.
You have surrounded yourself with people who will help you if needed. Because of that, I thought I would talk about what I have learned about myself and others so far during this.
- There are over 300 MILLION banana bread recipes. 287 MILLION label themselves as the BEST.
- I have realized that the excuse, “If I only had the time…” isn’t true. And that even with ample time, I still will not clean the attic.
- Tiger King is as crazy as you have heard but worth watching.
- Do not play with Snapchat filters right before your conference calls.
After reading tens if not hundreds of banana bread recipes, I have found the basic ingredients are the same. What makes one stand out above the others? What separates the good from the best? It’s a question that we should all ask.
There are a lot of great examples of companies with their owners and employees going above and beyond in our current crisis. Here are a few that are standing out:
Corey Hickmann, owner of Comfort Matters Heating & Cooling, who not only has been urging his customers to support locally owned businesses by purchasing gift cards, he is matching their gift card purchases. And, he is then giving the customers the matching gift card.
Dave Squires, President of Online-Access, commissioned a seamstress to make masks for his team and their spouses. They had such a positive response, they are offering the pattern online and will mail two Merv 13 panels to anyone who requests them. Dave gives credit for the idea to Carla Kaminga of Hendrix Heating in Corvallis, Oregon.
Kent Taylor, chairman of Texas Roadhouse, is giving up his salary and bonus for the remainder of 2020 to assist front-line hourly restaurant employees.
The one clear parallel of these companies is their leadership ability to put others first. The ability to recognize when someone is struggling and lend a hand to help them up.
What have I found that makes one recipe stand out from a sea of others? The quality of the ingredients. The same can be said for these companies. What makes them stand out? The quality of their leadership. The quality of their employees. And the quality of their company mission.
Lynn Wise is the Founder and CEO of Contractor in Charge.
Service Roundtable is dedicated to growing your bottom line and helping your business maximize its full potential. These groups of contractors work together to assist you with marketing, sales, business, and so much more. Twice a month, seminars around the United States and Canada are held to network and further assist your business. Visit Service Roundtable.com to see if there are Success Days in your area!