Publisher's Page

THE HVACR MANAGEMENT MAGAZINE

TERRY Tanker Publisher ttanker@hvacrbusiness.com

MEGAN LaSalla Art Director mlasalla@hvacrbusiness.com

BRUCE Sprague Circulation Manager bs200264@sbcglobal.net BARBARA Kerr VP Operations bkerr@hvacrbusiness.com ADVERTISING STAFF ERIC Hagerman National Sales Manager Tel 216-409-3246 ehagerman@hvacrbusiness.com TERRY Tanker Publisher Tel 440-731-8600 ttanker@hvacrbusiness.com

HVACR Business, founded January 1981, is a monthly national trade magazine serving contractors, mechanical engineers, manufacturers, manufacturer representatives, wholesalers, distributors, trade associations, and others in the heating, ventilating, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) industry primarily in the U.S. The editorial focus and mission of HVACR Business is to provide business owners and managers with the very best business management concepts available. Critical topics covered include leadership, management, strategy, finance, sales, marketing, training, education, staffing, operations, human resources, legal issues, customer service and more. We are dedicated to helping contractors master these key management skills and provide them with the resources necessary to build strong, profitable companies. Every effort is made to provide accurate information, however, the publisher assumes no responsibility for accuracy of submitted advertising and editorial information. Copyright©2021 by JFT Properties LLC. No part of this publication may be reproduced or retransmitted in any form or by any means, including, but not limited to, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or any information storage retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Unauthorized copying may subject violators to criminal penalties as well as liabilities for substantial monetary damages up to $100,000 per infringement, costs and attorneys’ fees. This publication should not be utilized as a substitute for professional advice in specific situations. If legal, medical, accounting, financial, consulting, coaching or other professional advice is required, the services of the appropriate professional should be sought. Neither the authors nor the publisher may be held liable in any way for any interpretation or use of the information in this publication. The authors will make recommendations for solutions for you to explore. Any recommendation is always based on the authors’ research and experience. The information contained herein is accurate to the best of the publisher’s and authors’ knowledge; however, the publisher and authors can accept no responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of such information or for loss or damage caused by any use thereof. Subscription Rates: Free and controlled circulation to qualified subscribers. Non-qualified persons may subscribe at the following rates: U.S. and possessions: 1 year $48; 2 years $75; 3 years $96; Canadian and foreign, 1-year $108 U.S. funds only. Single copies $8. Subscriptions are prepaid, and check or money orders only. Subscriber Services: To order a subscription or change your address, write to HVACR Business, 31674 Center Ridge Road, Suite 104, North Ridgeville, OH 44039 or call (440) 731-8600; or visit our Web site at www.hvacrbusiness.com. For questions regarding your subscription, please contact bkerr@hvacrbusiness.com. HVACR Business (ISSN 2153-2877) Copyright ©2021 is published monthly by JFT Properties LLC,31674 Center Ridge Road, Suite 104, North Ridgeville, OH 44039, Phone: 440731-8600. Periodicals postage is paid at North Ridgeville, OH and additional mailing offices. (USPS 025-431) POSTMASTER: Send address changes to HVACR Business, 31674 Center Ridge Road, Suite 104, North Ridgeville, OH 44039.

31674 Center Ridge Road, Suite 104 North Ridgeville, OH 44039 Tel: (440) 731-8600 Web site: www.hvacrbusiness.com (ISSN: 2153-2877)

BY TERRY TANKER PUBLISHER’S PAGE

“Of course, I’m accountable, it’s just that …

Ilike salespeople who are accountable. In fact, I like anyone who’s accountable, but let’s stick with sales for now. Think about your top salesperson and what they say when occasionally they miss their goal: “I’m on it, here is my plan, these are my targets, this is what my pipeline looks like, this is where I could use some help, here are the proposals that are out, I expect to close X percentage.”

Now, think about your weakest sales link and the conversation you typically have with them. It probably sounds something like this: “I’ve been having a problem getting appointments, our price is too high, the market is soft.”

Which one is being accountable — the one addressing the shortfall with solutions or the one addressing the shortfall with excuses? In the end, the person who delivers on the goal will be most accountable, and we all know that excuses don’t lead to sales. So as a leader, you just need to hire accountable salespeople, and your job is done, right? After all, sales fix everything. Sorry, but no, your challenges are much greater. The long-term success of HVACR contractors hinges primarily on activities other than and in equal importance to sales. And from what I hear, the majority of you are booking sales at record levels. And, in many cases, your firm is struggling to keep up for several reasons. You don’t have enough qualified service techs to do all the work, or new equipment is unavailable from manufacturers because of supply chain issues due to covid, or both. And even surpassing monthly sales goals won’t make up for bad customer service, botched installations, or perceptions that your technicians are unprofessional or untrustworthy.

Accountability in sales is simple because you can track it effortlessly. But company owners need to be able to ensure accountability in all functions. Additionally, while some employees may naturally have this “accountability gene” in their personality, most do not. How do you help those in the shadows shine?

You must constantly communicate your company goals. Putting your goals in a company handbook, computer server or mentioning them at the company picnic won’t get the job done. We humans are distracted easily and tend to constantly refocus our attention on the thing that seems most important to us at the moment. As a leader, you need to shine the spot light on what you have determined is most important.

There are many ways to do Hold regular and targeted meetings this. Hold regular and targeted meetings to communicate to communicate to every level of the to every level of the business business on an ongoing basis. on an ongoing basis. Make it part of every employee’s review process. Celebrate the milestones and successes and don’t be afraid to address the shortcomings. You have to address the good and the bad. Standards and measurements are a key part of accountability. This is where technology is a huge help. Way back in 2009, contributor Mike Callahan described how to create performance standards in 10 steps. He rightly stated that you should connect all performance standards to how your customer perceives value, which supports my point that HVACR contractors need accountability checks for more than just sales. Use Mike’s steps to establish performance standards for all of your important activities and make them easily accessible. Keep a standard company calendar that is accessible to all. This is where you document important dates and activities in addition to discussing them during face-to-face communications. Finally, use your technology to document observations of daily activities that do or don’t support your company goals and align with performance standards. These practices will: • Get to genuine problem-solving and solution-creating. If the information on what should be done, how it should be done, and when it should be done is always available, you eliminate excuses. • Provide structure for employees who are not naturally inclined to stay on track. Attention span, ability to focus, and memory are neurologically based and not pure indicators of performance. Many intelligent people who have lots to contribute have an easier time doing so with the structure these time management tools provide. • Give current examples of things employees should or shouldn’t be doing. Remember to praise publicly and hold accountable privately. Finally, reward accountability at various levels. This encourage employees to aim higher as their performances improve. P.S. If you save issues of HVACR Business look for the October 2009 issue and turn to page 13. If not, then go to our website and type in Mike Callahan’s name. Old articles like this require a membership ... don’t worry, there’s no charge. But you’ll need to create an account if you don’t have one already. FYI, we offer 36 months of content with no roadblocks. Content older than that requires a membership. u