Masonry Magazine June 2009 Page. 41
COACH GARY REMINDS:
"Own the right tools, so you can use the right tools. Use a system!"
Will we be content to be buyers only, or will we be doing a little selling? And, if not now, when? When is it going to be any more important than it is today?
Susan decided, after several decades, to do some "selling," as unlikely as that might seem, and looking as unlikely a saleswoman as there ever could be. She has some God-given talents, to be sure. Maybe your PM talents are not God-given, but you have access to a proven system that, when you implement it, and walk out onto that "stage" in the construction trailer, will have that audience in the palms of your hands. IMAS
Gary Micheloni is a working project manager, speaker, author, coach and consultant.
Copyright 2009 Gary Micheloni
COACH GARY'S CORNER:
Step onto the stage! Get the free report on using video to improve your bottom line, and the five-part report on using RFIs. Consider joining a team. The best athletes and their teams use coaches, and continue to use them, even after they become great. You need a process. How about one that's pretty dan simple, but extremely effective? Masonry readers get this for free! Go to my Web site, www.FullContactTeam.com, and click on the link near the top of the page. Also, you can get Coach Gary's book "Get Paid for a Change," and his new CD, "How to Become the Leader Your Team Needs!"
Include your business card ad in the NEW Professional Services Advertising. Your companies product or service message featured in every issue of MASONRY for just $195 per issue.
Contact: Maria Bennett
Phone: 888.303.5639, ext.219
E-mail: bennett@lionhrtpub.com
Companies are Built on Relationships
MASONRY NEWS CONTRACTOR TIP
Several months ago, I wrote about the fact that, if you think everyone is pulling for you to survive in business, you'd better think again. I also started that, "If you're not pissing someone off, you are probably not getting anything done." (I want to apologize for not writing about this subject last month, for I forgot and wrote about a different subject. I thought that one was great, too, didn't you?) This tip is about making sure you don't piss off the wrong people: your customers.
Why is it so important to build a company on relationships? Because customers choose to deal with people they like. Have you ever seen a contractor who has a wonderful attitude, is easy to deal with, and is liked by all the general contractors and owners, but who doesn't stay busy? I haven't! I consult with masonry contractors and owners from all over the country almost daily. Time after time, I find that the ones who are the most positive and have the best attitudes are always the busiest. These people are fun to talk to. They don't take their jobs or lives too seriously and are always willing to help others even their competitors in most cases.
Yes, you must have good safety programs and do top-quality work at a high rate of production to succeed. But, if the general contractor, owner or any of his managers don't like you personally, you still won't get the job, in most cases. In fact, they may not even call you for a bid to avoid the extra stress they'd endure while dealing with you during the bidding process.
What about the contractor who always pays his bills, but is hard to deal with? This guy cusses you out every time you make a slight mistake, even if the situation was out of your control. Arguing with him and cussing back is certainly not the answer. In fact, that's a losing proposition! I tell my managers and foremen to bite their tongues and give the customer what he wants without complaining. My reasoning has always been that the cost is usually only an extra couple of hundred dollars, so give them what they want with a smille, and we will get our money back later. Then, when we get it back, we get thousands without the difficult customer even knowing about it. This happens, not because we are stealing from him, but because not many, if any, other subs will work for this guy. Therefore, with few others bidding his jobs, we can get thousands more on the next bid we give him. The theory is, "pay me now, or pay me later." We know we can get much more if we make him pay us later while letting him take pleasure in chewing our asses temporarily.
People always take the path of least resistance. If you are hard to deal with, you are only making their jobs (paths) harder. So, if you want to stay busy, don't be a pain in the ass for your customer to deal with by complaining every time he wants a little something extra done. And don't complaining about little, meaningless things every time you pick up the phone to talk to him. Instead, give service with a smile. I can assure you that your customers will pay you much more now for the pleasure they had dealing with you and your people in the past.
Damian Lang is a mason contractor in southeast Chio who has four companies that do combined sales of $20 million. He is also the author of the book "Rewarding and Challenging Employees for Profits in Masonry. To order a copy of his book or attend one of his seminars held specifically for mason contractors, call 800-344-7688.
Provided by Damian Lang, President of Lang Masonry Contractors, Inc., and EZ Great Corp.
READER SERVICE #314
www.masonrymagazine.com
June 2009
MASONRY 39