Plumbing and HVACR service and repair contractors headed to Savannah, Georgia, in March for three powerful days of networking and sharing on topics like building business value and marketing in today’s marketplace, but they left with their eyes firmly focused on the future.

Centered around a theme of “Future Proofing Your Business,” Power Meeting 2018, hosted by Quality Service Contractors, an enhanced service group of the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors-National Association, equipped attendees with how to establish long-term value and stability within their companies.

“You want your company to eventually take care of you and give you financial freedom, and there are things you can do now, every day, to get the most out of your business later on,” said Lawrence Snow, QSC chairman.

 One of those things, Snow explained, is developing leaders for the future.

“You have to develop and nurture that talent over time,” he added.

Planning for bad events and adverse circumstances – fire, flooding, economic factors and global events – is another key element.

“It’s too late to figure out your business continuity plan when you need it,” he added.

Finally, Snow urged attendees to keep an eye on the future, particularly in terms of trends and forces that affect these contractors’ customers and their businesses.

“Right now there are many traditional industries and business models that are being severely disrupted and challenged by technology,” Snow said. “We cannot take our eyes off the ball here.”

Setting the stage with those objectives, QSC presented several sessions to help contractors plan for the future. By the end of the three-day event, contractors learned how to build business value; develop strong future leaders; collaborate to develop solutions during a QList LIVE session,; manage online marketing and online reviews; analyze economic forecasts; create resiliency and prepare for an economic downturn; plan for disasters; and prepare for technology trends.

Also during the meeting, QSC held its trustee elections, in which it selected new trustees Doug Isley of L. E. Isley & Sons Inc. in Westfield, Indiana, and Jeff Longspaugh of ClearWater Plumbers in Fort Worth, Texas, to three-year terms. In addition, Dan Callies of Oak Creek Plumbing in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, was elected chairman to the board of trustees, and Jeff Heger of Nixco Plumbing, Inc. in Mason, Ohio, was elected vice chairman.

Power Meeting participants also received an update on several new QSC programs now available. These offerings include Pillars of Success, QSC’s new business coaching program; Front Line Service Training, a new two-day training session that develops the customer service and sales skills of technicians; and QSC’s podcast, “Plumbing and HVAC Success,” that is becoming known as the No. 1 place to listen for “nitty gritty” business tips.

QSC’s next event will be held in conjunction with PHCC’s CONNECT 2018, Oct. 10-12, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. This specialized full-day track at CONNECT helps contractors take their service and repair businesses to the next level with business management education and ready-to-use knowledge and tools.