Active listening — not only hearing but listening — is a skill that helps us understand the needs of our clients, coworkers, family and friends. In a business relationship, that translates to using empathy to be aware of and sensitive to the thoughts and feelings of others.

If you’ve never been viewed on camera before, getting media training to ensure you look and sound professional while sharing your expertise is a good idea. Make sure to jot down some notes about what you want to say, but don’t script it. Practicing on camera can illustrate areas where you need to improve.

When customers call with an emergency — especially after business hours — you need a system to determine if it truly is an urgent situation. If it is, how do you determine what technician to send? An option to control after-hours chaos is to give that privilege to service agreement program members.

Don’t confuse habits for loyalty. The problem for some companies is they believe they know what customers think and want; in many cases, they don’t. 

STAFDA’s highly anticipated Excellence in Distribution program is a 2.5-day management school designed specifically for professionals in the construction/industrial distribution and supply chain channel allowing attendees to create their own specific agenda.

Younger-generation consumers consider it important for businesses to sponsor regular charitable giving in their communities. If your home services company is aligned with local or national charities, promote your involvement through social media channels. 

In most encounters, the first impression is important. Contractors want to ensure that any team member communicating with clients is perceived as professional and knowledgeable. Richard DiToma discusses how this can be accomplished before and after arriving at the job site.

I recently visited with a friend who runs a large company that includes multiple showroom locations.