1
00:00:00.435 --> 00:00:05.045
Welcome to the Blue Nation Podcast, the podcast dedicated

2
00:00:05.105 --> 00:00:08.045
to making the lives of home service professionals Better

3
00:00:08.785 --> 00:00:10.565
now join Eric and Larry

4
00:00:10.905 --> 00:00:13.045
to talk about all things home service.

5
00:00:15.065 --> 00:00:18.725
Oh, it's Larry and Eric Super Tech University.

6
00:00:18.945 --> 00:00:22.805
We are live here on the super profit community

7
00:00:23.715 --> 00:00:24.975
and we're excited to be here today.

8
00:00:24.975 --> 00:00:27.535
Eric, how are you? I'm great. I'm great.

9
00:00:27.585 --> 00:00:30.235
We're having a blizzard finally.

10
00:00:31.395 --> 00:00:33.655
We haven't had any snow this year. Lowest ever.

11
00:00:34.035 --> 00:00:35.855
So glad that, um, that's right.

12
00:00:35.855 --> 00:00:37.455
Outta Salt Lake, Utah in the mountains

13
00:00:37.455 --> 00:00:39.455
and he's been quite dry.

14
00:00:40.765 --> 00:00:43.665
Very dry. Very dry. But not today.

15
00:00:43.665 --> 00:00:45.065
We're supposed to get three to four feet

16
00:00:45.065 --> 00:00:46.505
this before Saturday.

17
00:00:47.735 --> 00:00:49.505
Good. And I'm coming out in a week

18
00:00:49.505 --> 00:00:51.305
or two, so hopefully there'll be a ton of snow.

19
00:00:51.875 --> 00:00:54.475
There you go. Alright. Absolutely.

20
00:00:55.625 --> 00:00:57.365
So hang on, we'll tell everybody why I'm coming

21
00:00:57.365 --> 00:00:58.645
out 'cause we have retreats.

22
00:00:58.705 --> 00:01:01.005
If anybody's interested in going to a business retreat

23
00:01:01.005 --> 00:01:03.605
or wants information about it, please put some comments.

24
00:01:04.235 --> 00:01:05.245
We'd love to share it with you.

25
00:01:05.245 --> 00:01:08.205
We get a, about a dozen couple things that come out March,

26
00:01:08.655 --> 00:01:09.725
March 5th and sixth.

27
00:01:10.205 --> 00:01:12.935
Ogden, Utah, Ogden, Utah.

28
00:01:12.935 --> 00:01:16.115
We get a lot of people and it's a lot of one-on-one,

29
00:01:17.785 --> 00:01:18.925
not one-on-one coaching.

30
00:01:19.035 --> 00:01:21.405
What would you call it, Eric? Describe it more specific.

31
00:01:22.135 --> 00:01:25.085
Small group. So usually 20 people are fewer

32
00:01:25.865 --> 00:01:29.245
and, uh, no rah rah, no motivation.

33
00:01:29.245 --> 00:01:31.685
Everybody there is already motivated if they flew out.

34
00:01:31.705 --> 00:01:34.085
So we just sit down and work on building our skills

35
00:01:34.425 --> 00:01:36.005
for managing and owning businesses.

36
00:01:36.475 --> 00:01:38.645
It's really what we do. And we've been doing it for

37
00:01:39.275 --> 00:01:42.165
over a year now with, we have a group in Southern California

38
00:01:42.305 --> 00:01:44.885
and group in Utah and we meet four times a year.

39
00:01:44.985 --> 00:01:48.205
And it's been really great and it's really rewarding for you

40
00:01:48.205 --> 00:01:50.485
and I and Katie Harris, who wrote the book with me,

41
00:01:50.615 --> 00:01:52.445
she's uh, our co-instructor.

42
00:01:53.615 --> 00:01:56.155
That's awesome. The companies are very

43
00:01:57.905 --> 00:02:00.155
much more profitable than when they started coming.

44
00:02:00.255 --> 00:02:01.875
And it's benefiting them dramatically.

45
00:02:02.335 --> 00:02:04.035
The feedback we get is wonderful.

46
00:02:04.755 --> 00:02:07.635
I was just talking to Logan, he's out in, outside of,

47
00:02:07.735 --> 00:02:10.315
in Orange County, California, and he's just killing it.

48
00:02:10.865 --> 00:02:12.325
And I was so happy and he came to us

49
00:02:12.385 --> 00:02:16.745
and he wasn't, I don't know if I was struggling you,

50
00:02:18.745 --> 00:02:20.385
I was struggling, but he wa he wasn't going

51
00:02:20.385 --> 00:02:21.585
where he wanted to go with it.

52
00:02:21.985 --> 00:02:24.185
I think that's probably the best way to put it. Exactly.

53
00:02:24.335 --> 00:02:27.545
Yeah. Just like a lot of us, we get kind of stagnant

54
00:02:27.725 --> 00:02:30.065
and need little help to get to the next level.

55
00:02:31.225 --> 00:02:32.405
So Yeah. And that's what this does.

56
00:02:32.425 --> 00:02:34.045
So if anybody's interested, put a comment

57
00:02:34.745 --> 00:02:36.875
and we can share some information with you.

58
00:02:37.815 --> 00:02:40.155
And, uh, Eric, what's the topic today?

59
00:02:40.835 --> 00:02:43.195
I only posted four or five times. We, you tell me.

60
00:02:44.065 --> 00:02:48.375
Well, you call it some, I mean job conduct,

61
00:02:48.715 --> 00:02:51.975
but I prefer the theater of business in a lot of ways.

62
00:02:52.195 --> 00:02:54.095
And we're only gonna do half Larry.

63
00:02:54.375 --> 00:02:57.375
'cause it, it's a big, it's a big topic, right?

64
00:02:57.375 --> 00:03:00.335
And it's something that people don't spend probably enough

65
00:03:00.335 --> 00:03:03.135
time working on, especially with younger employees

66
00:03:03.155 --> 00:03:05.695
who might not have some of the life skill

67
00:03:05.695 --> 00:03:07.975
or training of how to give by

68
00:03:08.005 --> 00:03:10.495
that amazing five star service experience.

69
00:03:11.035 --> 00:03:13.365
Um, I wanna talk about some of that

70
00:03:13.365 --> 00:03:15.085
because like even if you're an owner

71
00:03:15.085 --> 00:03:18.605
or manager, which a lot of the people on are like,

72
00:03:18.605 --> 00:03:21.165
we might forget that we had to learn all this stuff too,

73
00:03:21.185 --> 00:03:22.485
but it was just a long time ago.

74
00:03:23.545 --> 00:03:26.285
Or, or you know, our parents taught us or whatever.

75
00:03:27.365 --> 00:03:28.745
Me lemme just jump in real quick.

76
00:03:28.945 --> 00:03:31.465
'cause when we say we're wowing clients, it's very cliche.

77
00:03:31.465 --> 00:03:33.745
Every, everybody wows our clients. Wow. The punks.

78
00:03:34.165 --> 00:03:36.705
But I like how you phrase it as the theater of business

79
00:03:36.705 --> 00:03:39.105
because that changes your mindset.

80
00:03:39.245 --> 00:03:41.065
It makes you stop and think, huh,

81
00:03:41.355 --> 00:03:45.105
we're on stage the whole time from the second we answer

82
00:03:45.105 --> 00:03:47.745
that call to the second that we walk to the door,

83
00:03:48.705 --> 00:03:51.805
do the walkthrough, finish the job, a follow up call.

84
00:03:51.835 --> 00:03:55.165
It's all theater a hundred percent of the time. So mm-hmm.

85
00:03:55.845 --> 00:03:57.845
I like how you presented this

86
00:03:58.225 --> 00:04:00.765
and it resonates with many of the people that we know.

87
00:04:02.725 --> 00:04:04.785
Yep. So, yeah, let me, uh,

88
00:04:05.165 --> 00:04:06.585
let me get into that a little bit.

89
00:04:06.675 --> 00:04:08.305
We're, we're gonna go, so we're gonna go

90
00:04:08.305 --> 00:04:10.905
through half this week and half next, Larry.

91
00:04:10.965 --> 00:04:12.585
So basically we're gonna take from

92
00:04:13.215 --> 00:04:16.905
when we're getting dispatched to go to a call to the point

93
00:04:16.905 --> 00:04:18.705
where we're gonna enter the house and then

94
00:04:18.705 --> 00:04:21.545
after next week we'll do once we're in the house

95
00:04:21.605 --> 00:04:22.785
and what happens there, right?

96
00:04:22.785 --> 00:04:23.985
So this is up to the point

97
00:04:23.985 --> 00:04:25.785
where we enter the front door, right?

98
00:04:25.805 --> 00:04:29.965
So first thing is you gotta have a pre-arrival checklist

99
00:04:30.105 --> 00:04:31.445
of some sort, right?

100
00:04:31.475 --> 00:04:34.045
Like most of us are, are winging that.

101
00:04:34.285 --> 00:04:35.405
I don't, I don't wanna wing that

102
00:04:35.405 --> 00:04:37.205
and I certainly don't wanna wing that with people

103
00:04:37.345 --> 00:04:39.805
who don't have a ton of experience doing this.

104
00:04:40.025 --> 00:04:43.245
My 20, 22, 23 year olds, right?

105
00:04:43.275 --> 00:04:45.285
Like, I want them to do the same thing every time.

106
00:04:45.755 --> 00:04:47.285
This is part of the theater, right?

107
00:04:47.285 --> 00:04:50.365
What, what does an actor or an actress have a script

108
00:04:50.705 --> 00:04:53.765
and lines and they do and they read them, right?

109
00:04:54.185 --> 00:04:57.125
So system over, over, over and over. Yeah.

110
00:04:57.485 --> 00:04:59.685
I mean all it is is a system, right?

111
00:04:59.745 --> 00:05:02.525
So like our pre-arrival checklist was the first thing

112
00:05:02.525 --> 00:05:04.565
for us was the pre-call, right?

113
00:05:04.665 --> 00:05:07.565
We are going to call and say that we're on our way

114
00:05:07.585 --> 00:05:09.685
and give a estimated arrival time.

115
00:05:11.065 --> 00:05:13.235
Technicians don't always love doing that,

116
00:05:13.975 --> 00:05:15.435
but we really preach that

117
00:05:15.435 --> 00:05:19.395
because that's a time to make the client more comfortable.

118
00:05:19.735 --> 00:05:21.675
That's a time to introduce yourself.

119
00:05:22.265 --> 00:05:23.955
They're gonna feel better about us

120
00:05:23.955 --> 00:05:27.195
because now they know, oh, okay, they're 25 minutes away.

121
00:05:27.245 --> 00:05:28.875
Right? I could be ready for that.

122
00:05:29.415 --> 00:05:32.595
And then you and I put a little twist on it, we used

123
00:05:32.595 --> 00:05:35.235
to have Starbucks cards in every van

124
00:05:35.775 --> 00:05:39.435
and everybody was instructed to say, Hey, uh, you know,

125
00:05:39.445 --> 00:05:40.675
Larry, I'm on my way.

126
00:05:40.815 --> 00:05:41.955
I'm 25 minutes out.

127
00:05:41.975 --> 00:05:43.435
I'm thinking I'm gonna stop by Starbucks.

128
00:05:43.435 --> 00:05:45.395
Do you want anything? Right? Why?

129
00:05:45.625 --> 00:05:47.275
Well that's the law of reciprocity.

130
00:05:47.815 --> 00:05:50.635
If I offer you something first, you're gonna feel compelled

131
00:05:50.635 --> 00:05:52.555
to offer me something later, right?

132
00:05:52.945 --> 00:05:54.555
That might be a five star review.

133
00:05:54.625 --> 00:05:57.325
That might just be liking my guys. Right?

134
00:05:57.325 --> 00:05:59.405
That's a great way to get the ball rolling

135
00:05:59.595 --> 00:06:02.405
because now all of a sudden they like our people better

136
00:06:02.405 --> 00:06:04.645
because we just offered them something small.

137
00:06:04.945 --> 00:06:08.005
And the reality is very few people take it,

138
00:06:08.695 --> 00:06:10.755
but a hundred percent of the people are like, wow,

139
00:06:10.755 --> 00:06:12.035
that was nice, right?

140
00:06:12.035 --> 00:06:13.435
So we're trying to do something good

141
00:06:13.435 --> 00:06:14.595
before we ever go, right?

142
00:06:14.655 --> 00:06:17.115
So we're gonna do a pre-call,

143
00:06:17.725 --> 00:06:20.835
we're gonna offer them something for law of reciprocity.

144
00:06:21.415 --> 00:06:23.955
We are going to be in a clean and branded vehicle.

145
00:06:25.045 --> 00:06:29.145
We wanna look the part uniform, clean,

146
00:06:29.425 --> 00:06:30.505
grooming on point.

147
00:06:30.615 --> 00:06:33.225
Like we had a checklist. The guys had to check these things,

148
00:06:34.765 --> 00:06:39.025
um, you know, shoe covers in hand, ready to go

149
00:06:39.085 --> 00:06:41.185
before we enter a house, right?

150
00:06:41.295 --> 00:06:42.705
Clipboard, tablet.

151
00:06:43.525 --> 00:06:45.985
And then we wanted to make sure that

152
00:06:46.605 --> 00:06:49.905
our guys are doing all these, the pre-call, we taught them

153
00:06:49.905 --> 00:06:51.505
where to park, right?

154
00:06:51.685 --> 00:06:53.105
Are we gonna pull in the driveway?

155
00:06:53.485 --> 00:06:56.905
No, we don't own the driveway. They own the driveway.

156
00:06:57.045 --> 00:06:58.905
So we're gonna park on the street.

157
00:06:58.925 --> 00:07:00.945
If we need to get in the driveway to do the work later,

158
00:07:01.005 --> 00:07:03.825
we can ask, but we're gonna park out on the street first.

159
00:07:04.155 --> 00:07:08.555
Larry, you're muted. That was one of the biggest things

160
00:07:08.555 --> 00:07:10.235
that people had issues with.

161
00:07:10.435 --> 00:07:14.355
'cause our guys would park in the driveway and block Mr.

162
00:07:14.415 --> 00:07:16.555
And Mrs. Jones wanting to go out to work

163
00:07:17.015 --> 00:07:20.155
or wanting to come back in and they'd be irritated.

164
00:07:20.415 --> 00:07:21.955
And that's a negative moment of truth.

165
00:07:21.975 --> 00:07:25.445
And you wanna do anything you can to avoid neg.

166
00:07:25.685 --> 00:07:27.165
'cause you could do 10, 20 great things

167
00:07:27.265 --> 00:07:28.365
and then you do something like that

168
00:07:29.145 --> 00:07:30.965
and then they don't want you coming back

169
00:07:31.425 --> 00:07:32.445
and it's just not worth it.

170
00:07:32.445 --> 00:07:34.125
All, all. And look, I mean, it, it,

171
00:07:34.125 --> 00:07:35.365
it goes even deeper than that.

172
00:07:35.385 --> 00:07:36.765
You know, you go to certain houses

173
00:07:37.065 --> 00:07:40.445
and they might have 50 to $75,000 worth

174
00:07:40.445 --> 00:07:41.845
of paving stoves laid down.

175
00:07:42.315 --> 00:07:45.005
They don't know if your van leaks oil, right?

176
00:07:45.005 --> 00:07:47.285
They do not want your car in their drive,

177
00:07:47.285 --> 00:07:49.525
your van in their driveway, right?

178
00:07:49.705 --> 00:07:53.125
So, um, yeah, so we're basically gonna make a pre-call.

179
00:07:53.875 --> 00:07:56.105
We're gonna be there at the time that we said.

180
00:07:56.285 --> 00:07:58.945
Now I used to teach the guys like if we had a job

181
00:07:59.085 --> 00:08:02.345
and we were actually early, don't show up.

182
00:08:03.315 --> 00:08:05.465
Don't go ring the doorbell 10 minutes before you're arrive.

183
00:08:05.875 --> 00:08:09.025
Don't even go up in front 10 minutes, not even in the house.

184
00:08:09.345 --> 00:08:12.625
I would just say, look, just park a few blocks away

185
00:08:13.285 --> 00:08:15.985
and pull up at the time you're supposed to be there, right?

186
00:08:15.985 --> 00:08:17.985
Because they might be getting ready

187
00:08:18.005 --> 00:08:19.065
or they're not ready for you.

188
00:08:19.165 --> 00:08:21.025
And all of a sudden what happens now

189
00:08:21.025 --> 00:08:23.245
that homeowner's stressed, right?

190
00:08:23.275 --> 00:08:26.525
Yeah. They, they need to put the dog away.

191
00:08:26.635 --> 00:08:28.765
They need to get their kid whatever.

192
00:08:28.765 --> 00:08:32.365
They're not fully dressed yet. We don't wanna show up early.

193
00:08:32.545 --> 00:08:33.605
We wanna show up on time.

194
00:08:34.225 --> 00:08:36.725
And then, you know, there's the theater of what do we do?

195
00:08:36.725 --> 00:08:40.075
We don't cut across their lawn, right? That's a big no-no.

196
00:08:40.075 --> 00:08:42.235
Nobody likes that. We're gonna walk down the sidewalk.

197
00:08:42.375 --> 00:08:44.315
If we see a newspaper in the driveway,

198
00:08:44.605 --> 00:08:46.915
we're instructing our people to pick it up

199
00:08:46.915 --> 00:08:48.515
and hand deliver it to the front door.

200
00:08:49.135 --> 00:08:52.985
And now we are at the front door, uniform on

201
00:08:53.505 --> 00:08:57.485
smelling good, looking good, clipboard, iPad, whatever

202
00:08:58.085 --> 00:08:59.125
business card ideally.

203
00:08:59.345 --> 00:09:00.965
And I'm going to ring that doorbell

204
00:09:01.145 --> 00:09:03.205
and take a couple steps back

205
00:09:03.205 --> 00:09:05.645
and give that person some space, right?

206
00:09:06.185 --> 00:09:08.165
You know, nobody likes to be crowded

207
00:09:08.185 --> 00:09:11.485
and western culture, you know,

208
00:09:11.635 --> 00:09:13.565
arms length about three feet.

209
00:09:13.685 --> 00:09:16.405
People don't wanna be any closer than that, you know?

210
00:09:16.745 --> 00:09:19.045
And uh, so we have to, we have

211
00:09:19.045 --> 00:09:20.125
to make sure that we're doing that.

212
00:09:20.145 --> 00:09:22.125
So we're gonna ring the doorbell, right?

213
00:09:22.335 --> 00:09:26.235
Every single one of these small things adds up

214
00:09:26.255 --> 00:09:28.875
to a big positive moment of truth for the client.

215
00:09:28.935 --> 00:09:31.235
For the client, right? Those things all feel good.

216
00:09:31.235 --> 00:09:33.515
They feel professional, right?

217
00:09:33.615 --> 00:09:35.235
So now client comes to the door,

218
00:09:35.385 --> 00:09:37.435
they're gonna open the door, right?

219
00:09:37.505 --> 00:09:41.395
Ideally, we're now training our people to look

220
00:09:41.395 --> 00:09:44.395
that client in the eye, have a smile on their face,

221
00:09:45.025 --> 00:09:47.075
introduce themselves, right?

222
00:09:47.695 --> 00:09:50.855
And look, I mean, Larry, you

223
00:09:50.855 --> 00:09:53.295
and I do a lot of Gen Z training.

224
00:09:54.445 --> 00:09:57.425
Uh, a lot of younger folks have spent the majority

225
00:09:57.425 --> 00:10:02.015
of their life staring into a phone, face-to-face.

226
00:10:02.335 --> 00:10:03.815
Communication needs to be practiced.

227
00:10:04.355 --> 00:10:06.735
That's something that we were role-playing back at the shop.

228
00:10:06.765 --> 00:10:08.495
That was something I was role playing

229
00:10:08.875 --> 00:10:12.415
as a 15-year-old kid when I was cleaning swimming pools,

230
00:10:12.995 --> 00:10:15.535
you know, in 1983 or whatever.

231
00:10:16.235 --> 00:10:19.895
Get Chrisman had me standing in the warehouse pretending

232
00:10:19.895 --> 00:10:21.735
to ring a doorbell and talk to him.

233
00:10:22.125 --> 00:10:24.455
Like I would talk to one of the clients, right?

234
00:10:24.455 --> 00:10:26.415
We wanna be practicing these things, right?

235
00:10:27.115 --> 00:10:28.655
I'm gonna step back and give him space.

236
00:10:28.675 --> 00:10:32.495
One of the things that you and I did was we had mat roll out

237
00:10:32.705 --> 00:10:34.695
three, you know, three by three mats

238
00:10:35.495 --> 00:10:37.385
with our name on them with our logo.

239
00:10:37.925 --> 00:10:41.985
So we had the guys would roll out a logo mat stand on

240
00:10:41.985 --> 00:10:46.305
that mat because logo facing the client.

241
00:10:46.305 --> 00:10:49.585
Because when we put our shoe covers on, we wanna show them

242
00:10:49.655 --> 00:10:52.545
that we're actually standing on the mat and not on the dirt

243
00:10:52.605 --> 00:10:54.465
or the concrete or whatever, right?

244
00:10:55.175 --> 00:10:56.465
That mat that you got,

245
00:10:56.625 --> 00:10:58.105
I didn't even like 'em when you bought 'em,

246
00:10:58.105 --> 00:10:59.225
you spent the bundle on 'em.

247
00:10:59.225 --> 00:11:00.465
But I think it paid off in the long run

248
00:11:00.705 --> 00:11:04.285
'cause it got the guys to put the booties on.

249
00:11:04.465 --> 00:11:08.375
It was like a trigger for them. And it works really well.

250
00:11:08.675 --> 00:11:10.695
You, you didn't like the mat or you didn't like that?

251
00:11:10.695 --> 00:11:14.785
I spent money on it. They were expensive at the time

252
00:11:14.845 --> 00:11:15.945
and we were just started.

253
00:11:16.085 --> 00:11:19.025
And I was like, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

254
00:11:19.375 --> 00:11:21.545
Kids are hungry. They need some shoes.

255
00:11:22.685 --> 00:11:26.065
It was the thing do it was the right thing to forever.

256
00:11:26.305 --> 00:11:27.505
I mean, how long did they last?

257
00:11:27.785 --> 00:11:31.265
I mean, at least six years each. No more. More.

258
00:11:31.285 --> 00:11:35.205
We have paid one the whole time. Yeah. Uhhuh. Yep.

259
00:11:35.345 --> 00:11:38.845
So that was, that was that investment was well worth. Yeah.

260
00:11:40.035 --> 00:11:42.935
Uh, and then once I'm at the door

261
00:11:42.955 --> 00:11:44.095
and the, the person answers

262
00:11:44.275 --> 00:11:47.695
and I'm, you know, our team members looking in the eye,

263
00:11:47.695 --> 00:11:50.735
giving a a kind and, and excited, right?

264
00:11:50.735 --> 00:11:51.895
You wanna show some excitement

265
00:11:51.895 --> 00:11:53.485
that you're excited to serve them too.

266
00:11:54.305 --> 00:11:55.885
You know, don't have 'em. Oh yeah,

267
00:11:56.235 --> 00:11:57.845
Eric was Samara, good to see you.

268
00:11:57.845 --> 00:12:00.525
Right? We want, we want that to be a positive experience.

269
00:12:01.265 --> 00:12:04.045
And now comes the moment of truth, right?

270
00:12:04.185 --> 00:12:05.765
I'm gonna stand there. Neutral stance.

271
00:12:05.905 --> 00:12:08.085
I'm not gonna stand with my arms crossed looking

272
00:12:08.135 --> 00:12:09.285
aggressive or whatever.

273
00:12:09.345 --> 00:12:11.605
I'm gonna have, you know, hands down at the sides,

274
00:12:11.805 --> 00:12:13.325
I don't wanna scare the clients away.

275
00:12:13.785 --> 00:12:17.805
Do an introduction. And then for us, if it was a

276
00:12:18.635 --> 00:12:20.475
male technician

277
00:12:20.475 --> 00:12:23.755
and a male homeowner, our guy would stick his hand out

278
00:12:23.755 --> 00:12:25.075
to shake his hand to introduce.

279
00:12:25.545 --> 00:12:28.515
However, if it was a male technician

280
00:12:28.515 --> 00:12:32.075
with a female homeowner, our guys were instructed

281
00:12:32.095 --> 00:12:34.315
to do nothing unless the female homeowner

282
00:12:34.365 --> 00:12:35.435
stuck her hand out.

283
00:12:35.625 --> 00:12:36.915
Then they could shake it, right?

284
00:12:36.915 --> 00:12:40.195
Because a lot of times female clients didn't want

285
00:12:40.215 --> 00:12:42.515
to shake the hand of one of our technicians

286
00:12:42.535 --> 00:12:43.795
or touch it if there's a male.

287
00:12:43.895 --> 00:12:46.515
And we wanted to be respectful of that, right?

288
00:12:47.015 --> 00:12:51.275
So, you know, those first impression clues,

289
00:12:51.385 --> 00:12:53.515
it's like we want our guys to be calm.

290
00:12:53.815 --> 00:12:56.075
We want them to give direct eye contact.

291
00:12:56.335 --> 00:12:58.915
We want them to have a smile. We want them not to rush.

292
00:12:59.945 --> 00:13:02.615
Right? Get to know that person, right?

293
00:13:02.865 --> 00:13:04.855
First impressions are everything.

294
00:13:04.855 --> 00:13:07.375
Everything that they're gonna think about us from the, from,

295
00:13:07.395 --> 00:13:10.335
you know, the, that first couple seconds onward.

296
00:13:11.035 --> 00:13:12.815
You know, we have a chance to make a great

297
00:13:12.815 --> 00:13:14.055
impression at the front door.

298
00:13:14.635 --> 00:13:15.855
And anything below that,

299
00:13:15.855 --> 00:13:19.235
they're wondering if they made the right decision, right?

300
00:13:19.345 --> 00:13:21.595
What does that mean? Well, if they're wondering if they're,

301
00:13:21.665 --> 00:13:23.075
that means they're not gonna trust us

302
00:13:23.075 --> 00:13:24.235
while we're working in the house.

303
00:13:25.375 --> 00:13:28.945
They're definitely not gonna probably buy more services than

304
00:13:28.945 --> 00:13:30.065
they originally thought.

305
00:13:30.755 --> 00:13:33.025
We're probably not gonna get a five star review.

306
00:13:33.025 --> 00:13:34.945
They're probably not gonna refer their friends.

307
00:13:35.845 --> 00:13:39.065
The ripple effect of not wowing them prior

308
00:13:39.085 --> 00:13:41.975
to getting into the house is big.

309
00:13:43.055 --> 00:13:46.095
I I I think if you can win that first interaction,

310
00:13:46.275 --> 00:13:47.895
you probably can win the whole job.

311
00:13:48.475 --> 00:13:51.165
Do you agree with that, Larry? That and I agree.

312
00:13:51.265 --> 00:13:54.925
And when you explain it that way to the team

313
00:13:54.925 --> 00:13:58.285
that's going out to the house, to the individuals like, oh,

314
00:13:58.365 --> 00:14:00.165
I don't wanna deal with people and they're kind of negative

315
00:14:00.165 --> 00:14:01.925
and they're not into it, they'd rather just do the fix.

316
00:14:02.675 --> 00:14:05.485
Explain to them. If you make a connection with Mrs. Jones

317
00:14:05.545 --> 00:14:08.205
and she's happy, your job's gonna be easier.

318
00:14:08.375 --> 00:14:10.445
She's not gonna be standing over your shoulder,

319
00:14:10.895 --> 00:14:14.045
she's not going to asking you silly questions When you

320
00:14:14.045 --> 00:14:16.245
explain it, she's gonna trust your judgment

321
00:14:17.065 --> 00:14:18.325
and it's so much easier.

322
00:14:18.495 --> 00:14:22.565
We've all been there with, um, what was

323
00:14:22.565 --> 00:14:24.685
that guy's name in Claremont that you kept bumping into him?

324
00:14:25.045 --> 00:14:28.135
Otto, or what was his name with the wand?

325
00:14:28.135 --> 00:14:29.495
He kept bumping into him 'cause he was

326
00:14:29.615 --> 00:14:30.695
standing next to you, the whole job.

327
00:14:31.705 --> 00:14:36.425
Elroy like the jet Elroy. Yeah. Do, do do do do do do. Yeah.

328
00:14:36.685 --> 00:14:39.585
El perfect, perfect, perfect example, right?

329
00:14:39.585 --> 00:14:41.065
Thank you Larry. I forgot all about that.

330
00:14:41.525 --> 00:14:43.665
So when, when Larry and I were new

331
00:14:44.565 --> 00:14:47.425
and I wasn't super confident

332
00:14:47.895 --> 00:14:50.145
because we were new to carpet cleaning,

333
00:14:50.265 --> 00:14:53.845
I had been in home services a long time, but I went in

334
00:14:53.905 --> 00:14:57.635
and I didn't make a great first impression

335
00:14:57.635 --> 00:15:02.555
because I was green and the client didn't fully trust me.

336
00:15:03.095 --> 00:15:07.875
So he stood over my shoulder for every second

337
00:15:07.975 --> 00:15:09.395
of the three hours that I worked.

338
00:15:10.575 --> 00:15:14.445
Every said, in fact, as I pull the carpet wand back,

339
00:15:14.585 --> 00:15:17.485
my elbow would hit him in the chest almost every

340
00:15:17.485 --> 00:15:18.765
time he was.

341
00:15:18.765 --> 00:15:21.445
So, but you know, what I realized later on

342
00:15:21.545 --> 00:15:23.205
as I became more experienced was

343
00:15:24.125 --> 00:15:28.525
I hadn't instilled the confidence in that client to get them

344
00:15:28.525 --> 00:15:30.085
to say, I don't need to be here.

345
00:15:30.085 --> 00:15:32.125
This person knows what they're doing. Right?

346
00:15:32.465 --> 00:15:33.965
And I probably could have done that

347
00:15:33.965 --> 00:15:37.565
with a little bit more front door theater like we're talking

348
00:15:37.565 --> 00:15:39.285
about to instill some confidence.

349
00:15:39.705 --> 00:15:42.325
So the other part Larry, I wanna talk about is the visual

350
00:15:42.865 --> 00:15:44.045
aspect of this, right?

351
00:15:44.065 --> 00:15:46.045
We talked about the wrap truck, right?

352
00:15:46.045 --> 00:15:48.205
That's a positive moment of truth, right?

353
00:15:48.205 --> 00:15:52.005
Like, you know, if, if you, if you look out the window

354
00:15:52.625 --> 00:15:56.325
and you see the old broken down jalopy with like a magnet

355
00:15:56.745 --> 00:15:58.845
or, or no or nothing at all

356
00:15:59.065 --> 00:16:00.205
or whatever, you know,

357
00:16:00.205 --> 00:16:02.485
it looks like it looks very fly by night.

358
00:16:02.545 --> 00:16:04.645
So that's not gonna instill confidence.

359
00:16:05.105 --> 00:16:06.685
And then how our team looks,

360
00:16:07.075 --> 00:16:09.565
whether they're in a nice clean uniform

361
00:16:09.745 --> 00:16:12.805
and you know, their, their shoes are dusted off and, and,

362
00:16:12.805 --> 00:16:13.845
and look, we're at home service.

363
00:16:13.905 --> 00:16:16.765
It doesn't need to be perfect at every step of the way.

364
00:16:16.865 --> 00:16:21.335
But look, most good companies, and you

365
00:16:21.335 --> 00:16:22.775
and I deal with a lot of good companies,

366
00:16:23.305 --> 00:16:24.575
their people look good.

367
00:16:25.425 --> 00:16:28.335
Their people looking at a notch above everybody else, right?

368
00:16:28.355 --> 00:16:30.575
So part of the visual theater is making sure

369
00:16:30.575 --> 00:16:32.255
that our team looks the part

370
00:16:33.235 --> 00:16:35.335
and you know, I think also,

371
00:16:35.805 --> 00:16:39.095
like I know this from us when we got really good uniforms

372
00:16:39.925 --> 00:16:43.065
and we consistently talked about why looking good mattered.

373
00:16:43.705 --> 00:16:45.905
I remember I used to get calls from team members,

374
00:16:45.925 --> 00:16:48.425
they'd be at the gas station to see our competitors

375
00:16:48.925 --> 00:16:51.345
and they'd call me up and be like, boss, I'm at the,

376
00:16:51.405 --> 00:16:54.785
you know, mobile station and you ought to see this guy

377
00:16:54.805 --> 00:16:56.865
and you ought to see with their uniforms.

378
00:16:56.925 --> 00:16:59.745
Or they don't even have uniforms. What did, what did we do?

379
00:17:00.365 --> 00:17:03.745
We got them to be proud of working for us, right?

380
00:17:03.845 --> 00:17:06.305
And that, that's half the battle, right?

381
00:17:06.305 --> 00:17:07.465
That means they wanna be there.

382
00:17:08.165 --> 00:17:11.225
So, you know, I think we have to make sure that as we,

383
00:17:11.325 --> 00:17:13.905
you know, with the shoe covers and the mats

384
00:17:14.565 --> 00:17:16.305
and you know, our look

385
00:17:16.565 --> 00:17:20.465
and our, our vehicles, all of those things add up

386
00:17:21.265 --> 00:17:24.385
to creating a great service experience for that client.

387
00:17:24.845 --> 00:17:26.025
And the last thing, Larry,

388
00:17:26.265 --> 00:17:27.545
'cause I know we, we, we try

389
00:17:27.545 --> 00:17:29.225
to keep these short on Tuesdays,

390
00:17:29.245 --> 00:17:33.425
but the last thing is I think it's a critical moment.

391
00:17:34.835 --> 00:17:36.055
And I learned this fast.

392
00:17:36.635 --> 00:17:39.215
So like a lot of times when you go introduce yourself

393
00:17:39.275 --> 00:17:41.095
and everything seems good, right?

394
00:17:41.555 --> 00:17:44.535
And then that homeowner just kind of turns around

395
00:17:44.535 --> 00:17:46.535
and starts walking to whatever they wanna

396
00:17:46.535 --> 00:17:47.575
show the technician.

397
00:17:48.725 --> 00:17:52.515
That's a great way to let the homeowner know

398
00:17:52.515 --> 00:17:55.275
that they're in complete control of their home, right?

399
00:17:55.335 --> 00:17:58.835
So that we would instruct everybody to say, oh, excuse me,

400
00:17:58.835 --> 00:18:01.035
Larry, is it okay if I enter the home?

401
00:18:01.685 --> 00:18:06.475
Right? Opposed to just going right, just that little action

402
00:18:07.255 --> 00:18:12.235
of asking if it's okay to enter, lets that person know that

403
00:18:12.955 --> 00:18:15.805
they're in charge, it's their house.

404
00:18:16.465 --> 00:18:19.325
And you, you recognize and appreciate that fact.

405
00:18:19.835 --> 00:18:24.005
Like I think that that little one thing,

406
00:18:24.235 --> 00:18:29.175
just asking permission to come in is huge.

407
00:18:30.605 --> 00:18:31.865
And not many people do it.

408
00:18:33.025 --> 00:18:35.885
It is, I used to tell our guys all the time, Larry,

409
00:18:35.885 --> 00:18:36.925
in meetings, you remember this.

410
00:18:37.025 --> 00:18:39.485
I'd be like, guys, look, this is their home,

411
00:18:39.745 --> 00:18:41.125
not our job site.

412
00:18:41.915 --> 00:18:45.775
We have made zero mortgage payments on this house, right?

413
00:18:45.845 --> 00:18:48.255
Like, don't forget whose place this is.

414
00:18:48.805 --> 00:18:50.455
Just because we're gonna be working here

415
00:18:50.475 --> 00:18:53.495
for a while doesn't mean that we're in complete control.

416
00:18:54.315 --> 00:18:57.295
And I, and I think if we can do those things,

417
00:18:58.525 --> 00:19:00.625
it shows the homeowner great respect

418
00:19:01.045 --> 00:19:03.905
and it shows how thoughtful we are.

419
00:19:03.905 --> 00:19:07.095
Because most homeowners

420
00:19:07.475 --> 00:19:09.815
or business owners when they come to us work,

421
00:19:09.815 --> 00:19:11.375
they don't really judge us on

422
00:19:11.395 --> 00:19:13.375
how well we do the actual trade

423
00:19:13.375 --> 00:19:16.495
because they don't have a gauge for that.

424
00:19:16.605 --> 00:19:18.415
Like they think every plumber can plum

425
00:19:18.415 --> 00:19:20.655
and every HVAC tech is equally good

426
00:19:20.655 --> 00:19:22.015
and every carpet cleaner's the same.

427
00:19:22.515 --> 00:19:23.575
We all know that's not true.

428
00:19:23.715 --> 00:19:25.655
But to them that's the perception.

429
00:19:26.675 --> 00:19:29.135
So what they do is they judge us on the things

430
00:19:29.135 --> 00:19:30.535
that they know and understand

431
00:19:31.795 --> 00:19:34.495
and how we talk to them, how we look at them,

432
00:19:34.595 --> 00:19:36.015
how we act in their home.

433
00:19:36.855 --> 00:19:37.885
Those are the things

434
00:19:38.155 --> 00:19:41.125
that separate the great companies from everybody else.

435
00:19:42.285 --> 00:19:45.785
So, and that's what all these companies that are, it's

436
00:19:45.785 --> 00:19:47.785
what these companies that are super successful,

437
00:19:48.095 --> 00:19:50.065
they have the phone ringing on a regular basis.

438
00:19:50.135 --> 00:19:53.585
They get a lot of repeats and referrals and the reviews.

439
00:19:54.135 --> 00:19:56.905
They're training these skills. Yeah.

440
00:19:57.005 --> 00:20:00.625
And this is what we have found helps the most.

441
00:20:01.705 --> 00:20:05.875
I mean we have a client that all he did was focus on this

442
00:20:06.295 --> 00:20:09.035
for the whole year and he's near Christina

443
00:20:09.035 --> 00:20:11.715
and Rod, she's uh, he's in Colorado in Greeley.

444
00:20:12.575 --> 00:20:13.915
All he did was focus on this.

445
00:20:13.995 --> 00:20:17.915
A hundred percent was his service and the theater business

446
00:20:17.975 --> 00:20:20.795
and he doubled his business, maybe not doubled 80%.

447
00:20:22.305 --> 00:20:24.325
He did amazing. And it's something

448
00:20:24.325 --> 00:20:25.925
that can change your business

449
00:20:26.465 --> 00:20:28.125
by focusing on training these things.

450
00:20:29.865 --> 00:20:32.035
Yeah. And we gotta keep the lights on here

451
00:20:32.035 --> 00:20:33.115
at Super Tech University.

452
00:20:33.135 --> 00:20:36.195
So a short plug, super Tech University trains these skills.

453
00:20:37.255 --> 00:20:39.535
I mean you could focus on your team every single day

454
00:20:39.535 --> 00:20:41.775
and give them a lesson like Eric does

455
00:20:41.775 --> 00:20:45.705
with Super Tech University on how to do these things, how

456
00:20:45.705 --> 00:20:48.125
to do the theater business, having the confidence to do it,

457
00:20:48.345 --> 00:20:51.085
having the procedures policies

458
00:20:51.085 --> 00:20:53.645
and how to make it happen, how to have a system.

459
00:20:54.025 --> 00:20:56.775
You could do that like Eric did years ago

460
00:20:56.795 --> 00:20:57.815
and like we do right now.

461
00:20:58.555 --> 00:21:01.375
But you might as well just get a membership at Super Tech

462
00:21:01.375 --> 00:21:02.815
University, get your team up to speed.

463
00:21:03.515 --> 00:21:06.195
And there's my plug for Super Tech

464
00:21:06.335 --> 00:21:10.115
and it's wonderful to see everybody as yourself, Eric.

465
00:21:10.615 --> 00:21:13.675
And uh, it's nice to see everybody that came in today.

466
00:21:14.085 --> 00:21:17.155
Thank you for listening to the Blue Nation podcast.

467
00:21:17.935 --> 00:21:20.315
For more information about Eric and Larry

468
00:21:20.415 --> 00:21:21.875
and Super University,

469
00:21:22.295 --> 00:21:25.715
please visit us at super tech u com.

470
00:21:25.985 --> 00:21:29.995
That is Super Tech u the letter u com.