Dealing With a Customer Who Doesn’t Want to Hear No
Sometimes clients make requests that aren’t practical, affordable or even physically feasible. In such cases, diplomacy is necessary to turn down the request without losing the client. Fortunately,...
View ArticleAlternative Fuel Vehicles: Pros and Cons
Hybrid, all-electric, or other alternative fuel vehicles can help your company save on fuel costs. Depending on the types and numbers of vehicles your company operates, financial incentives, including...
View ArticleFixing a Botched Job
If you’ve ever seen the TV show “Holmes on Homes,” featuring Canadian contractor Mike Holmes, you know that there is a lot of shoddy construction and contracting work out there. If you’re called in to...
View ArticleDealing with Unjust Claims
A client has taken or is threatening to take adverse action against you — but you (or your workers) haven’t done anything wrong. How do you protect your company against unjust claims? And what can you...
View ArticleRaising Your Prices (and Keeping Your Clients)
Your costs have gone up, but your quotes don’t reflect your added expenses. You need to raise your rates to be able to say in business, but you’re worried that you’ll alienate your clients or...
View ArticleKeeping the Books: What’s the Best Approach?
Many companies have dedicated accounting departments, but yours isn’t one of them. But you need to maintain accurate financial records all the same. There are several strategies for keeping the books:...
View ArticleWhen Customers Don’t Pay
You’ve started (or finished) a job but the customer or client refuses (or is unable) to pay. What recourse do you have, besides stopping work or refusing to work with the client again? The terms of...
View ArticleBest Apps for Vehicle Operation and Maintenance
For your company, vehicle and driving expenses are standard operating procedure. Fortunately, the power of mobile technology can keep you and your workers on the road. The 16 apps listed below...
View ArticleTiny Home Challenges
So-called tiny homes are one of the hottest trends in home buying, especially among younger consumers and empty nesters. However the design and construction of tiny homes, present special challenges....
View ArticleIt’s Always a Good TIme for Tax Saving Strategies
Tax season may be in the rear view mirror for now but next year’s tax season will be in full swing before you know it. As an entrepreneur or small business owner, you owe it to yourself and your...
View ArticleTen Perks that Attract the Best Talent
As of July 2016 the unemployment rate is at the rock-bottom figure of 4.9 percent, according to figures released by the U.S. Department of Labor. Unlike the height of the recession, when there were six...
View ArticleHorseplay or Bullying? Where to Draw the Line
Many people spend more time on the job than anywhere else – even more than with their families. As a result it makes sense that bonds of camaraderie and friendships would develop among groups of...
View ArticleGet Control of the Building
Commercial building controls can play a pivotal role in maximizing the efficiency of HVAC systems. Nonetheless, commercial building controls are often viewed as cost prohibitive for buildings smaller...
View ArticleDedicated App or Mobile Optimized Website?
Back in the day, simply having a company website was sufficient. This is no longer the case. More and more, if your company’s website is not easily used on a mobile device, you risk losing business....
View ArticleProtect Your Company’s Data against Ransomware
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you have probably heard or read about ransomware, but you may not know exactly what it is. If you aren’t familiar with the term, consider yourself fortunate,...
View ArticleHiring Our Heroes
Many returning veterans have difficulties finding work after returning from being deployed. According to figures released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in March 2016, total unemployment among...
View ArticleThe Pitfalls of Customer Provided Equipment
Many DIY’ers go to big box stores and purchase equipment and parts — then realize that they’re in over their heads and call in the pros. Before you agree to install customer-provided equipment, educate...
View ArticleA Bank or A Credit Union?
As a small business owner, you are probably well aware that the relationship with your company’s financial institution can have a major impact on your company’s success or failure. Therefore, selecting...
View ArticleMaximizing Customer Comfort on a Budget
You’ve probably encountered at least one customer who wanted (or needed) your services, but simply could not afford to pay for the entire proposed scope of work. While you naturally don’t want to cut...
View ArticleWhen the Right Person Isn’t Available
It’s a situation many contractors dread: arriving at a customer’s home for a scheduled job to find that the customer is nowhere to be found. The house is not empty; the family’s teenage son or daughter...
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