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Why You Need Systems Even More During the Slow Times

By Al Levi
July 26, 2009
Systems can make any company run better and be more profitable.

It’s true that systems can make any company run better and be more profitable in the good times. It also makes it possible to run your company successfully without you having to ride to the rescue and save the day, or having to depend on great staff to overcome a lack of known and practiced policies and procedures.

The real beauty of known and practiced systems is they help even more during slow times!

That’s true because now you can’t afford to blow the precious opportunities you get from your marketing. You can’t afford to squander the incoming calls with customer service reps (CSRs) who aren’t terrific. And you can’t afford to waste the sales opportunities of the service calls your people go on.

Each misstep compounds the next.

It’s also true that every right step builds on the next. That’s why this is the time to instill the discipline of proven systems that make sure you’re marketing in a way that obeys the systematic approach to marketing:
    1. A marketing budget that’s aggressive enough based on a percentage of sales to keep the phone ringing.

    2. A marketing allocation that is better weighted to what will cause potential customers to pick up the phone now and call you.

    3. A marketing calendar that has marketing reach all throughout the year, but especially in the known slow times, so you can turn a severe dip into a trough you can negotiate.
You need to have CSRs who can both handle the incoming call in a way that makes the caller feel confident they made the right choice and who can also switch to an Outbound CSR who actively calls out to create work. This takes scripts that are known and it takes a load of phone role-playing.

Finally, you need sales people and techs who are disciplined at how to ask good questions, take a look around without wearing blinders so they can make appropriate suggestions, and sales skills from a sales system to make them maximize every opportunity.

Put the systems in place now if you hope to weather this economic storm.

Give Me 60 Minutes And I'll Show You The Secrets To Running A Profitable Service Business ... Even During A Recession!

Al Levi is a consultant and a contributing editor to PM magazine and blogs for many other BNP trade magazines. He is presenting a free online video opportunity called the “60 Minute Recession Solution” Online Video Seminar.

For the first time ever, you’ll hear from him and just a few of the many contractors who have engaged the power of the Power! Programs. They’re happy to share how this dynamic program worked for them and how it is still working for them, especially in these tough economic times.

“This program has helped dozens of business owners I’ve worked with one-to-one,” Levi says. “The Power! Plans have also helped. But now thanks to new technology, I’ll be able to help many more contractors with my 12-month Power! Plan Coaching Program.” This program will include the building of your own customizable Operating Power! manual.

Tese programs have been working for him in his family business for years and in his clients’ businesses where they are now reaping the results. Click on the following link so you can see and hear for yourself: www.60MinuteRecessionSolution.com.

Share This Story

Al Levi has been helping plumbing, HVAC, roofing, remodeling, electrical and carpentry businesses solve problems, turn greater profits, and help owners get their lives and free time back for over 7 years. This is all based on his 25-year career at his family-owned and operated contracting business. For more information, visit www.60minuterecessionsolution.com.
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