1. Eat plenty of hot dogs.
2. Work only in the spring, summer, and hopefully the fall.
3. Since you only have a limited number of players, it is better to have players that can pinch hit, play an extra position and teach the younger players coming in from the minors.
Sure, it's a cheap shot at a headline, but since glass and baseball (or is it baseball and glass) are the important parts of my life, this makes a great intro to a column on the value of having your employees and co-workers cross-trained in many areas.
Don't put this off another day. If you are a two-man shop or have twenty glaziers. Give your metal workers enough background so they can pitch-in when an extra hand is needed on a large glass installation. Teach your shop people how to write up a sale at the counter, how to use your computer system to see quotes and how to answer the phone, getting enough information so you can call back with answers to the customers' questions.
The average worker is off-work 20-30 days per year, between vacations, sick days and events like jury duty or funerals. You cannot afford to be caught short. As your employees get better, and gain more seniority, they probably earn more vacation time--so your best people get more time off than your rookies. These gaps can be easily filled with planned cross training.
Don't wait until three days before Mollie is on vacation in the office, or Fred is away from the screen table. You cannot afford to tell customers that Fred is on vacation and you will get to their work in three weeks. Believe me, they will find another source.
Establish a cross training program that gives each employee at least two weeks of training in another position each year. Yes, it does cost money to do this. Yes, you can't see the return on this money that week or month. But when you need it, and you never know when, it becomes the most valuable investment you have ever made.
Make it part of the job responsibility of your senior people to become trainers. When you do your employee reviews, rate each person on his or her success as a trainer, and make their success in this area as a key indicator for raises given. Tell rookies that his or her growth depends on how much they learn, and this will impact how much they earn. After all, a shop or office person who does two jobs is more valuable than one who can only do one.
It starts with management. Trust your people that they can learn. Instill in all of your folks that learning is important to you, to the company, and to their own performance. You need to know a little bit about every job in the place. Spend a day once a quarter shadowing one of your workers. You will be amazed at how things have changed since you did the same job many years ago.
I have never seen a successful company that didn't have an established cross training program. You will never win the World Series unless your full team can work together and step up to the plate when necessary.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Saturday, April 17, 2010
The Single Best Word in Advertising
Free installation on this window. Buy one get one free. Free energy audit. You are going to get you some free advice.
You guessed it. In studies of advertising, the word 'FREE' draws more recognition than any other word. Free in a headline means the ad will be scanned by the reader. Free in a lead off sentence means the next sentence will be read. Free in a radio spot draws more listening recognition than any other word.
Sure, you pride yourself on great customer service and technical expertise. But if no one knows about your strengths, do they exist? The purpose of advertising is to get people to come through your door or call you for more details. That is when you point out the other important aspects of your business.
A sign in your window that says 'come in for a free, no-purchase- required drawing' will draw people in. Give away a 19" flat screen TV, which costs under $200, and you develop foot traffic and a mailing list. When customers fill out their name, address, phone, and email address, also ask them what they anticipate as their next glass purchase. Also ask "Do you have any broken windows?" or, "Do your windows leak cold air?". Near the box where they leave their entries, have signs reminding people of the energy tax credit, or that low-e saves lots of money.
What can you give away for free? Well, a small picture frame with every purchase of $100 or more...a pocket mirror with every windshield replaced...a screen repaired with every energy-savings window replaced. One rule of thumb says that you should be able to give away two to three percent of a sale on promotional costs. You can also give services...you don't do estimates, you do free estimates...every windshield replaced or repaired earns a free car wash the week after the windshield work is done...every commercial door that is replaced gets a free can of professional grade glass cleaner.
Give a free calculator with every estimate showing how much you can save with low e glass. Give a free thermometer with every new energy savings window installation. Give a free pair of earmuffs for buildings that upgrade windows with noise reducing laminated glass. Give tickets to a a local minor league ball team with every quote. All of these free things should go in your advertising, or get promoted in mailing list or email blast; they will get people to read what you send, and they will get people to come to your shop.
Look up 'advertising specialties' in the yellow pages or on-line to find companies that will help you with imprinted items for your giveaways. Have a rainbow week--everyone wearing a certain color gets a free discount on a specific item---Monday is red, Tuesday is orange, Wednesday is yellow, an so forth.
It doesn't do any good to give something away for free after you already have a sale confirmed. You want the free item to draw people to you when they are shopping during the quote phase of the purchase. During a hot summer, advertise giving away free ice cream sandwiches to customers, or free hot chocolate during the winter.
The price point of the free item is not significant. Giving away a $1 calendar is better than selling a $20 shirt for $5. The key is to highlight the word free in your advertising and promotion.
If you give away a gift certificate to a local fast food place, you can advertise 'there is such a thing as a free lunch.'
And as promised above, this is FREE advice.
You guessed it. In studies of advertising, the word 'FREE' draws more recognition than any other word. Free in a headline means the ad will be scanned by the reader. Free in a lead off sentence means the next sentence will be read. Free in a radio spot draws more listening recognition than any other word.
Sure, you pride yourself on great customer service and technical expertise. But if no one knows about your strengths, do they exist? The purpose of advertising is to get people to come through your door or call you for more details. That is when you point out the other important aspects of your business.
A sign in your window that says 'come in for a free, no-purchase- required drawing' will draw people in. Give away a 19" flat screen TV, which costs under $200, and you develop foot traffic and a mailing list. When customers fill out their name, address, phone, and email address, also ask them what they anticipate as their next glass purchase. Also ask "Do you have any broken windows?" or, "Do your windows leak cold air?". Near the box where they leave their entries, have signs reminding people of the energy tax credit, or that low-e saves lots of money.
What can you give away for free? Well, a small picture frame with every purchase of $100 or more...a pocket mirror with every windshield replaced...a screen repaired with every energy-savings window replaced. One rule of thumb says that you should be able to give away two to three percent of a sale on promotional costs. You can also give services...you don't do estimates, you do free estimates...every windshield replaced or repaired earns a free car wash the week after the windshield work is done...every commercial door that is replaced gets a free can of professional grade glass cleaner.
Give a free calculator with every estimate showing how much you can save with low e glass. Give a free thermometer with every new energy savings window installation. Give a free pair of earmuffs for buildings that upgrade windows with noise reducing laminated glass. Give tickets to a a local minor league ball team with every quote. All of these free things should go in your advertising, or get promoted in mailing list or email blast; they will get people to read what you send, and they will get people to come to your shop.
Look up 'advertising specialties' in the yellow pages or on-line to find companies that will help you with imprinted items for your giveaways. Have a rainbow week--everyone wearing a certain color gets a free discount on a specific item---Monday is red, Tuesday is orange, Wednesday is yellow, an so forth.
It doesn't do any good to give something away for free after you already have a sale confirmed. You want the free item to draw people to you when they are shopping during the quote phase of the purchase. During a hot summer, advertise giving away free ice cream sandwiches to customers, or free hot chocolate during the winter.
The price point of the free item is not significant. Giving away a $1 calendar is better than selling a $20 shirt for $5. The key is to highlight the word free in your advertising and promotion.
If you give away a gift certificate to a local fast food place, you can advertise 'there is such a thing as a free lunch.'
And as promised above, this is FREE advice.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Justin Bieber Doesn't Live Here
Who?
Justin Bieber.
Who?
If you have a teenage girl in your family you know who. Saturday night he was the musical guest on Saturday Night Live. He was the cover boy of US Magazine. He has performed on American Idol. Justin is the hottest new talent in music for the last couple of months. Gershwin has lasted seventy years, Beethoven over 250 years. A couple of months, though, is a lot better than I could do. But, alas, all of the talent in the Bieber clan went to Justin.
I learned about Justin a couple of months ago when our daughter, Jessica Bieber, told us about hundreds of emails she had received, addressed to JBieber. None were obscene, but all were syrupy and cute. They loved Justin and would do anything to get an email back. Jessica answered each one, telling the young girl, (there were no boys), that she was not that JBieber. She still gets a dozen a day.
Last week our phone started ringing off the hook. There were little voices asking to speak to Justin, asking if Justin lived here, asking for a photograph. My wife and I answered each call by saying Justin didn't live here...the aggressive girls asked where did he live now? I kept those names and numbers if I ever open a call center.
Justin is sixteen years old, making a fortune, having young girls hang off his every word, and I am helping a client start up a lami business. Now, I love the glass industry. But I sure do regret passing on the music lessons my folks offered me when I was a kid. I opted to play little league instead.
I watched Saturday Night Live last night, and the most interesting point was that our pooch Mollie, barked at the screen when Justin came on. Maybe he is is a long lost relative. So, if you do have Justin's number, tell him that Uncle Paul wants to say hello.
There is one good thing. All of my life, most people have pronounced my last name wrong. Most people say 'BYEBER' or 'BEAVER'. In the last couple of months, when I meet someone new, they have no trouble with the name. Thanks for getting us some name recognition, Justin.
Justin Bieber.
Who?
If you have a teenage girl in your family you know who. Saturday night he was the musical guest on Saturday Night Live. He was the cover boy of US Magazine. He has performed on American Idol. Justin is the hottest new talent in music for the last couple of months. Gershwin has lasted seventy years, Beethoven over 250 years. A couple of months, though, is a lot better than I could do. But, alas, all of the talent in the Bieber clan went to Justin.
I learned about Justin a couple of months ago when our daughter, Jessica Bieber, told us about hundreds of emails she had received, addressed to JBieber. None were obscene, but all were syrupy and cute. They loved Justin and would do anything to get an email back. Jessica answered each one, telling the young girl, (there were no boys), that she was not that JBieber. She still gets a dozen a day.
Last week our phone started ringing off the hook. There were little voices asking to speak to Justin, asking if Justin lived here, asking for a photograph. My wife and I answered each call by saying Justin didn't live here...the aggressive girls asked where did he live now? I kept those names and numbers if I ever open a call center.
Justin is sixteen years old, making a fortune, having young girls hang off his every word, and I am helping a client start up a lami business. Now, I love the glass industry. But I sure do regret passing on the music lessons my folks offered me when I was a kid. I opted to play little league instead.
I watched Saturday Night Live last night, and the most interesting point was that our pooch Mollie, barked at the screen when Justin came on. Maybe he is is a long lost relative. So, if you do have Justin's number, tell him that Uncle Paul wants to say hello.
There is one good thing. All of my life, most people have pronounced my last name wrong. Most people say 'BYEBER' or 'BEAVER'. In the last couple of months, when I meet someone new, they have no trouble with the name. Thanks for getting us some name recognition, Justin.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Hip Hip Hooray! It's Opening Day
You knew it. Today's blog just had to be about baseball. No best practices, no tips to improve things in the glass business. Just the celebration of the first pitch. Spring is here. Summer is knocking on the door. But, wait, this still has to tie into US Glass somehow. Let's try a few things.
Let's write a petition to Deb Levy (The Publisher of US Glass Magazine) asking her to change the magazine's format to covering baseball instead of glass. You're right...no chance.
Let's have the NGA buy the Washington Nationals.
We can ask DuPont to make sentry glass into a baseball bat shape, and we'll have no more broken bats.
Glass Week should be changed from Las Vegas to Arizona so that attendees can go to spring training games instead of hitting the blackjack tables.
How about if every glass shop in America sponsored a Little League team, and sent employees to every game to cheer for their kids!
On opening day, every team is in first place. Do the same thing for your employees. Give everyone a fresh start and maybe the guy on the screen table will start showing up on time.
If you live in New York, Baltimore/Washington, Chicago, Los Angeles, or San Francisco you have two teams in your town. Have all customers who come into your shop vote for their favorite team. Call a local radio station and tell them about your vote and maybe one of them will put you on a sports talk show with periodic updates of the vote. Go for it.
Start advertising that all walk-in business gets a 5% discount the day after the home team wins a game.
Give your employees a team hat on opening day. Let them wear them for the season. It will build morale.
Take a good customer to a ball game. You have fun at the game, and spend a couple of hours with a customer.
Place the local radio station that carries your team on your music on hold. People will be glad to be on hold if they can listen to the game.
And let's all together sing: (to the tune of "Take Me Out To The Ballgame")
Take me out to a glass shop
A new shower door awaits me
Tempered or beveled it will be great
Just don't let it be broken or late.
It's quote, quote, quote for the best price
Service has got to count
For it's glass, hinge, shape and more
At the old glass shop.
Let's write a petition to Deb Levy (The Publisher of US Glass Magazine) asking her to change the magazine's format to covering baseball instead of glass. You're right...no chance.
Let's have the NGA buy the Washington Nationals.
We can ask DuPont to make sentry glass into a baseball bat shape, and we'll have no more broken bats.
Glass Week should be changed from Las Vegas to Arizona so that attendees can go to spring training games instead of hitting the blackjack tables.
How about if every glass shop in America sponsored a Little League team, and sent employees to every game to cheer for their kids!
On opening day, every team is in first place. Do the same thing for your employees. Give everyone a fresh start and maybe the guy on the screen table will start showing up on time.
If you live in New York, Baltimore/Washington, Chicago, Los Angeles, or San Francisco you have two teams in your town. Have all customers who come into your shop vote for their favorite team. Call a local radio station and tell them about your vote and maybe one of them will put you on a sports talk show with periodic updates of the vote. Go for it.
Start advertising that all walk-in business gets a 5% discount the day after the home team wins a game.
Give your employees a team hat on opening day. Let them wear them for the season. It will build morale.
Take a good customer to a ball game. You have fun at the game, and spend a couple of hours with a customer.
Place the local radio station that carries your team on your music on hold. People will be glad to be on hold if they can listen to the game.
And let's all together sing: (to the tune of "Take Me Out To The Ballgame")
Take me out to a glass shop
A new shower door awaits me
Tempered or beveled it will be great
Just don't let it be broken or late.
It's quote, quote, quote for the best price
Service has got to count
For it's glass, hinge, shape and more
At the old glass shop.
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