A great song, but an even better lesson for glass shops! If the singer couldn't see in the window, he doesn't ask how much is the puppy, and the dog store doesn't make the sale. As you travel in your service area, take a look at retail stores--can you easily see in their windows? If customers can't see in, no sale! Stop, look and think how you could improve the look of their storefront.
If they have a fogged unit, jump in there and show what you can do. If their glass is scratched, it is an opportunity for you. If there is condensation around the window, with finger paintings on the glass, explain that IG will reduce the moisture, and more customers will be able to look in their windows. When you see a sun screen pulled down to prevent glare in the shop, point out how a blue, green or bronze glass would reduce glare without the reflective look, letting more customers see in.
If you see clothes or furniture in the window, they should be using lami because of it's great level of reducing ultra-violet rays. If you see a faded red chair that has to be sold at reduced prices, lami could pay for itself real quick.
You have seen many storefronts with no merchandise in them--the shop owner is afraid of the smash and grab--he is also not drawing in customers. Suggest Laminated glass to prevent a break through; you'll sell lami, and the shop owner will sell more of their product.
Starphire, by PPG, looks great in storefronts of jewelry stores and clothing stores. You can get laminated, tempered, insulated, or low-e Starphire that will improve the look of every retail shop.
On the other hand, if you see a sleek new store, glazed with a reflective glass, it may look great architecturally, but reflective glass scares away customers. People don't like to walk into stores where they can's see in. If there is a reflective glass in the door, there will be no traffic coming in.
So what is a glass guy going to do? Stop in at any store that is a candidate for a glass overhaul. Carry a brag book with you showing various store fronts that you have worked on, or and any good looking front in your town. Explain to these shop holders that you can give them a store front like this, a front that will be inviting to their customers to come in and shop.
If you are walking through a mall, stop in at the mall office and ask what the mall's rules are for replacing fronts. Can each store do what they want, or is there a policy of a certain look? Where creativity is allowed, go for it...this is an invitation for you to help these shops, and help your own business.
By the way--look at your own front...start at home and give yourself a makeover...someone coming in for a picture frame repair or a windshield may be a shop owner...let your own front be your display sample. Put a sign by the front, showing before and after pictures, and describing how a front can be put in with little inconvenience. Contact your main glass supplier and your main aluminum supplier to set you up with a special front in your store. It is the best advertising you can do!
Monday, March 31, 2008
Monday, March 24, 2008
How the Glass Business is Like The Start of the Baseball Season
Thirty teams start playing ball about now. It is the start of the season, last year is forgotten (unless you are a Mets fan), and everyone's batting average is the same. There are fresh faces to learn and seasoned pros handing down the secrets of their success. Everyone cheers on opening day, every team has a chance at the World Series (this year it will be Red Sox and Mets--trust me) and players and teams have a clean slate.
Can you start your glass business over, wiping the slate clean? Yes.
You can build a new enthusiasm with your employees and your customers which will translate to a higher level of success...here's how!
There will be some small amount of pain here, just like working out after a winter of hangin' around. Look at your customer list and change the terms on customers that pay later than 90 days. Change them to 1/3 with the order, 1/3 as you begin the job, and 1/3 at completion. Look at your small dollar and high maintenance accounts. Let's pick $200 as a cutoff, and all orders less than your cutoff point must be COD. You don't have the time to create an invoice, make three phone calls to check on payment, and be happy when the customer pays at 75 days, and takes a discount.
If you don't take credit cards, now is the time to start. Tell your customers that they can put their deposit on a card, and you will bill the final amount after the service is performed.
Also look at your small accounts to see, even if they pay promptly, if you are losing money. No matter how you slice it, sending a man and a truck to someone's home to repair a garage door window costs more than you are billing! Look at your minimum service charge...is it at least $75 in the center of the country, and at least $95 on either coast?
Now is the time to steer your company towards a niche. What do you enjoy doing, and can make a profit on? Shift your advertising towards this area of the business.
Look at your vendor lists. Every business in America has too many vendors. Begin to wean yourself off of most of the small vendors, even if you pay 5% more on your small purchases, you'll save in bookkeeping and transactional costs.
Go to your problem child employee. Sit down and explain that this is the start of baseball season, and last year is history. Give them a clean slate to start, whether on attendance or anything else. Give them a pep talk, that you want them to keep playing on your team, but now they have to step up to the plate and perform. You can't lose. If they perform you have a good employee. If they don't, send them to the minor leagues, away from your business, and go out and hire a free agent that wants to be on your team!
The single most important thing in your business, just like baseball, is attitude. Make yours happy and proud to be in the glass business. Your employees will mirror this and you and them will become better for it.
Can you start your glass business over, wiping the slate clean? Yes.
You can build a new enthusiasm with your employees and your customers which will translate to a higher level of success...here's how!
There will be some small amount of pain here, just like working out after a winter of hangin' around. Look at your customer list and change the terms on customers that pay later than 90 days. Change them to 1/3 with the order, 1/3 as you begin the job, and 1/3 at completion. Look at your small dollar and high maintenance accounts. Let's pick $200 as a cutoff, and all orders less than your cutoff point must be COD. You don't have the time to create an invoice, make three phone calls to check on payment, and be happy when the customer pays at 75 days, and takes a discount.
If you don't take credit cards, now is the time to start. Tell your customers that they can put their deposit on a card, and you will bill the final amount after the service is performed.
Also look at your small accounts to see, even if they pay promptly, if you are losing money. No matter how you slice it, sending a man and a truck to someone's home to repair a garage door window costs more than you are billing! Look at your minimum service charge...is it at least $75 in the center of the country, and at least $95 on either coast?
Now is the time to steer your company towards a niche. What do you enjoy doing, and can make a profit on? Shift your advertising towards this area of the business.
Look at your vendor lists. Every business in America has too many vendors. Begin to wean yourself off of most of the small vendors, even if you pay 5% more on your small purchases, you'll save in bookkeeping and transactional costs.
Go to your problem child employee. Sit down and explain that this is the start of baseball season, and last year is history. Give them a clean slate to start, whether on attendance or anything else. Give them a pep talk, that you want them to keep playing on your team, but now they have to step up to the plate and perform. You can't lose. If they perform you have a good employee. If they don't, send them to the minor leagues, away from your business, and go out and hire a free agent that wants to be on your team!
The single most important thing in your business, just like baseball, is attitude. Make yours happy and proud to be in the glass business. Your employees will mirror this and you and them will become better for it.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
The First Most Important Day in Your New Employee's Career
DUH! Of course the first day of work is the first most important day; the next most important day probably won't come for three months. A good manager will know after the first day if this new employee has potential, or will never make it. It's at that point that you already begin to lick your wounds and plan to start over.
Good interviewing techniques, reference checking and gut feel really do matter. Why then do some employees not succeed, if you've done a first-rate interviewing and hiring procedure. More importantly, what you and your company do on the first day of employment can help a newcomer to prosper and grow within your company.
The first day of work for anyone is filled with fear (Did I do the right thing leaving the other job?) (Will they take me back?), and filled with hope, (Wow, I am so proud the be in this new company!) (I can really show them what I can do, and they will appreciate me--not like the bums at my last job!). It is your job to accentuate the positive (If you know this song, like me, we are way too old!).
Be ready for a new employee on their start date. Don't keep them waiting for an hour while you take care of your morning chores. Greet them at the scheduled start of their shift. Don't introduce them to everyone that walks by...they will never remember and this will produce awkward situations...but focus on their immediate co-workers. An average person cannot remember more than 8-10 new names in morning or afternoon. Keep to this rule. Have an agenda for them...who they are going to meet and what their relationship will be. Have their immediate supervisor take over from you to show them around. If a person is going to be in the office, take a short period to show them the back, and vice-versa with a hands-on glass person. Don't let it start out being 'us' and 'them' from the first day. Spend time going over the legal niceties of the job..handing out the employee manual, and going over it; filling out paperwork for government needs, taxes and immigration control; and filling out your paperwork such as receipts for equipment given, safety programs and standards, and emergency contact info.
The next step is for the supervisor to take them on an in-depth tour of their working area, going over responsibilities and duties. Even with the hire of an experienced person, your flow of paperwork will need teaching.
Before a new person starts, select a current employee to act as their 'buddy' for the first couple of days. This buddy should be someone who will work in the same general area, and have the same background. The buddy should explain the unofficial rules---when and where the coffee truck comes, where the bathrooms are, the pay phone and the little ins-and-outs of the day to day job. The buddy should invite John Newcomer to lunch with him, where Newcomer can meet the others in the work group. A sure predictor of failure is to see a new person, sitting by themselves eating a sandwich. Mr. Newcomer will be thinking about how he can go back to his old job if he is sitting there alone. The buddy should be available for questions on how checks are given out, the rules for getting O/T, and the little quirks that every company has. Pick the buddy carefully. Pick someone who believes in the company and the role they play in it. If you pick the right person for this first day you will have a greater percentage of employees who survive the first week of employment.
Take time during the first couple of days to really explain the company history getting Mr. Newcomer to buy in to the company culture. Make him feel a part of the company from day one. Yes, you should still place John, like all new employees,on a standard new employee schedule...a period of probation along with short reviews, giving and asking for feedback.
When you go out to the plant confirm that Mr. Newcomer is completely following your safety program. This is a habit which has to be reinforced right away. Workers comp accidents occur more with new employees. Its obvious, but you can work to reduce this right from that first day. Ask Mr. Newcomer to come back to you at the end of their first working shift, seeing how the day went and answering questions.
Treat each employee like they are family from the first day...don't wait for a month to see if they will make it. Each new employee is a potential treasure for your company...treat them fairly from the very first day and both you and Mr. Newcomer will be happier.
Good interviewing techniques, reference checking and gut feel really do matter. Why then do some employees not succeed, if you've done a first-rate interviewing and hiring procedure. More importantly, what you and your company do on the first day of employment can help a newcomer to prosper and grow within your company.
The first day of work for anyone is filled with fear (Did I do the right thing leaving the other job?) (Will they take me back?), and filled with hope, (Wow, I am so proud the be in this new company!) (I can really show them what I can do, and they will appreciate me--not like the bums at my last job!). It is your job to accentuate the positive (If you know this song, like me, we are way too old!).
Be ready for a new employee on their start date. Don't keep them waiting for an hour while you take care of your morning chores. Greet them at the scheduled start of their shift. Don't introduce them to everyone that walks by...they will never remember and this will produce awkward situations...but focus on their immediate co-workers. An average person cannot remember more than 8-10 new names in morning or afternoon. Keep to this rule. Have an agenda for them...who they are going to meet and what their relationship will be. Have their immediate supervisor take over from you to show them around. If a person is going to be in the office, take a short period to show them the back, and vice-versa with a hands-on glass person. Don't let it start out being 'us' and 'them' from the first day. Spend time going over the legal niceties of the job..handing out the employee manual, and going over it; filling out paperwork for government needs, taxes and immigration control; and filling out your paperwork such as receipts for equipment given, safety programs and standards, and emergency contact info.
The next step is for the supervisor to take them on an in-depth tour of their working area, going over responsibilities and duties. Even with the hire of an experienced person, your flow of paperwork will need teaching.
Before a new person starts, select a current employee to act as their 'buddy' for the first couple of days. This buddy should be someone who will work in the same general area, and have the same background. The buddy should explain the unofficial rules---when and where the coffee truck comes, where the bathrooms are, the pay phone and the little ins-and-outs of the day to day job. The buddy should invite John Newcomer to lunch with him, where Newcomer can meet the others in the work group. A sure predictor of failure is to see a new person, sitting by themselves eating a sandwich. Mr. Newcomer will be thinking about how he can go back to his old job if he is sitting there alone. The buddy should be available for questions on how checks are given out, the rules for getting O/T, and the little quirks that every company has. Pick the buddy carefully. Pick someone who believes in the company and the role they play in it. If you pick the right person for this first day you will have a greater percentage of employees who survive the first week of employment.
Take time during the first couple of days to really explain the company history getting Mr. Newcomer to buy in to the company culture. Make him feel a part of the company from day one. Yes, you should still place John, like all new employees,on a standard new employee schedule...a period of probation along with short reviews, giving and asking for feedback.
When you go out to the plant confirm that Mr. Newcomer is completely following your safety program. This is a habit which has to be reinforced right away. Workers comp accidents occur more with new employees. Its obvious, but you can work to reduce this right from that first day. Ask Mr. Newcomer to come back to you at the end of their first working shift, seeing how the day went and answering questions.
Treat each employee like they are family from the first day...don't wait for a month to see if they will make it. Each new employee is a potential treasure for your company...treat them fairly from the very first day and both you and Mr. Newcomer will be happier.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
What is A Conditional Offer of Employment? And Why Should I Care About It?!
A Conditional Offer of Employment (COE) is one of the best tools a manager can use in hiring the best people. When you have decided an applicant is right for your company, you hire them. But wait, there are more things to find out, things you can discuss or investigate with an offer of employment. If you don't have a formal relationship with someone, you can't do a drug test, a driver's license or credit check.
What you should be doing is offering employment IF the applicant passes certain tests. If they do pass, they must be hired. If they don't pass, you won't hire them. Most states require a COE prior to a drug test or physical exam.
If you are saying you don't do a drug or alcohol test, please let me know who your competitors are that perform drug tests and I will see if I can invest in them; for sure I don't want to invest in your company. Drug testing will improve the overall success rate of your hiring, will improve your safety and reduce your insurance costs; give you less days missed by workers and overall will give your company a better attitude. We'll do some columns on drug testing in the future, until then, contact your local attorney and get started setting this up. After the initial set-up, a drug test will cost about $35-40 dollars for an employment pre-screen for 10 substances. If a person is positive for the substances, you don't want them.
Now you are saying, if someone does something on a Saturday night, in their own home, how does it affect my company on Monday morning. I can't answer that question, other than to tell you it does! Companies with drug testing are better in all of the things mentioned above.
That's the whole story on drug testing for pre-hiring testing. Testing on the job, whether random or post-accident, or by observed behavior is another story...and one that you should consider as well.
Back to the COE. Tell this to all applicants who come to you--that all employment offers are conditional--and tell them your conditions. Then, get started...if you haven't already, confirm their prior work history. Contact your insurance agent for the driver's license verification; if the job duties point to a credit history review, now is the time. Don't get screwed up by hiring a driver, and a week later your insurance agent says John Applicant can't drive your trucks. Now you've got to fire him, OK, that's easy, but you wasted time, money, and during that week, John Applicant was driving your truck!
Who should you run a credit check on? Any employee that has access to company funds, whether collecting a COD at a job site or someone who has access to your accounting or bank accounts. Someone with serious financial problems should raise a red flag. This doesn't mean absolutely no hire, but it does mean a conversation concerning their finances and making you comfortable there is a remedial plan in place. As long as you state, upfront, there will be a credit check, it is OK to do one, and to make this one of the conditions of employment.
Ditto the above on a criminal record. You are entitled to discuss all convictions on their record. If someone has 2 convictions for robbery, you don't want them going on residential installs alone.
Employment checking is easy and not expensive. Go to Google and type in "employment checking", you will get 50 companies to choose from. A good one will walk you through their procedures and provide you with the appropriate paperwork and releases for the applicant to sign.
COE, depending on what tests you do will extend the hiring cycle by a couple of days. No more hiring a guy at 3:30 today, and starting him at 7:00 tomorrow morning. Yes, you have hiried a lot of people, and you can usually spot the trouble makers. Wrong. That's why there are drug tests, and insurance reports. If your company does a physical exam, don't make light of it. Don't call the Doctor and say, "I really need this guy to work on my crew...make sure he passes." You are only hurting the long-term health of your firm.
What you should be doing is offering employment IF the applicant passes certain tests. If they do pass, they must be hired. If they don't pass, you won't hire them. Most states require a COE prior to a drug test or physical exam.
If you are saying you don't do a drug or alcohol test, please let me know who your competitors are that perform drug tests and I will see if I can invest in them; for sure I don't want to invest in your company. Drug testing will improve the overall success rate of your hiring, will improve your safety and reduce your insurance costs; give you less days missed by workers and overall will give your company a better attitude. We'll do some columns on drug testing in the future, until then, contact your local attorney and get started setting this up. After the initial set-up, a drug test will cost about $35-40 dollars for an employment pre-screen for 10 substances. If a person is positive for the substances, you don't want them.
Now you are saying, if someone does something on a Saturday night, in their own home, how does it affect my company on Monday morning. I can't answer that question, other than to tell you it does! Companies with drug testing are better in all of the things mentioned above.
That's the whole story on drug testing for pre-hiring testing. Testing on the job, whether random or post-accident, or by observed behavior is another story...and one that you should consider as well.
Back to the COE. Tell this to all applicants who come to you--that all employment offers are conditional--and tell them your conditions. Then, get started...if you haven't already, confirm their prior work history. Contact your insurance agent for the driver's license verification; if the job duties point to a credit history review, now is the time. Don't get screwed up by hiring a driver, and a week later your insurance agent says John Applicant can't drive your trucks. Now you've got to fire him, OK, that's easy, but you wasted time, money, and during that week, John Applicant was driving your truck!
Who should you run a credit check on? Any employee that has access to company funds, whether collecting a COD at a job site or someone who has access to your accounting or bank accounts. Someone with serious financial problems should raise a red flag. This doesn't mean absolutely no hire, but it does mean a conversation concerning their finances and making you comfortable there is a remedial plan in place. As long as you state, upfront, there will be a credit check, it is OK to do one, and to make this one of the conditions of employment.
Ditto the above on a criminal record. You are entitled to discuss all convictions on their record. If someone has 2 convictions for robbery, you don't want them going on residential installs alone.
Employment checking is easy and not expensive. Go to Google and type in "employment checking", you will get 50 companies to choose from. A good one will walk you through their procedures and provide you with the appropriate paperwork and releases for the applicant to sign.
COE, depending on what tests you do will extend the hiring cycle by a couple of days. No more hiring a guy at 3:30 today, and starting him at 7:00 tomorrow morning. Yes, you have hiried a lot of people, and you can usually spot the trouble makers. Wrong. That's why there are drug tests, and insurance reports. If your company does a physical exam, don't make light of it. Don't call the Doctor and say, "I really need this guy to work on my crew...make sure he passes." You are only hurting the long-term health of your firm.
To review, the most common conditions of employment are:
- Drug and Alcohol
- Driver's License
- Criminal Record
- Credit History
- Physical Exam
I promise you, unconditionally, that implementing Conditional Offers of Employment will improve your work force. Guaranteed.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Stop Playing Solitaire!
Yea, you...stop playing those addicting games on the computer (my addiction is minesweeper, or as my kids call it...mindwaster). Don't deny it...you have three free minutes and you just click on the solitaire icon without even thinking. Here's what you can do instead.
Keep a list of websites on a doodle pad near your desk. Every ad, magazine, newspaper, or whatever, now shows a website. In last month's US Glass there were over 200 web sites listed, each of which will help you gain information and insight into what is happening in our glass industry. Read PPG's website(ppgideascape.com) to learn about soft-coat low-e, or Arch's (archaluminum.net) to see how to buy it. Every time you see a web-site of interest, jot it on your list. When you have that free time, start learning more about the glass industry.
The more you learn, the more potential you have to sell products within the glass industry. Every time you visit a web site look for something that your glass business can prosper with. One hint about a product that you currently don't sell, each day, will increase your sales in the long run.
Here's a great example. A couple of weeks ago I received an e-mail from a reader asking me to look at his web-site. This was viewcol.com. Wow...here was a new laminated glass product with colors that looked better than any I had seen. And this gentleman is looking for outlets in the United States to sell his product. If I owned a glass shop, I would have called him and asked for an exclusive in my area. It turned out I called Eric Seifried, who is in Australia, and I learned a lot about his fantastic product line. It started with a quick look at a web site. It is that easy. You should see this one.
Keep a list of websites on a doodle pad near your desk. Every ad, magazine, newspaper, or whatever, now shows a website. In last month's US Glass there were over 200 web sites listed, each of which will help you gain information and insight into what is happening in our glass industry. Read PPG's website(ppgideascape.com) to learn about soft-coat low-e, or Arch's (archaluminum.net) to see how to buy it. Every time you see a web-site of interest, jot it on your list. When you have that free time, start learning more about the glass industry.
The more you learn, the more potential you have to sell products within the glass industry. Every time you visit a web site look for something that your glass business can prosper with. One hint about a product that you currently don't sell, each day, will increase your sales in the long run.
Here's a great example. A couple of weeks ago I received an e-mail from a reader asking me to look at his web-site. This was viewcol.com. Wow...here was a new laminated glass product with colors that looked better than any I had seen. And this gentleman is looking for outlets in the United States to sell his product. If I owned a glass shop, I would have called him and asked for an exclusive in my area. It turned out I called Eric Seifried, who is in Australia, and I learned a lot about his fantastic product line. It started with a quick look at a web site. It is that easy. You should see this one.
Do you Google? Most of us do. Here is a list of phrases do search...
- "what's new in glass"
- "glass in construction"
- "energy saving glass"
- "acoustic glass"
Do these and you will gain hundreds of sites to browse through. Spend that three minutes here rather than in your games file.
Here are some of the important sites for our trade:- archaluminum.net, or their new site, archgreen.com
- oldcastleglass.com
- guardian.com(you'll learn glass and basketball!)
- ppgideascapes.com
- afgglass.com(this will take you to the worldwide AGC site...see what glass is doing around the world)
- solutia.com
- dupont.com
- pilkington.com, with links to another world-wide site for NSG
- cardinalcorp.com
Read the web site of each of your competitors...you will gain unbelievable insights into your own territories glass needs. Also Google your main customers to see their future plans, and how you can get ready to service them.
One of the best sites is crlaurence.com, which predicts great trends in the industry. Check out their shower doors and commercial doors. (OK, I worked for them a long time ago--they were a great company then, and have only grown better).
Look at the web site of each vendor you have, see what else they offer, look for special sales and for new products. Every time you see an interesting web address in a newspaper or magazine, tear out the ad, and leave it on your desk. It takes just seconds to see if you are interested in the site. If you try ten sites, and get info to help your business in one...well you are one ahead!
So in addition to checking the Dow-Jones, and seeing what is on TV tonight, look at one glass site a day will make your company better!
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