As business owners, we often find ourselves faced with important decisions that are going to affect the future success of our business. And all too often, those decisions involve choosing between something that we know is right or something that we know will be profitable. We’re either going to gain someone’s respect, or we’re going to make a bunch of …
Fake It ‘Til You Make It
Everyone had a first time. We’ve all suffered through our first day of school, that first dance, the first time we had a date, our first kiss, and eventually, our first home inspection. Some of us remember each of these experiences in vivid detail, while the rest of us try to block them from our memories. Whether they were good or …
In Home Inspector We Trust
I recently received a phone call from a home inspector who was frustrated by an incident that had occurred on his most recent inspection. This inspector is relatively new to the profession, and he contacts me often, as I enjoy serving as a mentor to help guide him along in his journey to developing a success inspection business. He was irritated …
Three Stress Points for Home Inspectors
Everyone wants be be faster at their job. Even professional home inspectors, who are typically very detail oriented and spend time looking in every crack and crevice of a home, would like to work more efficiently. We’re under a lot of stress during the on-site inspection process, with everyone involved wondering when we’re going to be done looking around (and …
Working on Your People Skills
Think about the last time you spent an evening at a restaurant with some good friends. Was it an enjoyable experience? Can you remember all the details? How nicely was the food presented? How professional was the service? How clean and comfortable was the restaurant? Was the noise level acceptable, enhancing the meal? Overall, did you have a pleasant experience, and will you …
Some (of the) People. Dealing with Unhappy Clients
There’s an old saying that applies to customer satisfaction in your business. Is says that if you make an honest effort, you can please about 90% of your customers. Of the remaining 10% of your customers, it will take twice as much effort to please half of them. Of the remaining 5% of your customers, it will take twice as much effort …
Is More Always Better?
When I was younger, I always thought that I was going to grow up to be a professor. I don’t know where that career choice idea originated, but it was there, nonetheless. (I’m still not sure about the part where I grow up, as my wife would certainly debate that idea.) But it seems like my career path was always …
When I Have More Time
I’ll do it when I have more time; I’m just too busy right now. It’s likely that these are some of the most often uttered words in any language, especially from the mouths of small business owners. One of the biggest problems facing any entrepreneur is that there’s always more to do. It always seems like the to-do list expands …
3 Things
What am I supposed to do when this happens? When we’re running a business, that question is coming at us all the time. A client wants something different. Something breaks at the most inopportune time. An unusual situation comes up. An associate needs it done yesterday. It always happens at a bad time. It always piles on when we’re already …
When is a Customer More Than Just a Customer?
Running your own service-based small business can be overwhelming. It often seems like the list of things to do never ends. You’re not only responsible for doing the actual part of your business that makes money (like selling a house or doing an inspection), you’re also the person who takes care of all the “behind the scenes” stuff that comes …