Mechanical contractors must continue to deal with the volatility of material prices and the need to keep employees by raising hourly wages. To do so, they need to raise their rates or they won’t be in business anymore.

It was 33 years ago on a blistering cold Friday night in Billings, Mont., when the Grainger emergency service operator notified me that I needed to call a customer immediately. 

It’s an interesting feeling when you’re asked to contribute to a publication you’ve grown up reading, respecting and appreciating. 

If you’re in the business of sales, especially within manufacturers’ rep agencies, you’ve likely heard about customer relationship management (CRM) systems. 

For 40 years, fleet payments haven’t seen much innovation, but that’s begun to change.

A good public relations strategy can attract new employees, which continues to be challenging in the home services business. Your company culture, social media presence, digital reviews and the voices of current employees are used by prospective employees to vet your company.

Using automation to detect faults and diagnose building issues is evolving. However, it is not a substitute for facilities personnel engagement and a genuine desire to improve operations. Justin Bowker from TDIndustries explains how his company successfully uses automated facilities management processes.

As contractors juggle correct pricing, fair employee compensation, and personal salaries, it’s important to know and understand their business costs and how many tech hours they must sell to ensure the company is not losing money.

Too many small business owners are focused on the minutia of their daily work when they should be taking a high-level view of their companies.

Winning an industry or community award is an opportunity to help build your company’s brand identity. Sharing that news with a PR campaign can enhance your credibility with potential customers and employees.