Welcome to another episode of the Profit Roadmap, where we interview experts to help you grow your field service business. In this episode, we're diving into the latest hiring trends and insights in the service industry right now. Plus, learn about employee engagement and retention strategies with Bear Duplisea, Senior Account Executive at Applause and former Service Autopilot team member.

In this episode, we cover:

Bear Duplisea has spent nearly 25 years working with small and medium-sized business owners. After building Service Autopilot's sales department for over a decade, he moved to Applause to help businesses solve their employee engagement challenges.

Bear highlights a big shift in employee motivation: "The paycheck is enough to get us to come to work... but beyond that, to do the above and beyond to be exceptional, there needs to be some other incentive."

He says that today's workforce expects immediate feedback and recognition: "We're used to this instantaneous result. And because of that, the carrot no longer works."

"One of our companies saw over a 10-month period, a 26% drop in employee turnover," Bear said. For large companies, this can mean six or seven-figure savings in hiring and training costs.

Bear explains how immediate feedback affects performance:

"If you feel really good about your culture and everything like that, and you've put everything out there for the prospective employee and they don't want to work for you... then let them," Bear advises. He emphasizes that culture fit is more important than filling positions quickly.

Bear also mentioned that revisits are not just a cost of doing business: "People, business owners I talk to all the time chalk that up as the cost of doing business. Good business owners understand, like that's a huge gap."

He breaks down the real impact:

The solution? Better employee engagement leads to better customer communication: "Their technicians are now taking the time to explain to customers... They're like, 'I better explain this to this customer because I don't want them to complain.'"

Bear shared powerful insights learned from his father's 50-year career in business:

"Sales is easy, super easy, because you can be part of the solution or you can be part of the problem. Just don't ever be part of the problem."

This philosophy goes beyond sales to all aspects of business leadership:

He also talked about the fundamental truth about business relationships: "People don't give a sh*t how much you know until they know how much you care." This principle drives successful employee engagement and customer satisfaction.

"If you're dumb, surround yourself with smart people. If you're smart, surround yourself with smart people who disagree with you."—Isaac Jaffe, Sports Night

"People don't give a shit how much you know until they know how much you care, so just care."—Bernie Duplisea, sales expert & entrepreneur

To discover more about employee engagement solutions for your field service business, visit applausehq.com.

Did you know, we have a new YouTube channel? Be sure to like and subscribe to our podcast on all channels so you never miss an episode!

Related: Coaching & Retention in the Service Industry With Chris Crew from Blue Collar

Originally published Jan 9, 2025 5:15 PM CT

The post The Latest Hiring Trends & Insights in Field Services With Bear Duplisea from Applause appeared first on Service Autopilot.

Welcome to another episode of The Profit Roadmap, the premier podcast for field service pros looking to grow their business and stay on top of the latest trends. In this episode, we're diving into coaching and employee retention with Chris Crews, President of the Blue Collar Success Group, who shares invaluable insights on building successful field service businesses through intentional leadership and strong company culture.

In this episode, we cover:

Chris Crews started as an electrician at age 16, working his way up through new construction before transitioning into service work. He eventually built and sold his own electrical service business, growing it from $3 million to a $30 million operation across five locations. 

Today, he leads the Blue Collar Success Group, helping contractors build and grow their businesses to achieve their dreams.

One of the biggest misconceptions about culture is that some companies don't have one. Chris says, "Your business doesn't have a culture? It does. It's either by design or by default." 

He emphasizes that culture is shaped by both action and inaction - what you do and don't do, what you say and don't say.

Chris also said, "If you have a good culture, you don't have to be the top-paying company in town." Alternatively, "If your culture sucks, it's so bad, it's so toxic, you can't out pay it."

Chris outlines several key steps for building a strong company culture:

Chris challenges the common practice of only training during slow seasons: "Most people feel time during slow times and think that's the best time to train... but it's not the best time to train." 

Instead, he advocates for year-round training because "when you're busy, that's when you need to be increasing performance."

Key Takeaways for Field Service Businesses:

"Quality questions lead to quality results," Chris said. He encourages business owners to focus not just on knowledge, but on wisdom - the practical application of knowledge to achieve results.

To learn more about the Blue Collar Success Group and their approach to building successful field service businesses, visit their website at thebluecollarsuccessgroup.com.

Related: Leadership Lessons for Field Service Pros

The post Coaching and Retention in the Service Industry With Chris Crew from Blue Collar appeared first on Service Autopilot.

Welcome to another episode of The Profit Roadmap, the premier podcast for field service pros looking to grow their business and stay on top of the latest trends. In this episode, we're diving into lead generation strategies with our special guests Marlen Weber, Marketing Manager for SA by Service Autopilot, and Kayla Fussell, Marketing Manager at FieldEdge.

In this episode, we cover:

Marlen Weber brings seven years of marketing expertise to the table, currently focusing on serving lawn care, green industry, and cleaning businesses at Service Autopilot. 

Kayla Fussell leads marketing efforts at FieldEdge, bringing valuable experience from both software and oil and gas industries, with expertise spanning digital marketing, events, and email campaigns.

One of the biggest myths in field service marketing is that a beautiful website and five-star reviews alone will bring in leads. 

Marlen says, "You have to go out and find your leads and generate a way for them to flow to you. It's great that you have a beautiful website with beautiful reviews everywhere, but your leads won't come to you unless you start a process for them to flow to you."

While digital marketing is still the leader, traditional marketing methods are making a comeback. 

Print materials like door hangers and yard signs still work, especially when they get modernized with things like QR codes.

Kayla adds that physical marketing materials can have staying power: "We use a mosquito service, and they always put a sign out. Our neighbors recently told me, 'Yeah, we saw that and we called that same one because y'all used it.'"

In the field service industries lead response time is huge. "Speed is senior to quality," Marlen emphasizes. "If the winter is coming up and my heater goes out, I'm not going to sit around and wait for the company with the best reviews to get back to me... I'm going to respond to the first company that comes back to me."

Several key trends are shaping the future of field service lead generation:

Links mentioned in this episode:

Want to learn more about how Service Autopilot or FieldEdge can help your business? Visit serviceutopilot.com or fieldedge.com for information about their field service management solutions and to access free resources for growing your business.

Related: Mastering Local Marketing With Service.ly

Originally published on Nov 20, 2024 5:21 PM CT

The post Modern Lead Gen for Service Businesses With Marlen Weber and Kayla Fussell appeared first on Service Autopilot.

Welcome to another episode of The Profit Roadmap, the premier podcast for field service pros looking to grow their business and stay on top of the latest trends. In this episode, we're diving into the world of leadership with our special guest, Terence Cummings, General Manager of Field Services at Xplor Technologies.

In this episode, we cover:

Terence Cummings brings over 20 years of leadership experience to the table. Starting his career in sales, he discovered a passion for developing and coaching others. Before joining Xplor Technologies, Terence spent 15+ years in various leadership roles where he honed his leadership philosophy and approach.

According to Terence, leadership is more demanding than most people realize. "Being a leader is exhausting," he explains. "The pressure that comes from driving a business, bringing people along on the journey, and showing up every day to keep people inspired and motivated is a very daunting task."

He compares leadership to being a parent rather than an aunt or uncle: "When you're an aunt or uncle, you get to play with the kids and when they're sleepy and fussy, you get to go home. When you're a parent, there is no going home."

Terence outlines three main priorities for any leader: strategy, driving results, and coaching and developing people. The time spent on each priority shifts based on your leadership level. A frontline manager might spend 60% of their time coaching, while a general manager focuses 70-80% of their effort on strategy. 

This flexibility in approach allows leaders to meet the needs of their position while maintaining consistency in their core responsibilities.

One piece of traditional leadership advice Terence challenges is the famous 80/20 rule - spending 80% of your time with your top 20% performers. He believes this approach can cripple an organization by neglecting team members who need development. 

In field services, every technician represents your brand and impacts customer experience. When you focus exclusively on top performers, you risk delivering inconsistent service quality across your customer base.

For field service businesses managing teams across different locations, culture must be clearly defined and consistently executed. Terence emphasizes that cultural values should be as natural as breathing - something you do every day without question. 

This means establishing clear expectations and maintaining them across all locations and teams. The key is making these cultural standards non-negotiable and ensuring they're lived out in daily operations.

When it comes to developing team members, Terence advocates for a straightforward approach: either coach them up or coach them out. "I've never in my career fired anyone," Terence shares. "People fire themselves. People get let go because there's things within their role that they're not doing at the level that's expected." This philosophy emphasizes the importance of clear expectations and consistent feedback in developing team members.

Want to learn more about how Xplor Technologies can help your business? Be sure to check out their website at www.xplortechnologies.com for information about their field service management solutions.

Mentioned link:

Related: Stand Out From The Competition with Mediagistic 

The following music was used for this media project:

Music: Summon the Rawk by Kevin MacLeod

Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/4434-summon-the-rawk

License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

The post Meeting People Where They Are: Leadership Lessons for Field Service Pros appeared first on Service Autopilot.

Welcome to another episode of The Profit Roadmap, the premier podcast for field service pros looking to grow their business and stay on top of the latest trends. In this episode, we're diving into the world of SEO (Search Engine Optimization) with our special guest, Chris St. Jean, Co-Founder & COO of Service.ly.

In this episode, we cover:

Chris St. Jean brings a wealth of experience to the table as the Co-Founder and COO of Service.ly. 

With a background in writing and digital marketing, Chris has been in the SEO game since the early days of Google. 

He's worked with agencies, e-commerce companies, and now focuses on helping small and medium-sized businesses improve their online presence.

Chris talked about the importance of local SEO for field service businesses. 

He explained that while national SEO is becoming more competitive, local SEO still offers great opportunities for smaller businesses to stand out in their markets.

"Local SEO is about making sure that when people in your area are searching for your services, your business shows up," Chris says. 

He recommends focusing on three key areas:

Your Google Business Profile is like a mini-website that shows up in Google search results. 

Chris shared some tips for making the most of this powerful tool:

"A well-optimized Google Business Profile can really help you stand out in local search results," Chris explains.

Reviews play a huge role in local SEO. 

Chris suggests making review gathering a part of your company culture. 

Here are some of his tips:

"Reviews are like social proof," Chris says. "They show potential customers that you're trustworthy and do good work."

Chris pointed out some common SEO mistakes that field service businesses often make:

"Remember, SEO is a marathon, not a sprint," Chris advises. "It's about consistent effort over time."

Chris's company, Service.ly, offers tools to help field service businesses improve their SEO:

"Our goal is to make it easy for small businesses to get started with SEO," Chris explains.

When it comes to measuring the success of your SEO efforts, Chris recommends focusing on practical metrics:

"Don't get too caught up in things like keyword rankings," Chris advises. "Focus on the metrics that directly impact your business."

Looking ahead, Chris sees AI playing a bigger role in SEO and he suggests that businesses should start thinking about how they can use AI tools to improve their customer service and online presence.

"AI is changing the game," Chris says. "But at the end of the day, it's still about providing value to your customers and making it easy for them to find you online."

SEO might seem complicated, but it doesn't have to be. 

By focusing on local SEO, optimizing your Google Business Profile, gathering customer reviews, and avoiding common mistakes, you can improve your online visibility and attract more customers.

Remember, SEO is an ongoing process. It takes time and consistent effort, but the results can be well worth it for your field service business.

Want to learn more about how Service.ly can help your business? Be sure to check out their website at www.service.ly.

Related: Stand Out From The Competition with Mediagistic 

The following music was used for this media project:

Music: Summon the Rawk by Kevin MacLeod

Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/4434-summon-the-rawk

License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Published on Oct 24, 2024 at…

The post Mastering Local Marketing With Service.ly appeared first on Service Autopilot.

On this episode of the Profit Roadmap, we're talking with Eddie Childs, Director of Corporate Marketing, and Michelle Caston, Director of Media Planning and Buying, both from Mediagistic.

In this episode, we cover:

Eddie Childs brings a wealth of experience to the table as the Director of Corporate Marketing at Mediagistic. 

He's been with the company for nearly a decade, starting in copywriting and social media before moving into other areas of marketing like demand generation, email, and inbound leads. 

Over the years, Eddie has taken on a more consultative role, helping clients shape their digital strategies and improve their marketing performance.

Michelle Caston, the Director of Media Planning and Buying at Mediagistic, has almost 20 years of experience in her field. 

She's been with Mediagistic for 14 years, joining the team when she moved to Tampa from Miami. 

Michelle is an expert in helping businesses make the most of their marketing budgets and ensuring they have a strong brand presence in their specific markets. 

She leads a small but mighty team that handles all the mass media and traditional media planning and buying for the agency.

Eddie and Michelle share some key tips for making your business pop at the local level:

Michelle says, "Making sure your brand image is consistent, whether you're doing broadcast radio, that sound, you know, having your tagline in there, or if you have an attached TV spot video, that the logos are the same from the truck to the video, just making sure that whatever efforts you have going on in the local market, they are consistent so that you can remain memorable."

Eddie says that good brand storytelling is about connecting with what customers really care about:

Our guests also talked about how to use your customer database for better marketing:

Michelle says, "You can take your current database, clean it, plug it into a system. We can now use a lookalike audience type tool where you're targeting people in the same neighborhood."

Eddie shares some key ingredients for a great website:

Eddie explains that customers want four main things:

He suggests using technology to improve these areas:

Marketing your field service business doesn't have to be complicated. 

By focusing on consistent branding, telling good stories, using your customer data wisely, having a great website, and providing excellent customer service, you can stand out in your market and grow your business.

Want to learn more about how Mediagistic can help your business? Be sure to check out their website at www.mediagistic.com.

Related: Mastering Digital Marketing: Insights From One Thing Marketing

The following music was used for this media project:

Music: Summon the Rawk by Kevin MacLeod

Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/4434-summon-the-rawk

License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Published on Oct 11, 2024 at 10AM

The post Stand Out from the Competition With Mediagistic appeared first on Service Autopilot.

On this episode of the Profit Roadmap, we're talking with Ben Stimler, the Director of Strategic Partnerships at One Thing Marketing. 

In this episode, we cover:

Ben reminds us that in today's world, your website is your storefront because this is usually the first impression potential clients have of your business. 

Here are some key points to remember:

Your online reputation can make or break your business. 

Here's what Ben suggests:

Reviews are super important in today's digital age. 

Here’s why:

Ben suggests, "When you provide service to someone, first of all, ask them how their experience was. And if they respond in a positive way, ask them to leave a review."

While fancy new tech is always popping up, Ben recommends focusing on the basics:

Remember, technology should make your life easier and help you serve customers better.

You don't need a huge budget to have effective marketing. Ben shares some tips:

As Ben puts it, "You need to focus on reputation management and just be ready to think ahead to that marathon, that long-term investment."

Marketing your field service business doesn't have to be complicated or expensive. 

By focusing on the basics—a good website, strong online reputation, great customer service, and smart use of technology—you can attract more customers and grow your business.

Remember, it's a marathon, not a sprint. Keep working at it, and you'll see results over time. As Ben says, "You need to be focusing on all those things together as best you can."

Want to learn more about how One Thing Marketing can help your business? Be sure to check out their website. 

Related: Finding Your Company’s “Why” with Drew Larison 

The following music was used for this media project:

Music: Summon the Rawk by Kevin MacLeod

Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/4434-summon-the-rawk

License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

The post Mastering Digital Marketing: Insights from One Thing Marketing appeared first on Service Autopilot.

On this episode of the Profit Roadmap, we're talking with Kyle Gargaro, Editorial Director & Associate Publisher of The ACHR NEWS. 

We cover some great topics, including:

With a background in journalism and a career in local newspapers, Kyle joined ACHR News in 2004 as an associate editor. 

At that time, his HVAC knowledge was limited to knowing where his air conditioner and furnace were!

Fast forward 20 years, and Kyle is now the Editorial Director of ACHR News. 

His dedication and willingness to learn have made him an expert in this field.

Kyle says that while residential HVAC may feel like it's slowing down, it's actually just returning to pre-COVID levels. 

The pandemic created a surge in home improvement projects, which pulled future business forward. 

On the commercial side, there's been significant growth, with a 13% increase reported recently.

The push for greater energy efficiency is driving innovation in the HVAC industry in two key areas.

Kyle says that it is really important to stay informed about government regulations especially:

Addressing the ongoing workforce shortage in HVAC, Kyle talked about a few different strategies:

Kyle stresses that local government can significantly impact day-to-day business operations. 

While it might be tougher to find information about local policies, engaging with local governments can be more beneficial. 

Local officials are more likely to care about the jobs you provide in the community.

For those just starting in HVAC or looking to grow their business, Kyle offers this advice:

To stay informed about the latest HVAC industry trends, check out ACHRnews.com. You can find daily updates, podcasts, videos, and webinars covering all aspects of the HVAC industry.

Also, be sure to check out these links to items Kyle mentioned in the podcast:

Related: Navigating Climate Change in the HVAC Industry: Insights from Tim Fisher

The following music was used for this media project:

Music: Summon the Rawk by Kevin MacLeod

Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/4434-summon-the-rawk

License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

The post Service Industry News Updates With Kyle Gargaro appeared first on Service Autopilot.

On this episode of the Profit Roadmap, we're talking with Tommy Mello, founder of A1 Garage Door Service, the largest garage door company in America. Tommy is also the host of the popular podcast "Home Service Expert" and a successful author.

We cover some great topics, including:

Tommy's journey to success is a true American dream story. 

Born and raised in Sterling Heights, Michigan, Tommy learned the value of hard work at a young age. 

With divorced parents and a mom working three jobs, Tommy started mowing lawns and shoveling snow to earn money as a kid.

At age 12, he began washing dishes under the table at a local restaurant, and that hard work laid the foundation for his future success. 

Tommy moved to Phoenix at 16 and started a landscaping company. 

By 20, he was earning $30,000 a month from various hustles, including bartending and flipping cars.

Tommy eventually landed in the garage door industry by painting garage doors for a friend. 

He started his own business (A1 Garage Door), making every mistake in the book along the way, but eventually grew his company to $200+ million in revenue. 

Tommy believes that selling is a natural part of human interaction and that technicians don't need to become stereotypical "salespeople."

Tommy focuses on teaching his technicians to:

He emphasizes that sales is about being a good human and helping customers make the best decisions for their homes.

Tommy has built a strong company culture based on transparency and meritocracy. 

He shares all company financials with employees and encourages healthy competition. 

Technicians can see each other's performance metrics, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

To motivate his team, Tommy uses a "dream manager" approach. 

The company helps employees discover their personal dreams and goals and then ties those aspirations to their work performance. 

A1 Garage Door Service uses a variety of software to streamline operations and improve customer service. 

Some key tools include:

One of Tommy's game-changing moves was investing in proper branding. 

A strong, consistent brand across all touchpoints - from trucks to uniforms to marketing materials - has helped A1 Garage Door Service stand out in a crowded market.

Tommy's advice for those looking to grow their service businesses to the next level is:

Want to learn more about Tommy Mello and his approach to business? 

Be sure to check out his podcast, "Home Service Expert," and keep an eye out for his upcoming events and speaking engagements. 

Related: Mastering Social Media for Service Businesses

Originally published Sept 4, 2024 11:31 AM CT

The following music was used for this media project:

Music: Summon the Rawk by Kevin MacLeod

Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/4434-summon-the-rawk

License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

The post Turning Technicians into Sales Superstars: Lessons from Tommy Mello appeared first on Service Autopilot.

On this episode of the Profit Roadmap podcast, Ryan and Bekah chat with Britany Cruz and Marlen Weber from Xplor, and Paul Baccaro from Social Jazz.

They cover:

One of the biggest challenges for service businesses today is standing out online, but this is still one of the easiest ways to connect with potential clients.

Paul explained that social media is where people's attention is focused nowadays. He said, "Every marketer is trying to get where the eyeballs are at and they're all in social."

When it comes to creating content for social media, the guests had some great advice:

Wondering what kind of content you can create for your field services brand? 

Here are a few popular topics you can use:

The group had an interesting discussion about how AI is changing social media marketing. 

Paul said that his company, Social Jazz, is exploring ways to use AI to help businesses create better content.

Britany shared that she uses AI tools like ChatGPT every day to help with content creation, writing captions for social media, and helping to spark new ideas. 

Even though AI is getting better every day, all of the guests agreed that AI isn't a replacement for human creativity. 

As Paul put it, "The AI is a great tool to help you get there quicker, but ultimately you're still the one driving it and telling it what you want."

For businesses just starting out with social media marketing, the experts had some advice:

The group also talked about how important it is to connect with your audience in the comments section. 

Marlen said, "The comment section is your stage. That's where people are looking to see how you present yourself, how you talk, your personality, your voice."

What about negative comments and reviews?

This is your chance to make things right and address these things head on–ultimately they can make a bigger positive impact than a bunch of light 5-star reviews.

Did you know that social media can play a role in recruiting?

Marlen said that potential employees will usually check out a company's social media page to get a feel for the culture and how they treat their customers.

Pro Tip: Be sure to feature your team on your social media pages every now and then.

To wrap up the episode, the experts offered some final tips for social media success:

Want to learn more? Check out the websites for SocialJazz (or here for Fieldedge members) and Xplor.

Related: Mowing Down Inefficiency: Jason Thomas’s Tech Revolution at Don’s Lawns

The post Mastering Social Media for Service Businesses With Social Jazz, Marlen Weber, and Britany Cruz appeared first on Service Autopilot.