Dan Pollard
Transcript:
So I'm Dan Pollard founder of Fergus. And joining me is the wonderful Andy Smith from lifestyle try to get a career. How we doing. Do we need to say 1 minute on who we are. So if we should do yet. What do we do. One minute late. If you who don't know me, I am. I'm a plumber since 17. Had a lot of businesses, a couple of go bad and coming out really well. The last business. I got a 20 point stop. And I lost to from straights in textile. So and I got into figure software and got 50 staff more think and we're just here to help try these manage cash flow and profits and not get into tax trouble. And I'm a huge advocate for now getting business coaches into business to help. Don't go. I spent seven or eight years in the moodiness and I think 606 months with a business coach would have saved me seven years of just pain and suffering. A Saint might win. Reinvent the wheel reinvent the wheel and the talent and who are you also. Hey, guys. You were doing. So I started with a plumbing business. We still own and run a two day called Dr. Draper a maintenance plumbing business in Sydney. We had our ups and Downs along the way until we completely systematized our business and decided that every other idea they needed to know how to run a business like what we have done and we went into the business of lifestyle trading, which is called the Freedom to choose. And it's about setting business up the right way. So you can be profitable. And as the United States had the freedom to choose and we've been doing that for a Lebanese and getting amazing success throughout Australia and New Zealand. All right. So just housekeeping. If you've got questions, please talk them into the iBooks and we'll answer them as we go to war at the end. The session will be recorded and a link will be emailed to everyone who is here. And that's the main housekeeping. So enjoy these is unscripted because we generally align. But I have a few differences of types. So it's all live in HD not pre it's not sort of pre rehearsed but this is about this topics we'll be run through the outlets about selling isn't really and how to get the most out of the jobs isn't it. That's what we're going to try to cover. Yeah, that's right. I think that the old school way of thinking is that a customer means you have a problem you fix the problem. And then you leave, and you know that's the way we've always done that. But I think these dying age you've got to offer the customer better service than that. You've got to understand what they need job. What they want Sar and make sure you also that incredible customer service. Yeah, I think all is very good at winning quotes. But I think we were very rarely in this. I was in the job. We never trained our staff to do upselling or even cross-selling the jobs. I think that's definitely one area we should have improved upon. So so those who are listening all talk a lot about winning work switching quoted work. I'm very good at that. So when he's talking. He's going to talk a lot about actually upselling on the job and switching maintenance selling because they are quite different approaches. So let's set the same foundations. But I couldn't agree more that you should allow more time for you, try trades in case, I can get more value off a offer job window. There really is this one. There's one thing I think we could've done a lot better actually. So a lot of it. I'll be learning from Andy as we go through this perfect. So I'm just going to start off with. That's all right. Danny's talking about the trust escalator and Andy sees the fine business decisions or the Ford buying decisions sorry that every customer really makes before they make a purchase. So we're just going to go on that one. Can to practice with a fraction because if you've got a job from a customer, you might as well like you don't want to go through you're trying to temp watch when you get to the next level because the money isn't going to keep that one cuts to make it to the jobs. He doesn't stand that term as long as possible to capture as much value for the business and actually pull a customer right. That's that's the premise isn't it. That was saying, you actually get as much value that you can put everyone. Yeah, I think the old school way of doing 10 jobs a day and running in and out. And you know coming in the front door and harnesses Jaime. What do you need to fix in getting there. Get the job done. I don't I run out the door Ms Jones hang on. I've got another problem. I can't do this guy in the office and look at him for another day. What kind of stuff is gone. You shouldn't be doing that in this day and age. I did the dating wrongly. So So what did you guys do to allow enough time. Yes if we allow for full jobs today with our boys. And sometimes we can't even get to those full jobs a day. So within acting we stagger it and we'll have a few guys for jobs today. If you guys work two jobs at eye level. And we go to the customer's job. And we understand exactly what they need. We do a health check. What were they to make sure everything is all like high. And we actually point out some of the areas that they potentially might want to look at fixing. Why wait. There is a list of often we can say in a house that day that needs to be replaced. If it's rust on bright houses whatever it is. This is part of something cool. Do you think we could do a 10 Point Health check. That part of the prices that you sell on the phone and have trained you with your team before you do the work he's been through his team is doing a health chip. Once the prices. Yeah we used to sell that on the phone because not many traders were doing that. But a lot of people have taken out half of 2019 and so we don't talk about that until where. On site these days. And just say, listen, we look at the first initial problem. And then we say, OK, well, why would he do anything else Mrs. Johns. And sometimes I'll say yes, sometimes I'll say no. And say, well, listen, why don't we just have a quick look around and make sure that everything he's up to scratch and then we do that. And we find things along the way. We take the customer with us. And then again, we say, well, listen, these are the things we found. What would you like to do today. And would you say good between 0% and 100% How often would they be extras on a house on a job. I would say that our boys probably 60% to 70% of the time will get extra work. And I think this day 19 business. People are still living in the dark ages of charging a small alley right. Because I believe they have to because that's the only way they're going to get work. And there is an element of truth in that. But most people have never done their rally right calculator to understand what they business and their expenses are. But the idea is to try. And if you're going to go to a job and spend money on marketing and spend all that time and effort to get to a house, then you need to be looking for other possibilities and some of the businesses off work. They've doubled over not just some of the strategies we use on them. I think that's a brilliant idea. I really do. I think I'll think we should've done it. And I don't know. I agree. To me, it feels like Rican baby joy gone too. I know that there was other things. It's the spark come here on how you seem to launch how those switches How's this. There's always a few jokes that we run here that I would gladly put 20 to you a member to a lot of trainees had this view of I don't want to sell and it's not car salesman type selling it's just offering the solution and you'll find that the customers would prefer to be told what's happening. Then you running in the dole out the door and you call that and say that is good customer service these guys are only going to be just fine on just one. Interesting how did you get your staff to do that. Your team. Yeah, I think it was you know it takes time. But it's about having all the structures and systems around what you want to do. And that's what we do. We lost our ideas is really build the foundation of the business first, then trying the boys out to go about it the right way as something you guys know, we have the sales success series, which is 14 videos and taking guys had to sell non pushy selling that had a sale to customers keeping the customers the options and making the cost making the guys realize that's actually part of their job. These days. Do you know Dan Fergus technology is moving in as a rapid right now. And the world is moving at a rapid rate. And trainees need to move at a rapid rate. And they need to change in your thinking this now that livestock won't do this. And won't do that. Why do these. Well I beg to differ. If most of the staff I've always been able to help them change And they might enjoy the extra training. No, not all agree. I hear that. And honestly, it's such a load of nonsense. Stop will absolutely change if they get good training and good offer support to help them cope. These all right. Probably always 5% of your workforce and counts for 20. Well real recalcitrants and might need to leave. But only in fantasy entertainment. You can't go wrong. Don't you think one God entertained would be difficult. Yeah, I think the interesting thing is our business. You know I sat back 10, 15 years, 15 years ago. And thought what do I want in the business. What I wanted was I no hassle business. And I wanted a business that sounds a bit down the business down. I need a good solid trainees that can do the job, but you don't need to be a rocket scientist because they're hard to find. And I set the business up the right way. And the boys just need to follow exactly the steps I have to take to heart. If all other steps you do your job and it's a great business, and that's the way you should run your business. They size it really. You say we've never talked about it. But this is the key. I made this exact same decision. I don't need the bs plumbers but I do need guys that are actually friendly and reliable. Same with knowing someone that you can train. Yeah and just noise to people noise to customers noise to stop. And you can be just as easy to work with right. Yeah So and I'm thinking a day where it's very hot getting staff, especially in Australia. I know it's hot in New Zealand as well. You've got to come about it the right way to find the right people for your team. Most people are just grabbing someone off the street and thinking they're going to be a world leader and never works. If you're wondering what we point to it seems like a tangent, but if you want something to sell or to follow new processes or to take on new ideas. They do need to be friendly and easy and easy to work with. Right not thinking that they are the best plumber in the world. And that just the basis of this is like, Oh, man gosh, it's hard to deal with. Yeah I think there's an element that you need to have a good culture obtain when you want to try and make some of these changes and the boys don't follow them, then that's a problem. And that's why you need to set it up right from the very start. But let's jump on a foundation sits behind this thing right. That you've got to have some good staff who are actually prepared to work with you in the customers, but then the business actually has to have a foundation that it cares about. Culture values customers like this going to be the foundation right. You just can't put this in if well you know the speech to the start of a huge advocate for training. So if you're interested in selling but don't know what to do. You just have to sign up to do these things to get the foundation. So you can start doing this stuff right to pull yourself up by your own bootstraps is almost impossible wouldn't you think. Exactly and a lot of businesses might be turning over half a million and maybe turning $100 million or less or a hell of a lot more and they actually think they're quite a good solid business talent. But they're still not doing anyway. Me what needs to be done here. And there's nothing that you know being on that hamster wheel and just taking oversight. Listen there's a lot of things that need to be done in business. And there's no doubt a lot of stuff we're told today will resonate with a lot of the listeners. And I will also say I know that's been a real strong thought on that. And if you're not doing it. And you don't know it. I wouldn't in knowing it is Henry Rollins you've got this famous quote and knowledge acknowledgment that experience is bullshit. If you're not doing it. It doesn't count for nothing yet. So for this. I think the for those who are looking at the screen the two most important things to look at is the lift access, which is trust in this time. And it does take time. What you just buy when it doesn't work. Right over the course of the year. It all lines up. So that customers and staff trust that the business will deliver right. Yeah in a perfect scenario when you and I'll go for these points in a minute that when you see a customer you've got to heat these five points and you're always going up. There's an ala and that's what you want. That's the overall, what you want. But there is an element at times that people will miss. One of those points and actually dropped down, and then it's your job to understand when you're missing the point and how you'll try and get why you hang on. I didn't say that right away. I didn't go down as well as I would like. And now how do you meaning them back. You turn up light to jobs you know great service. You let them down your route you smell whatever it is. It's a lot harder to get these things across the line because I just don't trust you. Now I think we've talked in some white women the diplomacy by at least 10 years ago, maybe even more. Susan I don't hold on customers and you Zealand around what was important to them. They see by the general public and actually the industry. And of course, all the pundits came back with a period of time, cost, quality whatever. But the customers came back with trust in safety. The woman were afraid of anger and intimidation. And also that the plumbers would go through their belongings when if they went home. And that's the homeowner's concern is the personal safety. Yeah and if you have a good our time on our plumbing business stop to drip. It's really 40 to 45-year-old female with kids at home. The husband is maybe a high flyer in the city and the wife doesn't mean a casual work here and there. But doesn't have a lot of time and very time for an age does a whole presentation does for about an hour around that making trainees understand how the ladies feel when you walk up to the door and what you do and how you go about it. Because if someone doesn't trust you or that just to be on a show what they will really end up saying is no. And you'll go Oh heck I'm letting you want to go ahead with that. Well, you know what. You've done something wrong. When someone says no. 95% of the time you've done something wrong. Correct and so this is helpful. I mean, I always big on this, which is why I had guys. I had them brought to the name on the issue. So the customer knew that it was Dan on. Yep this is one good sign written bands are important. When uniforms are important. It's more like grooming as you see it, smell. It's grooming. But what it sign to the customer is you're dealing with a professional outfit that kid is about these things because we know you got concerns around personal safety. If someone tunes up smelling rough clothes rough band rough overalls that saying, I don't care about anything like, whoa, what am I going to get. Exactly so we'll Dobbins another one. And that is really about business and most business owners when it comes to number one. I don't even know that the client is looking at them at a stage now. Number one his business is when someone is looking for a job to be done and they're like, what we do. So they might Google it. I might ask a friend. They may have received a magnet or a flyer but at that stage they're making a decision. Does this company look like someone that I want to use that might go onto your website. They look at the branding. So they look at the whole business before they even talk to you to make a decision. Is this business of. And that's the like website branding song writing your marketing ads everything you do has to appeal to the Avatar that you want and all business wants to come through the door. Couldn't agree. Yes and if anything, if you've got the right Jesus guy. Well you know what these. These guys are the right seats. Then they'll go on to the next stage in your life. He's number two. Which is all about you. Now as you've heard us say he on Fergus many times we've got the nine state coal convert. We answer the five every single time I said, why. And run it through a process. We're very happy and nice on the phone, and we make sure the customers got these real good experience around that first initial call just start. We potentially the office for us, it starts standing with the trainee ad in the field. How do you feel fine. How do you keep the jobs and then at dodging to that he's going to the customers house. How do you go about that. We send a text message at. We then follow that up with a phone call and say, listen, we're around about 20 minutes away. Obviously there was a two hour time slot. We set up the customer feels comfortable. They know we're coming. They're getting ready and not going to jump in the shower or play down the backyard. I know you turn up in a beautiful looking truck to be the flashiest truck, but it just doesn't have to be an absolute ball and with pipes and type and crap everywhere. And the customer feels happy and wow, these guys. And then the guy that rocks up needs to be extremely presentable committed. He needs to build trust. This is all about building trust. These are no prices being talked about. We haven't talked about any of that. It's just about building trust with the customer. Yeah, I couldn't agree more. So if you're wondering know we're not talking about selling it because this is selling right. This is business. And these guys all we've gone through about a 30 step selling process. And I don't even know where they've been. They don't even know we've done any of that. We've got to process all the way through this timeline that we talk about site. And those who are listening you think, Oh my God. Nice It's when a phone call or the stock trading is being overwhelmed. It might sound overwhelming. But once you're into it once you've done the training. It's tricky. It's not bad right. Well you got to ask yourself, do you have a business that you absolutely love. Now and he's running at its true potential. And if you do. Congratulations and you feel happy. Congratulations but you feel sitting there thinking now I die. Then why not fix it. Yeah and it is fixable doesn't listening. And you know I talked about this. We both know we could get into any business. And turn it round in 60 days. Privacy 100% So don't get overwhelmed. It's timely. It's actually easy if you just sign up and get training and coaching and use the right tools. I mean, I always recommend figure zero locks I try to write mix but honestly doing anything is better than doing nothing right. Yeah listen, there's a lot of opportunity out there. There's a lot of free resources lost. All righty. Just got to check it out. I'll try to get you. And maybe there's something new for you. Right So this is how I say I'm going to talk about caught selling but I think the same principles apply to any before you deliver the price to the customer. So I mean, I'm not about time, cost, quality like that. And I'd like 30 years. My whole life I've known but my dad's a builder right. So but I'm amazed at how many trainees don't know or even the industry doesn't know about this triangle into the old adages. You might have any two. But never all three. So what it means is people want the shortest time lowest cost highest quality and it's but the reality is it's not possible. Right you can never have all three. However, I think if I could tattoo to everyone in business. I would tattoo this at least two words on there on the wrists and it would be managing expectations. And so your job as a business owner is to manage the expectations. So OK, well, what's the expectation. Well the only way to find out what the expectation is you have to ask the customer. These three questions. So this is more is it not on this more setting up a quite big bathroom in house. You know you studies mean thousands now. You know it's like what time frame. Do you want it done. And like if you want the job finished. How much are you wanting to speak. Like if it's a rental. Do you want to spend hundreds bucks on a tent. Or if it's your nice home. Do you want to spend 1,200 on a 10 point quoting a 1,210 for a rental right. It's my point doing it. And you talk about the cost and quality. Right So the treat the two go together. You say, do you want things. Exactly Put it. Are you OK with 14 those out. Because we both know. perfect job might take 10 hours with rough and ready might take four hours right. So your job is to ascertain from the customer what are you expecting. So I can price accordingly. So because if it's just change it happened or in two weeks. It's three hours labor plus the kitchen 10 100 that is going to be about 400 bucks is that. OK Is that what you're expecting. But you know they go, Oh my God. Not expecting to hear back you go. Well I can't do it. But it's the same with the bathroom, you know. You know classic. I'll tell you you know my sister's doing a very small bathroom you know. She was it's been 10 or 13k. She said to quotes for 27 Kate. Now that means those companies have wasted this on quiting wasted time and I've wasted my sister's time. And she's angry with them because they just haven't talked to her. What's your budget. And they even see to it because I should just say, Oh, we just don't do bathrooms for that price. Not with their money. But with their time. So you don't want to waste your time with the customers time to ask those three questions and you go, OK. Got it. You want a new take on your rental done by Friday, fourth 30 for under 400 bucks because your tenants are moving and said this morning is it. Is that the problem. And then if they say yes more than the job is already yours right. And so that's how I've always done my quiting to make sure to deliver my quite I'm already managed expectations or at least I can say, well, we just can't do bathrooms and stuff like rain. It's just not possible. And explain why it's not possible. And then say Casey has been at least 15. But we reconvene 22 and you spend extra money on a hot water upgrade the water may not right. You're going to do that. But you've got to talk to them about it to get you to get their expectation to see if there's room just sales at least when you deliver the price you're almost guaranteed to get the work. Does it make sense. Yeah, definitely mine. And I think in quoting now is a jobs. That's what you need to do to get an understanding of what they want. And that's the expectations of the customer. You know if they're thinking 10 grand and thinking 20 grand. Well it's good to know that upfront you know that front that we talked about before, you talk about a ceiling on site. The next slide probably just go back a slide if that's fine. The big thing for us. And what we do and being more in the maintenance world is it's all about. We're going to the customer's job to do one job. And it might just be something like a leaking tap. So we don't need to go necessarily down that path. At the stop gap. And that's what you all were saying. Yeah presentation, you look quoting jobs and you got your maintenance jolt for us. We going. We built these trust. We find out when the first initial problem means we also look at what other additional problems are, and then we talk about the options for them. And what I could do if I wanted. And that's what we will talk about the product or service or the type of taps. You know I've got an understanding of what they would like. And once we know that our guys do extra training around the products that we use. And what we recommend. So the guys will recommend that to the customer we'll give them an option high price or a lower price if that's what they want, but still quality. And then we push you into the price range. We talk price. But before you go. So you probably tell the customer. We charge 200 for the fifth day. Write the company knows what to expect. Put it down. I take it. Yeah We do a little bit different. We don't talk price. And this is something that I think traders have got to understand that when you talk price on the phone from day one they're straight away judging you i.e. cheap are you expense Siebel. Are you average. They're not looking at your skills. They're not looking at what you're going to offer. They're saying cheap average expensive. So we give it a lot of price over the fine. People that add on saw it when we built the trust along the way. And then we talk about it really even for the truth for the truth. Our own site you guys think the customers turned our backs. You know wow, we got to cross. If a customer pushes us and said, well listen, we just really need to get an understanding of how much this tack will cost. Yeah we say to them. Well is it is that, we're more than happy Mr Jones to give you a price. The problem means we don't actually know the problem. Until we come out there. And I will look to the top. It's a tough problem. And then we say, well, is it a top wash up. Is it a quarter turn tap. Is that a half to tap. Is that a fleet mix. What kind of tap is it. And then they got all year. And I said, well, this is where it's hard for us to get the price. But if we kind of came out and we're just going to do that one tap you'd be looking around about 150. $180 ranch interesting that we've done that is we've gone through a few steps before we talk price. Yeah when you talk price on the Find that first thing people do is I kind of got one price. Let's try someone else. Let's try someone else. And even if that someone else is $10 more expensive than you they can't be bothered hanging up the name and ringing you that is going to go with that client. So you'll tell prices over the phone to me your just you just let you'll just letting price shoppers come in you tell telling the price that I look elsewhere. That's fascinating. I mean, it's Yeah, it's really interesting to hear that. And some I wish we had more time to talk about it more and more with you. And I'm actually fascinating because I think I have gone with the premise, the other way actually and I'm not even I'm not saying I'm right or wrong. I'm saying I was I would get customers to ticks me a photo of the tech will be a hot water cylinder or a toilet. So I could give them a much better estimate before I even went. So let me ask you this. Do you have more chance for the customer to go ahead with the job when you're on site or when you've just flicked a text message with a five dialing instinct over a price. Well I know we would always call. But I'd get the customer to see me to find out. And then we cool them and talk about the price of the fine. Sure I would never do what I would do. Do you think you got a better chance of getting him to go ahead over the fine. Well when you're on site. I think my logic was if you weren't happy with 400 bucks over the fine. I just don't want to deal with the grief. Even trying to negotiate with you on site. I think all this is that this is not my logic is it 400 bucks to use too much over the phone. You know, it's funny because someone else that was this would be my logic and as you've heard me say before I may say in the customers a night could be a day customer. But I would dare say if you had people out there watching this today, if you were doing that. Yes you're probably getting high quality people that you want. But you're actually losing a lot of people that you never even had a chance to do. And it's costing you money. Yeah, I agree. I agree. I agree. I'm it's not saying eating was wrong or right insisting that we took what we've taken different approaches, which is both parties have worked. It's interesting. It's good. Like it. Right this is what. Well I know hipsters say we never really did. Really really. So for instance, I can reduce that here about 7% Yeah, so just to talk about upselling cross-sell. As I said earlier, we do not push any products or anything that the customer doesn't need or want. There is no high pressure selling at all. But it's the same old story. Often you don't get. And we all know that if you can increase your average dollar sale from $300 a job to $500 job. How big a difference would that make to your business. Now suddenly be the guy put on $2,000 a job. I understand that. But I'm talking a maintenance small job scenario. If you are doing a big job scenario how can you sell later as well. Now what an upset please. And I'll just try to keep it in layman's terms. If you've got a mobile phone and they've currently got a mobile phone. One of the ways of selling and an upscale ease up selling them into a number mobile phone that potentially is at a higher price and is a better find. So that's what an upscale is. If you're looking at cross-selling is your actually got a mobile phone and know annual trying to cross. So mean something that connects with that fine like headset. So we go down this principle of upselling cross-sell and we do a lot of. You can see you and ask a question name your just muted your market fine. They may. They got on about to sneeze. That's what's going on. I haven't thought about that link to me. So there you go. So Yeah you gone up selling and cross-selling and this is where this does. This is relevant to all business, not just maintenance business seating there guy. But on jump on not maintenance. This doesn't suit me. That's wrong. You should be doing this you all businesses and all good businesses do this and you've gotta give yourself the opportunity to find more work, and I think we all agree that some of you at a listing a lot. But I just work on referral work while people ring me. I don't ring them. And I get all that kind of stuff. But if you're trying to have a business that makes really good profit margin and you're constantly bringing in New clients annual retaining union clients you need to look it up selling and cross-selling this day and age. Not everyone does it. You can't go to a bank without them offering you another credit card. You can't get a coffee without them saying, would you like a muffin or a bacon and egg roll with this. It's part of life. Now and if you're not offering these I guarantee you your business is losing a lot of opportunities. And it's dead set hurting. Way you go. Yeah Yeah. I mean, yes, I'm surprised. Even today, people know the kinds of awkward uses they do the bathroom and still even buy a pitcher of hot water system in. Yeah, well, they don't upgrade the water mains and still peddling half inch mind to try and run good showers, right. So and I don't know. Some people will look at a box renovation and it depends on how you want to do your bath renovations but if you put all the tiles off the wall. And the walls are all back to Bay Ray Brown the pot would don't leave the pot working there. That's 30 years, all of them just put a drop down because potentially there's going to be a problem at some stage. So you know I have some people I know that when they do acquire day that will go going quite a lot. And then when they open the wall up and find out what's going on. Now say, hey, this is what you need to do. And then there's other people that will at Mullett till from the start. We're going to do this. And this is how it's going to be. And it's going to be a top product. And there's different ways of doing that. We normally do the like. That's why we normally go in often. But if you go at getting it. You're doing quotes at the moment. And you're getting smashed out of the water. There's a reason why. Maybe you've got to reassess that. You got to read this. And so what. Like I'm always interested in how you managed to get your staff to do this, team was on site. You think the upselling is more resigned to the office teams to do it. No definitely not the office teams. And unless it's the person that's on site sales and doing this is all about being on site in front of the customer. Winning them over the customer knows you loves you. You've offered an incredible service. And if you do all of that, there is going to be additional work. As I say 60% to 70% of the time, we're always doing additional work could be small. It could be a lot. You know we got some jobs and it's a $200 job. The boys end up feeling the whole day off of work, and it's a $2,000 job. And that's just to the customer not knowing what opportunities happen. And who's not asked until the customer. If they want to spend money or not. Some customers do, some don't. But it's our job to put them in the right headspace and down and them with the walk right intonation and what needs to be done for them to make the decision not for us just to go and a guy that'd be right. And I'm at me and how have you found our community. You've trained a lot of business. Now and have you found the process of taking new customers through existing staff who may be nervous. I think most of people's barriers is probably fear rather than just they don't want to feel like they use instant selling. It's more anxiety and fear based on everyone understands that if you two if you keep telling yourself, your. Then if you tell yourself enough. You are an ache and if he could kill you. You know you keep telling yourself you're not good at something, then you're not good at something that's just the moral of the story. And we do a lot of training around making guys believe and making them understand. And if you try and someone just tell them the steps and they are comfortable with those steps. It's easy to be honest. A lot of people think it's really hard. It's not hard. You just follow the steps and our boys do that. And that just leads to increasing the average dollar sign, which is huge in business success. And as you said you touched on friction just before. If you're selling someone for a new would a quota because I need they need one. What do you think doing them a benefit. But you're actually doing them a disservice by leaving them a duty water filter and. But it's unhealthy that seat all rusted braided hoses that are about to burst all you know. And has anyone ever been to one of those jobs you go there one day and you change tack washer for instance, I'm not talking plumbing. But this is relevant to all business. And then really in a wait time and got out. And I don't know what you need right now. My toilet's not working properly. So can you fix us like a gang. Yes so it's a chance to you to make sure your kids this day and age, especially in Australia and our society. Everyone is time. Cool I would rather get it done when they've taken half a day off work. We I haven't got the kids then having a problem again or happy happening on the weekend and then it cost them a lot of money to get it fixed. Yeah, I think touching on that point of view telling you're not selling something they don't need cannabis. But if you're not actually selling them what they need you're actually doing a disservice to them. And that's the mindset right. It's like if they need a new braided hose. If the guy was disposable smelly and old. And it stinks they should change it. Put something new in or the shell flexes are leaking that they should fix it. And keep the house functioning really well. So by not selling you're not actually looking at your customers right next there is the big much shift changes like you know you're not selling it's just looking after the customer. That's all of it in the end, it is hot. And I mentioned this just before, but we used to be out trying the business on is the work. We lost all trading in the name, job was trying to stop. And there was a little bit of a disconnect with them training the staff. So that's why we built the 14 step sales success series with a facilitator's guide and showed and showed not only the business side. I had a sale, but told the business sign on to teach the staff how to go down that process. And it's really not a hard process when you know how just step by step. Yeah well I'll move on to the next slide. OK And then this is the next one cabling objections because I think an interesting one people go. But the customer didn't want to go ahead and my first question to that is why I got what you mean you don't know that guy. Well the customer said, nah not today or I'll have to think it bad at all. And and a lot of people when they hear that this guy guy thinks bond and they gone out the door. They never mean the customer again, you need to understand why a customer is saying, no, because no doesn't always mean no money, no means you're old. This is what I believe you've made a mistake. Your officers made a mistake. You'll try. He's made a mistake or there's something gone wrong in the process for them to give you. So the way of dealing with that is understanding that no doesn't mean no. And there's still a really good opportunity of being able to get this job across the line. Yeah, I agree a nose and opportunity for a youth. And that's exactly right. And I say it. Why Too often people put all the time. And effort into quoting or going to a customer's house and driving there and doing whatever it is to get the customer to say yes. And when they say no, that's got it. Oh Yeah. News customer was going to be a Tom wise that I knew this wasn't a good day. Instead of actually going well, hang on. Let's find out why and on that next slide, I can see some of the reasons people died. Go ahead. Well he's in some part of the reason I was always very good at quitting. Like really, really good at this because I had always managed that expectation before I got my price. I kind of already knew that I was roughly in the ballpark. And I already knew what qualities they wanted and what time frame. And so they were my quotes was really, really good. Probably win the win because I work that out. So if you see before, if you're eating if you've got the know what did you do to be in this position because you shouldn't get a no. If you if you've followed the front of the right steps. Yeah, that's right. And listen, there's a lot of reasons why they will say not going to that next floor. We'll do that. I mean, sometimes it needs to price. I may have thought it was going to be cheaper. The benefits are not cle you die. They sometimes may not need the service. If you're trying to sell that may need more information. It could be the timing that could be just having a bad day that connects with your trainee. You didn't build enough for a pool hall to have a lack of money or less confusion and I think confusion is a really good one. If if someone doesn't wholeheartedly know exactly what they going to get. And they're a little bit confused and I ask you a question, you go and you make them feel a bit small or uneasy then they're going to I'm just going to have to get my husband to look at it or I'm just going to have to deal with it later. So confusion normally doesn't lead to a sale. That's the show that's for sure. And lack of money is a big deal right. I think lack of money is a big deal. Yeah but it's less of a big deal than people would think. Yeah, that's right. Oh 100% You know most people have the money if it needs to be gone depending on the price. But most people have the money and most people could afford it. If it's something they want to do. You know I'm not going to show them why they should do it. That's right. And the benefits of doing it. Now is doing it later. And this is all going through a process a game. But a lot of people think, Oh, the customer said no, it must be too expensive. That's definitely not always the case. You know our business way I would say docs drip over here in Sydney is charging one of the highest prices or maybe some of the big guys not the guys that are doing the wrong thing, which I believe they're doing the wrong thing and blowing people out of the water. But we're not doing that. We're running at around about 83% as of last week. We're paying customers. And that's because we do follow up process every single time. Yeah, I mean, I think for those listening really we haven't even talked about selling right because this is not we haven't done anything in selling. And I think some people might go, Oh hang on. But I am 80% repeat or I'm 100% right. Well when you're a maintenance business maintenance business and a 20-year-old guys doing between two and four jobs a day, and you're running around with six trucks. That's a lot of repeat business. Right So this is way, if you're just working for one company a place amazing. But for a maintenance business like us that use incredible numbers. And that was people that use us. I used to how we work. And we do it the same way every single time. And we do a very good job. And people love apples and nothing just like that is actually when we start breaking down a lot of selling. Is it the customer is gets that same experience time after time after time that is selling. That means you want your team with you on this team. And you try these to automate almost all the content right. Yeah, they know what they have to do. They just follow the prices follow the system. So it's kind of like it's just routine, which means they can then focus on the customer's outcome when you're on site because of all the stuff happening in the background. And so it's not like I you want to. I know what I need to do to make sure those customers happy solve the problems get repeat what makes you value because once you do something for a few months, it just becomes it's like not. Karen there is so much going on. And that's right. And I think a lot of business owners go well when I go to the job. We'll wait a good customer service and the customer laughs I mean, it's not always about you the business owner, and they know you're the business owner. There's that element of trust. Try to like when you're building your saying to five guys 10 guys 20 guys. And then not following the method all day rocking up and looking untidy and they're messy and they smell it. Don't take a boot all that kind of stuff that ease this trouble when that happens, that chaos all adds up. I mean, 80% repeat business really is quite outstanding. And it really is me that I must be following the processes diligently. Exactly if you've done a jobs now and is still banging out one job in and out as fast as you can and running away, and you never getting any other work. There's a real element maybe there's some mistrust that you or your staff. And I think I don't know. I think the big takeaway from that would have been to escape with them in police work. Good night. Yeah Yeah. That's my big takeaway. There's three or four jobs that you can always bring a job forward. You can always bring a job forward. We always leave a couple of pockets. If one guy sells very well. We can move things around. We're all about offering incredible customer service. But you know what. Some days things just happen. And now we're so full and we might need somewhat sure. But as a general rule allowing the opportunity to upsell that mean you know what if he didn't do that. And that was a good way to manage it. This is this is the methodology I was taught when selling we did sales training and it's the three. It's and this is I find this a really good technique to remember how you handle an objection it's really when you use this as it works really well. It is genuine and so the cast. What it goes is the feeling is repeating back to the customer that you understand right. So they might say, Oh, you're too expensive. And I don't think I need it. That's a pretty it's a pretty big objection right. And so this is the way I would handle it. You go. Yeah, I know I hear what you're saying that you think it's too expensive. Yeah but I can't tell you. A lot of customers like also felt the same way about when they got that price with that cylinder. I get it. But they will fans after we'd done it and upgraded that. I was so happy that they did that. So I feel guilt found is really twisting need to acknowledge that person's objections. So at least they go. Did you hear me. Right So by Blake acknowledging here in India. He's saying it's too expensive. You don't think you need it. Yep ignores that let them know that lots of other people felt the same way. So they don't feel the line. It's just me, it's like you get it. You feel the same way. Don't even tell them what they found. So give them reassurance it's going to be OK. So I feel felt down as a reason when you're responding to someone for you just blurt back now you'll be trusting might be good. You like hanging. Acknowledge what they told me. Tell them. Everyone else feels the same way. And then also tell them that it'll be all like, hey bill calm down. Very good little technique to fully respond to fulfill found and make it natural. Don't let you stay up failure bride. I don't feel like it, but that's the foundation on how to respond to someone for an objection handling. So I find that very helpful because I get to do cold calling and Fergus right. Because you know we had three of us and somebody to be a sales rep. So I actually had to leave cold calling him to write scripts. And jump on and actually called cool plumbers and sprockets in New Zealand to try and get them to go a slightly demos. I had to get over the fear of cold calling. That's right. When we don't wake up one day and you know and learn this stuff. But I think the big thing out of everything I told him today when it comes to sales is every trainee needs to be better. And if you feel like you're not good in this possible incident you're just saying I'm no good. I'm not good. I'm not good actually go. I need help. And this is what I'm going to do. And if I do that, my business will never be the same again. Say it well. So that is this thing I mentioned, I never thought I'd be a salesman like ultimate salesman. I'd say, I'm never doing that. And once I did my sales training just like I did under pressure from plumbing I learned how to sell. I love sales sales is great. But I'm trained right. I'm properly trained by and did my dad my lessons. The guy watched us did the Cold calling gave us the feedback and after a week or so, I've actually just doing it like whatever. It doesn't matter. And because I think the biggest thing he taught us for those who were afraid of selling well cold calling is that person doesn't have to answer the phone and like a person is grumpy or angry. If they didn't want to thank you. Cool we'll talk to you. They just shouldn't have actually answered the phone. And taken the call. How they respond to the problem You know, you would hang up on me and tell me to get lost. And I was like, yeah, whatever. So are you having a bad day. But like you don't take on board the way they respond. And that's exactly right. And we are not trying our boys and we do a lot of training around that as well is if you walk up to Mr and Mrs. Jones' house, and they our beach shore or say maybe crank you whatever. Don't take it personally. They could have had a fight with their husband. They could have something went wrong with the kids school, whatever it might be. All you're seeing is the tip of the iceberg. Everything below it. You know there are challenges. And your job is to understand that maybe not in a great mood and how you can pull them out of that car. And that's what that guys are trying to build them because if they are cranky and they're shitty they never again, I want to go ahead with exercise. It's all too hard. So the job is done to say that to be aware of that. And pull them out of that night. I'm happy again. And then part of it. And you know you've got to have that positive attitude as we thought he towards objections. Everyone's going to say yes, no. And different as I've said, you know there's nothing wrong with someone saying no. If you can find out why they're saying no. And I'm probably a perfectly good thought a reason. And to a guy will I totally understand that this is a giant. I get where you're coming from. But from my opinion, this and this. And this is something that probably shouldn't be done today. But if you don't want to do it today. I'm totally OK. Yeah, and I think it's I think really that Sloan sees that. All right. Exactly kind of like I wouldn't say I expect the objection, but like being totally OK that you need to push forward if the way, what you presented. They will. They said no, because like most people and instinctive responses is like, no, but don't be put off by that. Say OK, well shall we go through it. Let me explain it to you right. Just don't. Don't be afraid. The first response might be a nine whose first response is probably more like, Oh, I'm a little bit. I'm around and wasn't expecting that. And I think life is changed to meet. And sometimes people are becoming smarter and trying to negotiate with you all they're trying to ask, well, jeez it's a little bit expensive to do a better price. Now Some people when they hear their whole mannerisms bodies. Oh here we go. I've got a board. I see. Oh my God. No I can't. What you get the galley every night that long lady. You know I can really let it affect them. Yeah So we do a lot of training around that. And sometimes people are asking. And stay to go, well, why is that. Mr James why do you think it doesn't take baths and got find out what the situation is. So the first thing we do is we always listen to what I have to say, when it comes. Objection times a slide for you. Thank you very much right. We request the clarification. So Mr Jones you're actually saying that the joke came in at $250 that you talked to Billy crack down the road. He's a handy man. And he said, hey, you do it for $190. Is that correct. And they are yes at ease and they go, OK. I understand where you're at. I want to say, this is what we're doing in your job. This is the quality of quality that we're doing. This is how we're going about it. And as you can see, that's a very fair price. Yeah Yeah. Explain that to them. Now Not many people will go. No it's not. It's still a rip off. Sometimes they good. But it's a matter of how do you handle it. We talked earlier about how many different types of addictions but when those objections come up. How are you trying to deal with them. And that's what we do to ease the training around the addictions. Yeah, and I think you've put you've got to listen foods right. That's the first listen and feedback I kind of. I hear what you're saying. If you put it written down. Clarify that. Rephrase it. If that's exactly how you do it. What's the objection and then actually guy. Well Mrs. Johns I understand you're thinking that's a little bit on the high side. I'm from you're explaining to me. You said you wanted the quality of this. But with what you're saying now maybe we can find another tab or another scenario where we could bring it down that $50 for you. Would that be something I'd be interested if we could do that. Yeah actually. Hang on. Let me have a quick look and see what we can do. I do have some other taps in the truck. Let me see if I've got one of those on site. OK this Mrs. giant. Yes sir. Lucky we had one left in the truck. Here it is. Would you like this tap. And we can do it to that price. Is that. OK with you. Yes so I just want to switch and summarize in three minutes to wrap it up summarizes know 100 in the lines that your whole business from answering the phone to the how do you branding your uniforms how the guys look and smell is all about putting this trust to build the confidence that they would trust the products that they are going to put them off. So building that trust is it's the whole journey right. It is a whole journey is going to point out that when you put this in play the customer loves this whole journey to try to feel more confident in giving them the tools to be more confident right. You have good bands good uniforms good tools good brand you could find good. I feel pride that the firm has had the plan. Exactly and I think confidence translates right into success. And I do think we could have learned from upsetting cross-selling. I think we should have done more. Yeah big thing. We should've given our guys more time to do that. So that's why I think it's a really, really valid speech in today's market with COVID and improbably let's work next year. You want to be make sure you're trying to maximize the work opportunities. So Yeah, I reckon it's a really, really good takeaway and openness it's kind of like object to the objections not delaying tactics like they are opportunities to convince the customer. So really good and equal that is know banging on about it, guys, but I've done enough sales training to realize you can't do that a lot. Well 1% knock out a train. They stop and train themselves. But I why even at this, we still get in consultants salespeople to help probably every year. So how upscale refresh the 10 new ideas. It always happens. I'm just pleased to sign on for it to learn and try and contain it. Don't do it alone would be my big thing I'd always wanted to say right. We've always got on one training. But you should know that by now. Lots of videos help us does it. But please do book cool with Andy and lifestyle training. If you want to have a bit of a chat and let us know how your business is running and what's going on. I'm happy to give you some advice around that. And Need to be. Because at the end of the day, we all think we know. But there's an element of being doing it for a very long time. And there's always small tweaks in every business. Now never ending in the tune to make some small tweaks make a massive difference. We're working with businesses now from 100 grand to over $10 million. And we worked with some of the best businesses in Australia and also in New Zealand as well. If you want to have a chat. Don't hesitate to reach on out when there's a free chat. Right you literally will do that. It's a free chat. Describe a little bit of information. First about your business. And then we'll just jump on a Zoom call and have a chat and see how we can help. And if we can. And if not there's no pressure here. I think you talked about selling and we've talked about that today for us personally we've lost all trading lost all trading only rights to our customers when die now it's right to date time. And that's why it was such a strong community be gone for a Lebanese. We've got guys that are still with us today that started off with this and most about people that want to hang around with us learn to hang around on average photocopy ease. Now that's proof in the pudding, and what I'm most proud about because we're always delivering. So I can say the value constantly. Well we'll close on them. Thank you, Andy. So much for your time. I do. It's something I hope you did understand. It's not something it's a whole business structure of selling and selling is the whole organization is geared towards growing customer outcomes. And that's tell you. And the selling on site is just as you say, the tip of the iceberg underneath it supports that. And I would encourage all of you to really think about. Please just do that. Cool it would just always translate into. So much value. You have to trust me on this. It really does work. You will have a good. Next week's business. And we'll see the next one. Thank you, Andy, for your time. Now why is Mike always great working with you, and Thanks, everyone, for listening tonight. Now that we'll all be chatting again. Reporter you might think they might find.
