Efficiency on the job isn’t an accident

Brian Phillips

Efficiency on the job site does not occur by accident. It requires specific actions. As with any aspect of our business, if we want consistent results then our actions must also be consistent.

While the specifics can vary widely between paint contracting companies, certain key principles must followed. These principles are organization and planning. Without both inefficiency will result.

Most jobs are essentially the same. Work must progress in a certain order, and specific issues must be considered and addressed. While the preparation may vary, each surface requires some type of preparation. While masking and protection methods may vary, some type of masking and/ or surface preparation must occur. While the extent and type of clean up will vary, some type of clean up must occur.

The order of these tasks is generally the same, as are the specific steps taken to achieve the desired results. Problems occur when those steps aren’t followed, or are followed out of order. When those steps are in the form of written procedures, and properly trained, job site efficiency can increase.

With the proper planning and organization we can identify the precise steps that should be taken on any particular job. The Project Manager then has the responsibility of ensuring that those steps are followed.

August 30th, 2010 | Tags: , , | Category: Production | Comments are closed

Don’t overwhelm your customer

Brian Phillips

Would be intellectuals often use poly-syllabic words during their pontifications. Eschewing celerity, they emit a plethora of verbiage couched in a façade of profundity. Harkening to a day when eloquent prose was esteemed, they issue forth an insidious conglomeration of words and punctuation that renders the most studious observer into a state of insipient confusion.

In other words, muddy waters appear deep.

Painting contractors often resort to a similar tactic. They overwhelm their customer with technical information regarding products—information that the customer neither understands nor cares about. The customer does not care about features. He cares about benefits.

Certainly some customers care about features, but primarily because they understand the benefits. For example, some customers understand the benefits of using a 100% acrylic latex. But the focus is on the benefits.

A cardinal rule of public speaking (and writing) is to known one’s audience. If I wrote about Immanuel Kant’s influence on John Dewey, you would likely think I am crazy. That topic is not appropriate for a blog on building a paint contracting business.

Similarly with our customers. We must understand their context—their level of knowledge and their concerns. If we don’t, our words are little more than noise—they have no meaning. We may sound impressive in doing so, but we fail to communicate anything meaningful.

August 28th, 2010 | Tags: | Category: Sales | One comment - (Comments are closed)

Thoughts on “illegals” and the painting industry

Brian Phillips

The other day I was talking to a former subcontractor. She had just moved back to Houston from another city because illegals are taking all of the painting work where she was at.

I found this comment humorous. The zip code in which I have my office has about 80,000 residents. Of these, I would estimate that at least half are illegal. The streets around my office are filled with day laborers from dawn to dusk.

My point is, I am at or near ground zero on this issue. And I laugh—albeit a sad laugh—at those who use illegals as an excuse. If it weren’t illegals, it would be something else—the economy, cheap customers, sun spots, the phase of the moon, or something equally ridiculous.

Despite the plethora of illegals in my area, I have serious doubts that they have cost me many jobs. Perhaps one here and there, but not enough to worry about. You see, the customers I market to and serve aren’t looking for the lowest price. I market to the value shopper.

Illegals, and those who hire them, do not offer the same values I offer my customers. In short, they focus on a different market. I seriously doubt that Lexus is concerned about what deals Yugo is offering. So why should I worry about the Yugos of our industry?

If you worry about what others are doing you will have no shortage of issues to occupy your mind. And the sad thing is, you really can’t do anything about what they are doing, except whine. And whining is neither pretty nor effective.

If you think illegals are taking all of the work, maybe you are in the wrong line of work. Maybe you aren’t offering enough value. But that’s not my fault, nor is it the illegals.

August 26th, 2010 | Tags: , | Category: Marketing, Sales | One comment - (Comments are closed)

Learn from the successful

Brian Phillips

It is often said that a smart man learns from his mistakes, while a wise man learns from the mistakes of others. I’d suggest that a truly wise man learns from the success of others. Mistakes only tell us what doesn’t work. Success tells us what does work.

It is inevitable that we will make mistakes. And certainly we should learn from them. We should also the experiences of others as a learning tool. But those experiences are both positive and negative—successful and not so successful. The positive is far more significant and powerful than the failures.

While there are multiple paths to success in a paint contracting company, there are far more roads that lead to failure. Identifying what doesn’t work is only a part of struggle. We are still left with many choices, many of which will not help our cause.

There are many ways to learn from other’s success. Reading biographies of successful businessmen is powerful and inspiring. Networking with successful contractors is another effective means. Perhaps the most effective is to have a mentor—someone who has been successful and will work with you one-on-one to address your specific problems and issues.

Climbing a mountain is hard work. It can be done alone, but the dangers increase. Taking a guide along for the journey helps us identify the dangers. And the chances for success increase tremendously.

August 24th, 2010 | Tags: | Category: Systems | 3 comments - (Comments are closed)
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