1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:03,480 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Master of the NEC podcast, the ultimate 2 00:00:03,520 --> 00:00:07,559 destination for anyone passionate about the electrical trade. 3 00:00:07,839 --> 00:00:10,960 Speaker 2: Whether you're a season electrician, an eager apprentice, or. 4 00:00:11,119 --> 00:00:13,320 Speaker 1: Just someone who wants to dive deep into the world 5 00:00:13,320 --> 00:00:15,839 of electrical work, You've come to the right place. 6 00:00:16,960 --> 00:00:18,519 Speaker 2: Join your host, Paul. 7 00:00:18,320 --> 00:00:21,280 Speaker 1: Abernavi, a true authority in the industry with over thirty 8 00:00:21,280 --> 00:00:24,519 eight years of trade experience, as he electrifies your mind 9 00:00:24,559 --> 00:00:28,719 within depth discussions, expertips, and valuable insights that will keep 10 00:00:28,760 --> 00:00:29,719 you ahead of the curve. 11 00:00:30,679 --> 00:00:32,359 Speaker 2: Each episode, Paul. 12 00:00:32,119 --> 00:00:35,079 Speaker 1: Will illuminate the complexities of the trade de code, the 13 00:00:35,159 --> 00:00:39,280 National Electrical Code, and share the latest industry trends, all 14 00:00:39,280 --> 00:00:41,880 while empowering you to take your electrical career to the 15 00:00:41,920 --> 00:00:46,560 next level. So hear up, plug in, and get ready 16 00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:49,439 to supercharge your knowledge because with the Master of the 17 00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:52,679 Neez podcast, the power is in your hands. 18 00:00:53,359 --> 00:00:56,920 Speaker 2: Now get ready. Here is your host, Paul Abernavi. 19 00:01:02,560 --> 00:01:04,239 Speaker 3: Hey, everybody, Paul Lavin at the here. 20 00:01:04,319 --> 00:01:07,480 Speaker 4: Welcome to another episode of Master the NEEC where we're 21 00:01:07,519 --> 00:01:10,200 going to have a great topic today. We're going to 22 00:01:10,239 --> 00:01:15,760 talk about why soft skills make or break electrical service technicians. 23 00:01:16,359 --> 00:01:18,879 And you may think you're the best electrician in the world. 24 00:01:18,920 --> 00:01:20,879 You may have the best skills in the world, but 25 00:01:20,959 --> 00:01:22,680 at the end of the day, you get out on 26 00:01:22,719 --> 00:01:26,280 a job site and you start communicating with a customer 27 00:01:26,760 --> 00:01:31,439 and immediately what happens is you lose that first impression 28 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:33,879 or you set a bad image for the company. 29 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:36,159 Speaker 3: So this message is. 30 00:01:36,200 --> 00:01:38,599 Speaker 4: Really to everybody out there who wants to have a 31 00:01:38,760 --> 00:01:42,879 better understanding of communication with their customer, as well as 32 00:01:42,920 --> 00:01:45,239 employers who want to make sure that all of their 33 00:01:45,239 --> 00:01:49,799 employees have the necessary soft skills to deal with the 34 00:01:49,799 --> 00:01:54,439 customers and in turn a probably a stellar service technician 35 00:01:54,920 --> 00:02:00,879 into an amazingly stellar service technician again, So that's what 36 00:02:00,879 --> 00:02:04,280 we're going to talk about today. So you can have 37 00:02:04,480 --> 00:02:08,639 the cleanest panel work in the world, but if the 38 00:02:08,680 --> 00:02:14,159 homeowner doesn't like you, trust you, respect you, or feel 39 00:02:14,159 --> 00:02:18,639 respected by you, then your technical skills just you just 40 00:02:18,759 --> 00:02:19,520 lost that job. 41 00:02:19,560 --> 00:02:22,120 Speaker 3: Now you ain't win in the short term, but you're 42 00:02:22,120 --> 00:02:23,759 going to lose in the long term. 43 00:02:23,879 --> 00:02:28,000 Speaker 4: So in service work, technical skills get you in the door, 44 00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:31,560 but the soft skills or determine whether or not you 45 00:02:31,639 --> 00:02:36,199 get paid, whether you get rehired, or if the company 46 00:02:36,240 --> 00:02:39,759 you work for gets referred so that's what we're going 47 00:02:39,840 --> 00:02:41,199 to talk about in today's episode. 48 00:02:41,240 --> 00:02:42,639 Speaker 3: Again, my name's Paul Abernathy. 49 00:02:43,039 --> 00:02:46,479 Speaker 4: I've been serving the electrical industry for over forty years 50 00:02:47,560 --> 00:02:51,599 as a master electrician. I have written numerous books, blogs, 51 00:02:51,879 --> 00:02:55,879 hundreds and hundreds of blogs, thousands of podcasts. I've owned 52 00:02:55,879 --> 00:03:00,639 electrical contracting businesses in Virginia and in Texas. And I 53 00:03:00,680 --> 00:03:04,319 am also the CEO and founder of Electrical Code Academy, 54 00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:08,599 probably one of the most trusted electrical educational resources on 55 00:03:08,639 --> 00:03:11,960 the Internet. And we've also created fast Tracks Tube, which 56 00:03:12,000 --> 00:03:15,080 is also one of the leading trusted resources for videos 57 00:03:15,080 --> 00:03:17,960 that you can actually trust when it comes to learning 58 00:03:18,039 --> 00:03:21,439 the National Electrical Code. But today we're going to talk 59 00:03:21,479 --> 00:03:25,560 about electricians and we're going to talk about soft skills 60 00:03:26,039 --> 00:03:28,639 a little bit, so again kind of a departure from 61 00:03:28,680 --> 00:03:31,319 our norm but I think it's extremely important that you, 62 00:03:31,439 --> 00:03:34,719 if you're an employer, that you make sure that your 63 00:03:34,759 --> 00:03:36,360 employee employees. 64 00:03:35,840 --> 00:03:38,680 Speaker 3: Listen to this episode, watch the video, that type of thing. 65 00:03:38,800 --> 00:03:41,840 So let's get into it. So let's talk first. 66 00:03:41,960 --> 00:03:45,240 Speaker 4: Number one first thing we'll talk about is what are 67 00:03:45,360 --> 00:03:49,039 soft skills when it comes to the electrical industry. Well, 68 00:03:49,319 --> 00:03:51,840 soft skills can be broken down into many things. They're 69 00:03:51,879 --> 00:03:57,879 the ability to communicate properly, to listen, proper body language, 70 00:03:58,080 --> 00:04:03,280 professional appearance, expect for the customer's home while you're there okay, 71 00:04:04,520 --> 00:04:07,759 how you convey or explain the problems that you encounter 72 00:04:07,879 --> 00:04:10,039 while at the home or while on the job site. 73 00:04:10,639 --> 00:04:15,120 How you may handle conflict, maybe situations change, how you 74 00:04:15,159 --> 00:04:18,240 handle that. All of those things bring in SOLT skills, 75 00:04:18,279 --> 00:04:21,399 and again the method of how you build trust with 76 00:04:21,439 --> 00:04:27,120 the customer, why you're there for the scheduled repair session 77 00:04:27,319 --> 00:04:29,560 or whatever it is, or even the phone call sessions 78 00:04:29,639 --> 00:04:32,720 leading up to that. All of those things are wrapped 79 00:04:32,800 --> 00:04:35,920 up into having really good SOLT skills, and any weakness 80 00:04:35,920 --> 00:04:38,399 in any of those can put a chink in that 81 00:04:38,600 --> 00:04:42,079 armor and start to affect the reputation of the company 82 00:04:42,079 --> 00:04:46,279 you work for, and ultimately, if that happens internally, it'll 83 00:04:46,319 --> 00:04:49,959 affect your reputation within the company as well. So soft 84 00:04:49,959 --> 00:04:54,000 skills are being good at those communicating, handling problems, listening, 85 00:04:54,040 --> 00:04:57,519 your body language, your professional appearance. All these things can 86 00:04:57,560 --> 00:05:00,839 be learned, and they take a look little bit of practice, 87 00:05:00,959 --> 00:05:04,160 because again we're all built with our own innate little 88 00:05:04,600 --> 00:05:07,800 nuances that sometimes don't send the right message, and so 89 00:05:07,879 --> 00:05:11,160 you have to work with those. In any electric contractor 90 00:05:11,319 --> 00:05:15,680 or business, whether you're plumbing, mechanical, whatnot, and you have employees, 91 00:05:15,879 --> 00:05:17,959 you need to make sure that they are fully aware 92 00:05:18,279 --> 00:05:21,240 of soft skills. So you don't overlook soft skills because 93 00:05:21,279 --> 00:05:23,639 somebody just happens to be a pretty good technician. Are 94 00:05:23,639 --> 00:05:26,600 they making you a lot of money? Again, you can 95 00:05:26,639 --> 00:05:29,000 get more out of that and make their life better 96 00:05:29,040 --> 00:05:32,199 and they can understand how to handle stressful situations if 97 00:05:33,040 --> 00:05:33,680 you work on. 98 00:05:33,600 --> 00:05:34,480 Speaker 3: Those soft skills. 99 00:05:34,600 --> 00:05:38,639 Speaker 4: Because soft skills are not extra, they are a product 100 00:05:38,720 --> 00:05:41,360 of service work, and if you're going to be doing 101 00:05:41,480 --> 00:05:45,639 service work, then it's important that your employees as well 102 00:05:45,680 --> 00:05:51,240 as yourself understand these soft skills. Okay, Now, the service 103 00:05:51,279 --> 00:05:55,240 technician is the company. So I don't know whether if 104 00:05:55,240 --> 00:05:58,680 you've watched our previous podcast or listen to our previous 105 00:05:58,759 --> 00:06:03,800 podcast when we talk about electrical contractor versus electrician, you 106 00:06:03,839 --> 00:06:06,959 need to understand that the employee is the company. They're 107 00:06:07,000 --> 00:06:09,399 the vision of the company, they're the they're the messager 108 00:06:09,959 --> 00:06:11,079 of the company. 109 00:06:11,160 --> 00:06:13,800 Speaker 3: So you have to do everything that is right. If 110 00:06:13,839 --> 00:06:15,319 you're an electrical contractor or. 111 00:06:15,240 --> 00:06:17,160 Speaker 4: You're the owner of a business. You need to go 112 00:06:17,279 --> 00:06:20,800 back and listen to that episode because that episode I 113 00:06:20,800 --> 00:06:25,920 think it's episode fifty one of the Master the NEC series. 114 00:06:26,920 --> 00:06:30,279 But it's so important that you realize that you have 115 00:06:30,399 --> 00:06:33,920 to set the tone. Okay, Now, when a technician enters 116 00:06:33,920 --> 00:06:39,079 a home, they become he she, They become the brand. 117 00:06:39,360 --> 00:06:40,000 Speaker 3: Your brand. 118 00:06:40,519 --> 00:06:43,800 Speaker 4: What you're sending out there is extremely important. You know, 119 00:06:43,839 --> 00:06:45,800 don't blame it on the technician if you're not able 120 00:06:45,839 --> 00:06:49,800 to provide them with proper shirts to wear, or that 121 00:06:49,839 --> 00:06:54,040 you have a company policy on how they're supposed to look, 122 00:06:54,240 --> 00:06:57,959 how they're supposed to carry themselves. Don't blame the employee 123 00:06:58,040 --> 00:06:59,959 if you don't set the tone. And if you're a 124 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:01,720 one man or one woman show. 125 00:07:01,480 --> 00:07:02,959 Speaker 3: It's up to you to set the tone. 126 00:07:03,000 --> 00:07:05,800 Speaker 4: But remember, your brand is everything, and I think that 127 00:07:05,879 --> 00:07:08,120 people forget that now. Some people are very happy with 128 00:07:08,160 --> 00:07:11,000 a mom and pop and they think I've got plenty 129 00:07:11,000 --> 00:07:13,600 of business. I don't need to build my brand. Now 130 00:07:13,720 --> 00:07:16,639 today with all the competition, you need to build a brand. 131 00:07:16,680 --> 00:07:20,360 And that's why cmbcps are taught to understand that this 132 00:07:20,560 --> 00:07:24,040 is conveying their excellence and that sends the message to 133 00:07:24,079 --> 00:07:27,040 the customer. They don't know what CMBCP is, but they 134 00:07:27,079 --> 00:07:31,000 know that it means Certified Master Electrical co Professional. That's 135 00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:33,360 what you are, and that's the message you're carrying. So 136 00:07:34,160 --> 00:07:36,920 everything that you do up to this point is setting the. 137 00:07:36,879 --> 00:07:39,600 Speaker 3: Tone for the company. Okay, Now, the. 138 00:07:39,560 --> 00:07:43,879 Speaker 4: Homeowner doesn't separate the technician from the company. Look, I 139 00:07:43,959 --> 00:07:46,079 have seen it where technicians get on a job and 140 00:07:46,079 --> 00:07:49,199 they bad mouth the company. Look if that's going on 141 00:07:49,279 --> 00:07:50,839 in your company, and if you're the owner and you 142 00:07:50,879 --> 00:07:53,199 get whiff of that, you need to nip that in 143 00:07:53,240 --> 00:07:56,560 the bud. That's a cancer that can destroy your company image. 144 00:07:56,680 --> 00:07:59,079 They may be the best yield or top earner in 145 00:07:59,120 --> 00:08:00,120 your company. 146 00:08:00,120 --> 00:08:02,639 Speaker 3: Got to go or they need to get with the program. 147 00:08:02,720 --> 00:08:08,839 Speaker 4: Okay, one bad interaction can destroy years of reputation building. 148 00:08:09,519 --> 00:08:12,920 You send out somebody and they start mouthing off at 149 00:08:12,920 --> 00:08:16,680 the customer, or they start damaging the customer's property, or 150 00:08:16,720 --> 00:08:20,399 they don't follow your protocols, and you get complacent and 151 00:08:20,439 --> 00:08:24,160 think I'll just send out Johnny and it starts to 152 00:08:24,360 --> 00:08:25,199 hurt your repetition. 153 00:08:25,279 --> 00:08:26,240 Speaker 3: Remember what I say. 154 00:08:27,160 --> 00:08:30,079 Speaker 4: People that have a bad experience will go out of 155 00:08:30,079 --> 00:08:33,519 their way to share it. They'll go on Yelp, they'll 156 00:08:33,559 --> 00:08:36,000 go on Google. They'll go out of their way to 157 00:08:36,240 --> 00:08:39,600 share a bad experience. They won't necessarily go out of 158 00:08:39,600 --> 00:08:41,559 the way to share a good experience. That's why I 159 00:08:41,639 --> 00:08:44,440 train people to use things like these little tags that 160 00:08:44,480 --> 00:08:46,679 you see right here on my head in order to 161 00:08:46,799 --> 00:08:49,039 that if you have a good experience with the customer, 162 00:08:49,120 --> 00:08:51,600 or you train your employee right or the service technician, 163 00:08:52,200 --> 00:08:54,919 they can build a good referral. And this is going 164 00:08:54,960 --> 00:08:58,960 to build dividends for you because people are looking for that. Okay, 165 00:08:59,000 --> 00:09:01,519 your technician is not just fixing the circuit. 166 00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:02,679 Speaker 3: That's not it. 167 00:09:03,039 --> 00:09:05,240 Speaker 4: They're not just they're doing that. This is why we 168 00:09:05,279 --> 00:09:07,960 talk about thermal imaging. In offering a program. If my 169 00:09:08,000 --> 00:09:10,279 technician gets there and solves a problem in thirty minutes, 170 00:09:10,440 --> 00:09:13,159 and we charge by the hour, they need to be 171 00:09:13,240 --> 00:09:17,240 understand how to tactfully add additional services that can help 172 00:09:17,399 --> 00:09:21,559 build your reputation bolster it rather than give a bad experience. 173 00:09:21,679 --> 00:09:24,480 Somebody gets there in ten minutes and leaves, but they 174 00:09:24,559 --> 00:09:26,360 charge them for an hour. That tends to leave a 175 00:09:26,399 --> 00:09:29,679 bad taste in the customer's mouth. You need to balance 176 00:09:29,720 --> 00:09:31,559 out that time. Now you may think, well, that means 177 00:09:31,559 --> 00:09:32,799 I can get him on another job and I. 178 00:09:32,879 --> 00:09:34,000 Speaker 3: Make more money. 179 00:09:34,159 --> 00:09:38,519 Speaker 4: Now you're not thinking right, You're thinking about how many 180 00:09:38,559 --> 00:09:40,200 I can do in a day rather. 181 00:09:40,080 --> 00:09:44,000 Speaker 3: Than how am I building my reputation? And it's a mindset. Okay, 182 00:09:44,240 --> 00:09:46,879 you need to offer them additional services. You need to 183 00:09:46,879 --> 00:09:47,320 offer them. 184 00:09:48,120 --> 00:09:51,440 Speaker 4: If they refuse them, that's fine, but you need to 185 00:09:51,519 --> 00:09:55,720 understand how to incorporate. That's why I say everybody needs 186 00:09:55,759 --> 00:09:59,320 to add thermal imaging, whether it's residential, commercial service work 187 00:10:00,159 --> 00:10:03,840 so much that those cameras can see that the customer 188 00:10:03,919 --> 00:10:06,399 can't see, and that you're able to convey it if 189 00:10:06,440 --> 00:10:09,679 you're trained properly. Okay, So you got to remember your 190 00:10:10,360 --> 00:10:13,200 technician is not there fixing a circuit. That might be 191 00:10:13,279 --> 00:10:17,120 the goal that they were hired to do, but he 192 00:10:17,399 --> 00:10:21,720 or she is actually selling the company's future. Because people 193 00:10:21,759 --> 00:10:24,399 will go out of their way to say bad things, 194 00:10:24,679 --> 00:10:28,000 you have to help them say good things. So there's 195 00:10:28,039 --> 00:10:28,720 a process. 196 00:10:29,480 --> 00:10:29,879 Speaker 3: Okay. 197 00:10:30,159 --> 00:10:32,879 Speaker 4: And I've also talked about this in previous episodes, So 198 00:10:32,919 --> 00:10:34,759 make sure you subscribe to the podcast. 199 00:10:35,159 --> 00:10:36,600 Speaker 3: You go listen to our podcast. 200 00:10:36,639 --> 00:10:39,679 Speaker 4: You can find master the NEC podcast by just simply 201 00:10:39,720 --> 00:10:42,600 searching for it in any of your search engines, Google, whatever, 202 00:10:42,919 --> 00:10:45,279 and you'll find it, go back and listen to some 203 00:10:45,320 --> 00:10:48,399 of the old episodes because we talk about reputation building, 204 00:10:48,720 --> 00:10:51,799 how to set the image. These are powerful things you 205 00:10:51,879 --> 00:10:54,879 as a business owner, you need to start thinking about that. 206 00:10:54,919 --> 00:10:57,679 And if you're a contractor and you're a one man show, 207 00:10:57,759 --> 00:10:59,480 you need to think about how this is going to 208 00:10:59,519 --> 00:11:02,360 help you. See, if you're an electrician, you need to 209 00:11:02,399 --> 00:11:06,519 get yourself into that mindset of an owner. Okay, to 210 00:11:06,639 --> 00:11:10,080 build a business just the way you've got to think today. 211 00:11:10,120 --> 00:11:12,600 You got to be the entrepreneur, you got to be 212 00:11:12,720 --> 00:11:15,720 the chief executive, and you've got to remember that that 213 00:11:15,759 --> 00:11:20,600 what you do sends a message. Now, why does soft 214 00:11:20,639 --> 00:11:23,799 skills matter more than the technical skills? On a service call, 215 00:11:23,840 --> 00:11:26,440 you might be thinking, well, I'm the best electrician in 216 00:11:26,480 --> 00:11:28,159 the world, I'm the best plumber in the world, I'm 217 00:11:28,200 --> 00:11:30,519 the best mechanical guide. Rund Well, if you listen to 218 00:11:30,559 --> 00:11:33,399 my previous episode, episode number fifty one, you will see 219 00:11:33,399 --> 00:11:35,799 that it doesn't matter how skilled you are. 220 00:11:35,840 --> 00:11:36,960 Speaker 3: You're there to fix a problem. 221 00:11:37,000 --> 00:11:39,120 Speaker 4: Whether you fix it in fifteen minutes, twenty minutes, or 222 00:11:39,120 --> 00:11:44,799 thirty minutes, that's your job. But on that service call, 223 00:11:45,000 --> 00:11:48,159 the soft skills how you communicate is what they remember, 224 00:11:48,440 --> 00:11:52,320 how you left that customer, how the expectations, how you 225 00:11:52,559 --> 00:11:55,960 clearly explained what you're doing to them, what you resolved, 226 00:11:56,000 --> 00:11:59,240 what you fixed. Why you're offering these extra services that 227 00:11:59,279 --> 00:12:02,240 they don't have to pay, like a thermal inspection or 228 00:12:02,279 --> 00:12:04,799 something like that. Maybe saying, you know, I check the 229 00:12:04,840 --> 00:12:07,399 lugs in your panel to make sure everything was torqued properly. 230 00:12:07,879 --> 00:12:09,720 Speaker 3: Pay those type of things. It is a requirement of 231 00:12:09,759 --> 00:12:10,279 the code today. 232 00:12:10,399 --> 00:12:12,879 Speaker 4: Or maybe I make a recommendation because I noticed you 233 00:12:12,919 --> 00:12:15,559 need GFCI here. It wasn't required at the time it 234 00:12:15,600 --> 00:12:18,399 was built, but you know what, the code evolves because 235 00:12:18,440 --> 00:12:21,399 there are issues that need to be addressed. No high 236 00:12:21,399 --> 00:12:25,120 pressure sales. That's why are thermal imaging electricians. When we 237 00:12:25,240 --> 00:12:28,600 get into our Certified Thermal Electrician program, we have separate 238 00:12:28,639 --> 00:12:32,919 modules that talk about the approach to sales, approach to 239 00:12:33,320 --> 00:12:36,879 addressing problems or confrontation, or how to get over hurdles. 240 00:12:37,279 --> 00:12:38,159 Speaker 3: There's a reason for. 241 00:12:38,120 --> 00:12:40,600 Speaker 4: All that, and you need to learn that if you 242 00:12:40,639 --> 00:12:44,919 want to be the best electrician and the best contractor 243 00:12:44,960 --> 00:12:48,519 you can be. Now, let's think about this. So saft skills, 244 00:12:48,519 --> 00:12:51,000 why do they matter more than the technical skills? Well, 245 00:12:51,399 --> 00:12:55,720 homeowners judge you and they call you back based on 246 00:12:55,840 --> 00:12:59,240 how you greet them. Whether you listen to them good 247 00:12:59,279 --> 00:13:03,159 listening skills, or you're ignoring them because you think you're 248 00:13:03,200 --> 00:13:06,279 so far above them and knowledge that you don't have 249 00:13:06,320 --> 00:13:08,559 to listen to what they say, or you don't acknowledge them, 250 00:13:08,639 --> 00:13:09,679 or you don't know the right way. 251 00:13:09,559 --> 00:13:12,240 Speaker 3: To acknowledge them. Okay, okay. 252 00:13:12,320 --> 00:13:16,399 Speaker 4: Another one is whether you explain things clearly in a 253 00:13:16,440 --> 00:13:17,720 way that they can understand. 254 00:13:17,759 --> 00:13:18,840 Speaker 3: It takes practice. 255 00:13:18,879 --> 00:13:22,000 Speaker 4: If you're so used to talking technical jargon, then you 256 00:13:22,039 --> 00:13:23,799 need to understand how to convey the message to a 257 00:13:23,879 --> 00:13:25,840 level they'll understand and appreciate. 258 00:13:25,919 --> 00:13:26,240 Speaker 3: Okay. 259 00:13:27,120 --> 00:13:30,840 Speaker 4: Also, do you have the ability to show patients or 260 00:13:30,919 --> 00:13:33,879 you just simply just constantly amped up? Do you know 261 00:13:33,919 --> 00:13:37,679 how to have a conversation where you pause properly and 262 00:13:37,799 --> 00:13:41,759 listen to them? Active listening sometimes is the most important 263 00:13:41,840 --> 00:13:43,039 part of communication. 264 00:13:43,320 --> 00:13:45,399 Speaker 3: Okay. Now, do you. 265 00:13:45,399 --> 00:13:48,960 Speaker 4: Make them feel safe? Do you make them feel respected? 266 00:13:49,080 --> 00:13:52,000 Remember they called the company you work for, or they 267 00:13:52,039 --> 00:13:54,799 called you. If you're a one man's show, we want 268 00:13:54,840 --> 00:13:57,200 to make sure that they have this utmost level of 269 00:13:57,240 --> 00:14:00,480 confidence throughout the time that you're there with them. 270 00:14:00,559 --> 00:14:00,919 Speaker 3: Okay. 271 00:14:01,480 --> 00:14:05,639 Speaker 4: Here's the other thing. No, they do not judge you 272 00:14:06,120 --> 00:14:08,879 for how perfect your conduit is. They do not judge 273 00:14:08,919 --> 00:14:11,600 you for how many code articles you can quote. 274 00:14:11,360 --> 00:14:12,759 Speaker 3: Or cite to them. Okay. 275 00:14:13,240 --> 00:14:16,960 Speaker 4: They don't judge you by how smart you are. They're 276 00:14:17,000 --> 00:14:21,440 not electricians, they're not plumbers, they're not mechanical folks. Right, 277 00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:26,679 so you can impress them by how you look. See 278 00:14:26,720 --> 00:14:29,879 a ECPs that have that seal. They're gonna look at it. 279 00:14:29,919 --> 00:14:31,879 They're gonna glance at it. They're gonna see it on 280 00:14:31,919 --> 00:14:33,720 your arm, they're gonna see it on the truck. 281 00:14:34,720 --> 00:14:36,120 Speaker 3: They're gonna know these things. 282 00:14:36,480 --> 00:14:38,799 Speaker 4: They're already putting you at this high level. You have 283 00:14:38,879 --> 00:14:39,639 to maintain it. 284 00:14:39,960 --> 00:14:44,480 Speaker 3: Okay. So can you overcome a bad first impression? Absolutely? 285 00:14:45,159 --> 00:14:46,799 Is it harder? Absolutely? 286 00:14:46,960 --> 00:14:49,240 Speaker 4: Are you gonna spend the rest of your service call 287 00:14:49,440 --> 00:14:52,320 trying to overcome that first impression when you identify that 288 00:14:52,360 --> 00:14:53,159 you screwed up? 289 00:14:53,600 --> 00:14:57,279 Speaker 3: Absolutely you are. Can you? Yeah, But it's gonna take 290 00:14:57,320 --> 00:14:59,600 you more work, more energy. 291 00:14:59,639 --> 00:15:03,080 Speaker 4: And if you start out right there at the top, 292 00:15:03,480 --> 00:15:08,639 high energy, very respectful, easy to communicate. Listen, well, look 293 00:15:08,679 --> 00:15:13,960 the part. Guess what the job is easy? All they 294 00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:21,120 want is the job fixed. Okay, Now, remember, the customer 295 00:15:21,159 --> 00:15:24,639 doesn't care how much you know until they know how 296 00:15:24,679 --> 00:15:29,279 much you care. That's important because to you, it's just 297 00:15:29,320 --> 00:15:33,399 another job. To them, it's a moment in time that 298 00:15:33,480 --> 00:15:36,519 they wish they didn't have to experience. They didn't want 299 00:15:36,559 --> 00:15:39,960 to call a service tech. They might have been the 300 00:15:40,000 --> 00:15:41,679 woman of the house, might have thought it was something 301 00:15:41,720 --> 00:15:43,559 that the honey do list should have taken care of, 302 00:15:43,639 --> 00:15:46,120 and they can't take care of it, so they don't want. 303 00:15:45,960 --> 00:15:47,240 Speaker 3: To call you. 304 00:15:48,039 --> 00:15:51,440 Speaker 4: So you need to make it as painless as possible, 305 00:15:52,279 --> 00:15:54,960 and that takes practice. You may think you have some 306 00:15:55,000 --> 00:15:58,360 great skills, but do you have those soft skills that 307 00:15:58,399 --> 00:16:03,399 are necessary to to make this transaction memorable so that 308 00:16:03,480 --> 00:16:06,200 they let other people know how memorable it is. 309 00:16:06,440 --> 00:16:10,039 Speaker 3: Now, communication is the revenue skill. 310 00:16:10,600 --> 00:16:13,639 Speaker 4: How many times have you heard somebody say that clear 311 00:16:13,799 --> 00:16:20,200 expectations or clear explanations really do. 312 00:16:20,519 --> 00:16:22,000 Speaker 3: Build trust with the customer. 313 00:16:22,440 --> 00:16:25,600 Speaker 4: Arrive there, let them know what's to take place, what 314 00:16:25,639 --> 00:16:27,919 the expectation is, and then when. 315 00:16:27,720 --> 00:16:30,960 Speaker 3: You find something, you explain it to them. You don't 316 00:16:31,000 --> 00:16:31,679 load it up with. 317 00:16:31,639 --> 00:16:34,120 Speaker 4: So technical jargon because they're not going to be impressed 318 00:16:34,159 --> 00:16:37,799 by you. They're not They want it's solved, but you 319 00:16:37,840 --> 00:16:40,279 can explain to them in a way they understand it. 320 00:16:40,320 --> 00:16:43,159 Speaker 3: Okay, if you build trust. 321 00:16:42,799 --> 00:16:45,559 Speaker 4: With the customer, then what you're doing is building approval. 322 00:16:45,759 --> 00:16:48,919 They will literally go out of their way to recommend you, 323 00:16:49,399 --> 00:16:53,159 but if you breach that trust, they will go out 324 00:16:53,159 --> 00:16:55,039 of their way to destroy you. 325 00:16:55,679 --> 00:16:57,120 Speaker 3: Really, if you've not been on any. 326 00:16:57,039 --> 00:17:00,679 Speaker 4: Yelp reviews lately or any Google reviews lately, I'm just 327 00:17:00,720 --> 00:17:05,079 saying again, tactfulness and the ability to communicate is extremely important, 328 00:17:05,079 --> 00:17:08,680 and not everybody has it. I have my own experiences 329 00:17:08,720 --> 00:17:10,839 with some HVAC guys that came to my house when 330 00:17:10,839 --> 00:17:13,559 I was in mckinniy, Texas. I would not hire that 331 00:17:13,599 --> 00:17:17,039 company again. They're probably a great company, but their technician 332 00:17:17,200 --> 00:17:20,480 bad mouthed them the whole time. He looked terrible, he 333 00:17:20,680 --> 00:17:25,240 smelled like cigarettes, smoked the whole time. His vehicle was terrible. 334 00:17:25,240 --> 00:17:27,200 He pulled up and there was trash falling out of 335 00:17:27,200 --> 00:17:29,640 his vehicle. Did not send the message I want. You 336 00:17:29,720 --> 00:17:32,119 might say, Well, he was great, he was highly skilled. 337 00:17:32,839 --> 00:17:35,200 Look I'm not paying for that. I'm paying to solve 338 00:17:35,279 --> 00:17:39,880 my problem. Right, that's it, And I got a bad 339 00:17:39,920 --> 00:17:43,359 impression of them. Say what you want you can say 340 00:17:43,440 --> 00:17:46,200 is you're electrician. You go, oh, that's bull crap. I'm 341 00:17:46,200 --> 00:17:49,480 the best skilled out there with you're selling yourself short, 342 00:17:49,519 --> 00:17:54,359 you're full of yourself. Okay, communication is what actually is 343 00:17:54,640 --> 00:17:57,079 a revenue growing skill. 344 00:17:57,920 --> 00:18:01,160 Speaker 3: Clearly explain what that is. You're doing. 345 00:18:01,480 --> 00:18:06,759 Speaker 4: Build that trust. Trust builds approval. Approval builds sales and 346 00:18:06,799 --> 00:18:12,359 reoccurring sales. And you know what sales does. Sales builds companies. 347 00:18:13,039 --> 00:18:16,039 They'll tell their brother, they'll tell their cousin, they'll tell 348 00:18:16,039 --> 00:18:20,000 their neighbor, and they're liable to call you back again 349 00:18:20,079 --> 00:18:22,720 because they had a pleasant experience. You did a follow 350 00:18:22,799 --> 00:18:25,559 up call saying hey, I'm here for you. And by 351 00:18:25,599 --> 00:18:27,839 the way, if you need a recommendation for a plumber, 352 00:18:28,000 --> 00:18:29,440 a mechanical person. 353 00:18:29,480 --> 00:18:31,680 Speaker 3: A builder, anything like that, I got you. 354 00:18:31,759 --> 00:18:35,599 Speaker 4: I'm your trusted resource. We talk about that in other podcasts. 355 00:18:35,640 --> 00:18:38,599 How I use these little QR codes right here, and 356 00:18:38,640 --> 00:18:41,839 we do link trees and we build relationships kind of 357 00:18:41,839 --> 00:18:47,640 a B and I builders the network international type of 358 00:18:47,640 --> 00:18:50,720 thing where you're building a loyal trust of other people 359 00:18:50,759 --> 00:18:53,279 that you can recommend. You want to be their go 360 00:18:53,359 --> 00:18:57,920 to person. It's easy again, you say, God, that's hard work. Oh, 361 00:18:57,960 --> 00:19:01,160 that's so much it's not. Once you understand how to 362 00:19:01,160 --> 00:19:03,200 do it, it's very easy to build that trust with 363 00:19:03,279 --> 00:19:05,480 the customer and be that go to person for them. 364 00:19:05,920 --> 00:19:12,000 Right now, a technician with average okay, not above average, 365 00:19:12,039 --> 00:19:15,920 not below, but average technical skill, but they have excellent 366 00:19:15,960 --> 00:19:19,440 communication skills is the one I want. Okay, I can 367 00:19:19,480 --> 00:19:22,160 train somebody to fix in troubleshoot, whether they do it 368 00:19:22,200 --> 00:19:24,400 in twenty minutes, thirty minutes, on an hour, I can 369 00:19:24,960 --> 00:19:27,960 train them through that. That's my responsibility to offer them 370 00:19:27,960 --> 00:19:32,440 that type of training. But you take that mediocre electrician 371 00:19:34,119 --> 00:19:36,960 and you give them some amazing communication skills, they can 372 00:19:37,039 --> 00:19:41,680 outperform a genius electrician with poor people skills every day 373 00:19:41,720 --> 00:19:43,519 of the week. They're still going to solve the problem, 374 00:19:44,640 --> 00:19:49,319 still gonna get the customer with the resolution, but they're 375 00:19:49,319 --> 00:19:52,160 gonna close more work, they're gonna get you more sales, 376 00:19:52,160 --> 00:19:55,319 they're gonna generate you more repeat business, and they're gonna 377 00:19:55,319 --> 00:20:01,359 protect the company's reputation because they understand soft skill people skills, 378 00:20:01,599 --> 00:20:06,599 communication skills, conflict resolution, how to make that customer feel 379 00:20:06,680 --> 00:20:07,079 like you. 380 00:20:06,960 --> 00:20:10,559 Speaker 3: Know what, you're the number one customer for the day. 381 00:20:10,960 --> 00:20:13,079 Speaker 4: Look, if you're an electrician or a plumber, or mechanical, 382 00:20:13,079 --> 00:20:14,559 and you say, look, I got no interest in that. 383 00:20:14,599 --> 00:20:17,240 I'm just an electrician. I'm just doing the work. Hey, 384 00:20:18,200 --> 00:20:20,799 you're a dinosaur. You're gonna be replaced at some point 385 00:20:20,839 --> 00:20:22,160 because everybody's replaceable. 386 00:20:22,480 --> 00:20:23,799 Speaker 3: Take a little pride in your work. 387 00:20:23,880 --> 00:20:27,799 Speaker 4: I like to leave every customer thinking they got the best. 388 00:20:27,960 --> 00:20:30,359 And that's what you should do in every service call 389 00:20:30,400 --> 00:20:33,960 you go on if you want to. It's not kissing 390 00:20:33,960 --> 00:20:39,200 their ass either, because you're offering a service. You're offering explanation, expectation. 391 00:20:39,559 --> 00:20:43,359 You're giving them good communication, you're good listening skills, you're 392 00:20:43,400 --> 00:20:46,599 dealing with resolution. You're working with the customers so that 393 00:20:46,680 --> 00:20:48,640 the end result they are a happy customer. 394 00:20:48,680 --> 00:20:49,279 Speaker 3: Then you leave. 395 00:20:49,880 --> 00:20:52,599 Speaker 4: The next day, you follow up call on your schedule 396 00:20:53,200 --> 00:20:54,880 and you say, hey, I just want to follow up. 397 00:20:55,039 --> 00:20:57,200 Speaker 3: We did some work for you yesterday. Just make sure 398 00:20:57,240 --> 00:20:59,400 everything's okay. If you need anything or anything I could 399 00:20:59,400 --> 00:21:01,759 do better, please let me know. You know. 400 00:21:02,160 --> 00:21:05,359 Speaker 4: Also, if you feel as a good experience, do not 401 00:21:05,599 --> 00:21:09,480 be afraid to ask for a referral, whether it's Google, yelp. 402 00:21:09,480 --> 00:21:11,799 In fact, I teach people to set that up so 403 00:21:11,880 --> 00:21:15,079 they can do it right there while you're there. Easy 404 00:21:16,359 --> 00:21:19,640 five stars. Always ask for five stars, but make sure 405 00:21:19,680 --> 00:21:20,599 you give them. 406 00:21:20,519 --> 00:21:23,119 Speaker 3: Five star results. 407 00:21:23,359 --> 00:21:28,000 Speaker 4: Okay, but be honest with them, right, just saying now 408 00:21:28,839 --> 00:21:30,119 the real cost. 409 00:21:29,880 --> 00:21:33,759 Speaker 3: Of poor soft skills. What's the real cost of that? 410 00:21:33,799 --> 00:21:38,200 Speaker 4: Well, poor soft skills or an employee who has is like, dude, 411 00:21:38,240 --> 00:21:40,079 I've been doing this for forty years. I don't give 412 00:21:40,079 --> 00:21:42,319 a damn dude. You hired me to fix the problem. 413 00:21:42,720 --> 00:21:45,480 That's not true. If you're a one man show and 414 00:21:45,519 --> 00:21:47,119 you want to run your business like that, that's up 415 00:21:47,160 --> 00:21:49,319 to you. But if I'm an owner of a business, 416 00:21:49,400 --> 00:21:53,480 I expect you to understand that your reputation needs to 417 00:21:53,519 --> 00:21:56,720 be upheld within my company, and then I expect you 418 00:21:56,759 --> 00:21:58,480 to work on these skills. If you don't want to 419 00:21:58,519 --> 00:22:01,880 do it, you need to hit the road somewhere else. Okay, 420 00:22:02,319 --> 00:22:07,880 but poor saw skills does what builds? Bad reviews, lost referrals, 421 00:22:08,400 --> 00:22:15,440 customer complaints, canceled estimates, reduced revenue for the company, high 422 00:22:15,480 --> 00:22:22,640 employee turnover because of complaints. Right, one technician, just one 423 00:22:23,119 --> 00:22:27,839 with bad saw skills, can undo an entire marketing budget. 424 00:22:28,119 --> 00:22:29,880 Speaker 3: You have spent a lot of time. 425 00:22:29,960 --> 00:22:32,279 Speaker 4: If you ever sat down and wondered what your reternal 426 00:22:32,319 --> 00:22:34,960 investment if you're an owner of a company, and you're 427 00:22:34,960 --> 00:22:37,400 not thinking about your reternal investment. How hard did you 428 00:22:37,440 --> 00:22:41,480 have to work for that sale? It can be undone 429 00:22:41,799 --> 00:22:44,599 and almost immediately, and you can all that work you 430 00:22:44,720 --> 00:22:45,559 put into it can. 431 00:22:45,480 --> 00:22:48,079 Speaker 3: Go away that quick. 432 00:22:49,119 --> 00:22:53,319 Speaker 4: And all you're asking is for a sales service technician 433 00:22:53,400 --> 00:22:55,799 to treat that customer with the same respect that they'd 434 00:22:55,799 --> 00:22:56,680 expect to be treated. 435 00:22:58,200 --> 00:22:59,400 Speaker 3: That's all we're asking now. 436 00:23:00,160 --> 00:23:04,440 Speaker 4: The five saft skills every service tech must master Number 437 00:23:04,480 --> 00:23:11,000 one first impression, the appearance, the greeting, and the tone. Okay, 438 00:23:11,319 --> 00:23:13,160 when I greet somebody, I look the part. 439 00:23:13,279 --> 00:23:13,559 Speaker 3: Again. 440 00:23:13,720 --> 00:23:15,680 Speaker 4: You need to invest in shirts, and if you don't 441 00:23:15,680 --> 00:23:17,519 have them for your employees, shame on you. 442 00:23:18,000 --> 00:23:19,960 Speaker 3: That should come out of the company's costs. 443 00:23:20,160 --> 00:23:20,720 Speaker 2: T shirts. 444 00:23:20,720 --> 00:23:24,640 Speaker 4: If even this T shirts like this inexpensive, you can 445 00:23:24,680 --> 00:23:27,240 get involved in it for less than five dollars a shirt. 446 00:23:27,319 --> 00:23:31,200 They should have at least five or six shirts. You say, well, 447 00:23:31,279 --> 00:23:35,200 I've got a thousand employees. Good, then that should be 448 00:23:35,240 --> 00:23:41,119 part of your budget providing shirts, looking the part. Making 449 00:23:41,119 --> 00:23:45,039 sure you have an appearance policy. Look, I'm not against tattoos, 450 00:23:45,640 --> 00:23:50,200 I'm not, but I don't want Satan's worker tattooed on 451 00:23:50,240 --> 00:23:54,559 the forearm of my technician and in being my company, well, 452 00:23:54,599 --> 00:23:59,240 we don't get into religion in our company. Bullshit, because 453 00:23:59,240 --> 00:24:03,279 I don't know if somebody's a Satanist or a you know, 454 00:24:03,359 --> 00:24:07,119 a Holy roller, it should be irrelevant. Okay, if I 455 00:24:07,160 --> 00:24:10,039 have an employee that has all those I'm not against tattoos, 456 00:24:10,680 --> 00:24:15,319 but if they're tattoos that are off putting, then what 457 00:24:15,440 --> 00:24:17,759 happens is they need to be covered up. You do 458 00:24:17,839 --> 00:24:19,920 your own policy. I'm just telling you that was not 459 00:24:20,000 --> 00:24:24,079 happen in my company. I'm not against the tattoos. I'm not, 460 00:24:24,960 --> 00:24:27,119 but I'm not going to send a service technician out there, 461 00:24:27,160 --> 00:24:31,279 no matter how good they are, with skull and crossbones 462 00:24:31,279 --> 00:24:37,559 tattooed all over their face. I'm sorry, I'm just not. Okay, 463 00:24:37,720 --> 00:24:41,440 So those out there that do that, okay, I'm sorry. 464 00:24:41,759 --> 00:24:44,240 I'm you don't like it. I'm straight with you, folks. 465 00:24:44,319 --> 00:24:46,519 That's not the image that my company's going to project. 466 00:24:46,799 --> 00:24:48,839 It's not whether I'm a Holy roller, it's not whether 467 00:24:48,880 --> 00:24:50,880 I'm a satan wordy. I have nothing to do with it. 468 00:24:51,119 --> 00:24:54,519 If they can't be covered up, then they have to 469 00:24:54,559 --> 00:24:58,720 at least be tasteful and if they're not tasteful, and your. 470 00:24:58,519 --> 00:25:03,839 Speaker 3: Company's going to determine that me. Okay, you're company, all right, 471 00:25:03,960 --> 00:25:06,839 so anyway, but those are things you have to think about. 472 00:25:07,000 --> 00:25:11,920 Speaker 4: So appearance, how they greet somebody, and the tone is 473 00:25:12,559 --> 00:25:17,400 critically important. Number two active listening. What does that mean? 474 00:25:17,880 --> 00:25:20,400 That means listening to the customer when you get there. 475 00:25:20,759 --> 00:25:22,599 You might have been told you have to fix something. 476 00:25:22,920 --> 00:25:25,599 You get there, the first thing a technician should go is, look, 477 00:25:25,599 --> 00:25:27,440 I believe that we were sitting on here because you 478 00:25:27,480 --> 00:25:30,440 have a circuit that's not working in a bedroom. 479 00:25:30,480 --> 00:25:33,200 Speaker 3: But you know what, you're the one that needs to 480 00:25:33,200 --> 00:25:33,519 tell me. 481 00:25:34,000 --> 00:25:36,319 Speaker 4: Tell me what do you got going on? Here's what's 482 00:25:36,359 --> 00:25:41,559 exactly going on? And listen, don't interrupt them, let them finish. 483 00:25:41,960 --> 00:25:45,480 Wait for those pauses you want to call them awkward pauses, 484 00:25:45,480 --> 00:25:48,319 that's fine, but you need to practice good listening skills. 485 00:25:48,440 --> 00:25:52,759 Let them get what they have to say out. Okay, 486 00:25:53,039 --> 00:25:55,400 if they were to say something like, well, I have 487 00:25:55,440 --> 00:25:57,599 a circuit, that's bad, but you know, Johnny told me that. 488 00:25:57,680 --> 00:26:00,759 Speaker 3: You know that, you know that y'all look for everything 489 00:26:00,799 --> 00:26:01,400 and you know blah. 490 00:26:01,279 --> 00:26:03,279 Speaker 4: Blah blah blah blah, and you know, and my response 491 00:26:03,279 --> 00:26:05,079 would be like or and I don't have a lot 492 00:26:05,119 --> 00:26:07,200 of money and I hear you overcharge it. I'm not 493 00:26:07,240 --> 00:26:09,279 saying that to take place, but I'm just saying i'd go, 494 00:26:09,319 --> 00:26:13,000 I'd listen and go. I can understand that it's probably 495 00:26:13,079 --> 00:26:15,680 happened to you or somebody else before, not how our 496 00:26:15,720 --> 00:26:19,240 company works. This is why I'm, you know, wanted to 497 00:26:19,279 --> 00:26:22,400 take this opportunity to listen to you about what's going on, 498 00:26:23,240 --> 00:26:26,319 because sometimes things can when you call in or somebody 499 00:26:26,559 --> 00:26:28,759 calls in a service deal that they're not they don't 500 00:26:28,799 --> 00:26:30,680 give all the information and for me to fix it 501 00:26:30,759 --> 00:26:32,759 quickly and to understand, I need. 502 00:26:32,599 --> 00:26:34,400 Speaker 3: To hear it from you. And so that's why I 503 00:26:34,440 --> 00:26:34,720 want it. 504 00:26:34,720 --> 00:26:38,119 Speaker 4: So, is there anything else that you may find relevant 505 00:26:38,359 --> 00:26:41,200 or or you know, to what's what's going on. Let 506 00:26:41,240 --> 00:26:44,759 them say it and you listen. Don't interrupt them. Don't 507 00:26:44,759 --> 00:26:47,000 immediately think I have the solution. Oh that sounds like 508 00:26:47,039 --> 00:26:50,599 that's a bad brick. Listen until there's that silence they're 509 00:26:50,640 --> 00:26:52,960 done talking, then you talk. 510 00:26:54,000 --> 00:26:55,119 Speaker 3: Don't interrupt them. 511 00:26:55,599 --> 00:27:04,680 Speaker 4: Now, next, clear explanation, avoid any jargon speak, Simply speak directly, 512 00:27:06,960 --> 00:27:15,160 pauls when necessary, take breasts actively, listen, and then clearly communicate. 513 00:27:15,640 --> 00:27:18,039 That's going to be your biggest tool that you have 514 00:27:18,119 --> 00:27:21,720 to and look, it takes practice. It doesn't just happen 515 00:27:21,880 --> 00:27:26,720 like that because everybody's so itching to spout back something 516 00:27:26,880 --> 00:27:32,079 or or say something or look for instant gratification or acknowledgment. I, 517 00:27:32,119 --> 00:27:34,480 as a technician, am not there then to acknowledge how 518 00:27:34,480 --> 00:27:35,079 great I am. 519 00:27:35,839 --> 00:27:38,279 Speaker 3: They don't know me. They hired the company that I 520 00:27:38,319 --> 00:27:40,720 work for, so I'm always going to keep the company. 521 00:27:40,880 --> 00:27:43,400 Speaker 4: They don't even know how great I am. This is 522 00:27:43,400 --> 00:27:46,000 why the company will do things like put your seals 523 00:27:46,000 --> 00:27:48,920 on there about being a CMCP or or what kind 524 00:27:48,960 --> 00:27:54,119 of training or uniforms. Give that appearance of professionalism that 525 00:27:54,200 --> 00:27:58,759 it already speaks volumes for your company. A well done website, 526 00:27:59,319 --> 00:28:02,359 a well done vehicle market that will send the message. 527 00:28:02,359 --> 00:28:04,720 You don't need to convey You're already there. You don't 528 00:28:04,759 --> 00:28:07,400 need to let them know how great you are. They 529 00:28:07,440 --> 00:28:13,039 already hired you, so speak clearly, speak, simply, convey it, Listen, 530 00:28:13,200 --> 00:28:18,880 pause when necessary, keep the good tone, positive tone. Next, 531 00:28:19,200 --> 00:28:24,599 respect their home, cleanliness, care and courtesy. Don't leave hand 532 00:28:24,640 --> 00:28:27,599 prints fingerprints on everything. If you've got the little booties 533 00:28:27,640 --> 00:28:30,519 that you wear before you come in their house, believe 534 00:28:30,559 --> 00:28:32,279 it or not, whether your. 535 00:28:32,200 --> 00:28:33,440 Speaker 3: Shoes are dirty or not. 536 00:28:33,839 --> 00:28:35,920 Speaker 4: And I've had technicians telling me I ain't taking my 537 00:28:35,960 --> 00:28:38,519 shoes off for nobody. Well, if you work for me, 538 00:28:38,599 --> 00:28:42,519 you will if necessary. I'm telling you right out, I 539 00:28:42,519 --> 00:28:44,640 ain't taking my boots off, and nobody. Oh, I'm so 540 00:28:44,799 --> 00:28:47,839 holier than thou contract electrician that I don't need to 541 00:28:47,880 --> 00:28:50,160 remove my shoes because that customer screw them. 542 00:28:50,160 --> 00:28:52,559 Speaker 3: I'm the technician. You ain't working for me. 543 00:28:53,559 --> 00:28:56,039 Speaker 4: So either I provide you with proper little booties that 544 00:28:56,079 --> 00:28:58,519 go over it, and you're gonna put those on while 545 00:28:58,559 --> 00:29:06,599 the customer's watching because you care. You care, they see 546 00:29:06,640 --> 00:29:10,039 that they remember that, or if you don't have them, 547 00:29:10,240 --> 00:29:13,000 you say to them, I need to go. I want 548 00:29:13,039 --> 00:29:14,799 to take off my boots or take off my work 549 00:29:14,839 --> 00:29:16,519 boots right here at the door. I don't want to 550 00:29:16,559 --> 00:29:18,440 run the risk of tracking anything in your beautiful home. 551 00:29:18,599 --> 00:29:20,119 I just want to take them off here. Is you're 552 00:29:20,119 --> 00:29:22,960 okay with that, They'll be like, oh, that's fine, take 553 00:29:23,000 --> 00:29:24,319 them off a thing. Does that mean you got to 554 00:29:24,359 --> 00:29:26,160 put them on when you go back out back going? Yes, 555 00:29:26,440 --> 00:29:34,279 I'm sorry. Being respectful may inconvenience you but it is 556 00:29:34,319 --> 00:29:37,400 what it is. Do not track through somebody's house, show 557 00:29:37,519 --> 00:29:41,759 courtesy or at least them give you the okay to 558 00:29:41,880 --> 00:29:44,240 say you don't need to take your boots off, or 559 00:29:44,279 --> 00:29:44,839 you don't need. 560 00:29:44,720 --> 00:29:48,720 Speaker 3: To let them if they tell you it's fine. 561 00:29:48,839 --> 00:29:51,079 Speaker 4: I got another old saying that people say that if 562 00:29:51,079 --> 00:29:52,759 you're working on a job and it's hot and they 563 00:29:52,799 --> 00:29:54,000 come up to you and say, do you want to 564 00:29:54,039 --> 00:29:56,839 do you want a glass of water? You take the water. 565 00:29:57,559 --> 00:30:00,559 People say, oh no, I'm okay. First of all, if 566 00:30:00,559 --> 00:30:03,920 you're thirsty, you're thirsty. Secondly, you can say, oh, I 567 00:30:04,000 --> 00:30:07,599 appreciate that it's hot. You know, these uniforms are hot. 568 00:30:07,680 --> 00:30:09,720 You know, I appreciate that. Thank you very much. 569 00:30:10,519 --> 00:30:12,759 Speaker 3: Thank you very much. Goes a long way. 570 00:30:13,960 --> 00:30:17,960 Speaker 4: If they're offering they care, and that's part of having 571 00:30:18,000 --> 00:30:24,880 that interactive communication. I'm just saying, okay, now professional closing 572 00:30:26,680 --> 00:30:31,079 soft skill, summarize the work you just did, answer any 573 00:30:31,079 --> 00:30:33,400 follow up questions that they have, ask them, do you 574 00:30:33,440 --> 00:30:37,960 have any other follow up questions for me? And then 575 00:30:38,000 --> 00:30:40,799 at the end of the day, and I see this 576 00:30:41,000 --> 00:30:43,559 not happen. At least it didn't happen in my HVAC 577 00:30:43,720 --> 00:30:47,240 experiences where the actual service tech said thank you, we 578 00:30:47,279 --> 00:30:48,359 appreciate your business. 579 00:30:50,400 --> 00:30:56,599 Speaker 3: Dude, really, are you too good to do that? They 580 00:30:56,759 --> 00:30:58,000 just paid your company money. 581 00:30:58,720 --> 00:31:01,599 Speaker 4: Hell, even if somebody bitches about the price, there's a 582 00:31:01,759 --> 00:31:04,400 tactful way to push that towards the business and say. 583 00:31:04,559 --> 00:31:07,160 Somebody might say, well I think that's a bit overpriced. 584 00:31:07,759 --> 00:31:09,599 Then I might say something like, now, I get it, 585 00:31:09,880 --> 00:31:13,039 I understand. I understand you might feel that way, and 586 00:31:13,119 --> 00:31:14,400 you know, and I get it. 587 00:31:15,599 --> 00:31:16,200 Speaker 3: The problem is. 588 00:31:16,119 --> 00:31:19,920 Speaker 4: Our price structure is based on the burdens and overheads 589 00:31:19,920 --> 00:31:22,880 that our company has and to pay us our wage 590 00:31:23,119 --> 00:31:26,039 and everything like that, so it's broken down amongst employees. 591 00:31:26,519 --> 00:31:28,759 Speaker 3: So it just is what our pay is. 592 00:31:29,559 --> 00:31:32,279 Speaker 4: But I'm more than happy to put you in touch 593 00:31:32,319 --> 00:31:36,480 with our owner and facilitate that for you because I understand, 594 00:31:36,599 --> 00:31:39,880 I get it. It's tough out here that type of thing. 595 00:31:40,599 --> 00:31:43,640 You know, there's ways that you can divert that. But 596 00:31:43,680 --> 00:31:46,720 you don't need to get into confrontation or justify why 597 00:31:46,799 --> 00:31:49,680 you get paid because you didn't set the pay. The 598 00:31:49,759 --> 00:31:53,440 companies set the structure. You're just there to facilitate it. 599 00:31:54,839 --> 00:31:57,720 I'm just saying it goes a long way answer their questions. 600 00:31:57,880 --> 00:32:02,279 Say thank you for their service on behalf of the company. 601 00:32:02,359 --> 00:32:08,200 I'm just saying now, soft skills are trainable. Absolutely. All 602 00:32:08,200 --> 00:32:09,720 this stuff says like, well I'm not going to do this, 603 00:32:09,759 --> 00:32:12,880 I might do that. Well, if you're an employer, you 604 00:32:12,960 --> 00:32:16,079 can mandate a training program within your company where you 605 00:32:16,119 --> 00:32:18,680 build these soft skills. You have some one on one, 606 00:32:18,759 --> 00:32:21,960 some interactive training that you can build these soft skills. 607 00:32:22,440 --> 00:32:24,920 A lot of these complaints that people have with it 608 00:32:25,440 --> 00:32:28,440 companies have is because they don't have a training program 609 00:32:28,480 --> 00:32:31,240 for this. And I don't care whether you have five employees. 610 00:32:31,839 --> 00:32:34,119 That's even more critical because the more people you have 611 00:32:34,240 --> 00:32:36,920 walking around out there on your behalf of a company, 612 00:32:37,359 --> 00:32:40,359 then you need to make sure they're trained. So companies 613 00:32:40,440 --> 00:32:43,599 must train soft skills just like they train technical skills, 614 00:32:43,839 --> 00:32:46,039 especially today when the competition is so high. 615 00:32:46,400 --> 00:32:47,960 Speaker 3: Okay, right along. 616 00:32:47,720 --> 00:32:52,279 Speaker 4: Should be evaluate the communication, not just the workmanship. 617 00:32:52,359 --> 00:32:53,039 Speaker 3: You're not riding. 618 00:32:53,079 --> 00:32:55,880 Speaker 4: If you're the owner, or you have a training provider 619 00:32:56,000 --> 00:32:59,039 or somebody that goes with you, maybe even they're going 620 00:32:59,079 --> 00:33:02,200 as a helper, but they're really not a helper. They're 621 00:33:02,240 --> 00:33:06,000 there to watch how the electrician does their role, or 622 00:33:06,039 --> 00:33:08,799 the plumbing guy whatever. You have somebody in your company 623 00:33:08,839 --> 00:33:11,200 that does that Okay, like kind of a third party 624 00:33:11,279 --> 00:33:14,839 or whatever to do that, right, they go with you. 625 00:33:15,519 --> 00:33:18,640 Maybe you have another electrician who they evaluate each other 626 00:33:18,720 --> 00:33:19,400 with how they do. 627 00:33:19,319 --> 00:33:23,400 Speaker 3: It and they be brutally honest. Okay. 628 00:33:23,920 --> 00:33:28,759 Speaker 4: So again another thing is that internally you should not 629 00:33:29,000 --> 00:33:33,240 put a matrix of promotion on people based on their 630 00:33:33,359 --> 00:33:37,079 skills alone. They should be getting promotions based on their 631 00:33:37,119 --> 00:33:40,519 skills because expected to have a skill their trade, but 632 00:33:40,640 --> 00:33:45,720 also based promotions on their people's skills because that's what 633 00:33:46,559 --> 00:33:49,039 conjunction with their technical skills or what's going to bring 634 00:33:49,079 --> 00:33:49,599 the money in. 635 00:33:50,440 --> 00:33:51,839 Speaker 3: Like I said, you've heard that old saying. 636 00:33:51,880 --> 00:33:54,599 Speaker 4: I can hire a monkey to turn a wrench, but 637 00:33:54,680 --> 00:33:56,599 I can't get that monkey to communicate. 638 00:33:57,519 --> 00:34:01,799 Speaker 3: So I need somebody that can do both very well. Okay. 639 00:34:01,880 --> 00:34:05,720 Speaker 4: Now, SAFT skills should be part of every performance review. 640 00:34:06,799 --> 00:34:10,480 How they interact, what the complaint status is from customers, 641 00:34:11,320 --> 00:34:14,480 evaluation from a ride along now, and then to see 642 00:34:14,480 --> 00:34:17,960 how they interact with the customer. They should be they 643 00:34:18,000 --> 00:34:20,719 should be doing follow up sheets or submittals. As simple 644 00:34:20,760 --> 00:34:24,400 as things are today, they can do a follow up 645 00:34:25,119 --> 00:34:27,079 where they follow up with a customer and then do 646 00:34:27,119 --> 00:34:29,599 a report and submit it on how that interaction. Went 647 00:34:30,199 --> 00:34:33,079 many ways to do this, but promotions within a company 648 00:34:33,119 --> 00:34:37,599 should not be based on skill alone. They have to 649 00:34:37,840 --> 00:34:40,880 work these people skills, these saft skills. 650 00:34:40,920 --> 00:34:41,199 Speaker 3: Okay. 651 00:34:41,280 --> 00:34:48,960 Speaker 4: The best companies build technicians. The elite companies build professionals, 652 00:34:49,199 --> 00:34:52,760 and that's what we're trying to do. Okay, So, folks, 653 00:34:53,639 --> 00:34:56,519 in service work, your product is not the wire. 654 00:34:56,440 --> 00:34:58,960 Speaker 3: The breaker, or the panels they're not. 655 00:34:59,480 --> 00:35:02,800 Speaker 4: Your product is the trust that's bestowed on you as 656 00:35:02,800 --> 00:35:05,960 the technician, and the trust that you build with the 657 00:35:06,039 --> 00:35:10,480 customer so that the company overall reaps the benefit of 658 00:35:10,519 --> 00:35:16,159 that great elite reputation. Okay, soft skills are not optional today. 659 00:35:16,440 --> 00:35:21,440 They are not personality traits. Their business tools, and not 660 00:35:21,679 --> 00:35:26,679 everybody has the best personality. But when they're working for 661 00:35:26,760 --> 00:35:30,079 you from nine to five, from seven to four, from 662 00:35:30,079 --> 00:35:33,039 eight to four, whatever that schedule is, we need to 663 00:35:33,119 --> 00:35:37,480 reprogram them because the technician who masters people skills will 664 00:35:37,599 --> 00:35:46,000 always always outperform technicians who only master electricity. I'm serious, 665 00:35:46,360 --> 00:35:49,639 it's not just a cliche, folks. So anyway, I'm hoping 666 00:35:49,679 --> 00:35:51,719 you got something out of the day's episode. 667 00:35:52,360 --> 00:35:54,079 Speaker 3: And again, think about it. 668 00:35:54,119 --> 00:35:56,360 Speaker 4: If you're a one man's shop or one woman's shop, 669 00:35:57,440 --> 00:36:00,760 think about how you communicate. Make sure you because you 670 00:36:00,800 --> 00:36:05,039 know what repeat business is great and you're likely gonna 671 00:36:05,039 --> 00:36:08,079 get more work out of that job, and you're gonna 672 00:36:08,119 --> 00:36:10,440 get future work out of that job. Don't be thinking 673 00:36:10,480 --> 00:36:13,199 about one and done's. Don't be thinking about Ooh, I 674 00:36:13,239 --> 00:36:15,039 got this one doing, I'm gonna run to the next one. 675 00:36:15,519 --> 00:36:18,000 My goal is to always think about that customer, that 676 00:36:18,079 --> 00:36:21,599 return on investment. They're gonna have future needs. How do 677 00:36:21,719 --> 00:36:24,639 I get more out of that customer. The old saying 678 00:36:24,880 --> 00:36:26,760 you get more bees with honey than you do with 679 00:36:26,880 --> 00:36:31,679 vinegar stands true. Learn those personal skills. Till next time, folks, 680 00:36:31,719 --> 00:36:33,960 Stay safe, God bless. 681 00:36:35,920 --> 00:36:39,280 Speaker 1: Thanks for tuning into another electrifying episode of the Master 682 00:36:39,400 --> 00:36:43,519 the NDC podcast. We hope you're feeling more powered up 683 00:36:43,559 --> 00:36:46,119 and ready to tackle the electrical world with the knowledge 684 00:36:46,119 --> 00:36:51,119 and confidence you need to succeed. Remember, in the electrical grade, 685 00:36:51,320 --> 00:36:52,800 knowledge is power, and. 686 00:36:52,800 --> 00:36:54,400 Speaker 2: We're here to make sure you stay. 687 00:36:54,239 --> 00:36:58,360 Speaker 1: Flooded into the latest inside chips and code up days. 688 00:36:58,960 --> 00:37:02,239 If you enjoy today this episode, don't forget to subscribe, 689 00:37:02,599 --> 00:37:05,360 leave us a review, and share the podcast with your. 690 00:37:05,280 --> 00:37:07,440 Speaker 2: Fellow electricians and industry pros. 691 00:37:08,719 --> 00:37:12,559 Speaker 1: Until next time, keep your tools sharp, your circuits clear, 692 00:37:12,800 --> 00:37:15,360 and you're my focused because here at the Master of 693 00:37:15,400 --> 00:37:17,239 the NEEC podcast. 694 00:37:16,960 --> 00:37:19,119 Speaker 2: We're all about sparking your success. 695 00:37:20,239 --> 00:37:25,199 Speaker 1: Stay safe, stay smart, and keep mastering the trade. From 696 00:37:25,239 --> 00:37:27,880 all of us here at Electrical Code Academy, thank you 697 00:37:27,960 --> 00:37:29,840 for all your support, and we will see you on 698 00:37:29,880 --> 00:37:36,039 the next amazing Master of the NEC podcast episode.