Garage door industry magazine for garage door dealers, garage door manufacturers, garage door distributors, garage door installers, loading docks, garage door operators and openers, gates, and tools for the door industry.
Issue link: https://idoi.epubxp.com/i/134362
ManageMent (continued from page 50) • FormalizedBusinessPlanningSessions–"If you don't know where you are going, then any path will take you there." This line, from the book "Alice in Wonderland" refects a business truism. A formalized annual Business Planning Session forces management to set a course for the rest of the company to follow. A valid business plan reviews problems or issues facing the company, defnes specifc plans to correct these issues, defnes new goals, sets a sales, margin and margin dollar goal per product type and sets an expense budget for the coming year. Successful frms almost always do a good job of planning. • TrackingProgress– A critical managerial function is to track employee progress in meeting preset goals. Obviously, sales, margin and margin dollar goals by product line need to be broken down into monthly and even weekly goals and further divided into sales goals for each sales person. Management must then track individual goals and communicate the progress or defciencies with each employee. Specifc tasks defned in the business plan and assigned to a specifc employee need to be routinely reviewed to assure the tasks are completed on time. The management team needs to meet regularly to review the business plan and take appropriate action to insure goals are completed correctly and in a timely fashion. • CompanyHandbook– Great companies prepare and distribute a company handbook to all employees. This book outlines company benefts offered to employees such as health insurance (what is paid and what is not), 401k programs, vacation days and sick day policies. Typically, key company rules regarding employee discipline as well as the penalties for violating rules are spelled out. Often company employee appearance rules such as mandatory wearing of uniforms or company logoed shirts are defned. A company handbook sets the boundaries for employees and provides management with guidelines as to how to enforce company policies. • VerifyingFieldQuality– A door company's reputation frequently rests on the quality of the installation or service provided by the frm's techs. Therefore, management must verify that the installers properly and professionally installed the garage door(s) and that service provided met the customer's expectation. Management must verify that the installers and service techs affxed the frm's identifcation door stickers to the door to assure that the customer calls the dealership when future service is needed. In addition, strong frms install GPS units in all feld vehicles to track speed, know where the frm's vehicles are at all time, and to gently resolve customer complaints that "the bill is too high, or that your man was only here fve minutes." • OrganizingtheTroops– Employees hired by the frm invariably possess many differing skills, some of which are not readily apparent. A new hire intended for residential installation may not have the temperament or inherent neatness or social skills needed to deal with residential customers, but might be more suited as a commercial helper. A bright young woman originally hired as a clerk might eventually prove to have skills needed for outside sales. Management must always assess employee skills and place employees in positions for which they are most suited. Organizing employees by skill and temperament levels, and not by longevity or relationship is a critical task for the owner/manager of a garage door dealership. As seen from the partial list of tasks and skills needed to successfully manage a garage door dealership, an owner and his or her management team must control many aspects of a door company at any one time. Indeed, good management is a collections of many little and big tasks, all of which must be done well over and over again. John E. Zoller and David H. Bowen comprise Zoller Consulting, Inc. of Wooster, Ohio. Zoller Consulting provides consultation of managerial effectiveness and fnancial performance of construction related businesses. They also offer customized seminars and training sessions. In addition, Zoller Consulting provides acquisition management, including fnding buyers or sellers, locating funding sources, transaction structuring, and negotiating and organizing the transition to new ownership. Contact Zoller Consulting, Inc. at 330.262.8500 or John@zollerconsultinginc.com. V o l u m e 4 6 i s s u e 3 2 0 1 3 53