I’ve been a busy person including quite a lot of travel the last couple of months. Frankfurt, Germany; upstate New Jersey; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Gatlinburg, TN and Myrtle Beach, SC.
Do you have a vision for your company? Although for many years I have helped lots of companies in strategic planning I never realized that the first step should be visioning. Strategic planning is the second step. In Germany I led a group through the entire process of: first, a vision; second, refining the vision with a strategic plan; and third, managing change from where the company presently is to where the company will be with the strategic plan fully in place. Change can be described as moving from the present state of affairs to a new state of affairs. It was really a good exercise and we all learned a lot. A vision is basically a description and picture of what your company will look like at a predetermined time (I recommend five years). A vision tells us where we are going.
The line between visioning and strategic planning is often somewhat blurred. You will find that visioning is fun. Here are just a few of the visioning and then strategic planning considerations: What products and services will your company offer? Geographically, in what area will you provide those products and services? How will your training be accomplished? How about your operating system? What new processes are required? Will your plan require additional leaders, if so what positions? How many coworkers will be required and what type? How will you stay up with the technological changes? How will you market? How about the acquisition of smaller competing companies as a method of growing? Will you be diversifying, if so what will be added? What professionals, alliances and organizations should you consider and team up with?
A vision tells us where we are going, a strategic plan is detailed and tells us how to get there. My managing change explanation was well accepted. The formula is clearly explained in my book and/or 9 disc audio CD set HVAC Spells Wealth. Cost of change (COC) equals Model X Process X Dissatisfaction with the present state of affairs.
While in Germany we attended the ISH HVAC Trade Show, a huge event held every two years and always in Frankfurt. Imagine a trade show with well over 2,000 exhibitors, over 200,000 attendees and 3.5 million square feet of space (eight to ten times larger than our very largest annual AHR shows). Some of the displays were huge and they were all very well staffed with knowledgeable representatives. Although I have heard for many years about the show it far exceeded my highest expectations. I recommend that you someday attend the ISH show, you will not be disappointed.
Lapolla Industries has recently launched a national HVAC program in an effort to unite top level HVAC contracting companies with Lapolla’s leading edge spray polyurethane foam insulation technologies. No two building components, whether it is new homes and businesses or retrofit/replacement installations, complement each other better than HVAC and insulation. Lapolla furnishes the complete package including the material, application equipment, training in both sales and application, technical support, marketing, etc.
I have spent considerable time with Lapolla, met their executives, actually observed several jobs being performed and understand their resources. They are a good company that can help HVAC contractors sell more jobs and certainly sell them for higher prices by including poly insulation as a part of the installation. Their foam insulation product is far superior to the more traditional fiberglass product and has many additional benefits. Most importantly, it is the right thing to do for customers. It adds value and significantly reduces their energy costs. For more information check out their website at www.lapolla.com or phone 888-4-lapolla.
Have a great summer!
