At Service Excellence Training we have the opportunity to partner with and help businesses all over the US, Canada, and even Austraila. We love sharing transformation stories. Here is one about Jack Arnold and Arnold Electric.
Background
Jack Arnold is an electrician by trade and like many skilled tradesmen decided he would go into business for himself. Jack loved being an electrician but never liked any of the companies or people that he worked for. He never felt appreciated by those he worked for, and those companies lacked the structure and training that he wanted. That is when Jack said enough is enough and chased that American dream.
Jack started his business in June of 2008 as a time and material business and finished 2008 with $15k in sales. Not the start he was hoping to have in his first year.
Jack was really grinding, he would get up on 5 hours of sleep, and start his stress-filled day. Kissing his boy’s goodbye in their beds in the early morning in hopes that he would be able to at least tuck them in at night. Many times, he would come home to find them fast asleep, only hearing the sound of his kid’s voices on a rare Sunday.
Work Life balance was nonexistent, and Jack even considered shutting down the business and getting a job at the airport pumping gas. At this point, anything sounded better than the current situation.
Giving up was not the answer for Jack. He knew that other people were relying on him and that he had to give it one more shot.
Phase One- Implement Change from the Inside
Jack decided to get organized. He would train his way into success. So, Jack made plans to meet regularly and change the way Arnold Electric operated. He tried this on his own but soon ran out of ideas and motivation.
Jack was stuck, he needed some help, he needed the accountability in his business. The questions he had to answer was:
“Who will care about this business like I will? Who knows what I don’t know?”
Like many business owners, Jack needed help.
Like many business owners looking for the silver bullet to take their business to the next level, Jack started his journey in the discovery phase. He began by reaching out to other service companies to see what they did to make them successful.
Tony Robbins said, “If you want to be successful, find someone who has achieved the results you want and copy what they do and you’ll achieve the same results.”
Jack could have easily stopped there and worked hard to implement change in his business, but deep down he knew he was going to need help.
Phase Two- Outside Resources
Knowing of Service Excellence Training and their reputation. Jack decided to take his research to another level. Service Excellence Training looked great on paper and social media but he had to see for himself.
He signed up for the sales class with Chris Loudermilk and the Owners class with Chris Elmore. Immediately Jack realized that he had found a company that would be a partner in his business.
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Within a week after he returned home to Chicago he called us up and said, “what do I have to do to get started?”
After the initial phone call, Jack was paired up with the coach that could best serve his needs and given situation, Chris Elmore. The initial phone call set the expectations, Chris and Brandon booked their flight and got ready for the Windy City.
Phase 3- Implementation
Once they arrived in Chicago, they thought, “this is way too cold for us, we are not in Texas anymore.” All kidding aside, Chris and Brandon started early in the morning at Jack’s shop. His entire team gathered for an introduction and training session. This was designed to set the expectations for the weekly training and support they were about to receive.
Once the initial meeting finished, the techs headed out. Chris and Brandon started the discovery phase. This can often make business owners a little uneasy as it is important that we know your business intimately in order to prescribe the best solutions.
This was not a problem for Jack, he had already decided that he was going to commit to the process and be an open book. Over those two days, Chris and Brandon began to understand what Jack was doing well and what areas he had an opportunity to improve.
In 48 hours, Jack had launched more projects to improve his business than most business owners will do in a year. We are helping him develop his own:
- flat rate pricing based on his specific business
- technician workbook
- diagnostic checklist
- membership program that will help grow his business
Phase 4- Results
As everyone knows, you can have the greatest tools in the world but if you don’t know how to use them, they are worthless. Since that time, Chris Elmore has been coaching and training the technicians. This helps them learn how to utilize the new tools. Training also covers:
- building a relationship with our customers
- handling objections and
- closing calls.
In addition to coaching Jack’s technicians, Chris also meets with Jack once a week for management sessions. These management calls cover a variety of topics including leadership and financial management.
Phase 5- Continued Partnership
Earlier we mentioned that Jack had decided who he wanted to be a partner in his business. If you asked him today, he would tell you that Chris Elmore and the entire team at Service Excellence Training are partners in business.
The continued partnership is what makes SET stand out in the business consulting world. We become a true partner in your business and are as invested in your success as we are our own.
We’ll do another update on Jack and his business soon. Stay tuned for the journey!
The Jack Chronicles
Blogs:
Jack Arnold’s Transformation from Time and Material to Flat Rate
Jack’s Journey – A Success Story in the Making
Podcast:
Jack Arnold’s Flat Rate Transformation
If you find yourself relating to Jack’s story and would like help to get your business back on track. Contact us to learn more about our coaching and consulting services.
