Getting To Know Kerry

Kerry grew up in Texas, and loved participating in all outdoor hobbies such as fishing and hunting. After he completed school, he worked with non profit organizations for 20 years. He was then offered a leadership position at a Christian university, where his colleagues encouraged him to earn a doctorate in business. He then got hired as a director of the graduate school in Denton, TX. His growth continued as he became associate dean, then director of the MBA admissions program and a professor. He taught advanced business courses as a full time professor for 12 years!

Kerry’s Industry Insights

Kerry was asked by a friend to create a training manual and do some management training for a home service company. Soon after, Todd contacted him to come on board to be a coach at Service Excellence. Kerry loves the one-on-one training because he gets to see the growth and change of his clients over time. He even shares knowledge and stories between his classes and trainees as examples and real life lessons!

Kerry truly enjoys being a small part of the industry, “This industry is full of some of the best, most hardworking, genuine people.” He loves working in this industry because it truly is protecting our country and taking care of people in our communities. “It’s very rare to find a person in this industry that you wouldn’t want to be around — especially as an owner or manager,” Kerry said.

Kerry’s Coaching Tips

A Unique Coaching Perspective

With a masters degree in teaching and training adults, Kerry taught adults for many years at leadership conferences around the country. He believes that this experience helps him relate better when training techs. Asking good questions, listening to responses and learning from trainees are some of the ways he uses his perspective to make deeper connections. 

Kerry knows he’s had a great training session if both parties learned something from each other. He builds up friendship and trust by using a more personal style of teaching. If it doesn’t work, he encourages trainees to come back in and talk about it to see! 

The Source of Success

Kerry believes a lot of Service Excellence’s success is because Todd has put together a set of principles that just work. It’s the most solid set of practices he’s ever seen, and he’s looked at a lot of service principles! The key is implementation. Train the principles into the trainees, and then have them come back and practice those principles in different ways. They’re not trying to make robots, they’re teaching trainees to understand the principles and apply them with their personality in the field. 

Surprises & Lessons

One of the most surprising elements of working with Service Excellence has been the length of Kerry’s relationship with his clients. He thought he might help a client for a year, and after the company started performing they would leave training.

However, the average customer does so well with coaching that they come back to figure out how to do better. Year 2 and 3 are actually the best growth for his clients, some even turning their highest profits in year 5! Kerry finds it very exciting to see massive growth in his clients over the years. He believes the good consultative relationship formed with those clients makes the difference. Plus, he can pass ideas and information between his top achieving clients and connect the owners together for a larger professional web.

Best Lessons Learned From Trainees

You have to listen to people, not just talk at people. You have much deeper convos when you ask questions. Most of what he’s learned he’s learned from contractors themselves. 

The value of trust. When you trust, you listen at a different level. Mutual trust makes connecting other clients much more valuable. 

Personal investment — whether clients are doing well or struggling, Kerry has a personal concern for their well being. 

The value of letting your guard down and letting people tease you or make fun of you. Techs like you if they are making fun of you. That level is so enjoyable to look forward to. When people have a good time, people learn. 

Thoughts On Company Culture

“Every person in the SET organization likes each other. There aren’t many companies like that. We laugh together, we celebrate together, we struggle together. Our culture is formed by being selective of our team, and it’s refreshing to work on a team like that,” Kerry said. 

Kerry’s Parting Advice

If you don’t have a coach, it’s probably costing you $200,000 to a million a year in lost revenue. It’s not that you aren’t trying, it’s that you can’t see it. We see it. We know how to ignite growth. Todd is so fair that he will switch coaches or clients to make sure clients start succeeding. He has high standards for his coaches so that his clients are well taken care of. 

If you want to know more about Kerry’s coaching style, watch the entire Ride Along video! His experience and advice are invaluable in this industry, and the entire team at Service Excellence can take you to the next level. Give us a call to speak to a coaching expert!