Alchatek Blog

The other morning we were sitting in our sales meeting, and our Western Regional Manager mentioned something about running a small order through distribution, even though the contractor is huge and is probably used to dealing directly with suppliers. Thad's point was that on a really busy job, it is much more convenient to buy from a distributor that can deliver product directly to your job site, as opposed to depending on a freight company to deliver it from the manufacturer.

Spelling Out the Advantages

Want help finding your local distributor?

 

We're happy to annouce that equipment financing is now available through Accord Financial Group. Accord has been helping countless businesses finance their equipment since 1992. They are a small, family owned business with an emphasis on taking care of their customers. Check out the interview below with Dough Richter of Accord Financial Group.

How did you come to focus on financing equipment, specifically? 

Equipment financing and leasing is a very specialized industry but it is huge. Small businesses, especially, can’t always afford a large equipment payment. We decided to focus on this area because it provides a huge benefit for our customers. In fact, some of them would not be in business without our services! We work in a number of industries but gravitate towards the construction and excavating industries where there is much need for capital equipment.

What are the advantages to financing equipment versus paying the full amount up front?

There are some hidden costs associated with paying cash for equipment that the customer doesn’t always realize. What other uses or investments could the customer make with that cash outlay? Perhaps hire a new employee, advertise in a trade magazine or just maintain a cushion of cash for a rainy day. By utilizing our services, the customer keeps his cash free but builds equity in the equipment as he or she uses it.

What advantages would you say Accord Financial Group, Inc. offers over other lenders?

Accord takes a very “hands-on” approach with its customers. We work hard to figure out the best terms and conditions for our customers. Big banks and leasing companies are very automated today and customer service often takes a back seat. I talk to every customer and make sure I get the best program for them. Most small business owners appreciate our approach!

Through Accord, we are able to offer a one-stop-shop approach in helping you finance your equpment. All you need to do is review the equipment we offer, then call one of our reps to discuss your options in more detail and get a quote. Once you have a quote, you can click the link below and apply for financing!

Alchemy-Spetec Equipment Financing Application

Want more information on Alchemy Spetec Products?

Think you can use a spray foam insulation gun for slab lifting? Well think again. If you've tried it, you know insulation guns become an expensive proposition with the constant need for replacement parts. They're also tedious to use, which can slow down production. And they often leak foam at the port when used for slab lifting. This is why we designed a gun specifically for the slab lifting industry. 

The MixMaster Pro slab lifting gun is built to last. It easily handles back pressure and has a leak proof port connection. It boasts an efficient design with minimal replacement parts. With an average cleaning time of 10 minutes, this gun is designed for ease of use. Spend less time repairing and cleaning your gun, and more time pumping foam!

Want more information on this reliable slab lifting gun?

In this blog post, we’ll take a look at the basic costs of buying a polyurethane slab lifting rig and the packages that we offer. These configurations usually fit the bill for many of our interested customers. However, we also have the ability to put together a custom rig package for you.

Investment

Slab lifting trailer rigs usually start in the upper 40K range and go up from there. We have many configurations but have found that three different packages generally cover the needs of most contractors. Each rig is packed with unmatched quality and a plethora of features. These include but are not limited to; insulated walls and ceilings, AC/Heat, diamond plated floors, breaker panels, ramp doors, and a work bench.

Entry-Level Rig

This rig features an air powered PA-25 proportioner. Don't get me wrong, entry level is not the best choice of words because this setup is also good for residential and commercial projects. It's in a 16' v-nose trailer and has a gas powered air compressor and generator. We have many contractors with this set up doing everything from residential to D.O.T work.

Mid-Level Rig

This rig can either be a 18' or 20' trailer that happens to be built around the best selling PH-25 proportioner. This setup is made for the contractor who wants stellar result in an affordable range that features a hydraulically powered proportioner. This is also the best selling machine package, it boasts a 22 KW diesel powered generator and electric air compressor.

Advanced Level Rig

This rig is similar to the mid-level rig with larger PH-25 and PH-40 proportioners. These rigs come in 20' and larger trailers and are powered by 35 KW Stateline Diesel (John Deere) generator sets and also include electric air compressors. This setup is suitable for huge insulations jobs or larger buildings.

Optional Hands-On Quality Training

The best way to get “real world” scenario training is for one of our guys to come out to locations where you have potential jobs and train on site. This is a fool proof way to learn your new equipment and get paid while doing it. This is a good way to learn useful evaluation and estimating skills for the next job ahead.

Want more information on polyurethane slab lifting equipment?

Last week we lost one of our own. Jimmie Kays of Vidor Texas and Marsh Waterproofing left us suddenly, and much too early.  A big guy with a heart as big as the state of Texas he hails from.

I received word on Saturday night and it just didn’t seem possible.  Tuesday found me face to face with reality; having flown to Texas to be with our friends there.  We gathered at the small Baptist church in Vidor where Jimmie grew up and I listened to his closest friends and family tell stories about how he had touched them.   He was known for his great sense of humor, his habit of greeting everyone with a smile, and his willingness to sacrifice anything to help others.  We need more like him and I wish I had the chance to get to know him a little better.

The rain was pouring down on Wednesday morning, but that did not deter a standing room only crowd from gathering to honor Jimmie, pay their respects, and be there to support his loved ones.  The mile long procession of cars to his graveside, in such a small town, was a testament to how much he was loved and how badly he will be missed.  With his Dallas Cowboys hat and jersey on, and a Harley Davidson logo on his casket, Jimmie took his last ride, where he will now join a lot of other great Texans.

Sometimes reality slaps us in the face and reminds us that there are bigger things than making that next appointment, getting a project, or making a sale.  If you knew Jimmie, his family, or the folks at Marsh, keep them in your thoughts as they come to grips with this.  If you didn’t know him, make a point to appreciate everyone around you, and offer a smile or a friendly word…that’s what Jimmie would do.    

Sometimes lifting concrete slabs with polyurethane is about more than just making something structurally sound and level again.  In every town there are buildings sitting empty because the floors are not in sufficient shape for use by a business.   Imagine the service a concrete leveling contractor can provide by bringing slabs back into tolerance and allowing an empty space to become a revenue stream for the building owner.  This is what our contractor in Omaha Nebraska,The Rite Touch, did recently.

In downtown Omaha there are a lot of historic buildings.  Located on the site of the old stockyards, there is a building constructed in 1911 that had been used as a parts depot for many years; including parts for World War II era Jeeps.  Some of those are still there.  The owners of the building have converted some of it into a commercial laundry equipment distribution facility, but there was a section with sagging floors that really couldn’t be used effectively.

Some research on the internet led them to our customer in Omaha, The Rite Touch.  They have been doing concrete lifting and leveling for a few years now (in addition to spray foam and polyurea flooring systems).  This particular lift was a little tricky because the concrete literally had a belly, or sag, down the center.  The owner’s idea was to create an office space with partitions / cubicles for small businesses.  However, the current floor condition would have everyone’s office chair rolling to the center of the building.   Not good!  How would the floor react as they tried to bring it up a couple of inches?  I was onsite as a consultant to help them find out!

We gave ourselves a reward to shoot for if the lift was successful; a big slab of Omaha prime rib.  With that as a motivation we got to work slowly working our way across the floor and back.  Using zip levels, dial indicators, and instinct developed from other jobs, we slowly brought the old floor back into tolerance.  The product we selected for this project was AP Lift 430 and it worked beautifully.  The new MixMaster Pro injection gun performed as advertised and allowed for an efficient installation of the poly foam.  Although we had to drill multiple holes for the targeted injections, we only used three total injection ports.

Now the final touches are being added to this soon-to-be office space.  The owners will have multiple tenants paying rent and a once unusable space as a revenue generating property.  If you’re a property owner with a similar issue, call us to get hooked up with a contractor who can help.  If you’re a contractor, keep your eyes peeled for similar opportunities.  They are all over the place.  Now, about that prime rib….

Want more info on polyurethane slab lifting?

So you’re a contractor with an amazing business model and have superior results under your belt. Whether your focus is in soil stabilization, leak seal, or slab lifting, it’s a known fact that growing your contracting business is hard work. As a technical consultant, I am aware that many contractors focus so much time on generating new leads that they may overlook another great source of new revenue: re-engaging past customers.

In case you didn’t know, it costs about 5 times more money to attract a new customer than to sell to an existing customer. I’m speaking to your pockets aren’t I? And it's 50% easier to sell to an existing customer than to a new customer. It has also been said that 80% of most business revenue comes from just 20% of its existing customers. (Source: Forbes Magazine's "Five Customer Retention Tips for Entrepreneurs".)

Here's a list of customer types who are likely to provide repeat business...

• Large scale commercial property owners
• Large scale residential owners
• Chain stores
• City education department's/districts
• Municipalities/govt agencies

If you put your mind to it, I'm sure you can think of a few more. You can also reach out to individual residental and small business customers ocassionally.

Customer Retention Tips

Remember, customers do not owe you their loyalty, it has to be earned. You may be the most qualified and diversified contractor in the area, but if you want to get that repeat business you have to implement a retention program. Here are a few suggestions...

Create an email newsletter. Send out tips and advice that your customer base may find helpful. You can also include case studies or success stories from recent jobs. Holiday greetings are always good as well. Throw in a promotion or discounted service offer every now and then, but make sure your communications are always primarily focused on useful content.

Gifts, holiday cards and birthday cards are a nice way to express customer appreciation. Mailing them items like this will help you stand out from the crowd a bit, as more and more people are moving towards a "digital only" approach.

Take a moment on a regular basis to check up on your past customers' social media accounts. Like, favorite and share anything you find relevant or interesting. This is just another way to remind them that you're interested in how they're doing and that you're available, should they need any further assistance.

Anyways, you get the idea. Take some time to brainstorm and I bet you'll come up with some unique approaches of your own. If you're too busy to do this kind of stuff, hire a part-time assistant. The jobs you get as a result of these activities may pay for the assistant, and then some. Give it a shot and find out.

Many of the contractors I’ve worked with over the years have had to give a presentation at one time or another. In some cases they need to make a pitch to a potential client (for example at municipality or state agency contract meetings). In other cases they have the opportunity to market their services by giving presentations at trade shows, “lunch and learn” seminars, webinars, home owner association meetings, professional association events, etc.

Presentation opportunities can sometimes arise on short notice. This is why you can benefit from creating presentations ahead of time. If you’d like, you can ask our marketing team to critique your presentation. You can also inquire about getting a member of our sales team to co-present when an opportunity does come along.

Incorporate the following tips to create a powerful presentation for your contracting business. Some of these suggestions may seem contrary to everyday conventional practice, but who wants a run of the mill presentation? We’ve tested this approach time and time again, with consistent positive results. It will be worth your while to at least give it a shot.

Less Words

As a detail oriented professional, you may be inclined to pack your presentation slides with lots of text in order to get all your important points across. This is not the most effective way to give a presentation. It can lead to information overload and a drowsy, impatient audience. When creating a presentation, you want to condense the information and only include text that is absolutely essential.

Powerful Images

Now that you have seriously scaled back your text use, the next step is to make the presentation livelier. The audience needs to be actively engaged rather than bombarded with data. If you associate a powerful image with each essential point, the audience is better able to visualize and remember the concept.

Engaging Stories

Once you have simplified your text and added visually striking images, you can add extra punch by incorporating stories to get your points across. As a contractor you probably have many stories from the trenches. Telling a story is a surefire way to make sure a message sticks.

White Paper Instead of Note-Taking

One thing that dilutes the impact of even the most powerful presentations is audience note-taking. This habit guarantees that half their time is spent looking down at their desk rather than paying attention to you. That’s why it’s helpful to prepare a whitepaper (basically a multi-page essay with any essential graphics) that summarizes all the key points from your presentation. Inform the audience up front that there is no need to take notes, as they will receive a written summary afterwards. Explain to them that they’ll get a lot more out of the presentation if they provide their full attention.

Conclusion

Since I believe in giving credit where credit is due, I'd like to acknowlede that most of these ideas came from the book Presentation Zen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery by Garr Reynolds.

For more tips on how to create a powerful presentation for your contracting business, or to inquire about co-presenting with one of our specialists, give us a call at 404-618-0438.

Want more ideas for marketing your contracting business?