Night Clases for CEUs

Oh, you WORK during the day?  How would you like to take your CEU classes at a time that doesn't cost you?  You can take either Business Skills or Identity Crisis from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on two consecutive days.  Voila!  You can pick up 8 hours in two evening classes without missing work. More on the classes here.


Check out our schedule here.   Keep checking because we are adding classes--especially these after-hour classes--regularly.  The first ones will be in San Antonio in May. 

So, What's the Best Part In Using CAD?

My last post touted using CAD (computer aided design) for drawing beautiful and unique irrigation and landscape plans.   All true.  But that's not the best part. 

While I'm writing this, CAD is still relatively new.  Most irrigators and landscapers draw by hand.   They are losing some efficiencies, but, ultimately efficiency is not the name of the game.   They may have erasure marks that detract from the neatness, but that's okay too.   If they need a copy of their C or D-sized drawing, they can only depend on their local copy house and, again, that's all well and good.  

I can tell you from my own personal experience that customers view a CAD drawing differently than a hand-drawn one.  I know it may not be fair.  Design knowledge, experience and taste went into both renderings, but there's something about a color CAD rendering that says more than it should.  It says "competent, professional, accurate." 

I don't know about you, but I want and need to tap into all the help I can get!

Why Use CAD (computer aided design) When Drawing Is Faster?

Usually every class has at least one person that is there to learn how to draw beautiful plans using CAD--with a nagging thought in the back of their head.  "This is great, but I think I'm faster drawing by hand."  I can relate.  I've been using RainCAD's CAD programs over 15 years, but there is a learning curve.

Do you enjoy snow skiing? Did you enjoy it the first day you tried? Did you ever say, "Why am I doing this?  It's cold, I'm tired and besides all that I'm already at the bottom of this dumb mountain. Why do I want to get on this scary tram just to come back down again?  I've thought about it now, and it's illogical!  Where's the lodge?"  If you never got over it, you missed out on a lot of enjoyment.

When you know what you're doing and you have practiced enough to execute your craft with speed, accuracy, taste and ease, well, it's a joy.  Until then, though, it's work.  As you know, we humans are not known for wanting to think, work or change.   CAD takes all three. 

But, if you're willing to pour yourself into it and stay with it long enough to master it, new vistas suddenly appear.  Keep in mind we're talking hours, not days, weeks or months.  

You learn that measuring a property is different for CAD than hand.  It's easier and faster.  There are simple ways to check yourself so you don't have to go back out to the site and re-measure something.  Once you draw the property, you realize that you can now consider more than one plan without having to redraw (we call redrawing sawing sawdust).  

The bottom line is I can't tell you CAD will be faster for you.  It is a lot faster for me and I sincerely believe it will be for you.  It does depend on you, though.  If you will invest yourself and commit to use CAD on several plans so you can internalize what you know, you'll be able to draw faster.  

That's not even the best part.  More later . . . 

To find out more about our CAD Class click here.

Are We Saying "Good Bye" to the Phone Book?

There are several mailboxes grouped together where I live. Two days ago a package of 12 phone books was draped over a couple of the mailboxes. With two day's mail having come and gone, three books had been claimed by our six households. I got one of them. I wanted to see the Yellow page ads we pay $2k for.

I know this lacks a lot in sophistication and polish. But, back in the 17th century, when the Dodo bird became extinct, don't you think people started noticing changes?

I don't use the phone book. I don't even use the Yellow Pages. I know ads there are paid for by the business that benefits. Nothing wrong with that, but now there are more credible ways.


Do you use the phone book? I know there are a lot of people that do, but how long before it's just not used?


Now, for another potential Dodo extinction: do you wear a watch? If so, why? I hope it isn't because you want to know what time it is because your cell phone already does that--and corrects itself--and you carry it with you anyway.

We are in time where we simply cannot assume that the way we did business yesterday is going to survive tomorrow. If water is precious, it will also get expensive. It will be the target of more and more regulation and oversight. And, if you happen to be in an industry that uses a lot of water, you will be centered in the cross-hairs of anyone wanting to take a pot-shot at an easy scapegoat. That would be irrigators, irrigation designers, sprinkler manufacturers, landscapers, sprinkler service crews, ...

The picture of the Dodo bird is from the Oxford University Museum of Natural History.

The New INTERNATIONAL Home of ceuWOW

We have just finished our first CAD class since it has been approved by the TECQ for Texas landscape irrigators. As it turned out, two of the class members had Mexican-sounding surnames. That's not unusual anywhere in Texas, but especially not in San Antonio. When I asked them where they were from, they said they were irrigators from Monterrey, Mexico!

That's makes our company an international provider of CAD training. So, just in case you had missed the largeness of it all, I hope you are duly impressed. ;-)

In favor of the abolition of “You’re welcome.”

It’s a matter of perspective, I know. You go to a “big box” store and are waited on by a helpful and friendly employee. Because your mother did a good job of raising you, you say “Thank you” to the employee. He says, “You’re welcome.” Just a polite exchange of pleasantries, right? But so, so wrong.


The perspective of the employee is the important thing here. It is this perspective that is so wrong. The employee is looking at this encounter with the customer from the natural, unenlightened viewpoint of the hireling. It goes something like this:

“My job here is to keep this section of the store nice and neat. Safe too. I keep an eagle eye out for spills and sharp pokey things. Nothing gets past me. Fully stocked shelves, that’s my job too. And customer service. Like the manager said, ‘Nothing is more important than helping the customer.’ Oh there’s one now.”


So they help the customer and expect the customer to show their appreciation for the help. When they say “thank you,” the employee says, “You’re welcome.”


Now, lets say you own this store.


You know that payroll is this Friday and everyone expects to be paid. Not just this Friday, but also next Friday and every Friday for the rest of time. Vendors will be paid or they stop vending. And it all depends on customers buying from you. Not just this week, but next week. There are many alternatives out there and you realize that the only reason a customer would choose you is because they had a preference for you. Maybe you are the only store that could supply a certain part or service, but probably not. More likely, there are dozens of companies that can provide that part or service.

So, what is your attitude about that customer? They are the reason this store exists—that’s for sure. But, they must be so tickled to do business with you that they prefer you to the competition. You have done everything you can think of to make this the preferable business for your products.

You, Business Owner, are incredibly thankful for that customer. And, if that employee has half a mind, he will grasp that thankfulness and take it to the very center of his soul. How will you know that he did?

“Thank you.”


“Oh NO. Thank YOU.”


And he will mean it.


If you are a business owner, or an employee that “gets it,” you too will be in favor of the abolition of “You’re welcome.”

My Double Life

Only recently have I thought of my business life as going down two different paths, but, from the perspective of the customer, the paths have two very different destinations.

On the CEU side, I see the target as you being blown away by our classes. (www.ceuwow.com) We try to engage through asking a lot of questions, using surprise to teach and using different media to get across ideas. We want to be idiosyncratic with the idea that you will love us and come back again and again.

But, I also own an irrigation company. (www.rainstat.com)

And yes, we want people to love us, but on a different level. Beginning when we answer the phone, there's no theatrics. There's not even a hint of anything outside of "get your head in the game, fix this thing and get out." (all we do is repairs and upgrades)

And that's the two choices with any business isn't it.

One is to WOW and be effective and different--even fun, entertaining, having an emotional element.

And the other is to reduce the pain as quickly and painlessly as possible.

Right?

Are You Setting Up Your Bussiness to Sell?

I know, I know. You're always looking for customers. May I suggest that you need to be looking for only ONE customer; the one that will eventually buy your business.

In our Business Skills CEU course we talk a lot about the value of your business. We calculate your business' worth as if you were a prospect for purchasing your business. We ask the question, "What is this business worth as an investment?" We do this for two reasons:

• It gives you a good idea of where you are as you build your business.
• You discover if your business is a good investment for you. (By extension, you can look at your business from the eyes of your Ultimate Customer, the person that will eventually buy your business.)

Here's a place to start: Can your business operate without you? Do you have people trained that can repeat your desired outcome day after day? Does everyone know their job? Are the patterns and procedures that generate your desired outcome (excellent installations, perfect repairs, etc.) written down?

Please don't kid yourself into thinking that it can't be done. Not only can it be done, it simply must be done if your business is going to be sellable.

Maybe today would be a good day to do something to attract your Ultimate Customer–your business' new owner.

How to Lapse-Proof Your Irrigator's License

We are working on a plan that will virtually ensure that you never do what I did and let your license lapse. It's a simple plan and it involves a benefit to both of us.

If you will tell us your name, license number and its expiration date, we will notify you of that date on a progressive schedule. Here's the way it will work:

We will send you an email message 90 days before your license expires–just like the State does with your physical, in-the-mail renewal form. But that is all you get from the State.

So we will send you progressive emails at 60 days, 30 days, 14 days, 7 days and 1 day before your license expires.

If you don't know your expiration, we'll look it up for you. You are also giving us permission to keep you updated on our CEU and non-CEU classes for Texas irrigators.

A Phone Call You Never Want to Get (continued)

There it was in the mail. The State is so reliable in sending out these license renewal notices three months early. “Time flies,” I think to myself.

I don’t think of myself as being particularly stupid and I don’t think my bookkeeper is either. But we both did something that, looking back on it, was just dumb.

I had heard someone say that “they” (whoever “they” are) expected more license lapses due to only one notice being sent and that notice so far ahead of the due date. I’m the poster child for that theory.

When my wife called me back, she had bad (really bad) news. (If this isn't making sense, read the post below this one.) As it turned out, I gave my license renewal to our bookkeeper and told her that this was really (really, really) important. She took what I said to heart and instead of placing the bill in the normal pattern for bills, she put it someplace special–giving it the priority treatment I wanted.

Bad move.

I, having confidence in my bookkeeper, did not check on that bill’s progress–so the fault is ultimately mine. When my wife went to our bookkeeper’s office she found the bill, still in the “special” place (so she wouldn’t forget).

Let’s look at the sunny side first.

•The State said that “if I passed” they would re-issue my old license number, 4767, instead of the current 17,000+. That was important to me because I teach CEU classes and didn’t want people thinking I am a newbie.
•I DID learn some things in this beginner class and the review was good.
•I could say something about “getting away from the office,” but that was not a positive to me.
•And, I passed.

And on the not-so-sunny side . . .

•The course costs $500.
•The state’s fees were another $211.
•The course was for four days out of town so there was travel and lodging for four days.
•The test was also out of town requiring me to get there the previous day–more meals and lodging.
•I ate out three times a day for four days for the class and one-plus days for the test.
•I missed five days work taking the class and two days taking he test.

I figure the bottom line for this little mishap–figuring time at our regular rate at just eight hours a day–was $8,261.00! You may charge more or less, but it costs a lot!

And I think I have a solution to the problem.

More tomorrow.

A Phone Call You Never Want to Get

When I answered the phone, I heard the familiar voice of Michelle. She’s with the city and handles our permits. “Mr. Saylor, we did a routine check and you are no longer licensed.”

I don’t know what goes through your head when something like this happens, but my mind shared room for a certain perturbness and stark fear. “There’s got to be some mistake. I’ll check into it.” I happened to be mobile at the time so my checking ability was stunted. I called our bookkeeper first but couldn’t get her. I called my wife to go to her office and see if she could find where we paid for my renewal. That was about all I could do.

When I returned to the office, I got on the Internet and confirmed that, yes, the State shows that I am not licensed. It also ruled out another possible fly in the ointment, my CEUs. There they were; all sixteen hours. So it had to be that they didn’t get my check–or, perish the thought, we didn’t send it. Just then, my wife called. “Here’s the story and it’s not good.” My heart, which was already on the floor, descended to an abyss that I cannot easily described. My mind did a quick inventory of what this meant if I had to do what you have to do to get your license back.

First, I have to take that 32 hour Basic Irrigation Class–and spend 5 days out of town because no one does this class in Waco. I have to take this class because I’ve done irrigation (and made it my living in this trade) since before the State mandated this basic (see also preparatory, elementary, rudimentary) course.

My heart changed from despair to pain.

Second, I had to sit for the exam and pass Design, Installation, Backflow, and Hydraulics. Was I right in remembering that there is only a 13% pass ratio?

Okay, my heart changed back to stark fear.

More tomorrow.
DJS

New Computer Aided Design (CAD) Class Offered

A convergence has occurred that has been the impetus for a new Computer Aided Design (CAD) class.

•The Texas law changed January 1, 2009 that requires a plan on every new sprinkler installation.

•RainCAD introduced a new, affordable and robust CAD package called ProContractor Studio.

We are teaching this software package in a 2-day class to ensure that each student "gets it" and "keeps it." We intend to give irrigators another tool to not only comply with the new regulations but also to separate their company from the competition. We have all been exposed to a marketing philosophy that was pioneered by Sears Roebuck--the "good-better-best" comparison. Hand drawing makes multiple options a huge time consumer. But, with CAD, it's much easier. For one thing, you don't have to draw the property over again. You can just lay out a different method of sprinkling. The automatic material takeoff makes bidding much easier.

We hope that Texas Irrigators will check out our web site and enroll. The cost is $275 and we are trying to get to the major market areas. If you can get a minimum of 10 folks together, we will come to you.

CeuWOW is committed to bringing excellent and relevant educational classes to Texas Irrigators. The new CAD Class is NOT for Texas CEU credit.