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.

Monogram your shirts, not your business.

The title "monogram your shirts, not your business," comes from one of Stan Beckwith's excellent books, What Customers Love, and Selling the Invisible. The reason I'm bringing this up is a conversation I just had with on old acquaintance. He and a partner started a business several years ago. It started with the full name, I'll not mention it here, but it's like a lot of small businesses--"OurTown's Computer Experts." As they went down life's road the company adopted its initials, OCE, inc.

As we talked he commented that people in his town were pretty unaware. "Why just this week someone asked me what we did. Can you believe that?" I could.

If you have monogrammed your business, change it quick unless you are willing to spend the billions IBM has to make their monogram known.

The Value of Counsel

I was going blithely down the road, excited about finally changing our company's name to "Sprinkler Bee" when a friend asked, "Are you sure that's what you want to rename your company?" My first thought was, "Of course I'm sure. I'm ALWAYS sure." But some things have been happening to me lately that have made me realize that there is great value in wise counsel--so I listened. And I'm glad I did. It's not a new discovery. The Bible is full of advice about the foolishness of trusting your own ideas. (Proverbs 12:15 "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise." Or, Proverbs 15:22 "Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established.")

I had pictures in my head of differing levels of crew titles corresponding to the bee colony metaphor. But would I really want to be referred to as a "worker bee"? And I certainly would object to being called a "drone."

In the "information-per-square-inch" test, did Sprinkler Bee tell the unenlightened who we were and what we did? Did it not seem a little silly?

The questions kept coming. I had not had anything printed yet, but I had gotten an Assumed Name Certificate from the courthouse.

The long an short of it is I have gone back to the drawing board. We still need to change our name, but it won't be to Sprinkler Bee. I have something brewing and will make another post soon.

Meanwhile, I'm listening to friends--good counsel. You too?

A New Name for an Old Company?

Let's consider "Sprinkler Bee."
Here's a name that fulfills a few of the criteria we are looking for:
It's a little different.
It hints at what we do.
The logo helps anchor something about sprinklers.
It only hints at a bee with the yellow and black colors.
It contains accurate information--sprinklers
It lends itself to expansion in marketing--bee, buzz, don't get stung . . .
And, it's "webable." (the site is available)

Sprinkler Bee. Maybe so . . .

Changing your company's name.

In Harry Beckwith’s book, “What Clients Love,” he talks a lot about naming a company. Enough so that he scares me to death at the task. His opening essay on naming is the prediction that George Bush would beat Al Gore because George’s name is George and Al’s name is Al. Really!

In a word study, someone with way too much time on their hands discovered that the name “George” is preferred over the name “Al.” They assemble 85 “random” names that just happened to include every presidential contender since George Washington--yes, Adlai and Calvin were on the list. In every case the “stronger” name came out the victor. The essay ends with just tree words that place a burden squarely on my shoulders: “sweat your name.”

Our old name was born out of our neophyte business. We mowed grass. Period. And we wanted to communicate that by naming our company “Just Lawns.” The trouble with that is our little company was a lot like yours--it enjoyed some degree of success and expanded its services to include landscaping and sprinklers. Sound familiar?

Through the years that followed we have limited our offerings to sprinkler repair. So our old moniker, “Just Lawns” completely mis-informs by implying something we haven’t done in years.

It’s time to change. But to what?

I’m going to close with a list of names we are considering:
GeyserSmith
RainSmith
Sprinkler Bee
Sprinkler Dr.
Sprinkler Kaput

Any input would be glorious. This load’s getting heavy.

P.S. And just in case you think this stuff is easy, your colors even have a say in your success. Look at this HP article.