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Toolbox for the Trades Culture

From Customer to Owner: Banking on the Resilience of the Trades

⏱️ 44:34 🎤 Jackie Aubel, Justin Blaine
AUDIO EPISODE
From Customer to Owner: Banking on the Resilience of the Trades
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Chapters

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  • 0:00
    AI Voice Agent Intro
    The episode begins with an advertisement for Service Titan's AI Voice agent, designed to help trades businesses never miss a call and improve customer service.
  • 1:54
    From Baseball to Business
    Justin Blaine discusses how his experience as a minor league baseball player, particularly dealing with failure and developing a strong work ethic, prepared him for the challenges of business ownership.
  • 11:28
    M&A and Trades Opportunity
    Justin explains his career path from baseball to M&A, working with business owners to sell their companies, and how he recognized the significant opportunity within the trades industry.
  • 40:30
    Acquiring Carter Services
    Justin details how he went from being a customer of Carter Services to purchasing the business, highlighting the initial skepticism from employees and the crucial role of Service Titan in learning the business operations.
  • 1:02:11
    Challenges and Growth
    Justin recounts the difficulties of his first year as owner, including team skepticism and a decline in revenue, but outlines how implementing a 'yes until it's no' customer service philosophy and a membership program led to significant growth in the second year.
  • 1:29:57
    Unreasonable Hospitality
    He elaborates on the concept of 'unreasonable hospitality' and how applying it to Carter Services' customer interactions, from the first phone call to post-service follow-up, transforms the customer experience and builds brand loyalty.
  • 1:41:10
    Private Equity's Role
    Justin offers his perspective on the role of private equity in the trades, acknowledging both its positive impact on professionalization and liquidity for business owners, and its potential downsides.
  • 1:53:41
    Future of the Trades
    He concludes by discussing the shifting career landscape, with more finance professionals entering the trades, and the ongoing demand for skilled labor and excellent service.

Speakers

J
Jackie Aubel
Host
J
Justin Blaine
Co-owner of Carter Services

Key Takeaways

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Cultivate resilience and a strong work ethic, as these are crucial for navigating the unpredictable nature of business ownership.

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Embrace the 'yes until it's no' philosophy for customer service to maximize booking opportunities and foster customer loyalty.

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Leverage technology like Service Titan to understand and optimize business operations, especially when entering an unfamiliar industry.

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Prioritize team culture and employee well-being; recognize that people want to feel a part of something meaningful, not just a job.

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Implement a membership program to generate recurring revenue and strengthen customer relationships, especially with an existing customer base.

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Adopt an 'unreasonable hospitality' mindset, aiming to provide exceptional, memorable customer experiences that generate word-of-mouth referrals.

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Continuously seek opportunities for growth and improvement, even during challenging times, to ensure the long-term health and success of your business.

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