Imagine you spent a good couple days digging and installing for a customer, everything seems great. You finish the job and everything is working, and done right. Everything is good right? Customer paid, job was done, everyone's happy. Then a few months later you see that the customer charges the card back. That's 10 grand you just lost and you can't do a thing about it. Nothing more frustrating. Its just pure thievery. Of course you can go through the process to try and get the money back but sometimes its just not worth it, or sometimes you just end up losing it. What's your reaction? How do you handle it?

For Anyone in the Trades Who Wants to Become a True Advisor — Not a Pitchman Most people in the trades were never taught how to communicate in a way that lowers resistance, builds trust instantly, and gets customers to open up. We’re taught how to fix things — but not how to guide people through decisions about problems they don’t fully understand. Two books fixed that for me: 📘 1. Socratic Selling — Kevin Daley This book teaches you how to ask questions in a way that gets the customer to discover the truth for themselves — instead of you pushing it on them. It helps you: - Lower emotional resistance - Guide conversations instead of “driving” them - Pull people into agreements instead of pushing - Create clarity for customers who are stressed or confused - Position yourself as the calm problem-finder, not the “sales guy” If you work in a field where people are calling you during stressful situations (plumbing, HVAC, electrical, garage doors, roofing, etc.), this style of communication is a cheat code. 📘 2.The Trusted Advisor — David H. Maister, Charles H. Green & Robert M. Galford This book reframes what it means to be a professional in the service world. It breaks down how trust is built — both logically and emotionally: - Credibility - Reliability - Intimacy - And the one most techs struggle with: lowering self-orientation This book shows you how to stop thinking like a contractor and start operating like a real advisor. When you combine this with a question-based approach (like Socratic Selling), customers view you as the expert — and buying decisions become simple. 🔥 Why I’m Sharing This If you’re in the trades, communication matters more than tools. The right words can: - Calm a panicked homeowner - Increase your close rates without pressure - Reduce objections - Help people want the right solution - Make your day 10× easier

You don’t lose great technicians because of pay. You lose them because: - There’s no clear growth path. - They don’t feel part of a winning culture. - The business is chaotic and stressful. Top performers want stability, leadership, and opportunity. If you give them that, they’ll stay and help you scale. What’s ONE thing you do to keep your best guys motivated?

Ok guys I'm not talking about the freaky type of role playing come on I'm talking about getting in there every single day in the training room, and getting reps in. Why would you wait to mess up and practice when you're sitting with a customer? Like how does that make any sense. Doesn't it make so much more sense to practice with your teammates? People that want to see you win? See you succeed? Let's get training EVERY SINGLE DAY. And if you're not doing this. Holy Hell please start yesterday