March News from MPR Supply
5 Ways to Strengthen Your Business
Getting better will make your business resilient and more profitable, sustaining your success. You won’t improve without taking proactive steps to change. Here are some ideas to consider:Survey your customers. Customers often need more services and are willing to spend more, but are never asked what else they need. Make a habit of checking in with satisfaction surveys and job walks. Find out where you’re doing well and where you need to improve.
Invest in education. Many crew leaders have learned the business “on the job”, which is a great foundation. But taking their performance to the next level means learning new habits and best practices. Ask us about upcoming classes and resources.
Know your numbers. You can’t expect anyone to care about your finances as much as you do. Owners need to track revenues, job profitability, overhead and collections. Avoid moving targets like “making as much as we can” and set performance goals for every area.
Pay for performance. Use incentives that drive your team to your goals, making them attainable, fun and fair. Whether you’re tracking billable hours, upgrade up-sells, or crew productivity, what gets measured – and incentivized, will get done. Performance pay also encourages your team to improve while growing their earnings.
Eliminate inefficiencies. Lean manufacturing demonstrates how to eliminate waste from processes to drive profitability. Applying the same principles to your contracting business can help you identify how to accomplish more with less. Common problems include over-production, allowing too much scrap, waiting around, poor routing, too many trips, over-handling materials, repeated defects, resistance to change and more.
The Team at MPR Supply
Dauer’s Power Pack Increases Your Profit; Let's You Offer Lighting to Every Customer
Plus it sets the foundation for future add-ons Homeowners and business owners who share pride in their outdoor space are eager to add low-voltage lighting, but may sometimes feel overwhelmed not knowing where to start. Help make their decision easier with the all-new Dauer Power Pack.Offered at $589, this 52-piece, professional grade starter kit packs a punch--even for budget conscious customers-- while still allowing you ample opportunity to increase your bottom line.
The Dauer Power Pack fixtures offer usage versatility for optimal aesthetic appeal and all carry the respective Dauer Manufacturing warranties.
Contact your MPR representative to place your order and… Discover The Power Of Dauer.
Must Have for Spring Service: Blazing Spray Loc Tool
Get more efficient when cleaning and replacing spray nozzles during spring service visits. Holding up a spray head with one hand while finding the right nozzle with another can be as ineffective as it is frustrating.
The King Spray Loc tool allows you to quickly lock a spray head piston in place while you make any necessary adjustments.
Equip every truck with these time savers now.
Defend Against Leaks with Flow Sensing Technology
Help protect your customers’ property and landscape with the Rain Bird FG100 Flow Sensor, a valuable upgrade you can sell with every new residential installation. The FG100 monitors irrigation and instantly identifies when there is a leak or line break so it can be addressed early. This durable flow sensor manages water efficiency, protects homeowners from potential damages and positions you as a guardian of your customers’ property and landscape—earning you a stronger reputation over time.
Now more affordable than ever, the FG100 is compatible with 18g irrigation wire for easy installation and winterization capabilities so it can stay in the ground all year. The FG100 pairs with the ESP-ME3 Controller. Now you can check system health from anywhere with the Rain Bird Mobile App—available for iPhone and Android, when adding the LNK2 module.
Flint & Walling Smart Technology Improves Your Level of Service
Imagine knowing there is an issue in a system you installed before the homeowner knows. We're talking about a new generation of Smart Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) that are rapidly increasing the service level contractors can offer to end-consumers. If you're not a regular VFD installer, you may not be aware how quickly this technology has evolved. Traditionally, the VFD's primary selling feature has been constant pressure. Without a VFD, a pump operates ON at full blast or completely OFF, and nowhere in between. A VFD allows the pump to start with a low rush amperage and slowly ease into its cycle, extending the life of the pump.
Recent advances have added smart technology to VFDs. This typically takes the form of an add-on device that links to your VFD via Wi-Fi or Ethernet cable. System professionals can gain access to various features of the installed VFD. At the most basic level, the system will send alarms via email or text message when the drive is in a fault condition. On more advanced devices, you can remotely access the VFD with an app to monitor or change settings - from anywhere in the world, in real-time.
Interested in learning more? Visit www.GetCommanderPro.com
Slowdown Fighter: Re-Launch Your Company's Marketing
When times are good, it's common to neglect marketing efforts. When a recession slowdown hits, these contractors struggle to get their share of a reduced pool of work. From a recent survey of irrigation contractors:
- 82% have not updated their website significantly in over 5 years, despite it being their largest source of leads.
- 76% indicate they do not their own company-focused photos to sell their services, particularly photos of past projects and of crew members completing tasks.
- 23% are unhappy with their current logo and company graphics.
- 36% said they don't regularly communicate with current customers by mail or e-mail to generate referrals and additional work.
Decide now if your company needs a marketing tune-up. Are your marketing assets old, tired or out-of-touch? Are you delivering the right messages? Do you have high-quality images and video that showcase your capabilities?
Most importantly: is your marketing creating a first impression that matches the quality and strength of your organization? If it doesn't, it's time for a change!
How Flow Sensors Make Irrigation Smarter
How can an irrigation system notify you or your customer when it has a problem? A flow sensor is a smart new way to report overflow or underflow conditions. When paired with a master valve, the system can even shut itself down when it needs to.
A flow sensor helps with 2 concerns:
- Underflow conditions indicate watering isn't occurring, alerting before plants die due to lack of water. Underflow can also mean problems with pumps that if detected early can prevent significant damage. `
- Overflow conditions indicate wasted water due to line breaks, broken sprinklers or a stuck valve.
A flow sensor can alert you to these conditions before they cause problems for your customer.
When a change in normal flow occurs, some controllers can send an email or text message to notify someone that there is a problem, and will shut down the problem zone or the master valve if it sees the change on all the zones. Other systems just put an alarm on the controller display. There are a lot of options to fit most systems.
The potential savings and peace of mind are well worth it.