Sweeping Magazine - October 2023 by National Chimney Sweep Guild

OCTOBER 2023

CHIMNEY & VENT CLEANING

STAYING SAFE AND HEALTHY

SWEEPING THE JOURNAL OF CHIMNEY AND VENTING TECHNOLOGY

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TABLE OF CONTENTS FEATURES

Issue Feature: Health and Safety

Chimney Sweep Health ��14 Health & Safety �� 8 Update from Steven Scally

Marshall's Musings �� 10

14 IN EVERY ISSUE President's Letter �� 5 Board of Directors �� 31

Ropes of Safety – Getting Good Counsel

Membership Update �� 12 2023 SweepStakes Winners

Region Rewind �� 19 Spark Your Marketing �� 23 Decoding Your Competitors’ Customer Reviews: A 3-Step Strategy for Chimney Companies

Committee Chairs �� 31

Coach's Corner �� 27

Classifieds �� 31

The SOP Rollout

JUST FOR FUN

CERTIFICATIONS

Darwin Award �� 30

New Certifications �� 6

EVENTS

Upcoming Events �� 6 O C T O B E R 2023

   

  

          

SWEEPING THE JOURNAL OF CHIMNEY AND VENTING TECHNOLOGY

NATIONAL CHIMNEY SWEEP GUILD 1255 SW Prairie Trail Parkway Ankeny, Iowa 50023-7068 (317) 837-1500

October 2023, Volume 47 #9

STAFF Executive Director Kailah Schmitz, CAE director@ncsg.org Associate Director Certifications Coordinator Jessica Thornton jessica@ncsg.org Director of Education Bob Ferrari education@ncsg.org Membership & Events Coordinator Brittney Burton bburton@ncsg.org Administrative Assistant Jill Kolars ap@ncsg.org





        

DISCLAIMER The views expressed in Sweeping do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Chimney Sweep Guild or its staff. ADVERTISING To advertise, e-mail Malisa Minetree at sweepingads@me.com or call (317) 603-7854. NCSG further reserves the right to reject at any time any advertising determined not to be in keeping with the publication’s standards. Acceptance of advertising by Sweeping magazine does not necessarily constitute endorsement of products or services advertised. NCSG does not make any effort to review or substantiate claims made by advertisers. PHOTOGRAPHY Stock images by iStock, Adobe. ARTICLE SUBMISSION NCSG encourages industry partners to submit press releases and articles to the editor at marketing@ncsg.org. Submissions should contain items of interest or importance to the chimney and venting industry. Submissions should not contain direct solicitations, prices or other forms of advertising verbiage. Submissions may contain images or artwork attached in a JPG format. In all cases, NCSG reserves the right to edit submissions for space limitations, keep the release and publish at a later date, or refuse to publish the release for any reason. Neither publishing, nor refusing to publish the submission should be considered a statement of NCSG’s opinion regarding the release. © 2023 National Chimney Sweep Guild

etter L from the

PRESIDENT MATT MAIR

Hello Members and Happy Silly Season! By the time you read this most members will be neck deep in the lunacy we call the busy season. No matter what the size of your company: your phone is ringing off the hook, you don’t have enough time during the day, trucks on the road, or sanity to handle it all. Here are a few strategies we use at our company to manage the workload and minimize issues. All of these I learned from other members at various Guild events over the years. 1. Schedule make up time Even when things go well, often there are jobs that don’t get quite finished for whatever reason. Other jobs may need to be canceled or moved completely depending on the weather (That’s a big issue in New England!). Maybe someone called out sick. Either way, build time into the schedule when these things can be made up. Our policy here is that repair truck schedules are left open on Friday (yes, all Fridays), Sweep trucks get one office day scheduled per week, and every 8 to 10 weeks (or so) we leave the repair schedule completely blank. You can always fill those empty spots later if you don’t need them, but this will absolutely prevent having to scramble and push off dozens of jobs to try to squeeze something in that was previously scheduled.

down the overall psychological well-being of your staff. Are people getting sick a lot and calling out? Are they also working 6 or 7 days a week?

3. Charge appropriately You can afford to slow down and invest more in your and your staff’s well-being if you charge appropriately. That job you are booking 3 months out means nothing to your bank account right now, and if you raise your prices a bit to offset the cost of some rest for you and your staff, do you really think that spot will remain empty?

4. Make a list Lastly, keep a running list of things that frustrate you or you want to change starting Q1 2024. I personally use a large marker board, and I track things that I am going to change or implement in early 2024. I avoid major changes in Q3 and Q4 unless they absolutely need to happen – bad time to rock the boat.

I hope everyone has a smooth busy season that continues well into 2024. It’s renewal season so our staff is hard at work managing that and planning for our next Orlando convention. Big things are coming, so stay safe and profitable!

2. Rest your staff Yes, we need to make hay when the sun shines, but people have a physiological need to rest (including you!). Chronic fatigue and stress suppress the immune system, are major contributors to poor health, and generally drag

att Mair M NCSG President

O C T O B E R 2023

NEW CERTIFICATIONS

A S O F AUG US T 2 0 2 3

CERTIFIED CHIMNEY PROFESSIONAL • CERTIFIED CHIMNEY RELINER CERTIFIED CHIMNEY JOURNEYMAN Cashiers Chimney Professionals Sylva, NC Ryan Buchanan CCP Lucky Cricket Chimney Sweep Tucson, AZ Michael Jones CCJ Master Chimney Sweepers Natick, MA Conor Mcinally CCP Naperville Chimney Sweeps, Inc Naperville, IL Philip Perino CCP CCR Ron's Fireside Shop Castle Hayne, NC Ronald Segars CCJ The Chimney Chap New Bedford, MA Mark Plock CCP Top Hat Chimney, LLC Lock Haven, PA Daniel Winters CCJ

Top Hat Chimney, LLC State College, PA Nathan Peters CCJ Top Hat Chimney, LLC Lock Haven, PA Nicholas Carpenter CCJ Top Hat Chimney, LLC Bellefonte, PA Paul Robison CCJ West Texas Chimney & Venting Solutions Amarillo, TX Jim Ray CCJ

NEW MCP

Ron's Fiåreside Shop Ronald Segars MCP

Castle Hayne, NC

UPCOMING EVENTS October

24 TUESDAY

NCSG SWEEPING MAGAZINE

For all upcoming events and details, visit ncsg.org/event-calendar Have a H.O.T. or certification event you want to host? How about free a listing for your event on our page? Visit ncsg.org/host-an-event

HEALTH AND SAFETY

STEVEN SCALLY

When we think about health and safety in this industry, we all think about PPE and training for all the different aspects of our job. Like rope and harness training on roofs. We think about ladder safety, respirator fit tests, proper eye and ear protection, and which gloves to wear. Silica issues that pertain to our job if we are doing any masonry.

TREASURER AT LARGE

This time I want you to think about the mental and physical health — for yourself, your employees and your fellow NCSG members. This one hit close to home for me recently as I have a person who is a great employee but became completely overwhelmed with how much life has hit him. He is struggling to focus on the job and frequently needs time off to take care of this issue or that issue. It took a toll on him mentally and physically to a point of a breakdown. When a person in your company is going through personal struggle and life challenges, it puts themself, fellow team members and the entire company at risk. This is a huge safety issue as he cannot focus on his job, and he could be hurt, fall or worse.

How many of us as the head techs, managers and owners check in with our employees to be part of their life? To get to know them and see what is going on in their world? Taking a genuine interest in asking about parents, kids, significant others or their personal life can be helpful to understand where they are in their life. Now, we cannot make them open up about their life — many do not like to open up about personal stuff — but as leaders, a regular check in over time gives them the trust they need to start a conversation when they need it. As owners or managers, we also need to take an interest in the physical well-being of our sweeps. The same time as my previous story, I had another employee experiencing some gut issues. I made them go see a doctor or not come to work cause their own well-being is important to me and, like most people, I know they would likely suck it up and go through it and hope it gets better. He ended up at the hospital that day and had a CAT scan done and now must have further tests. He should be OK, but the reason I am telling you all this is to get to know your employees and help them take care of themselves as they also need to know that someone cares for them even if they don’t care about themselves. Let’s take a moment to reach out to our team and fellow members to start a conversation. Or, if you need to talk, trust a fellow Guild member to have your back.

POLICY ACTION CENTER Let us know what's going on out there! Submit your industry concern to NCSG's Policy Action Center. We will post it live on the website and look into what we can do to call to action. While you're there, you can also check out the blog for past issues we've addressed. Stay tuned to your e-mails and notifications on Facebook to stay up to date!

NCSG SWEEPING MAGAZINE

ARSHALL'S Ropes of Safety – Getting Good Counsel The “Wisest man who ever lived” gave us a proverb, an ancient Jewish proverb which says: “Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors, there is safety.”

MARSHALL PETERS

This little bit is wisdom is more illustrative than meets the eye. There's obvious meaning here for anyone in any situation in life, and of any persuasion which includes us sweeps. Yet, there is beauty and a word picture here that the English does not bring out of the Hebrew language… It is hidden to us in the English, but there is amazing truth which the Hebrew language brings out. Check out the word: Guidance.

Another important factor is the type and quality of the rope. Good and proper rope will stand the test of the tempest of the wind — and thus the decisions of life. It takes a lot of rope for various purposes on a ship, hence the need for an abundance of counsel. But if the rope is bad (and the counsel is bad), then as the old sailor's proverb says:

In Hebrew, guidance is at its root a nautical term meaning “the pulling of a rope” which, in turn, implies the guidance of a sailing ship. Sailing ships require a great deal of knowledge to use the ropes (that control the sail) that set the ship's direction and speed. Not to mention the skill to avoid hidden and not-so-hidden obstacles that can damage or sink the ship.

“Answer to the rudder or answer to the rocks!”

Let me give you an idea of the importance of rope on a sailing ship. The British naval ship, the Victory, one of the largest to ever sail has approximately 53 miles of rope. The diameter ranges from 1/4 inch to 3 inches. That is no small amount of rope. The average 1-inch sailing hemp weighs .11 lbs/ foot, which equals 15+ tons of rope. One will ask, “Doesn’t the rudder steer the ship?” It does — but on a sailing ship, the rudder does nothing for the ship unless the sails are set right to give the ship the proper speed to maneuver in combination with the rudder.

NCSG SWEEPING MAGAZINE

As sweeps, we answer to the ropes, or we answer to gravity. The word at the end of this proverb is “safety.” In its broadest understanding, its meaning includes not just being safe, but deliverance, help, salvation and victory! By surround yourself with good people who will point you in a good direction — a truthful and wise direction (good ropes) — you will find that in 5 years, it will have landed you in a better place! Guidance, as it were. The books we read, or (even the shows we watch), and the folks we choose to hang around are as important as the ropes we use. I encourage you to choose these as wisely, and with as much importance as you would choose your ropes and how you would use them. Have an awesome month!

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BY BRITTNEY BURTON, MEMBERSHIP AND EVENT MANAGER

Our annual SweepsStakes drawings have ended as NCSG Membership renewals officially came due on September 30, 2023. Over 300 companies were included in the final prize drawing of the year. Thank you to all of those who have joined the Guild this year, have enrolled in the auto-renewal program or opted to manually renew early! We are excited to have you join us in the 2023-2024 Membership Year. We would like to congratulate all our 2023 SweepsStakes Winners: Swag Kit Winners Summit Sweeps, LLC - Frisco, CO

NCSG 2024 Convention Registration 4 State Chimney LLC - Neosho, MO

Spark Marketer - Nashville, TN RBG Inc. - Raymond, NH Priddy Chimney Solutions - Beltsville, MD Son's Chimney - Milford, NH

NCSG 2024 Chimney Expo Package Environmental Control Services, Inc - Media, PA

Gray Cat Chimney Services - Jasper, IN Vannoy Enterprises LLC dba Vannoy Sweep Supplies & Repairs - Missoula MT

Portable Cooler/Freezer

Jay Walker Enterprises, Inc. - Tallahassee FL

ChimneyTek - Glen Burnie, MD

Horizon Chimney Services, INC. - Franklin, MA County Chimney Service - Patterson, NY Ambrosino Builders - Old Saybrook, CT Inspection Fire LLC - Grand Junction, CO Ace Chimney Sweeps - Ludlow, MA A Cleaner Chimney, LLC - Winston-Salem, NC

Ticketmaster Gift Cards Chestnut Hill Chimney & Hearth - Farmington, NH Regency Fireplace Products US Inc. - Batavia, IL

The BBQ & Fireplace Toy Store - Indian Orchard, MA RAMP Chimney Restoration - Bayside, WI

NCSG Staff will contact all of our winners directly to coordinate the receipt of your prizes. If you haven’t renewed your membership yet, please be sure to do so as soon as possible. Payments can be made by check or credit card. Invoices and payment options can be accessed via the link in renewal emails, by logging into your Profile at NCSG.org, or by calling the office at 317-837-1500. Make sure you get the most of your Membership this year by reviewing your benefits at NCSG.org and checking for updates in future issues of e-News and Sweeping!

NCSG SWEEPING MAGAZINE

The Climbing Helmet is the

New Top Hat

While the top hat served the pioneers of our industry well it doesn’t provide the protection we should have and in fact wouldn’t meet OSHA requirements for the work we perform. Climbing helmets are required to meet the ANSI Z89.1 standard, the same as hard hats. While we have a responsibility to our customers to perform work often at height, our responsibility to our families and friends to come home healthy every day exceeds any other responsibility we have. One thing we don’t forget is Safety is our middle name and we take that seriously. All students at the CNTA (CSIA National Training Academy) receive a climbing helmet to take home. Every time students and instructors leave the classroom to do a hands-on exercise the climbing helmet is worn. Here is what the OSHA requirements say. “Employees working in areas where there is the possible danger of head injury from impact, or from falling or flying objects, or from electrical shock and burns shall be protected by protective helmets.” A climbing helmet offers a major advantage over traditional hard hats. Traditional hard hats often do not stay on your head during a fall, a climbing helmet has a chin strap which secures the helmet during a fall. The reality of a fall is if the head impacts the ground permanent disability or even death is highly likely. If you read the OSHA requirement and think about hazards a bit not only should those working at height utilize head protection but those working at lower levels should also have head protection. Despite our best efforts sometimes objects such as tools, pieces of bricks and other debris may fall and present a hazard to anyone below. Many companies now are wearing climbing helmets from the minute they exit the vehicle through completion of the work. Not only does this protect you and your employees but also sends a couple subtle messages. The first is we are professionals who take our job and safety seriously, the second is this is not a DYI project there is a bit of danger involved don’t try this at home.

The climbing helmet is the new top hat so wear one.

Upcoming Events 3-Day CDET– CERT Campus* Nov. 6-8

CCS Review/ Exam (1 Day)

Keep an eye out for our 2024 Schedule! For more information on mobile classes, please contact Holly Cox at hcox@csia.org or call 317.837.5362

Albany, NY Oct. 6

*Center for Research, Education & Training (CERT) is the Plainfield, IN Main Campus

Keep up with any changes by following us! Chimney Safety Institute of America

@chimney_safety

For More Information visit CSIA.org

@chimney_safety

Chimney Safety Institute of America

CHIMNEY & VENT CLEANING

STAYING SAFE AND HEALTHY BY BOB FERRARI, EDUCATION DIRECTOR

s a chimney sweep or dryer vent cleaner, you spend all day keeping homeowners safe from fires and carbon monoxide poisoning. If you want to have a long career, it’s important to be reminded of how to keep yourself safe too. Crawling around vents, chimneys, and hearths presents a unique set of workplace health and safety issues. Here are a few reminders on how to stay injury-free and strong for decades of service.

Fall Protection When it comes to rooftop safety, falling is your biggest concern. It doesn’t take too far of a fall to cause serious injury. No matter how many years of experience you have traipsing around on roofs, anyone can have one bad day. Thankfully fall protection technology has come a long way in the last few decades. Full-body, multi-dynamic systems can be purchased for less than $100 at Home Depot, Lowe’s, or online. Besides, OSHA doesn’t give you much choice. Section 1910.28b1 in OSHA’s General Industry Standards states that if you are 4’ or more off the ground, you need fall protection.

Whether you choose a shock-absorbing lanyard or a self-retracting lifeline there are a few key things to remember: • The length of the line should keep you on the roof if you fall. You shouldn’t have so much slack that you would end up off the roof’s surface and dangling in the event of a fall. •

Fall protection is only as good as its anchor point. Ridge anchors are becoming more common, and most chimneys serve as an adequate wraparound point.

So, get strapped in and stay safe. Hopefully, you will never need to use one. But if you do, you will have avoided catastrophe.

Ladder Safety As soon as you step on a ladder you are taking a risk that most people never do in their workday. 164,000 people went to emergency rooms after ladder falls in 2021. Sadly 164 people died from job-related ladder falls. Some basic ladder tips can go a long way to keeping you off the ground. 1. Always place your ladder on solid, even ground. If that’s not possible, place a small section of

O C T O B E R 2023

GET STRAPPED IN AND STAY SAFE

plywood under the base. Make sure your ladder has non-slip base pads. 2. Look for loose or damaged rungs. Fix or tighten before ascending. 3. Use a 4-1 ratio for angling the ladder. The base should be 1 foot away from the wall for every 4 feet of height until it meets the support. 4. Always Keep 3 points of contact. Only one foot or hand should be away from the ladder at any moment. Carry tools with a belt or hoist to accomplish this. 5. Locate where the high voltage line is entering the home and stay far away from it.

PPE Well-made Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) is the cheapest and easiest way to avoid large and small injuries as well as lung issues. Despite the big payoff, getting workers to use all the PPE possible is often a struggle. Here are the 4 main items that will keep you injury-free.

Masks The moment a chimney sweep starts handling equipment they will come into contact with soot. Soot is made up of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which is a known carcinogen. Birds and bats like to make their homes in vents and chimneys. Hystoplasmosis, a potentially lethal fungus, can be found in their droppings. Asbestos, lime, sulfur, cement, and dust are just a few of the other things you might breathe in. From the time you start working until you are back in the van, you should be wearing one of these at a minimum: •

Full Face Masks to cover eyes, nose, and mouths for maximum protection

•

Half Masks cover the nose and mouth and have adjustable straps for a tight seal

•

N95-protects against 95% of particles larger than 3 microns

Helmets Climbing helmets can mean the difference between leaving the job with a headache and

NCSG SWEEPING MAGAZINE

leaving it with a permanent brain injury. A slip and fall from 6 feet can crack a skull. And falling objects can put a serious dent in your day. A standard-issue construction hard hat with adjustable back straps is fine for workers on the ground. But if you are going to be on a roof, a fully strapped climber’s helmet will be necessary. Regular hard hats will tumble off when falling. Climber’s helmets will stay on and keep you protected if you tumble

Hearing Protection Ask a veteran construction worker what they regret, and they will often say the same thing. “I wish I would’ve protected my hearing.” If you are using any power equipment, from saws to drills to power washers, you should have earplugs in. Once you damage the fibers in your inner ear, there is no treatment. Spend a few bucks and keep some plugs on hand to avoid decades of tinnitus (ringing).

Eye Protection Any big box home supply store will carry safety glasses. If they are labeled as OSHA-approved that means they meet OSHA regulation 1910.133. While you are at the store, grab a strap so you can keep these around your neck and hang them somewhere convenient when not in use. Considering that a stray screwhead or bit of debris can permanently damage your site, it’s worth keeping a few extra pairs around.

Take the Time for Your Health Sometimes latching into a harness or grabbing your PPE can feel like a hassle. Frankly, it kind of is. It takes time and effort. It slows you down. But nothing slows you down more than a trip to the ER. And nothing is more costly than being too injured to work. Take a minute. Slow down. Grab the right gear. Stay safe and live to sweep, clean, and maintain another day. tinyurl.com/8v7e5wzd

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O C T O B E R 2023

NOTES FROM YOUR REGIONAL DIRECTORS

I mean, we go to our place of work each day and expect everything to run as planned. Some days it works out, and other days are a mess. This “safety thing” is really not what I’m thinking about when I show up at the shop in the morning. It starts when we are loading the vans, and what extra equipment we will need that’s not already there to avoid a trip back to grab more.

BILL THORNTON

As we start tiptoeing into Fall, let us talk about Health & Safety. It is not uncommon for businesses to lose focus and momentum pertaining to goals made in the slower months. It is best to form habits now that will seamlessly flow through all months of the year. What are you doing in your business to keep Health & Safety front of mind?

JAMES OWENS

Besides the work we do, we also need to get there in one piece. This isn’t a new problem, but it is an increasingly big issue: distracted driving. I have seen a rash of folks rolling through the red behind other cars that are blowing the red signals. Be careful out there and get dash cams for your vehicles. Also, just don’t gun it when your light turns in your favor — look both ways first. Have a safe season, Bill

REGIO

For my business we have a Health & Safety Coordinator. This has been a game changer for us! This position requires that the individual remains current with OSHA certifications that are relevant to our needs as a company. These certifications range from fall protection, aerial lifts, respirator fit tests just to name a few. They are great with time management and conflict resolution.

Hello everyone! Who is ready for Fall and Winter? I know us Carolinians are. This has been one HOT Summer!

As a trade, we are the stars of safety at every job, no one in the home services business has our equipment. I get comments all the time on it. Let’s continue to train and lookout for new products, educate the other trades we see at jobsites.

Safety always, not first. There is a TV host that calls it another name, I won’t go there, he may have it trademarked. Let’s just call him Mr. R.

REGIO

We also schedule our Health & Safety Coordinator daily quality checks to cover our service and repair routes. These checks are completed at random to ensure an accurate unbiased assessment can be made. The coordinator will pop in and submit a

O C T O B E R 2023

Safety Quality Control Form. This form assesses the jobsite performance from setup to execution. This process is crucial because it allows us to pinpoint any training opportunities that need to be addressed. We want to make sure that we are teaching them all that we can to safely and properly get the job done. Weekly truck inspections are performed to inspect what we expect. These inspections also allow us to

DEBBIE WIEDWALD

Hopefully you are familiar with OSHA log requirements. For

These are some avenues that we ensure that Health & Safety aren’t put on the backburner. I hope this information can be of use to you and your team! Sweeps Luck – Work Hard, Play Hard, James Owens

REGIO

example, OSHA Form 300 Log of WorkRelated Injuries and Illnesses must be completed annually for companies with over 10 employees. In addition, OSHA Form 300A must be posted from February 1 through April 30 for the prior year. Equivalent forms may be used provided that OSHA language requirements are followed. Companies may be required to submit an electronic OSHA Form 300 A annually to OSHA by March 2 each

Chimney Caps• Liner Kits• Accessories

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NCSG SWEEPING MAGAZINE

Businesses tend to have frustrations with Workers Compensation programs and OSHA regulations. Many requirements exist, and employers and employees may have difficulties being aware of and adhering to the various programs.

ensure that our team is supplied with the tools and safety equipment that they need to be successful. Each truck is equipped with a safety bag that is checked and stocked daily.

year. Per OSHA, “all employers are required to notify OSHA when an employee is killed on the job or suffers a work-related hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye.” Make sure you know the particular requirements for your location.

Many resources exist to assist you in developing policies and provide education."

OSHA also has standards regarding when training must be provided and when written programs are needed. Many resources exist to assist you in developing policies and provide education. Your worker compensation or local OSHA office may have policy templates to help start the policy creation process.

OSHA National Emphasis Programs such as Fall Prevention / Protection, Heat and Silica, Crystalline are particularly applicable to our industry. Please continue to utilize safety experts, workers compensation programs and OSHA resources to make sure you are aware of requirements for your employees in your area. If you want two additional reasons to motivate you to follow OSHA laws, read the July 25, 2023 OSHA Press Release about ALJ Home Improvement, Inc a New York roofing company which summarizes an employer’s actions resulting in employees deaths and the employer’s arrest. Employers and employees must continue to take steps to ensure employee safety.

OSHA investigations occur due to a variety of reasons. Taking time to familiarize yourself with the OSHA investigation process may decrease your stress level if or when OSHA representatives communicate with your company. In 2022, after being in business for 36 years, OSHA completed an investigation of one of our jobsites. Many safety related documents were requested along with past discipline records on employees for violating safety items.

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O C T O B E R 2023

SPARK YOUR MARKETING Decoding Your Competitors’ Customer Reviews: A 3-Step Strategy for Chimney Companies Overlooking such a bountiful source of knowledge could mean missing a golden chance to improve. So, what are the top three things you can learn and how can they be implemented effectively into your business?

Deciphering Your Customers' Preferences

CARTER HARKINS& TAYLOR HILL SPARK MARKETER

For businesses in the chimney and venting industry, rivalries are not in short supply. In fact, there are now areas where customers can often have the pick of the liter with countless chimney service providers large and small. It's an undeniable reality that the competition is more intense than ever. However, a company can derive a strategic advantage from this, specifically by discerning valuable insights from competitor reviews. Online reviews hold immense potential, and as a business owner, you should be aware of the powerful information that lies within them. Reviews can either draw in potential clientele or deter them. If you’ve been online for any amount of time, it shouldn’t be a surprise that people tend to tell it all when it comes to their experiences with a company, particularly if they were unfavorable. If you are diligently monitoring as you should be, responding to, and learning from your reviews, then you're on the right track. However, are you also leveraging your competitors' reviews?

Begin by selecting your top five competitors and immerse yourself in their positive and negative reviews. This exercise can shed light on what they excel at and their areas of weakness. What is it about them that appeals to their customers? Conversely, where are they not living up to set expectations? You can also learn what customers appreciate or dislike when dealing with a chimney and venting service provider. Don't feel obligated to scrutinize every review. Focus on common grievances and shared issues. Harnessing this knowledge and integrating it into your business operations could aid in getting customers dissatisfied with your competitors to look and potentially come your way. At the very least, understanding what customers prefer or avoid in a service provider will equip you to tweak your business accordingly. The goal is to make your business more appealing to those in need of your services and develop a great sense of what your potential customer is looking for. This win-win scenario can offer you a perspective that you might not have considered otherwise.

Identifying Areas for Improvement and Defining Your Standard Once you've analyzed your top competitors' reviews, it's time to evaluate how your company measures up. Recognize the changes you need to make, and understand the level of excellence you should strive for.

O C T O B E R 2023

Refining Your Marketing Strategy With insights about where your competitors and your business excel or fail, it's time to reassess your marketing approach. Does your promotional strategy need a makeover to boost your company's appeal? Sometimes, a minor adjustment can create a significant impression, particularly if your competitors have set a low bar. Your potential clients are revealing what they value most through their reviews. Highlight these aspects in your marketing message to attract them. Examine the selling points and deal-breakers identified in your reviews and those of your competitors. Do the majority of negative reviews flag issues like "poor communication" or complaints about tardiness or failing to show up at all? Position punctuality and effective communication as key elements in your marketing message. Now compare your reviews with those of your competitors, highlighting similarities and differences. What are both parties receiving great reviews for? Are you both facing criticisms about leaving a mess or not arriving on time? Are there areas where you outperform, or lag behind, your competitors? Choose some categories from your review analysis, compare them, and make the necessary adjustments. Sometimes, even minor changes can put you ahead of the competition. And even if more difficult or timeconsuming changes are required, they're worthwhile to address. This is because your target audience has implicitly communicated their priorities and how much they influence their decisions around who they choose to do business with. Dedicate some time to dig deep and really think. How do you stack up? If you were a customer, would you pick your company over competitors based on reviews or marketing alone? You don't need to be flawless, just slightly better than the competition. Without a comparative analysis with your competitors, it'll be challenging to determine your performance benchmarks and where you need to make real progress to up your game.

NCSG SWEEPING MAGAZINE

Communicate to your prospective clients, in all your marketing endeavors, that choosing your company guarantees timely and efficient communication, from scheduling to job completion. Consider showcasing this message on your company vehicles or featuring a testimonial on your website's homepage that highlights your team's communicative and respectful nature. Ensure your team genuinely excels at communication and that your customers are never left uninformed or waiting for a follow-up call or a late technician. Remember, effective communication conveys respect and courtesy, and a respected, well-caredfor customer often translates to a loyal customer.

An Important Note in Regard to Reviews We have companies from all types of home service businesses contact us about once a month complaining about their current marketing company NOT doing their job. When we ask what the issue is, here is an example of what they say. “We’re #1 on Google Maps and rank pretty high in organic search but no one is calling!” When these calls come in we immediately go to their reviews and pretty much 100% of the time the reviews are 4.1 and below. Their competitors

are 4.7 and above. If you are a consumer and see the #1 ranking business with 4.1 stars and two additional choices with 4.7 stars and above, who are you going to call? It’s not going to be your company!

you need to be if you want people to choose you. So are you giving your customers what they want?

93% of consumers today check reviews for home services. Make sure you are one of the highestranking companies in your area. If you are not, this should be your highest priority.

Reviews can indeed be frustrating and sometimes perceived as a threat, but they can also be a massive boon for your business IF you learn from them. Irrespective of whether your market is large or small, your reviews and those of your competitors offer an abundance of insight.

And the Survey Says… A survey done last year reveald that 60% of Americans would switch to a new company for a superior service experience. This should be great news for a lot of home service businesses including those in the chimney and venting industry. If you have a great business, you now know what you need to do to keep it great. If you are struggling, upping your customer service is where

About the Authors: Carter Harkins and Taylor Hill are the authors of Blue Collar Proud: 10 Principles for Building a Kickass Business You Love and the owners of Spark Marketer, a ‘no bull’ digital marketing company that’s been getting sh*t done for home service businesses across the nation for a decade. They’re trusted thought leaders in the industries they serve, so you’ll find them regularly speaking at service industry trade shows and conferences and writing for trade magazines. Tired of empty promises and ready for focused digital marketing + balls-to-thewall dedication that gets your business seen? Visit sparkmarketer.com.

We Know Reviews Can be Frustrating

Customers today have more choices than ever before—they're in search of an improved service experience. Through reviews, they're communicating exactly what that improved service experience entails. Seize this opportunity to position yourself as the premier choice in your area and start listening to what your potential customers are saying!

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O C T O B E R 2023

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COACH’S CORNER THE SOP ROLLOUT Hopefully as a manager you understand the importance of Standard Operating Procedures for your company and have developed the library of these that are in use in your company. So often we find that this is a management task that has not been prepared or is in use in the company. Just think for a minute, how much knowledge is stored in your own brain about how to CVC SUCCESS GROUP properly provide the services and products for your team members, and without a library of SOPs then how are people to learn and implement this? Likely it results from trial and error, or a constant barrage of questions to others. The lack of SOPs often is a cause of chaos and waste. But for the purpose of this article, we will assume that you have bought into the process of having your systems defined in a library of SOPs that provides the guidance that your team members need to meet your customer promise and commitment.

JERRY ISENHOUR

But once the SOPs are written this is just the first step in the process. Now the rollout of the SOPs is the next segment of this project, and this is often where the program fails due to an improper rollout! Follow along for the system that works to roll out these critical systems to your team members. The library you have produced could also be called a knowledge base, as this is where all the details of how to provide the services your company provides. It covers everything from administration, operations, warehouse and into the field. This knowledge base is a very valued tool for your team and if properly produced and used the benefits of this are enormous

in so many ways. Quite simply this library can also eradicate many forms of chaos for you as the manager. But the next question is, where will the information be houses. My suggestion is that the information is housed in two ways. One of them is a digital knowledge base where the information can be accessed at any time with a digital device from the cloud. The other is a printed version, and each service truck and each department has this printed version at easy reach for access. Why are both digital and printed, you may ask? This is because some people will adapt better to a digital format and others to a printed format. This for a minute, if you were to read a book or magazine, would you prefer a printed book or an E Book? You will find that you likely have team members on either side of this question, and we want a library that they can easily access at any time. The next step is to roll these out to your team members, and this does not have to wait until your library is complete, in fact the library of SOPs will never be completed, it will be an ongoing management task that will continue. Where will you build the content from, by simply making the following observation each time a mistake occurs and asking yourself which of the following caused the mistake or error. Was it: 1. 2. 3.

The lack of an SOP to address how to do this? The present SOP is in error? Did someone not follow the SOP?

When this occurs, you must take the action of: 1. 2. 3.

Writing an SOP if there wasn’t one. Correcting the SOP if that was the issue. Doing research as to why a staff member did not follow the SOP.

You need to develop a running priority list of the SOPs that are required for the successful facilitation of your company operations, as before this will be an ongoing and never ending task, but

O C T O B E R 2023

if done with diligence you will have a very valuable proprietary product that will be a part of your success and profit picture, plus you will free the handcuffs of management that often simply tire you out and rob your energy. For the rollout of an SOP, you need to call together your entire team, due to scheduling issues (office and field staff are often on a different working time frame) you may have to have more than one meeting. At this meeting provide every person with a printed copy of the new SOP. At the bottom of the SOP will be a place for them to sign it, and the wording “I understand this standard operating procedure and agree to comply with the guidelines as presented”. The SOP needs to be read out loud to the entire team by a member of the team, not you. At the end of this reading then ask each person do you understand this SOP and agree to abide by this process? After you have asked this question of each person you will then require them to assign the sheet they have and put each of these signed copies in their files. You may need this later when disciplinary action is required. The printed and digital knowledge bases should now have been provided with the new SOP; this now becomes the guidelines by which the company operates moving forward. A work of caution, never roll out more than one SOP at this meeting, multiple SOPs will be seen by many as overwhelming and too much change at one time. Now it is time to track and measure the adherence to the system, and if there is a team member who

NCSG SWEEPING MAGAZINE

is not following the process, it is the time that accountability by management is required. I encourage you as a manager to embark if you have not on building the proprietary SOPs for your company. And then to follow this up with the rollout of the SOPs in the proper process that will provide you with the success you are searching for. There is your recipe for the process. It will follow the processes of successful franchises and other business models. And if you need assistance in the process there are specialty consultants that can work with you to develop not only your SOPs but can guide you through the entire process. As you start this process it may seem overwhelming to you, this is often the case. But to quote Zig Ziglar, you do not have to be great to start, but you have to start if you are going to be great! About the Author: Jerry Isenhour is an industry consultant, educator and coach who authors a monthly article in Sweeping as a service to the industry. A past president of NCSG & CSIA along with serving in several volunteer industry positions over his career. For more information about Jerry and how his team can assist you individually and your business in your quest for success and your ascent to the next level, take a look at his web site www.cvcsuccessgroup.com. He can be contacted at jerry@cvcsuccessgroup.com or by phone at (704) 425-0217. You can also obtain great business tips from his Facebook page CVC Coaching and YouTube channel CVC Coaching. CVC Success Group also has a broadcast / podcast The Chimney & Fireplace Success Network that is broadcast on Fridays at 12 PM Eastern time and also can be found on your favorite podcast channels.

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Have you ever seen some interesting things on the job? Submit a photo with your name and state to marketing@ncsg.org.

NCSG SWEEPING MAGAZINE

BOARD OF DIRECTORS '23-'24 President | Region 1 Matt Mair matt@blackmoosechimney.com Vice President | Region 2 Bill Thornton wissahickonvalleysweep@yahoo.com Treasurer | At-Large Steve Scally firesidesweeps@comcast.net Secretary | Region 4 Debbie Wiedwald debbie@blackburnschimney.com

Region 3 James Owens james@owenschimneysystems.com Region 5 David Steward copperridgechimney@gmail.com Region 6 Michaele Dempsey prochimneymichaele@gmail.com

At-Large Jake Cromwell jake@tophatchimneyandroofing.com At-Large Robby Murphy rmurphy@hudsonvalleychimney.com At-Large Gary Smalling gary.smalling@smallingmasonry.com At-Large Supplier Rep Doug Rivas drivas@nesbestflex.com

COMMITTEE CHAIRS '23-'24 Advocacy Debbie Wiedwald debbie@blackburnschimney.com

Ethics James Owens james@owenschimneysystems.com

Bylaws Matt Mair matt@blackmoosechimney.com

Governance Steve Scally firesidesweeps@comcast.net

Certification Steve Sobczak steve@totalchimneycare.com

International Relations Victor Imgarten stlswp@accessus.net

Events Doug Rivas drivas@nesbestflex.com

Marketing Jake Cromwell jake@tophatchimneyandroofing.com

Education David Steward copperridgechimney@gmail.com

Membership Michaele Dempsey prochimneymichaele@gmail.com

NFPA 211 Jim Brewer jim@rooftopsafetyusa.com NFPA 31 Steve Scally firesidesweeps@comcast.net NFPA 54 Jim Brewer jim@rooftopsafetyusa.com Technical Advisory Council Steve Scally firesidesweeps@comcast.net

CLASSIFIEDS

CLASSIFIED ADS FREE FOR NCSG MEMBERS NCSG members can run ONE 35-word classified ad for free each calendar year, 36+ words are $1 per word after. Additional ads are $1/word, or $2/word for non-members. Classified ads are non-commissionable and must be pre-paid. To place a classified ad, please e-mail marketing@ncsg.org.

O C T O B E R 2023

Convention

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SAVE THE DATE! 2024 NCSG Convention & Trade Show

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NCSGconvention.org

PRESORT STD US POSTAGE PAID PONTIAC, IL PERMIT NO. 592

March 19 – 23