Sweeping Magazine—September 2024

SEPTEMBER 2024

SWEEPING THE JOURNAL OF CHIMNEY AND VENTING TECHNOLOGY

LINDEMANN

5

EXPERIENCE EXPERIENCE THE THE DIFFERENCE DIFFERENCE

%

OFF EVERY ORDER

THRU 12/31/24

PROMO CODE: BUSYBEE ORDER ONLINE & SAVE!

LINDEMANNSUPPLY.COM

TRUCK ESSENTIALS I N S T O C K & R E A DY T O S H I P

ORDER ONLINE @ WWW.LINDEMANNCHIMNEYSUPPLY.COM

2

NCSG SWEEPING MAGAZINE

TABLE OF

Contents 5

Letter From the President Four simple tips that will help you retain your customers.

8

See and Be Seen Customer appreciation – even in small ways – can significantly improve customer loyalty and business success.

14

We Fix Leaky Chimney Systems Understand the special challenges that a chimney crown presents as it pertains to water penetration and remediation.

24

7 Chimney Expo: Recap in Photos Thank you for attending the 2024 Chimney Expo last month! Despite the challenges posed by Hurricane Debby, we surpassed 400 attendees for three days of hands-on training in King of Prussia, PA.

Can AI Help With Customer Retention?

Artificial intelligence can be a valuable tool for customer retention, but it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution.

26

New Certifications Congratulations to those who earned a certification in July!

S E P T E M B E R 2024

3

Darwin Award

Have you ever seen some interesting things on the job?

Submit a photo with your name and location to marketing@ncsg.org.

SWEEPING THE JOURNAL OF CHIMNEY AND VENTING TECHNOLOGY

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

September 2024, Volume 48 #8

Staff Kailah Schmitz, CAE, Executive Director director@ncsg.org

For Sale: Chimney Sweep Business Closing: Supplies For Sale New Snaplok 4 sizes 27 rods, heads, bag: $600. Two sets new roof Grappling Clamps: $1500. High stepper. Unused Heatshield products and used puller. Liners and parts Too many to list.

Located Bennington, VT. Email david.seamans@verizon.net.

Policy ACTION CENTER Let us know what’s going on!

Submit industry concerns to NCSG’s Policy Action Center. We post live on the website and look into how we can take action. While you’re there, you can also check out the blog for past issues we’ve addressed. Check your email and Facebook to stay up to date!

4

NCSG SWEEPING MAGAZINE

Jessica Thornton, Associate Director and Certifications Coordinator jessica@ncsg.org Bob Ferrari, Director of Education education@ncsg.org Sydney Kaizer, Director of Marketing and Communications; Sweeping Editor marketing@ncsg.org Brittney Burton, Membership and Events Coordinator bburton@ncsg.org Libby Almendarez, Membership and Certifications Coordinator office@ncsg.org

DISCLAIMER The views expressed in Sweeping do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Chimney Sweep Guild (NCSG) or its staff.

ADVERTISING To advertise, email 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 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. © 2024 National Chimney Sweep Guild

LETTER FROM THE

President

S

ummer is coming to a close, and the workload seems to be increasing for our trade. It seems the Labor Day rush has backed up to late July. This trend is part of our customer retention theme this month.

I have noticed a trend in just the last few weeks of clients really wanting their service call right away or shortly after they call (seems fair). The same goes with any hearth installation or liner work. The “I want it, and I want it now!” attitude is back in the service world.

Here are a few customer retention pointers that work for us:

1. Designate one key contact person.

Designate one person that the customer can contact throughout the project. Communication is an easy way to retain a client. We found the best way is with recorded text through our main phone number chat. The customer service representative (CSR) can monitor and forward inquiries to the designated team member.

2. Educate the customer.

Educate your customers about your services, and guide them in choosing the right product for their budget. I often work with older homes in my area, many of which have unique, older gas units without chimneys. In one case, I suggested an electric retrofit after removing the burner components, preserving the ornate front. It worked beautifully! The customer was thrilled to maintain the original look. Always be willing to go the extra mile.

3. Be open to new ideas.

Here is a new one we experienced this summer – installing units we don’t carry. Connect with your local hearth shop(s). Sometimes your customers just don’t like what you are trying to sell them; it happens. We are usually doing additional hearth replacements or mantle upgrades, so you can make up the softer margins on that work.

4. Do high-quality work.

Lastly, keep your quality of workmanship to the highest level. This will help you get referrals and additional projects at that home or in the neighborhood. ■

Bill Thornton, President, National Chimney Sweep Guild

S E P T E M B E R 2024

5

sales@fandcdistributors.com (630) 241-0506

PROUD DISTRIBUTOR OF INDUSTRY LEADING BRANDS

FREE FREIGHT PROGRAMS

WARRANTY & TECHNICAL SUPPORT

NCSG SWEEPING MAGAZINE IN6 STOCK INVENTORY 24 HOUR SHIPPING

VETERAN OWNED

A

huge thank you to all the 2024 Chimney Expo attendees, speakers, sponsors, volunteers, and exhibitors who contributed to a successful event!

Despite the challenges posed by Hurricane Debby, more than 400 people joined us in King of Prussia, PA for three days of hands-on training and education.

We couldn’t do it without our sponsors! Thank you National Chimney, SaverSystems, Approved Industries, Copperfield Chimney Supply, FutureNow Marketing, Lindemann Chimney Supply, and New England Chimney Supply for your support of this event. ■

S E P T E M B E R 2024

7

8

NCSG SWEEPING MAGAZINE

See and Be Seen The Key to Lasting Customer Relationships

M

By Bob Ferrari, Director of Education, National Chimney Sweep Guild

any of you know that, generally speaking, I’m not much of an animal lover. I’ve had plenty of pets over the years, and I’m not afraid of them—I just don’t enjoy the care and cleanup that comes with them... not to mention the occasional wet, sloppy “kiss” from a dog while I’m trying to work on a pellet stove.

Dog-loving customers noticed this about me when they answered the door. Before I even came into the home, they would say, “Oh, you don’t like dogs.

I’ll put them out back.” Essentially they were saying, “You hate my babies.” That was not my intention.

Instead, I began taking pictures of their dog right at the door. Later, I’d send a card to the dog with its photo, thanking them for the warm greeting and asking them to “take care of that nice person who feeds you.” For bigger jobs, I would also include treats. Sometimes, the following year if Fido had passed away, I sent the customer a card from their dog in heaven, thanking them for the shared life.

Nothing changed, but everything changed.

People started saying, “Oh, you love dogs!” right at the door! The whole vibe shifted.

All I was doing was acknowledging what the customer valued. The unexpected benefit? These dog owners chatted with other dog owners – at the park, during walks. Instead of saying, “That guy installed my chimney cap,” they’d say, “That guy sent my dog a card!” They called us back the next year, and so did their friends. Trust grew, making it easier to sell needed repairs – all by simply saying, “I see you.”

Measuring Value I took a group of university students on a leadership training class in the wilderness. Before they were allowed to participate, they had to write down the outcome of their relationship with the other participants in the group ahead of time. This gave a baseline by which to measure the efficacy of their stated intent.

The most common response was, “I’m going to

love everyone.” The follow-up question to that was, “How will anyone know they are being loved by you?” In the end, they had to come up with actions measurable by the others: “I will give two foot massages for 15 minutes each night.” “I will carry extra weight for those who are lagging behind.” “I will praise each person every day for the beauty I see in them.” And so forth.

We measure success in business with numbers – gross revenue, units sold, hours filled, profit columns, marketing conversions, positive reviews.

It’s all about us.

Why don’t we measure our value by the depth of the joy we created in the families we serve? Why not measure by the gifts we’ve given to others? Or by the power of the words of encouragement that someone needed in a difficult moment? These are harder to quantify, yet these are the actions that make the biggest difference.

I’d always felt like I was a good communicator.

People, in general, liked me – why wouldn’t they want to do business with me? I figured I was at about 70% repeat business. I hired a company who went back in my accounts six years and measured my repeat business. It was absolutely shocking to see the result at 14%, which they said was twice the chimney industry average!

That means 3,000 invoices per year at 14% is 420 repeat customers. This number felt larger than it was because of the warmth in our friendships and the fact that I was usually the one going to their home. But the hard cold facts were that I had to buy 86% of my business each year with marketing dollars. Worse still, it showed that few of my customers were loyal enough to care if it was us who came back next year.

Measuring success can be scary, but it’s necessary.

Showing Customer Appreciation One of the ways we articulated our values in my business was by giving an “Ounce of Joy” 52 times each year.

S E P T E M B E R 2024

9

We sent a bit of our weekly income – $50-70 – to someone who had done business with us that week via a random drawing. We sent cash – no marketing write-off. It was “to provide a tiny piece of joy, whatever that looks like to you: a date night, a red purse, a block party, a partial day off work to spend with kids, to pay a bill, etc.”

Zulu is a nation of Nguni-speaking people in KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa. The primary Zulu greeting means, “I see you.” It conveys the importance of recognizing a person’s worth and dignity. It is interpreted as, “I see the whole of you, including your experiences, passions, pain, strengths, weaknesses, and future. You are valuable to me.”

If you’ve ever had someone love you – and I’m sure that all of you have – then I bet you also felt them notice you. They pay attention to who you are; they know what you value; you feel important in their presence. When I took a few seconds out of my day to notice my customers’ dogs, it was like I was saying, “I see you.”

Happy Employees = Happy Customers You might be thinking, “That sounds great when I’m in the field, but how do I ensure my employees are trained to recognize client values and show genuine care?”

There is a lot of training available regarding personality types, mirroring, and relational sales skills. Ideally, you’re already providing these resources to your team. But if you want these lessons to truly resonate, you need to model them yourself. Do you notice the invisible weight pressing down their shoulders when they arrive on Monday morning? What depth of tiredness is etched on their face by Friday? Will the weekend be a refuge full of fun recreation or just another battle to wear them down?

Do you know their love language? In the 1992 book The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman, he talks about the primary ways each of us prefer to be noticed:

TRUSTED BY HOMEOWNERS FOR OVER 40 YEARS

TRIPLE LOCK® ALL FUELS CHIMNEY LINER

SUITABLE FOR ALL FUELS

Pellet

Wood

Gas

Oil

New All Fuel Cap Engineered with unparalleled reliability and safety in mind. Z-Lok TEE - Quick Assembly No Special Tools Required.

T 1.800.654.5600 | F 1.888.889.3539 | sales@z-flex.com | www.z-flex.com

2022 Novaflex Ads_Sweeping_7.35x4.875.indd 2

10

NCSG SWEEPING MAGAZINE

2023-05-15 3:22:02 PM

1. Affirmations

It happens at about 3 months. That’s a customary probationary period for many workplaces. Do you mark this transition with laughter? Creating workplace traditions that celebrate your team members can be a powerful way to build camaraderie.

2. Quality Time 3. Acts of Service 4. Gifts 5. Physical Touch In analyzing the results of 10,000 people who took his online quiz in 2010, Words of Affirmation led by a small margin, followed by Quality Time. However, these are nuanced – conditional by gender, culture, and customs. For example, in some cultures, direct praise is very uncomfortable and not well received.

Instead, praising that person to someone else is more highly valued when they hear your esteem through the grapevine.

The goal is to create a workplace where your employees feel cared for and valued in the way they need it most. Model this behavior and incorporate it into your training. When you equip your team to think relationally, their home life improves, your work environment becomes more harmonious, and sales naturally increase.

It directly translates to strong, lasting client relationships. ■

Speak their love language.

The Navajo throw a party at the first laugh of a child.

They believe that, at birth, the child belongs to two worlds: the spirit world and the physical one. The first laugh is the sign of the baby’s desire to leave the spirit world and join her earthly community.

The premier chimney cap for keeping smoke out of living spaces.

• Vacu-Stack® works with single wall, double wall, triple wall, or masonry.

• Solves draft problems related to hills and mountains, tall trees, and tall buildings near the chimney.

• Sizes available from 3” to 30”+; custom and oversize available.

Air cooled and non-air cooled.

Model VSA-TDW for air cooled chimney

the authentic Available from leading distributors nationwide.

• Standard construction is 100% austenitic stainless steel; also available in other alloys including copper and Type 316 for marine/coal appliances.

Improved Consumer Products, Inc. PO Box B Attleboro Falls, MA 02763 (508) 695-7000 Fax: (508) 695-4209

www.chimneycaps.com

Although there have been

many attempts to copy it over the last 40+ years, there is only one Vacu-Stack®.

Always ask for it by name and look for

the seal of authenticity on top of the cap.

100% made in USA

S E P T E M B E R 2024

11

12

NCSG SWEEPING MAGAZINE

ELEVATE THE HEARTH EXPERIENCE WITH AN RSHT CHIMNEY FAN! BETTER COMFORT

Easy and quick ignition. Simple heat control.

MORE EFFICIENT

The chimney fan improves combustion efficiency 15% less firewood is used.

QUIET OPERATION VARIABLE-SPEED MOTOR COMES IN 4 SIZES LOW OPERATING COSTS

FEWER PARTICLES

An ENERVEX chimney fan can reduce particles 80% indoors. 20% outdoors.

CO2-FRIENDLY

Wood/biomass is considered CO2-neutral if trees are replanted.

EASY TO INSTALL

The RSHT chimney fan is easy to install You achieve optimal chimney draft regardless of wind and weather.

RSHT CHIMNEY FAN – is the guaranteed cure for smoke escaping your wood-fired fireplace, or wood, pellet or coal appliances. Installation is clean and easy.

For more information: WWW.ENERVEX.COM / CALL (800) 255-2923 ENERVEX Inc. 1685 Bluegrass Lakes Parkway, Alpharetta, GA 30004 USA

By Stuart Karanovich, Business Development Manager, SaverSystems This is the second article in a three-part series dealing with remediation of water penetration problems in masonry chimneys for the professional chimney technician.

In the first article, we dealt with types of water repellents and the brick and masonry structure of a chimney. In this article, we will deal with the special challenges that a chimney crown presents as it pertains to water penetration and remediation.

14

NCSG SWEEPING MAGAZINE

As stated in the preceding article, most experts agree that the durability of an external masonry chimney depends primarily on its ability to resist water penetration.

A properly constructed and maintained crown plays a very important role in keeping water out of chimney systems.

Unfortunately, most chimney crowns that we encounter were not built properly. It is usually not a question of “if” they will allow water penetration, but a question of when.

What Is a Properly Constructed Chimney Crown?

According to the Brick Industry Association, a proper crown should be constructed of pre-cast concrete, stone, or cast in place concrete, and should be two inches thick at its thinnest part.

It should extend at least two-anda-half inches beyond the outside chimney walls in all directions and incorporate a drip edge at least one inch from the chimney on the underside of the crown to assist in shedding water.

The crown should not contact the flue and should have an expansion gap of at least 3/8 of an inch around the perimeter of the flue to permit expansion as the flue heats up. There should be a bond break between the top course of bricks and the bottom of the crown.

Additionally, the crown should slope downward from the flue liner to the outside edge of the crown at a rate of at least three inches per foot on all sides. Different localities have varying regulations regarding how high the flue liner must extend above the crown, with two inches being the minimum.

In addition to the above guidelines, if we are going to cast in place a crown, it should be reinforced with at least ½ inch galvanized hardware cloth or welded wire fabric with a cross-sectional area

exceeding 0.035 in, located middepth in the crown.

Why Chimney Crowns Leak Simply stated, most chimney crowns leak due to improper materials and construction.

Chimney crowns sit atop structures that extend above the roofline completely exposed to the elements. The crown sits at the apex of this structure aligned horizontally to the sun during the hottest portions of each day, subjected to UV radiation, rain, snow, ice and sleet.

Chimney crowns take more abuse from the elements than any other part of the chimney system. Given that they are rarely constructed properly, is it any wonder that they are often the culprit when water is entering the chimney?

Improper Crown Substrate Often we are faced with a crown formed from a simple mortar wash applied to the top course of bricks and sloped upward, and attached directly to the flue. This is the most common and least effective crown we encounter. A mortar wash does not have the tensile strength of Portland cement or stone and will not function for long to protect the chimney from water intrusion.

Improper Flue Liner/Crown Juncture If, when the crown was formed, a 3/8-inch gap around the crown/ flue liner junction was not maintained, the vertical movement as the crown heats and cools can cause the surface of the crown to crack. This cracking will occur not only around that juncture, but can spread across the surface of the crown, radiating from the flue liner to the outward edge of the crown.

Additionally, if the expansion gap was formed but is inadequately filled with flexible high temperature caulk, water will enter the system

at that juncture. Freeze-thaw cycles may then create cracks in the crown.

No Bond Break Between Chimney and Crown If there is no bond break between the chimney and crown, then the crown is attached to the underlying brick and mortar that form the facing of the chimney, as well as whatever was used to support the weight of the crown when it was poured. Each individual material has a different temperature coefficient, meaning that for the same applied heat or cooling they will expand and contract at different rates.

When a crown is attached to all of these different materials, the result is a crown that can literally tear itself apart. As these different materials try to expand and contract, they meet resistance due to being coupled to each other, and cracking occurs, which in turn allows water to enter the chimney system through the crown.

A crown with a bond break so that it is not attached to the chimney, and is not attached to the flue tile, is called a floating crown.

Insufficient Slope of Crown If the crown is not constructed in such a manner that allows water to run away from the flue tile to the edge of the crown, water may pool upon it. In areas with frequent freeze/thaw cycles, the repeated freezing of the pooling water can create cracks on the surface of the crown that will get incrementally larger with each ensuing freeze/ thaw cycle.

Insufficient Overhang If the crown does not extend sufficiently past the exposed facing of the chimney, then all water landing on the crown will sheet down the facings of the chimney. While this type of defect

S E P T E M B E R 2024

15

will not usually cause the crown itself to take on water, it will greatly increase the likelihood of water entering the chimney structure through the face of the chimney or the flashing.

Having a drip edge engineered into the bottom of the crown also helps prevent water from reaching the masonry face of the chimney.

What Do We Do? — Cast in Place Crown When faced with a crown that has major defects or is severely deteriorated, the best choice is usually going to be demolishing the crown and cast in place a new crown using the above-mentioned BIA guidelines. A crown consisting of a sandy mortar wash with no overhang or drip edge, poured in direct contact with the flue tile, and major cracking and loose mortar is a great example and one I see regularly.

While this would be the ideal repair for this scenario, it is also probably going to be the most expensive, and sometimes the homeowner is unwilling to accept your proposal.

Repair Existing Crown If the crown is structurally sound, then we have a variety of repair/ remediation options open to us.

Using the above example, I would suggest cleaning the surface of the existing crown with a wire brush or powered wheel. Remove the debris created with a stiff nylon brush or blow it off with a can of compressed air. Then use a repair product made specifically for chimney crowns.

Generally, these products are in a class called elastomerics.

Elastomeric is just a fancy way of saying that they are made of polymer formulas that when dry, maintain a degree of elasticity.

This is important because when we employ this type of repair, we need to remember that we have not addressed the underlying

16

cause of the problem, which is usually the different expansion and contraction rates of the existing crown and materials tied to it. What we have done is applied a waterproof membrane over the crown which will allow that movement to continue, without allowing water into the chimney system. The typical lifespan of this type of repair is in the range of ten to fifteen years depending on the polymer used in the repair. All the major chimney distributors carry these crown repair products.

What About Rain Caps?

In our above example, the existing crown did not provide for the two-and-a-half-inch overhang in all directions or have a drip edge to stop rainfall or snowmelt from sheeting down the face of the chimney. This can be remediated by selecting a chimney cover that extends beyond the face of the chimney. John Meredith, the founder of SaverSystems, recommends that this type of cover extend four inches past the face of the chimney in all directions. This will direct the majority of water away from the chimney, preventing water penetration problems in other areas of the chimney.

On a chimney with a crown that incorporates the two-and-a-halfinch overhang and drip edge, a single flue cap may be a good choice.

On a chimney without a crown that incorporates adequate overhang, a bolt-on single flue cap may actually increase the amount of water directed down the face of the chimney. Precipitation that would have fallen into the flue may now be directed onto the inadequate crown.

Additional Considerations If you are faced with the example above, it might be worth considering venting the chimney cavity. Chimney cavities that

NCSG SWEEPING MAGAZINE

have large cross-sectional areas as compared to flue size can generate a lot of water inside the chimney cavity due to temperature and pressure differences between the flue and the air inside the cavity. (Think ice-cold glass of water on a cold day or mirror in the bathroom after a warm shower). Venting the cavity allows the pressure and temperatures to equalize and decreases the likelihood of condensation forming.

In addition, you might consider a concrete conditioner as a “primer” to be applied to the crown before the application of an elastomeric crown repair product, especially if the crown is constructed of a mortar wash or splay.

SaverSystems is testing one now.

Conclusion Chimney crowns are subjected to extremely tough environmental conditions and are rarely constructed properly. As such, they require special attention to prevent unwanted water penetration. By learning to spot crown defects and choosing the right remediation action, you can prevent potentially expensive repairs for your customers and improve your bottom line. ■

S E P T E M B E R 2024

17

Chimney Covers 704 .839.0329

O

ne thing that we pride ourselves on is the Chimney Helmet chase cover. The concept and idea for this is nothing new, BUT the design and creation of a solid product is. The overall purpose of the Chimney Helmet is to create a sufficient drip edge at the top of the chase where none may exist.

Minimizing water exposure on any chimney or chase structure is key to helping solve water leaks. Don’t sell yourself short by just offering water repellent, exterior repairs, or just replacing the original insufficient chase cover with a shinier version. Offer

Generally, most people assume a drip edge on a chase cover to look like this.

18

NCSG SWEEPING MAGAZINE

the total package. Do everything you can to keep as much water off the chase as possible. This will allow you to confidently offer a longer warranty, help you land more jobs, and is key to the success in offering such warranties.

Below are a few things you might mention in your approach to homeowners about the confidence in your proposal.

The way in which the collar is formed for the hole on a chase cover is extremely important. We can create a near seamless collar. Our approach will prevent leaking even if caulking fails, assuming the

A truly efficient drip edge should look something like this.

Formed collar versus teeth. Silicone will only last for so long. A chase cover with teeth holding the collar on will most certainly fail.

chase cover has an adequate pitch for shedding water away from the hole.

Making sure a chase cover has a cross break will give it a pitch, and making sure it has been installed level for even distribution is very important. Not doing this can basically create a waterfall effect when water dominantly runs off one side of the chase cover. Remember to do what you can to prevent as much water from coming in contact with the chase as possible for a more confident proposal to your customers.

Please feel free to reach out to us with any questions or feedback regarding our products. We look forward to earning your business! ■

Making sure a chase cover has a cross break will give it a pitch.

Contact Owens Chimney Covers!

(704) 554-9595 orders@owenschimneycovers.com

S E P T E M B E R 2024

19

20

NCSG SWEEPING MAGAZINE

Meet

DINO XTD/XT II Reach high. Travel light.

NEW DINO 52XT II TRAILER 52’ HEIGHT

• 52’5” vertical reach • 29’10” side reach • 25% gradeability • Continuous boom rotation • Auto-leveling option • 4,430 lbs.

• 68’10” vertical reach • 38’5” side reach • 25% gradeability • Continuous boom rotation • Auto-leveling option • 5,456 lbs.

• 85’5” vertical reach • 43’ side reach • 25% gradeability • Continuous boom rotation • Auto-leveling standard • 7,705 lbs.

S E P T E M B E R 2024

21

Spraying Thermocrete is easier than ever!

New commercial equipment package includes a “Roof Rover” to raise and lower the hose and spray machine at no extra cost.

No more hand over hand!

Increases: • Safety • Performance • Durability Approved Industries is currently looking to expand our Thermocrete network by offering more for your money than ever before. Call or visit online to apply for a dealership and start offering your customers the only field applied ceramic with a more than 20 year history.

Trust comes with time....Call Today

Listed and Labeled to UL-1777 / ULC-S635 and comes with a Lifetime Warranty

www.approvedindustries.com

Who sprayed SmokeChambers before Smoktite? Nobody!

Thats because we invented the Smoke Chamber Spray. Why are we the best? Our specialized compospray Smoktite. Don’t settle for less.....

..... Stick with the Original ALL ng on ver i p p i Sh so FREE tite order k Smo 0 $200

22

NCSG SWEEPING MAGAZINE

866-439-0069

info@approvedindustries.com

S E P T E M B E R 2024

23

Spark YOUR MARKETING Can AI Help With Customer Retention?

By Carter Harkins and Taylor Hill, Co-Owners, FutureNow Marketing (formerly Spark Marketer)

T

his question is like asking if a chainsaw can help with cutting down a tree. Let me explain.

Several years ago one of the biggest trees in my backyard got hit by lightning and split the top part in half and I ended up with a big tree that looked like a Y. Since it was in my backyard I decided to cut it down. However, I didn’t have the time to tackle this myself so my wife got on the phone and started calling tree companies to see how much it would cost to get it cut down and taken away.

We both thought this was an easy question. Big tree, how much? Simple, right? Well, we found out real quick it wasn’t that simple. We had to take pictures, measurements, guestimates, etc. until we got some estimated prices. When they broke down the cutting the tree down and the hauling it off, we decided not to have it hauled off. At the time it didn’t fit our budget and I could do it later.

Since this was a huge tree it took more than one saw. They brought four different saws for four different types of cuts. Let’s just say I know a lot more about modern tree cutting than I did before.

What I knew was what I had experienced on my grandfather’s ranch. You grabbed a saw and a rope and worked until you got it done. One or eight hours it didn’t matter.

So what does this have to do with Artificial Intelligence?

If you look at AI alone you will find there are a lot of “tools” that have been created with AI or the help of AI to get very specific things done. Which tool you choose will depend on the goal of the end user, much like knowing what tree you are cutting down and what you plan to do with it once it’s cut will dictate what kinds of tools and saws you will need to properly get the job done.

24

NCSG SWEEPING MAGAZINE

Carter Harkins and Taylor Hill are the authors of Blue Collar Proud: 10 Principles for Building a Kickass Business You Love, and co-owners of FutureNow Marketing, a home services marketing company specializing in human-centered AI that will optimize your business and generate leads.

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. The time is now to leap into the future of marketing! Visit www.futurenowmarketing.com.

So when we talk about AI and whether it can help with customer retention, the answer to the question is both yes and no, at the same time. The answer depends on what needs to be done to retain your customers in the first place. Is consistent additional nurturing enough to keep them coming back?

Do you need specials and offers to entice? Are you overcoming previous poor customer service experiences with your company?

Another thing that gets confused with AI is automation. That’s not to say there are not some uses for AI within automation but for now, AI is not an “agent” capable of deciding and then taking a course of action on its own to achieve a goal. Very often it can create the strategy or the content or the gameplan, but cannot then build the system, or handle the distribution, or the repetitive task automation that is needed for customer retention.

AI fits nicely into bigger systems and processes that have a lot of moving pieces or complexity. It doesn’t solve every problem or handle every task, and it rarely is able to function as a standalone worker or solution. But in the places where it can be utilized, it

is a bigger time saver than we have ever seen when it comes to automation for customer retention, missed calls, estimate follow-up, review gathering, and more.

People forget that customer retention starts at the beginning of the relationship with your customer and AI can help there as well. One of the things we have seen is there are a lot of people who do research for products and services and are online and searching from 8 PM to 2 AM. If you can use AI to help them book an appointment or leave their information so someone can call the next day to book them, that’s a great way to start a conversation and relationship with a prospective customer.

The real question is, are you ready to get on board the train or get left behind? Because it’s moving fast, and gaining more and more momentum every day.

Look at the tools that have been created with AI, not necessarily AI itself, to see which ones can help you get to where you want to go with customer retention as well as customer acquisition and all the steps in between. We are here to answer any questions you may have so let us know how we can help you. ■

Using AI from there to intelligently manage conversations, follow-up, etc. with thoughtful automation can go a long way to nurture the relationship. When people feel they are important to your business, they tend to come back and be fans. Those people are the ones who leave reviews and stand up for your brand online. You probably have been automated or assisted by AI in a positive business interaction and not even realized it.

AI helps to plug your bucket There are a lot of analogies that can be used but the old plug-your-bucket analogy fits when it comes to AI and automation in relationship to retained business. One thing we have seen a lot in home service businesses is the amount of time and money spent to get new customers and how little time and money are spent retaining the customers you already have. This is not to say don’t go after new customers. Just don’t bring in customers through the front door to push them out the back door once the season is over, especially when it’s easier and less expensive than ever before to retain them.

There must be a catch because there always is…

You are right. There is a catch. There has to be at least one person in your office who spends the time to learn what he or she will need to do. Someone has to take ownership of what needs to be done.

Someone needs to oversee the work of the AI. The great thing is that one person can do it. We have seen over and over again that if one person learns what to do they can easily manage AI and automation, no matter which tool you choose to use.

S E P T E M B E R 2024

25

NEW

Certifications from July 2024

Kirk Hart

Captain Kirk’s Chimney Sweep Service

Keith Hansen

The Chimney Guy

Kurtis Adams

Adams Chimney Specialist

These certifications are accredited by the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB). The National Chimney Sweep Guild (NCSG) offers the only accredited certifications in the industry.

26

NCSG SWEEPING MAGAZINE

2024-2025 Board of Directors President; Region 2 Director

Region 5 Director

Wissahickon Chimney & Fireplace wissahickonvalleysweep@yahoo.com

Copper Ridge Chimney copperridgechimney@gmail.com

Bill Thornton

David Steward

Vice President; Region 4 Director

Region 6 Director

Blackburn’s Chimney Sweeps debbie@blackburnschimney.com

Professional Chimney Sweep prochimneymichaele@gmail.com

Debbie Wiedwald

Michaele Dempsey

Treasurer; At-Large Director

At-Large Director

Fireside Sweeps firesidesweeps@comcast.net

Top Hat Chimney and Roofing jake@tophatchimneyandroofing.com

Steve Scally

Jake Cromwell

Secretary; At-Large Director

At-Large Director

Hudson Valley Chimney Service rmurphy@hudsonvalleychimney.com

Smalling Masonry gary.smalling@smallingmasonry.com

Robby Murphy

Gary Smalling

Region 1 Director

At-Large Supplier Rep

Black Moose Chimney and Stove matt@blackmoosechimney.com

New England Chimney Supply drivas@nesbestflex.com

Matt Mair

Doug Rivas

Region 3 Director

James Owens

Owens Chimney Systems james@owenschimneysystems.com

2024-2025 Committee Chairs Advocacy

Education; Governance

Membership

Blackburn’s Chimney Sweeps

Copper Ridge Chimney

Professional Chimney Sweep

Debbie Wiedwald

David Steward

Michaele Dempsey

Bylaws

Ethics

NFPA 211; NFPA 54

Black Moose Chimney and Stove

Owens Chimney Systems

SureFire Training Academy

Matt Mair

James Owens

Jim Brewer

Certification

International Relations

NFPA 31; Tech. Advisory Council

Total Chimney Care

Clean Sweep Chimney Service

Fireside Sweeps

Steve Sobczak

Victor Imgarten

Events

Marketing

New England Chimney Supply

Top Hat Chimney and Roofing

Doug Rivas

Steve Scally

Jake Cromwell

S E P T E M B E R 2024

27

National Chimney Sweep Guild 1255 SW Prairie Trail Parkway Ankeny, Iowa 50023-7068

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