Communication + Respect = Retention

From Customers To Employees, Longer Relationships Are More Profitable

No one wants to look for a new job. It’s a ton of work and most times there’s nothing to show for it. Finding new employees or customers isn’t usually any better, plus it’s going to cost you time and money to get them up to speed. This is why retention is so important.

What does it take to keep employees happy and invested, though?

Some of our most successful clients have seen tremendous results from a few basic principles. Here are the most important elements of employee retention.

 

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Communication Improves Retention

Cody Dampf, President & Owner of Innovative Air Pros Inc, says that communication takes a lot of forms.

“People want to know their goals. Are we winning? Are we losing? We meet regularly with the team to go over that kind of information so they know where we stand.”

This also includes having difficult conversations with your people.

Chase Cottam, General Manager of Hobaica Services, says, “These conversations suck, but the employee and the company on the whole are better for them.” Chase says this communication gives the company a chance to help the employees correct any deficiencies so they can perform at a higher level in the future.

Clear communication with your customers is also a massive factor in your success.

Retention Requires Respect

Respect is crucial in any relationship.

“We’re big believers in public recognition,” says Chase. “That recognition comes from management, but we’ve also found that about 75% of their peers will also contribute to that recognition.” He believes that this approach builds a company culture of respect at Hobaica.

“Understanding what motivates, not only your team, but the individual members of the team, is critical,” adds Cody.

As an example, Cody mentioned that some people are motivated by things and others by experiences. “If you understand what drives your people, it helps you keep them happy. Having that new truck at home or coming back fresh from a vacation put them in a great headspace.”

Whatever their goals, when people are happy at home, they bring that joy with them to the workplace. This also contributes to a productive culture.

Another great way to show respect is to lead by example.

Jayme Dampf, Vice President & Owner of Innovative Air Pros Inc, says that asking your employees to do things that you won’t do yourself is a recipe for disaster. “For example, we stay in the on-call rotation so our team can get time off on the weekends. No job here is beneath the owners and our people appreciate that.”

There are many ways to show respect, but without it, you won’t retain anyone.

Additional Factors In Retention

There are other factors that can supercharge your ability to attract and retain top talent.

• This will come as no surprise, but paying people well also helps! “The days where the owner is sitting on a pile of money while everyone else is making scraps are over,” offers Cody. “We pay well and I’m happy to. It’s a point of pride.”
• Empowering your employees helps them feel valued. “We don’t baby our people,” Chase says. “Our employees have the ability and the mandate to run their trucks like they would run their own business. That accountability and authority keep people here longer.”

Retention Increases Trust (& Profits)

Hobaica Services is proud to point out that people don’t do business with their company – people do business with the employees who have been coming to their house for years. “The same tech’s seen your kids grow up. They’ve been there on your best and worst days,” Chase says. “That builds an incredible level of trust.”

A relationship that spans years helps you provide an unmatched level of service.

“Now, you can say things like, ‘this system isn’t going to last,’ or ‘you could fix that, but I’ll be back in a month. A new one is the right way to go,’ and the customers don’t question it. You’ve provided them with fair service for years. There’s no reason to be suspicious.”

When explaining problems with complex systems, the trust that comes from retention is your most valuable communication tool.

“A lot of companies will basically promote their experienced techs up to a point where they don’t get sent out for medium or low dollar calls,” says Chase. “We have the opposite approach here at Hobaica.”

“The relationship has to be the biggest earning factor,” says Cody. “Not the size of jobs you get sent on.”

If you’ve gotten this far, then call 919-758-8420 today! Let us give you a free consultation about your marketing strategy – and we can begin a long relationship of our own.