Home Service Business Success

Mailbag Episode: Customer-Centric Secrets to Handle Tough Clients

In the third mailbag episode of season two, Kenny Chapman and Chris Crew take on audience questions focusing on customers—how to handle them, serve them, and keep your sanity in the process. They break down what to say during a follow-up, how to deal with refund requests, and why the "customer is always right" mindset might be holding you back. Tune in to get practical tips, a fresh perspective, and the kind of straight talk that helps you show up better—for your team, your clients, and yourself. * Chris starts by explaining how to master sales follow-ups and why most follow-ups fail without proper anchoring. * Learn why salespeople who know how to anchor always close more deals and how ditching strict scripts gives you the flexibility to connect authentically. * Chris shares ways to pick up a conversation with prospects without wasting time, including practical phrases you can use immediately to keep things moving forward. * Why Chris recommends eliminating the phrase "follow-up" from your vocabulary and the mindset shift that creates better sales conversations. * Kenny highlights why every sales follow-up should be treated as one seamless sales appointment. * How to handle upset customers: Kenny breaks down why the "customer is always right" myth can actually hurt your business and what to do instead. * Chris explains the secret to dealing with difficult customers: Don't take it personally because it's never really about you; it's always about them. * Understand why some customers won't be reasoned with and how to focus your energy on the 95% who truly want to work with you, instead of the small percentage trying to take you down. * Kenny reveals how to keep your team motivated when offering money-back guarantees, especially when technicians might feel they're losing commission when customers ask for their money back. * Why giving refunds, even when you did everything right, is a long-term business win: Kenny shares the mindset of "life gives more to the giver." * Learn why developing an abundance mindset is crucial for business success: Kenny explains how knowing there will always be more customers keeps scarcity fears at bay. * Chris shares three keys to supporting entrepreneurs during stressful times: Patience, communication, and candid conversations that open the door to real solutions. * What to do when frustration with employees builds: Chris shows how vulnerability and honest communication can turn tension into teamwork. * Chris explains why getting clear time frames after delegating tasks keeps projects on track and how to avoid the "handoff hangover." * According to Kenny, there's no such thing as financial independence. There's only emotional independence. When we reach a certain milestone of money, then the emotional freedom kicks in. * Kenny emphasizes putting relationships before results. This is the secret behind his strong partnership with Chris and why business wins flow from personal trust. * How to practice accountability in relationships: Kenny advises taking 100% responsibility for what's yours and letting go of what isn't. Mentioned in This Episode: HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/s2e15 [https://www.homeservicebusinesssuccessshow.com/s2e15] The Blue Collar Success Group [https://www.thebluecollarsuccessgroup.com/] Blue Collar Success Laws: Your No-Nonsense Guide to Problem-Solving, Productivity, & Profit [https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Collar-Success-Laws-Problem-Solving/dp/1544531672] by Kenny Chapman

Invest in Your People: How to Empower Employees and Boost Profitability with Kelton Balka

Kenny Chapman and Chris Crew sit down with Kelton Balka, owner of Tennessee Standard and a fifth-generation plumber. Kelton shares how taking care of your team isn't just the right thing to do—it's the smartest business move you can make. From scaling his plumbing company to over $1 million in monthly revenue and building a culture where people don't want to leave, he breaks down what it really means to invest in your people—and why profitability is just a byproduct. * Kelton starts by sharing his journey from being a fifth-generation plumber to running his own successful company — and why he nearly avoided plumbing because everyone told him there was "no money in it." * Kelton shares how going to college was his way of making sure he could run a business and be a great tradesman. * Kelton reveals the hardest hump in growing a business: Going from one truck to four. That jump took him to $1.2 million in revenue. * What is the real recipe for business success? According to Kelton, it comes down to business smarts, on-the-ground experience, and understanding your numbers. * Kelton reveals what Tennessee Standard is all about--and how they plan on becoming Knoxville's #1 plumbing company, give tradesmen a path to real wealth, and become a light in the community, all for the glory of God. * Kenny and Kelton agree that ego has no place in business. If you want to build something sustainable, you must get rid of your ego. * According to Kelton, plumbing is a people business. You're not selling parts — you're selling labor. And if you don't take care of your people, you won't make it. * What is the smartest move you can make early on in your business? Kelton says: build a financial model. It may just be a big spreadsheet, , but it shows you exactly what happens when you sell X, spend Y, and what's left at the bottom. * Kelton reveals how to scale from $3 million to $6 million and stay profitable. * How to invest in your people according to Kelton: 1. Pay better than average. 2. Train consistently — they train four days a week at Tennessee Standard. 3. Provide top-tier equipment — it improves both results and morale. 4. Build a real culture — even small things like lunch or coffee make people feel valued. * Chris and Kenny explain why delegation isn't about handing off your work — it's about empowering your team and giving them the tools to win. * Kenny on financial modeling: The magic of spreadsheets is that they don't have emotions. You can make smart decisions without letting fear or excitement cloud your judgment. * Chris shares the benefits of vulnerability in leadership and why it's not weakness. * Kenny challenges owners who don't love their business or are in it for the money: If you're just showing up for the money and don't love what you do, don't be surprised when no one else cares either. * According to Kenny, it's not that we have a lack of skilled labor in the trades, it's that there's an overabundance of bad ownership in the trades. * Kelton exposes a common trap: Thinking you should start a business just because you're the best technician. * Kelton on training fears: "What if I train them and they leave?" He believes that if you don't train them, they're definitely leaving. So invest in them and give them a reason to stay. * Kelton reminds us--don't take it personally when someone leaves. Business is fluid — some people are here for a season, and that's okay. * Kelton on why building a sellable business matters: even if you don't want to exit, it forces you to build systems, track profitability, and make better long-term decisions. * For Kelton, a healthy profit margin in home services is around 20%. * Kelton's final takeaway: stop chasing shortcuts. Put in the work and treat people the way you want to be treated. Mentioned in This Episode: HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/s2e14 [https://www.homeservicebusinesssuccessshow.com/s2e14] The Blue Collar Success Group [https://www.thebluecollarsuccessgroup.com/] Tennessee Standard [https://www.tnstandard.com/] Kelton Balka [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelton-balka-09904097] on LinkedIn

Business Efficiency: How to Build a Lean, Profitable Business

Kenny Chapman and Chris Crew discuss why efficiency is the key to running a profitable business—and how to actually build it into your daily operations. They break down the biggest mistakes contractors make when trying to run lean businesses, the overlooked habits that drain time and money, and how to train your team to think and act with efficiency in mind. Tune in to learn what to track, what to eliminate, and how to tighten up your systems without sacrificing quality—so your team wins, your customers win, and your bottom line grows. * Kenny starts by explaining why efficiency is one of the most important aspects of running a profitable business. * For Chris, the first step to refining your efficiency is to document everything. * You can't improve what you don't see. So, start by writing down everything from the moment a customer calls to the final delivery. * Chris and Kenny discuss the benefits of mapping out your processes and then asking yourself, could this be more efficient? * This simple question forces you to look at your systems critically. It's how you uncover bottlenecks, redundancies, and wasted time that's costing you money. * Running a lean business isn't about slashing budgets or underpaying people. It's about building systems that get maximum results with minimal waste. * According to Chris, most inefficiencies are hiding in plain sight. In the field, Chris constantly sees businesses losing time on things that should've been fixed years ago—extra trips, unclear instructions, missing tools, etc. * Chris explains how to train your team to think in actions that save time. * His rule: never make a trip to the truck empty-handed. Whether it's trash, tools, or supplies—always make each step count. * No matter how dialed-in you think your systems are, there's always room to tighten things up. And the more you improve, the more profit you create without raising your prices. * Kenny highlights how the most profitable businesses are always lean and focused. When you run tight operations, your team earns more, your customers stay happy, and you keep more on the bottom line. Everyone wins. * Chris used to get frustrated when people didn't follow what felt obvious—until he realized he had to teach it, document it, and systemize it. That mindset shift changed everything. * Kenny covers the best way to make efficiency a weekly discipline. * Pick one area each week and ask: How can we make this faster, smoother, cheaper, or easier? Efficiency only improves when it becomes part of your daily habit. * Kenny and Chris agree that business can only be profitable when they go back to the basics and track everything. Especially your billable hours. When you know exactly where your time and money are going, you can fix what's broken and double down on what's working. * Final takeaway: If your pricing is solid, your investments are intentional, and your systems are efficient, you'll actually get to enjoy the profit you work so hard to earn. Mentioned in This Episode: HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/s2e13 [https://www.homeservicebusinesssuccessshow.com/s2e13] The Blue Collar Success Group [https://www.thebluecollarsuccessgroup.com/]

How Your Pricing Model Might Be Holding Back Your Business

Kenny Chapman and Chris Crew discuss why pricing is one of the most powerful—and misunderstood—drivers of profitability in home service businesses. They break down common pricing mistakes, the importance of price integrity, and why efficiency, experience, and knowing your true costs all play a role in sustainable success. Tune in to learn how to shift your pricing mindset, stop undercharging, and build a pricing model that actually works. * Kenny starts the conversation by explaining why pricing is the foundation to profitability. * Chris reveals that pricing is not set-it-and-forget-it. Like gas prices, it moves constantly, and businesses that fail to adjust rarely succeed. * Even with advanced software and real-time data, most business owners still struggle with pricing. Kenny and Chris dig into why the home service space still struggles to price correctly. * Chris shares a simple truth: if you don't react to rising costs, it eats directly into your margins. * Kenny urges a mindset shift from service provider to retailer. Retailers adjust pricing based on cost, supply, and demand—and so should you. * According to Chris, smart pricing means you don't need to be constantly selling. Get your pricing right, and you relieve the pressure to chase endless volume. * When you price based on your fixed and variable costs, you build a strategy that lasts. Chris breaks down how to price from your numbers, not your emotions. * Kenny highlights that while everyone has a pricing strategy, the math is simple: you must charge more than it costs to operate daily. Anything less is a loss. * Kenny shares how he designs pricing to stay profitable and still appear affordable. It's not about being the cheapest, it's about looking like the best value. * Chris explains that in every business, you're selling time and materials. But when you package that with a powerful customer experience, you can (and should) charge more. * Chris warns that if your customer experience is weak, your customer will be forced to judge you on price, and that's never a good thing. * Kenny believes the easiest way to raise prices is to create an unforgettable experience. Memorable service buys you higher pricing power. * Raising prices unnecessarily isn't sustainable. According to Kenny, customers today are spoiled for choice. The way to achieve long-term profit is to build value and trust. * Chris and Kenny cover how inefficiency raises your cost of operation and therefore your prices. When you're efficient, you're more profitable and more competitive. * Chris doesn't look at competitors when setting prices. He builds pricing around his own model and goals, not market noise. * Chris talks about price integrity and why it's important in the modern business landscape. * The foundation of pricing integrity: customers should pay only for what they're responsible for—nothing more, nothing less. Mentioned in This Episode: HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/s2e12 [https://www.homeservicebusinesssuccessshow.com/s2e12] The Blue Collar Success Group [https://www.thebluecollarsuccessgroup.com/]

Want to Increase Profitability? Fix These 5 Areas First

Kenny Chapman and Chris Crew discuss profitability and why it should be the driving force behind every decision you make in business. They break down the hidden costs that sneak into your operation, why most contractors misunderstand their income statements, and how fixing—not cutting—expenses is the smarter play. By the end, you'll walk away with a clearer understanding of what it really takes to run a profitable home service business. * Kenny starts the conversation with a reminder most business owners need to hear: the goal of every business is to make a profit, unless you're a non-profit. * For Chris, the simplest path to profitability is selling more than you spend. * In most service businesses, Chris says nearly 50% of your revenue goes into two things: labor and materials. If you can't control these two things, the rest will take care of itself. * According to Kenny, business, at its core, is a system of relationships. Your success is a reflection of how well you manage your relationships with clients, employees, and vendors. * Chris shares his thoughts on expenses and explains why you have to know the difference between fixed and variable expenses. * If you're struggling with revenue, Chris believes you shouldn't just raise prices. That's a lazy fix. Raising prices without a strategic reason is making life harder for your sales team and driving revenue further away. * Chris explains why compensation plans should incentivize behaviors that drive long-term success. * Chris and Kenny see this all the time: contractors who never look at their income statements. If you're not regularly reading the financials, you're guessing. And guessing is the most expensive habit in business. * According to Chris, you can't cut your way to business success. Smart cost-cutting is about eliminating the baggage that isn't driving your ROI. * For Kenny, there's no such thing as a small business and there's no such thing as a large business. There's only a business and where you are on that journey. * Chris explains the difference between an investment and a cost in a business. Investments move the business forward, costs drain it. * One of Chris' most practical tips: categorize your expenses into buckets. When you know what's being spent where, you can start leading by numbers instead of emotions. * He further breaks down the five key buckets every business should track: marketing, facilities, vehicles, employees, and admin. You don't need to overcomplicate it; just bucket it, track it, and review it often. * Kenny pushes back against the mindset that profit is a dirty word. Profit is what allows you to take better care of your team, reward excellence, and take some money home. * Kenny and Chris agree that alignment matters. Success comes when everyone knows the goal is to run a profitable business and everyone is working towards the same objectives. * Chris warns against cutting costs just because you can't measure their ROI. For example, that billboard you want to take down might be the invisible force keeping your phones ringing. * Instead of asking what to cut, Chris says, ask what to fix. Look at every expense through one lens: is this helping us make money today or tomorrow? If the answer's no, then you look at cutting. * Kenny believes the best investment a business can make is in its people. When you pour into them, they pour back into the business—and that's how you become profitable. * According to Kenny, your business goal shouldn't be about getting bigger, it should be about getting better. And the fastest way to level up your company is by leveling up the people inside it. * Training isn't a box to check, it's a key part of company growth. The businesses that win in the next five years will be the ones that take training seriously and commit to making their people better. Mentioned in This Episode: HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/s2e11 [https://www.homeservicebusinesssuccessshow.com/s2e11] The Blue Collar Success Group [https://www.thebluecollarsuccessgroup.com/] You Can't Send a Duck to Eagle School: And Other Simple Truths of Leadership [https://a.co/d/dNaYhO9] by Mac Anderson