Coaching and Retention in the Service Industry With Chris Crew from Blue Collar

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Welcome to another episode of The Profit Roadmap, the premier podcast for field service pros looking to grow their business and stay on top of the latest trends. In this episode, we're diving into coaching and employee retention with Chris Crews, President of the Blue Collar Success Group, who shares invaluable insights on building successful field service businesses through intentional leadership and strong company culture.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why company culture is your most undervalued asset
• How to build and maintain culture through growth
• The truth about training and employee development
• Strategies for hiring and retaining top talent
• The connection between leadership and company culture

About Our Guest

Chris Crews started as an electrician at age 16, working his way up through new construction before transitioning into service work. He eventually built and sold his own electrical service business, growing it from $3 million to a $30 million operation across five locations. 

Today, he leads the Blue Collar Success Group, helping contractors build and grow their businesses to achieve their dreams.

The Truth About Company Culture

One of the biggest misconceptions about culture is that some companies don't have one. Chris says, "Your business doesn't have a culture? It does. It's either by design or by default." 

He emphasizes that culture is shaped by both action and inaction - what you do and don't do, what you say and don't say.

Chris also said, "If you have a good culture, you don't have to be the top-paying company in town." Alternatively, "If your culture sucks, it's so bad, it's so toxic, you can't out pay it."

Building Culture From the Ground Up

Chris outlines several key steps for building a strong company culture:

• Start with Leadership
  • Look in the mirror as an owner first
  • Model the behavior you want to see
  • Set clear intentions for the culture you want to create
• Define Your Foundation
  • Establish a clear vision and mission
  • Create simple, memorable mission statements
  • Develop and communicate core values
• Hire for Cultural Fit
  • Implement field interviews with top performers
  • Evaluate technical skills AND cultural alignment
  • Don't compromise culture fit for technical ability

Training and Development

Chris challenges the common practice of only training during slow seasons: "Most people feel time during slow times and think that's the best time to train... but it's not the best time to train." 

Instead, he advocates for year-round training because "when you're busy, that's when you need to be increasing performance."

Key Takeaways for Field Service Businesses:

• Culture Assessment
  • Survey your team to understand the current culture
  • Identify areas for improvement
  • Set specific goals for cultural development
• Training Evolution
  • Develop year-round training programs
  • Focus on engagement and practical application
  • Identify and develop internal trainers who want to teach
• Leadership Development
  • Begin with a clear vision and purpose
  • Focus on personal growth as a leader
  • Build systems that support your cultural goals

"Quality questions lead to quality results," Chris said. He encourages business owners to focus not just on knowledge, but on wisdom - the practical application of knowledge to achieve results.

Want to Learn More?

To learn more about the Blue Collar Success Group and their approach to building successful field service businesses, visit their website at thebluecollarsuccessgroup.com.

Show Notes Links

• WEBSITE: https://www.thebluecollarsuccessgroup.com
• YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZpa2-93g_w5vjoqV1Pw6RQ
• FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/BlueCollarSuccessGroup/
• INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/bluecollarsuccessgroup/
• LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-blue-collar-success-group/
• TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@bluecollarsg

Related: Leadership Lessons for Field Service Pros