TTP Micro Episode: Winning In The Shoulder Season - To The Point - Home Services VIP Room Podcast

Summary

Podcast Summary: To The Point - Home Services Podcast Episode: TTP Micro Episode: Winning In The Shoulder Season
Release Date: May 22, 2025
Host: Chris, RYNO Strategic Solutions

Introduction to the Shoulder Season Strategy

In the "Winning In The Shoulder Season" episode of To The Point, host Chris delves into the critical strategies that home service companies—such as HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and roofing—should employ during the typically slower periods between peak seasons. Chris emphasizes the importance of proactive planning and strategic execution to outpace competitors and ensure sustained growth.

Chris [00:20]: “The best companies don't just survive it, they build through it.”

The Importance of Early Planning

Chris begins by challenging the common misconception that intense focus should only be applied during peak seasons. He advocates for initiating preparation for fall and winter even as summer heats up, highlighting that many competitors remain oblivious to the upcoming slow periods.

Chris [00:35]: “Most of your competition is focused on right now and not even thinking about fall and winter.”

By preparing early, companies can position themselves advantageously, ensuring they are not caught off guard when the busy season winds down.

Key Tactics for Shoulder Season Success

1. Maintain Momentum Without Complacency

Chris stresses the necessity of keeping operational efforts consistent throughout the summer.

Chris [01:10]: “Do not take your foot off the gas. This is the time to get ahead.”

This approach ensures that companies remain proactive, continually pushing forward rather than pausing until the slow season fully sets in.

2. Reframe the Shoulder Season as an Opportunity

Instead of viewing the shoulder season as a downtime, Chris suggests reinterpreting it as a prime opportunity to enhance business operations.

Chris [01:40]: “It's an opportunity for you to sharpen the edge.”

This mindset shift allows businesses to utilize the slower periods for strengthening their foundations, such as training and systematization.

3. Invest in Training and Team Development

Drawing parallels with championship sports teams, Chris highlights the importance of training during off-peak times to build a resilient and capable workforce.

Chris [02:00]: “Train like a pro. What do championship teams do? They train in the off season.”

Effective training programs—be it role-playing, coaching, or upselling strategies—not only improve team performance but also prepare the company for future challenges.

4. Maximize Review Acquisition

While summer operations surge, Chris points out that businesses often overlook the chance to gather customer reviews.

Chris [03:15]: “Put together something to make it fun for the technicians to get the reviews.”

Implementing simple and efficient methods, such as QR codes or direct links, can significantly boost the number of positive reviews, enhancing the company's reputation and attractiveness in the shoulder season.

5. Focus on Process Improvement

The shoulder season is ideal for reassessing and refining operational processes.

Chris [04:10]: “Look at your dispatch process, quoting follow-up systems, job costing—reevaluate.”

Optimizing these processes ensures smoother operations and better service delivery when the high-demand season resumes.

6. Sustain Marketing Efforts

Contrary to popular belief, Chris advises maintaining or even increasing marketing activities during busy seasons.

Chris [05:05]: “Summer is the best time to take chunks of market share.”

By continuing to market aggressively, companies can capture market share from competitors who may be reducing their marketing spend, thereby securing a larger customer base.

7. Build a Strong and Agile Team

As the slow season approaches, having a robust team is crucial. Chris recommends using this time to recruit top talent and enhance team dynamics.

Chris [06:00]: “Have a plan to go find these good players.”

A well-prepared and skilled team ensures that the company can handle the influx of work during peak times without compromising on quality or service.

Reverse Engineering for Future Success

Chris introduces the concept of reverse engineering past seasons to identify weaknesses and areas for improvement.

Chris [07:00]: “Think back, okay, this last business season, what broke, what fell apart, what did you wish you had in place?”

By analyzing previous performances, companies can develop comprehensive checklists and strategies to address potential issues before they arise, ensuring a smoother operation in the future.

Conclusion and Final Thoughts

In wrapping up the episode, Chris reiterates the importance of leveraging the shoulder season for strategic advantage. He encourages listeners to start planning immediately, even if it feels premature, as the benefits of early preparation are substantial.

Chris [08:30]: “Start prepping in June and you'll thank me for it.”

Chris concludes by wishing listeners a pleasant Memorial Day weekend and emphasizes the value of balancing hard work with personal time, leaving them motivated to implement the discussed strategies.

Key Takeaways:

Proactive Planning: Begin preparations for upcoming seasons during the current busy period.
Continuous Improvement: Use slower times to train teams, refine processes, and enhance operational efficiency.
Marketing Consistency: Maintain or increase marketing efforts to capture additional market share.
Team Building: Recruit and develop a strong team to handle peak demands effectively.
Strategic Reflection: Analyze past performances to inform future strategies and avoid repeating mistakes.

By adopting these strategies, home service companies can not only navigate the challenges of the shoulder season but also emerge stronger and more competitive in the long run.

Transcript

A (0:01)

This is to the Point a Rhino Experience, fully one of the top home services, marketing and operations podcasts. Cutting through the and getting to the point.

B (0:17)

Hey, what's up to the Point listeners. It's your boy, Chris. This is another micro episode and this one makes all the sense in the world because we're going to talk about how to win in the shoulder season. And you're like, chris, what the fuck are you talking about? We're just getting into our busy season. Summer. Well, let me, let me share a little secret with you, okay? All these years of working with all these monster contractors, super successful contractors, big and small, I've seen them all, the ones who have been the most successful, the most successful. Start prepping for fall and winter right in the middle of summer, right? Even at the beginning of summer. Why? Because most of you, especially if you're an H vac, most of you are just focused on what's right in front of you today. And you should be. You should be focused on, you should be starting to ramp up right now. I mean, this is, you know, since this podcast rolls out right before my favorite sporting event of the entire, in the entire world, and that is the Indianapolis five, this is not the time to take your foot off the gas. Pun intended. Okay? You stay flat and you start planning for fall and winter. Dammit. Why? Because the majority, the vast majority of your competition is focused on right now and not even thinking about fall and winter. And you should, because you can get it. You can one up them, you can get ahead of the game if you focus on it again. The best do that. The best. So, yes, you're focused on what's right in front of you and all the things that are happening now and everything's really starting to ramp and take off. But when this thing is over in the next few months, are you going to be prepared this time or is it going to be like every other year when you worry about it right when you hit the season, you didn't do any pre planning for it or you waited till like just before the season hits and then you fall flat again. Don't let that happen to you again this year. So this is your reminder to think big. Think like the big players, Think like the most successful players and start planning now, all right? June, July, start planning it. June, preferably. But let me give you a few little tactics, okay? Never get complacent, okay? Number one, do not take your foot off the gas. Like, this is the time to get ahead. And number two is maybe you can reframe the shoulder season, okay? It doesn't have to be scary. It's a, it's an opportunity for you to sharpen the edge. The best companies don't just survive it, they build through it. They train, they recruit, they systematize, they use the off season, the slow season, the shoulder season, whatever the hell you want to call it, to get stronger. While the old competition was napping in summer, you were preparing for the shoulder season to whoop that ass. Okay? So stay focused in summer, on the next season, because shit's good in the summer. Focus on what you know is coming. The wave. All right, um, training, man, train like a pro. You know, what do championship teams do they, when do they, when do they train? Not in the middle of the damn game, right? Not in the middle, right? So you got to train in the off season, right? So that's some good stuff to, you know, make sure you have a plan to head of time. What is your training going to look like in the off season to make them better, you know, and then, you know, whether it's role playing, ride alongs, coaching, upselling strategies, communication, average ticket improvements, like whatever it is, you know, whatever your training camp provides for training, just make sure you're thinking about that stuff ahead of time. So that way you have a game plan going into it. I know this seems premature, but I'm telling you, having sat through many of these prep sessions, these strategy sessions over all these years, the best of the best are doing these things. All right? Start to fill the calendar early if you need to, right? Like with your membership, stuff like pre planned, you know, for when that stuff happens in August and you know, August, September, build your review game right now, right like that. This is actually a great time because you're in summer and shit's picking up and everybody's like flying at 100 mile an hour. Or maybe if you're Indianapolis IndyCar, you're flying at 230 miles an hour. But you're seeing so many people right now. And because we're moving so quickly, we forget to ask for reviews. Like, wow, we're at max capacity, seeing max people, where we could get max reviews. We forget to ask. So put together, you know, something to make it fun for the technicians, right, to get the reviews. Like I'm sure you've done this before, you know, take every opportunity you can on these repair calls or install leads or whatever, you know, to get the reviews. But remember, you got to make it simple for the homeowner to do it, right? It's gotta Be very, very easy. So if it's just scan a QR code, if it's you text them a link and they just click on it. It goes right to the review. Make it easy, but max the opportunity while you're busy to get as many as reviews as you can because that is going to help you in the shoulder season. Okay? Another thing is, you know, process improvement. Now it's time to clean house operationally. Look at your dispatch process, quoting follow up systems, job costing, whatever it is, like reevaluate, okay, first half of the year is done. Is there anything we need to adjust shift change? What is it, you know, staffing wise, projections wise, whatever it is, like take a look at what that is that needs to change and reset if you have to for the back half of the year so that to have success, maybe now's a good, then's a good time to knock out some like project backlog. So if you're building any technology or you've implemented it and you've not quite figured it out, like you could take that slow season to maybe learn how to reset and deploy the technology in a more thoughtful way. Keep your marketing going. This is the one thing I hear quite a bit and I've preached this from stage. Most people will say, well it's summer, I don't need any more marketing. Like we're already busy. Oh man, do I love when somebody tells me that and I get to compete against them because summer is the best time to take chunks of market share. Because I love it when all your competition says we're too busy, we're going to slow down. Now here's the game, right? If you don't have the staff to go and serve it, well then guess what you didn't do, you didn't pre plan going into the season. Just like I'm telling you to pre plan before you go into the next slow season. You didn't pre plan ahead of the busy season to be in the spot to take chunks of market share. Because those that can keep going keep getting a bigger piece of the pie. Been a part of that many times. Everybody pulls back on their marketing spend and we're fighting against less competition because you can keep going. It's a beautiful thing to take chunks of market share in summertime. And then another thing is looking for a powerhouse team, right? Because once you go into the slow season, those who unfortunately overstaff and don't know how to support them, you know you're gonna get some good talent that comes up because there's no work for them. This, like, this has happened every year that I've been a part of this world, you know, 17 years, 18 years, I've seen the same things. But what's your plan for it? Right? So be thinking about your recruiting plan as you're rolling into the shoulder season on how to go and snag some good talent because, you know, sometimes you don't need. You don't need to add five more people. Know, maybe you need to add two. You need to add some Jordans. Right? But sometimes you don't need more people. We just need better players. Right? But go. But have a plan to go find these good players. He's a. Players like that should be a constant anyhow. But usually you guys know, like, these shoulder seasons are a good time to do it. You want to find the talent. And then it's a good time to also just kind of reverse engineer, you know, the rush, like the big season, right? So think back, okay, this last business season, what broke, what fell apart, what did you wish you had in place? Make the checklist for the slow season. Build the infrastructure now so you're not just reacting next time that you're actually leading. So reverse engineer, you know, reverse engineer the busy season. So, you know, again, I look at this as like the perfect time, having sat through, you know, again, many of these things is. It can't be a coincidence that the best. The best players I've worked with and the guys have had the most growth, have focused on these things in season, preparing for the slow season that they know is coming. And you know how it goes, man. We all hope for a really long, hot, nasty, gnarly summer. If you're in roofing, we're hoping for some gnarly storms, right, to help generate some business. More a lot of rain for them to recognize leaky roofs, depending on where you're at in the United States of America. And so it's good to get while the getting is good, as Too Short says. But you also need to get while the getting is good in the off season, too, in the shoulder season. And how you do it is prepping now. Okay, I get it. It's the end of May. You're like, chris, you're fucking crazy. I'm telling you, start prepping in June and you'll thank me for it. You gotta do everything, but damn it, you got to do something. I hope you have a great Memorial Day weekend with family, friends, make some memories, chill out a little bit, and maybe reflect on the first half of the year. But just enjoy yourselves. And I'll see you guys after Memorial Day weekend. New Zero Days.