Posted by Sheila Knott on Thu, Nov 05, 2009 @ 01:03 PM
There are reasons for clichés; it is because most of them are true. "Use the right tool for the right job" is a perfect example. Houses are not built with just a hammer and a hand saw anymore. They have pneumatic nail guns, power saws, lithium ion battery powered drills and more for construction of our homes and businesses. So when we work on our own weekend warrior projects and honey-do lists we try to select the tool that makes us the most efficient. Why not use the same tools the pros use? Besides if you are reading this, I bet you love a new tool especially the ones that work very well.
All electrical service and repair people use cable ties, and even most of us weekend warriors do too. Cable ties have so many uses that every toolbox should have a supply of several different sizes. The black cable ties do cost more money than the white or natural colors and that is due to the UV inhibitors in the nylon. There are many sources to purchase cable ties, but know that the quality and durability are not always created equally. There are also cable ties with mounting rings and BarbTy® cable ties. Many projects are not as critical to use high end cable ties but for the ones that are, it is in your best interest to use the best you can find. To really finish off any work that involves cable ties in a professional way, use a Panduit Cable Tie Cutter - It's Pacer's Monthly Special!. These are ergonomically designed to easily fit in your hand. There is a selector knob for tensioning and flush cutting mini, intermediate or standard sized cable ties. The predetermined tension is reached and the excess end is flush cut in one quick squeeze of the hand. The flush cut prevents sharp edges which even the nylon ties always seem to find a fresh piece of skin to scratch; at least at my house. The stainless steel ties are downright dangerous. Once these are finished off you have the piece of mind to know these are safe, durable and professional.
Our engineering department uses these when finishing off the pigtails that come out of the back of a switch panel, or on harnesses. Our OEM customers comment on how neat, organized and professional they are. This professional look has won us many jobs because our quality is evident right away. Why not use this to your advantage in your work too? Pacer is always looking to save money by saving time and the Cable Tie Cutters do that for us. Consider adding this tool to your arsenal the next time you purchase cable ties because it will help. It is the right tool for the right job, and maybe the other cliché that applies here is "a penny saved is a penny earned."
Posted by Sheila Knott on Mon, Oct 19, 2009 @ 10:40 AM
Simple Business Solution: Improve the Areas You Can Control 
Small businesses, as well as most large corporations cannot control what the politicians in Washington are doing or not doing for us. We certainly cannot control what is happening with the starched collars on Wall Street. We cannot control who calls us, emails us or who walks in our doors and inquires about our products or services. What we can control is how we treat our customers and prospects. Good customer service is a simple concept that is sadly not utilized to its full potential in today's companies. The bar has steadily been lowered regarding what is considered good quality customer service. Fortunately for most small businesses, this represents a low cost, high return opportunity for improvement. Here are a few ideas that can go a long way toward raising your company's reputation for high quality customer service:
• Treat every customer or prospect as an individual and work to discover their needs.
• Rather than sell your products to a prospect or customer, help them to buy.
• Develop relationships with existing customers and get to know their businesses better. This will help you recommend products they are not currently purchasing from you that may help improve their production, quality, costs or all of the above.
• The next person who walks in your door or calls your business could be your largest customer or prospect, so treat them as such.
As you implement these basic customer service tips, think of even more, and ask your customers how YOU can improve for THEM. These ideas are fundamentally basic, common sense ideas, but the discipline to implement them and make them an everyday mindset is the challenge. Luckily, this is a challenge that, if overcome, can boost sales, improve your company's reputation, and keep customers coming back - all without a dime spent from your marketing budget!