By Jim Hinshaw This article was prompted by my wife and me watching a great movie: Saving Mr. Banks, starring Tom Hanks, Collin Ferrell, and Emma Thompson. Lots of others in the cast, but these are the main players. It is the story about how Walt Disney got the film rights to Mary Poppins from Read more
contractors
By Jim Hinshaw
This article was prompted by my wife and me watching a great movie: Saving Mr. Banks, starring Tom Hanks, Collin Ferrell, and Emma Thompson. Lots of others in the cast, but these are the main players. It is the story about how Walt Disney got the film rights to Mary Poppins from the author of the book, who lived in England. He pursued her for 20 years! Yep, 20. Not an exaggeration. She was certain he just wanted to improve his already profit-filled empire, just print some more dollar bills to add to the mouse kingdom. But Emma stays in England, not even coming over to discuss it.
What changes her mind is her agent; he lets her know she is out of money. So, to maintain her home and provide some funds to live on, she agrees to go to LA to discuss the script for the movie. She has been told she has absolute control, and plays it like she has absolute control. She was adamant that there be no animation, no cartoon characters in her movie. In fact, she wanted no red colors to be used. She is a woman who is set in her ways, not to be confused by the laws of physics or what makes sense.
The movie is not a Disney movie, it is a grown-up movie. Your 10-year-old would be bored to death. It is told using a flashback system, going back to Australia when Emma was a small girl and Collin Ferrell, as her alcoholic father, is a bank manager. We see his gradual descent into alcoholism, and the effect it has on the family. Some of those effects are played out when Disney tries to put the movie together. Of course, we see this via the flashback; Disney and his team do not. They just see a woman who is hard to deal with, uncompromising, unwill- ing to give in on any little item.
Remember I told you, Disney had spent 20 years chasing her, and now she is on his court, and still it seems like it is going to unravel. In fact, near the movie’s end, Emma finds out they are going to have dancing penguins. She is amazed that they would go to the trouble to train penguins to dance. One of the producers finally admits, they are going to use animation! She leaves town, will not sign off on the movie rights, all is lost. Or so it would seem.
Walt gets on an airplane and flies 11 hours the very next day to meet at her home, no appointment, just a big surprise. He confronts her with the idea that the problems she has with the movie are actually problems with her relationship with her pop, which have spilled over into her adult life, some 50 years later.
So he sits there, does an outstanding job analyzing her responses, and asks again for the right to produce the movie, complete with dancing penguins. It is amazing.
Here is my application. I realize 20 years is not a realistic time to follow up in our industry. But how about three years? I talk to too many sales reps who don’t follow up the next year. I have seen studies that tell me 70 precent of sales are sold after the customer has been asked five times. Five! The second con- cept is that you are never done selling. Walt realized when Emma hit his town; it was not a done deal. He never gave up! He went to extreme lengths to put the package together, flying half way across the globe. Lastly, ask more questions. Walt did his homework, found out she had changed her name, and why and where the pain was coming from. Only after doing all that, he could did he get the signature.
So my question to you is: What are you going to do different- ly this year? I just had a conversation with Eric Kjelshus, talk- ing about his goals for this year. He is looking to grow sales 25 percent; not a small number. He asked me what would be the obstacles he may find on that path to profits. I told him that I see three opportunities as I travel across the nation: (1) Not enough leads; (2) close ratio is too low; (3) gross margin is too low, not enough profits in the job.
Those are my three opportunities that are almost always present. To hear how to solve them, send $20 cash …
OK, just tune in next month, we will work on this and a bunch more. Don’t send any money! Thanks for listening, we’ll talk later.
New Signet Optical Dissolved Oxygen Sensor Features Expanded Communication Capabilities GF Piping Systems has introduced the Signet 2610-41 Optical Dissolved Oxygen Sensor featuring expanded communication protocol capabilities. The 2610-41 Sensor utilizes optical technology to measure dissolved oxygen with high reliability and accuracy in a wide variety of applications. The new sensor model incorporates the Signet Read more
New Signet Optical Dissolved Oxygen Sensor Features Expanded Communication Capabilities
GF Piping Systems has introduced the Signet 2610-41 Optical Dissolved Oxygen Sensor featuring expanded communication protocol capabilities. The 2610-41 Sensor utilizes optical technology to measure dissolved oxygen with high reliability and accuracy in a wide variety of applications.
The new sensor model incorporates the Signet Sensor System Link (S3L) digital communication link that allows direct connection to the Signet 9900 SmartPro® Transmitter Generation III as well as to the Signet 8900 Multi-Parameter Controller. These connection capabilities provide enhanced system control and versatility.
The company’s Signet 9900 Transmitter Generation III supports the new sensor with a dedicated Dissolved Oxygen (DO) instrument that allows for selection of measurement type, ppm, percent saturation, or partial pressure of oxygen. The transmitter also allows for setting of system specific parameters to increase the accuracy of the dissolved oxygen measurement.
“The 2610-41 DO Sensor when used in conjunction with the 9900 Transmitter, provides an excellent cost-effective dissolved oxygen monitoring system,” says Dave Vollaire, Instrumentation Product Manager. “Plus, GF Piping’s optical dissolved oxygen technology requires no membranes or filling solutions that in other technologies need frequent replacing. This helps reduce maintenance costs.”
The 2610-41 incorporates all the inherent advantages of the original model including rugged materials of construction that can withstand the harsh environments of both fresh and saltwater applications. A built-in Modbus RS485 and 4 to 20 mA current loop outputs provide ease of interface to existing control systems. Operating capabilities feature a measurement range of 0 to 20 mg/L, 0 to 200% saturation, and accuracies of ± 0.1 mg/L for 0 to 8 mg/L and ±0.2 mg/L for 8 to 20 mg/L. An optical sensor cap with built-in calibration eliminates the need for field calibration and has a one year lifetime compared to membrane life, which is typically three to six months. The sensor is CE and FCC approved and available with two week lead-time.
The Signet Dissolved Oxygen Sensor is suitable for use in a wide range of applications including municipal and industrial wastewater treatment, drinking water reservoir monitoring, environmental water discharge monitoring and aquaculture and aquatic life support.
Lubrizol CPVC Now Offers Mobile App for Android(TM) Devices – News Center – The Lubrizol Corporation
Lubrizol CPVC Now Offers Mobile App for Android(TM) Devices CLEVELAND, January 28, 2014 – The Lubrizol Corporation’s CPVC mobile app is a handy, useful jobsite resource for building and construction professionals. Previously available for the Apple® iPhone® and iPad®, the app is now also available for free download on Android devices. Lubrizol CPVC designed the Read more
Lubrizol CPVC Now Offers Mobile App for Android(TM) Devices
CLEVELAND, January 28, 2014 – The Lubrizol Corporation’s CPVC mobile app is a handy, useful jobsite resource for building and construction professionals. Previously available for the Apple® iPhone® and iPad®, the app is now also available for free download on Android devices. Lubrizol CPVC designed the app to provide easy access to valuable information and tools about Lubrizol CPVC’s trusted brands, including FlowGuard Gold® Pipe & Fittings, BlazeMaster® Fire Sprinkler Systems and Corzan® Piping Systems.
The mobile app features the Lubrizol CPVC FBC(TM) System Compatible product finder, a tool that helps identify the chemical compatibility between Lubrizol CPVC piping systems and other common construction materials. This tool supports project success, taking the guesswork out of chemical compatibility. The app also includes the latest news from Lubrizol CPVC, as well as regional contact information for training and support in the field.
“We want all our customers to have easy access to the valuable information and tools, so they can be confident in all their projects that use Lubrizol CPVC,” said Mike Taylor, Manager of Marketing Communications for Lubrizol CPVC Piping Systems. “We’re pleased with the continued advancement of our mobile app and look forward to learning more about how our customers are using it to implement further improvements.”
The Lubrizol CPVC mobile app initially debuted for the Apple iPad at the 2013 NAHB International Builders’ Show. It was later expanded in the fall of 2013 to include the Apple iPhone and more recently updated for Android devices.
For more information on Lubrizol’s CPVC products and technology, visit us at booth #C1839 Feb. 4-6, 2014, at the International Builders’ Show or visit lubrizolcpvc.com.
via Lubrizol CPVC Now Offers Mobile App for Android(TM) Devices – News Center – The Lubrizol Corporation.
Charlotte Pipes Website Gets New Design and Navigation Visitors to charlottepipe.com are now greeted with a new design and easier navigation. The site has been restructured with a streamlined look and feel to offer users an enhanced web experience.Still an industry leader in providing information, the new site features:A clean design that features product information Read more
Charlotte Pipes Website Gets New Design and Navigation
Visitors to charlottepipe.com are now greeted with a new design and easier navigation. The site has been restructured with a streamlined look and feel to offer users an enhanced web experience.Still an industry leader in providing information, the new site features:A clean design that features product information, services and key marketing messages, while providing user-friendly navigation.A link to price lists at the top and middle of the home page.A detailed site map that presents information to users and search engines in an organized fashion. This also encourages consistency in navigation through the entire site.Products pages that include all product-related information in one place, eliminating the need for users to search different sections of the site for one product.A Resources & Support tab on the main navigation. This includes our documents such as technical and installation data, as well as Revit drawings, cautions and contact information for our customer service and technical service associates.Charlotte Pipe and Foundry Company is the nations top maker of cast iron and plastic pipe and fittings. As a leader in innovation and quality, we manufacture the industrys broadest range of standard and specialty DWV products. We are the only manufacturer that offers a system of ABS, PVC, CPVC, cast iron, FlowGuard Gold®, ChemDrain®, ReUze® and RePVC® pipe and fittings for both residential and commercial plumbing systems.Charlotte Pipe is headquartered in Charlotte, NC, and has seven plant locations across the United States. Combining modern technology with a century of craftsmanship and experience, Charlotte Pipe and Foundry has a proud legacy of commitment to the industry and its customers. The company is guided by the philosophy of its founder – produce the best possible product and provide the best possible service for the customer.
Our complimentary educational series, “Coffee with Caleffi™ is an online technical training webinar and is intended for contractors, designers and wholesalers. Join Bob “Hot Rod” Rohr, Caleffi training and education manager, tomorrow at 12 noon CST (check local time) as he discusses ModCon boiler piping and dives into these topics: – Not your grandfather’s boiler Read more
Our complimentary educational series, “Coffee with Caleffi™ is an online technical training
webinar and is intended for contractors,
designers and wholesalers.
Join Bob “Hot Rod” Rohr, Caleffi training and education manager, tomorrow at 12 noon CST (check local time) as he discusses ModCon boiler piping and dives into these topics:
– Not your grandfather’s boiler: what makes ModCon piping unique?
– The top three concerns for piping a ModCon… it’s all about the flow!
– How can ModCons benefit from additional mass or fluid capacity?
– Have you heard about hybrid boiler piping? It could be the ideal method for your installations!
Why not mark your calendar today for this month’s Coffee with Caleffi webinar by registering today? A Certificate of Participation is provided upon your request (simply say “Yes” in the post-webinar survey).