Nexstar Network held its annual Owners’ Spotlight in Kissimmee, Florida, March 5-7. The purpose: to show its members how to get repeat and referral business.
The focus of the event was accountability, craftsmanship and how to create raving online fans. In addition, Nexstar launched tools and training for a brand new, groundbreaking installation process.
"This year’s Owners’ Spotlight meeting was designed to help every company foster great relationships with their customers,” said Jack Tester, Nexstar President and CEO. “We focused on how to be distinctive and stand out in our industry. Our member contractors received great tools to help them.”
The first keynote speaker was business thinker & bestselling author, Scott McKain. This internationally known customer service authority showed Nexstar what it takes to create undying loyalty and endless referrals. McKain also addressed how leaders can motivate employees and expand their ability to deliver extraordinary results. The key is through distinction and accountability versus differentiation. His challenge to the attendees was to ask, “How does my business stand out? What is the key to my longevity?”
“The most important message to me from the meeting would be refocusing on the customer experience,” said Marty Cullen, owner of A1 Plumbing & Perfect Air in Boise, Idaho. “I think we do a great job at customer service and we’ve focused on customer satisfaction, but we need to take it to the next level which is the customer experience. We really need to be thinking about it from the customer’s perspective.”
News About New Tools and Resources
Nexstar coaches and trainers shared their expertise on leading a team to master essential customer interactions:
• Nexstar’s Business Coach, Rob Buckley, debuted groundbreaking and innovative training and tools created for leading a successful install team.
• Nexstar’s Marketing Coaches addressed the hot-button issue of how to respond to online reviews. Especially when the new normal is, “Word of Mouse.”
• Nexstar’s Director of Training, Keith Mercurio, focused on handling customer objections and unexpected questions with honestly and credibility.
• Master Trainer & Nexstar Member, Dave Boduch drove home how to prioritize calls to maximize opportunity, while keeping customers informed and happy.
• Nexstar’s Call Center Excellence Coach, Tom Merriott, gave members tools to help customer service book calls coming into their business, while demonstrating empathy and efficiency.
Scott Stratten, president of UnMarketing.com, kept the energy level high during the final keynote as he shared the premise behind his new book, UnSelling. It’s about the big picture: Creating repeat customers, not one-time buyers and becoming the go-to company before they even need you.
Stratten showed Nexstar how one negative review can outweigh a thousand social media followers if it isn’t handled correctly. He shared why a blog post with a catchy headline can actually be bad for business if it isn’t written well, and why the people hired matter more than the tasks one hires them to do.
Nexstar Strategic Partner Tradeshow & Breakouts
Fifty industry-leading vendors showed Nexstar Network members how their products and services save them money and simplify their business. This year also marked the first time the Tradeshow had breakout sessions. These breakouts offered a unique opportunity to learn more about the following partnerships:
• ServiceTitan & NSPG — Bundle: Software for Success
• Lennox — Maximize Your Profitability
• Goodman — Mythbusters: A Panel Discussion featuring Nexstar Members
• Barnett — Inventory Costs: Five Ways to Reduce It
Legacy Foundation Focus is on Veterans
In addition, the Nexstar Legacy Foundation offered two breakouts on successfully finding and hiring veterans. Nexstar members learned first-hand about the benefits of hiring veterans and were provided resources to help recruit and onboard veterans. They also heard real-life stories from veterans and what barriers they face when transitioning into service-industry careers.
Driving Accountability
The meeting ended on a positive note, with Nexstar members committing to an action plan that will keep them accountable with their staff and their Nexstar coaches. They set very specific goals that were measurable, attainable, realistic and relevant.
“The overall impression from the weekend has been bringing all of our systems together here that we have been working on through Nexstar and put some accountability to it,” said Brian Williams, owner of Ashton Service Group in Vancouver, British Columbia. “I’m looking forward to putting it all into practice as it has real clarity now. Having to write down my goals and action items on paper and leave them here for my coach to see pushes me to make sure we complete them all. I’m excited!”