• EPL Offers Web-based Business Systems

    Feb. 1, 2004
    E Performance Learning (EPL) says it has assembled the tools for running a successful residential contracting company, and offers them on the Internet

    E Performance Learning (EPL) says it has assembled the tools for running a successful residential contracting company, and offers them on the Internet for $199 with a money-back satisfaction guarantee.

    The company offers a library of business solutions and training materials, access to a full-time industry consultant capable of answering members’ questions about business problems, and a software-driven planning tool to help contractors organize their operating plans into focused priorities.

    EPL is the brainchild of HVAC industry veterans Gary Elekes, Dean Ferrara and Andrew Allen. According to Elekes, the trio decided that they wanted to form a company that, via the Internet, would allow contractors to have access to the industry’s best practices, and would also offer a business system that would mirror a franchise- like approach, at an affordable price.

    “Consolidation really created some good practices,” says Elekes, owner and president of EPL.” “However, many great operating companies were purchased by consolidators, and that hurt the industry’s information sharing practices. What we wanted to do was take the sharing to the next level, and do it a way that used technology of the Web to make it available to every single contractor.”

    EPL offers a shared networking forum, where contractors can visit with, and ask questions of other site members, trade e-mails or share information with each other. The members can post messages and questions, and communicate with their peers. The membership combines the content on the site with the power of the network.

    “EPL for Residential has many benefits for contractors both large and small alike,” Elekes says. “We offer individual e-mail consulting in what is called “Ask the Expert”, and we will answer any business question from a customer within 24 hours via e-mail, so it’s a very specific answer to a very personal question from a contractor.”

    The site offers 20 areas of business practices, broken into better practices for each area, plus training materials for employees. Also offered is the Business Evaluator™ which is a computer software system that helps a contractor create a prioritized business plan.

    “One additional area we decided needed support the site with is web based training, what we call Coaching Conferences™. These are 1 hour web seminars, in which we cover key areas of need. These have been very successful because contractors can attend these from anywhere they have a computer internet connection and a phone,” says Elekes.

    For more information, call 615/371-9277. To take a free demo tour of EPL, visit www.eplresidential.com.