ServiceTitan Blog

With small-to-medium size businesses (SMBs) struggling to reduce operating costs and plan for unforeseen expenses, American entrepreneurs—including countless home service business owners—are already starting off at a disadvantage. According to the American Dream Gap Report, roughly 20% of SMBs have considered closing their doors. That’s a huge chunk of our economy. Why is this happening? Well, the two leading factors come down to lack of growth and cash flow problems.

Home service businesses handle a lot of communications on a daily basis—and how your shop handles those calls can make or break your customers’ experience. In the US, 82% of customers said they stopped doing business with a company because of poor customer service. Long hold times, delays in service, and late technicians all constitute poor customer care practices. 

Smartphones and tablets are not just for fun anymore. These devices have become essential tools for large corporations and independent contractors alike. Plumbers can greatly benefit from having the right apps on their mobile devices. But with so many options out there, it can be hard to choose.

Electricians are often required to make complex, technical decisions in the field. Paired with the operational challenges of running a small business, things can quickly become overwhelming.

Whether you run an HVAC business or are a field tech yourself, technician safety must be a central focus in your day-to-day operations. Danger can lie in some of the most unsuspecting places and industry professionals must not only adhere to best practices but stay vigilant for common hazards as well. That’s why we’ve identified the seven biggest HVAC hazards and collected the best HVAC safety tips all in one place.

You know the chimney sweep industry is alive and well in the 21st century when both professionals and homeowners are seeking out educational, yet engaging content about the best ways to clean and maintain residential chimneys.

The career of a chimney sweep is like a never-ending episode of Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe—soot-coated hands in all of their glory. But any chimney cleaning professional knows that it takes more than a steady pair of hands to get the job done—and as chimney cleaning technology gets better and better, so do the tools of the trade. From the quintessential wire brush to industry-leading cleaning agents, let’s take a look into what chimney sweep equipment a chimney sweep should have in order to deliver superior results safely and effectively.

Did you know that according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs in the HVAC industry are expected to grow 15% from 2016 - 2026? That's much faster than average! Speedy growth like this means you may experience increased competition in the market—but market growth means more opportunities for your business. It also means you have to find ways to really stand out from your competitors. There are a few key actions that will help you do just that as you build a successful HVAC service business.

Whether you're a home service shop that offers emergency services or exclusively provides scheduled service to homeowners, how you schedule your team has a huge effect on how efficient—and profitable—your business is. Nearly every field service professional has a story about losing a day's productivity due to some scheduling mistake... and the urgent game of catch-up they had to play to get their bottom line back on track.