Episode Overview
Tradespeople and industry thought leaders who traveled to Pantheon 2024, ServiceTitan’s annual trade conference, exchanged a wealth of ideas and were rewarded with insights about the latest business trends.
As is usually the case, the gathering was filled with knowledgeable experts, including J. Blanton Plumbing CEO/owner Aizik Zimerman (tactics for finding experienced new hires) and TruVersity founder Joe Papa’s (insights on how to blend AI technology into your business).
J. Blanton Plumbing recently tripled its business size, which Zimerman attributes to his goal of cultivating a winning company culture.
Zimerman’s strategy for bringing on new hires is to attract techs who already have extensive industry experience.
“I treat recruiting great technicians like NBA recruiting,” he says. “We want to go all out.”
Zimerman says that process breeds success.
“I have a lot of hungry winners on my team,” he says. “So when we see someone else being successful, we want to know, ‘how do we get to that table?’”
Zimerman also implores business owners to over-invest in their teams.
“However much you think you're investing in yourself, you can do even more,” he says.
Truversity’s Papa says companies should make a major investment into AI technology.
“We’re at a crossroads with it right now,” says Papa, who runs the largest AI training and consulting company for the trades.
“People are either going to become zombies and just use these tools without thinking about it,” he says, “or they're going to become leaders and master and control the technology and learn how to use it in their business.”
One pertinent example: call centers. Papa says you can’t just turn an AI call center on. There has to be oversight.
It's investing in your people and leveling them up that gets you to new heights,” he says. “If you have an AI call center, there's always going to be a human element to it.”
Once integrated, Papa says, AI technology will save time and assist in numerous bottom-line advantages.
Aizik Zimerman and Joe Papa recently joined ServiceTitan’s Jackie Aubel on the “Toolbox for the Trades” podcast, which included their thoughts on:
[6:49] The how and why of hiring internationally.
[15:55] How to respond when your top salesperson leaves unexpectedly.
[17:52] How business leaders can cultivate a healthy, learning mindset.
[28:05] Why AI doesn’t replace employees, but improves their capabilities.
[31:38] Introducing AI to companies that are fearful of it.
To hear more stories from the trades, subscribe to “Toolbox for the Trades” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, or anywhere you get podcasts.
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