Friday Morning Videos: How Its Made Induction Cooktops

Image source Wikipedia

The cable program How Its Made steps into appliance manufacturing with this clip describing the production of an induction cooktop. Looks like it an Electrolux assembly line. Have you been seeing induction cooktops in the course of your service work? Regardless we hope you find the video interesting and educational.



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Throwback Thursday: News Recap January 30, 2014

If you have been reading the W.L. May Blog but haven't checked us out on Facebook, Twitter or Google+, you may not be getting the whole story. We use all of those social media outlets to share news stories that relate to our industry as well as appliance tips we have found from other sources. Here is a recap of some of the top stories we have seen lately. A lot has been happening so without further ado:

We start with some consumer friendly articles we feel would be great for sharing:

• Hints from Heloise helped us decode laundry instructions from clothing labels. LINK
• All about crisper drawers and how to use them. LINK
• If you like Martha Stewart's style, these laundry room tips are for you. LINK
• With California facing drought conditions, here are some tips for conserving water. LINK
• Mom4Real gave us this recipe for homemeade dishwasher detergent. LINK
• Digital Trends shared how to go about cleaning a dishwasher. LINK
• Business Insider offered some good tips for cooking meat safely. LINK
• This reporter from the Observer came across a problem that happens all to often, and solves it with the help of his friendly neighborhood repair person. LINK

Next, we look at the manufacturers and how they have been in the news recently:

• LG filed for a patent on a method for detecting a full ice bin. It sounds a lot like the emitter/receiver board used on Kitchenaid Refrigerators  LINK
• Haier has new Chief Executive. LINK
• The Des Moines Register reported on a new type of insulation that Whirlpool will be using in partnership with Honeywell. LINK

We found several articles that might be of interest to those of you who love all thing appliances:

• This fad might well have caused some appliance service calls. LINK
• Is it a refrigerator that has great sound or is it a stereo that can keep food cool? It's both! LINK
• Considering ways to improve upon the washer. LINK
• Are you ready for the smart knife? LINK

Sometimes, the links we post are related to technology, business or happenings on the internet:

• Google acquired manufacturer of thermostats and smoke detectors. This could be important and the article explains why. LINK
• Are you the most professional servicer in the country? Prove it and win $1000. Details in link. LINK
• Several reports have come up reporting the hacking of internet connected appliances. No brands involved were mentioned. LINK
• Boing Boing doubts hacking reported involved any refrigerators. LIKE
• Make Wealth History considered ways to improve upon the washer. LINK
• OPB looked at the trend to move offshore manufacturing back to the USA. LINK
• Daily Finance explained how some appliance manufacturers are making headway into the Chinese market. LINK

There were an article left over from the CES in Las Vegas at the beginning of the month:

• Techlicious approved of the Accu-Pop feature Whirlpool showcased at the CES. LINK

We close with a few fun stories:

• Nashua Telegraph told us a little about laundry and how it was way back when. LINK
• The Herald Sun In Melbourne Australia talks about loading the dishwasher and why some men are quite keen to "do it right". LINK

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ASTI 2014-Bradley's Point of View

(Editors note: This is the body of an email that Bradley Cantor sent to the sales staff encouraging us to let people know about the upcoming ASTI is San Diego. I made a few minor changes for readability but the message is his.)

Please be aware of the impending ASTI (Appliance Service Technicians Institute) to be held Wednesday, February 26^th through Saturday, March 1^st at the Town and Country Resort in San Diego, CA. This is significant because of its close proximity on the West Coast. The event’s location is on a rotating basis between Orlando, FL, San Antonio, TX, and San Diego, CA. The fact that this year’s ASTI is on the West Coast is a bonus.

Personally, I believe that there is no better investment one can make for themselves and their business than attending this event; from the technical training, business training, networking, and peer group activities, it just doesn’t get any better. I truly believe this.

If someone is interested in attending, and they are not members of USA, they can join at a highly discounted rate. Usually, the annual dues are $199, which really is a heck of a deal. But, for a limited time, if they go to this link, http://www.unitedservicers.com/wl-may-parts-company, they can join for only $99, a discount of $100. Once they are a member of USA, they can save an additional $100 off their ASTI registration as it costs $599 for non-members, and $499 for USA members. This fee includes all the training they desire as well as 2 meals (breakfast and lunch) daily. They can register for the ASTI at this link: http://www.asti.us/  Also, during their registration process they can save an additional $50 by entering our distributor code of WLM001 when prompted to do so.. As you can see, we can save a non-member who wishes to attend $250 off their USA registration and the ASTI registration combined. Again, this is an opportunity that should not be missed.

At W.L. May Company its our philosophy that we’re more than just a parts house, that we are here to help educate you too, both technically and with business concepts. Hope to see you in San Diego.

-Bradley Cantor

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Kelly's Korner - Superhero Book add's

Hey, All!

I don't think a day goes by that I don't use my Superhero Book.  And I stress to all my customers that run a parts counter or do their own research to make their own book.  ALL the manufacturers have made changes to their appliances that they don't put on the research, or have created a new part to fix an issue with an existing appliance.  And if it is something that you run into on a regular basis, it definitely saves you time and headache to have this information in something that you can reference easily.


Found this on FB and saved it in my pics to send my son (Happy Birthday Kevin and Grammy!) for their birthday today-kudo's to the maker of this cake-it rocks!

For those of you that are just joining this blog, see past blogs on this subject through the links supplied. 

I do have a few more items to add to your Book:

Tired of ordering all the separate pieces needed to install a dishwasher?  We now have a dishwasher install kit - DWK-6572DW - and it contains the following parts:
1)  6' dishwasher connector with 3/8" standard elbow
1)  6' 115V appliance cord
1)  Whirlpool style 3/4" elbow
1)  1-1/2" hose clamp
3)  yellow wire nuts
1)  roll of Teflon tape
1)  Romex connector
Now instead of buying all these different parts or trying to find them all in your truck you have a nice handy-dandy kit.  Call W L May for pricing.

GE Ceramabryte Cooktop Cleaner kit - WX10X10020 - this kit contains:
1)  18 oz cooktop cleaner
1)  16 oz Touchups cooktop cleaner
1)  2 oz burnt-on grease remover
4)  cooktop cleaning pads 4" x 2.5"
1)  ceramic cooktop scraper + bonus cleaning pad
1)  microfiber cleaning cloth

Both of these would be good display items and to have on your trucks for installs and add-on sales.  Oh, and I saw the first commercial for the Everydrop water filter last weekend - great item for those displays!

Have a great week!

PS:  Thanks, Robbie, for having my back!

Monday Motivation

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Friday Featured Client: Mr Appliance of SCC

David McCall

Name? 
David McCall

Company? 
Mr Appliance of SCC (Camas WA)

Contact Info: 
10914 NE 39th St Ste# B1
Vancouver WA 98682

Vancouver/Clark Co: 360-833-1272
www.mrappliance.com/scc

Portland: 503-262-5555
www.mrappliance/portland

Facebook:
www.facebook.com/mrappliancescc

Where did you grow up?
Eastern Washington around Tri-Cities

How long in the trade?
12 Years

How long in your current company?
7 Years

What do you enjoy doing when you're not at work?
Hiking, going for walks, going to the beach, volunteering at our church, reading, getting together with family, and cheering on the Seahawks.

To what do you credit your success?
Many different things. Being connected to good vendors like W.L. May. and having a great rep like Kelly to help out. Having a great crew of good people to work with at Mr Appliance. We just strive to treat people right. Pretty basic, really, but it can be challenging sometimes.

What do you like about doing business with W.L. May? 
Besides them being local and having a good inventory, we love how W.L. May's people go above and beyond the call of duty. Often they will do a little extra to solve problems or dig a little harder to get to those hard to find parts. Kelly's superhero book has been very helpful.

The team at Mr. Appliance are ready to help.

Can you share one piece of advice for others in our industry?
In general, you have to keep learning. There are a lot of fast changes happening in this industry and you really need to stay on top of them.

Is there anything else you like to say? 
I guess that about covers it. Nothing else comes to mind at the moment.

If you would like YOUR company profiled as a featured client send an email to: rob.m@wlmay.com

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Random Thoughts

Good Idea or a Bad Idea? You decide!

Just a few random thoughts and musings today, in no particular order:

• Treat your employees well. Your employees represent you and your company. A happy employee will be more committed to doing excellent work for you. You treat your tools well, don't forget your employees are also the tools of your success. 

• Little things mean a lot. The language you use can change the way a customer perceives you. So can your appearance. At a recent customer service training I attended, a few phrases were highlighted. One was use of the word "client" instead of "customer". The trainer recommended avoiding the word customer and replacing it with client. You are providing not only a repair but consultation and your expertise. Also it is some subtle psychology as client sounds a little more important than customer. Another phrase he recommended avoiding is "no problem". I am guilty of this one. I had the habit of saying "no problem", what I did not realize was that by using that phrase it implies that their might have been a problem otherwise. The recommendation  was to use "my pleasure" in its place. It felt ackward at first but as I continued to work at changing my habit it became more comfortable. You may find yourself having a similar experience.

• Over 74% of American adults are on Facebook. Every one of them has a different timeline and a different Facebook experience. It is a great way to connect with people. Facebook can help you to market, but it also requires a lot of work for your posts to reach your clients timeline. You will never reach all of your followers with any one Facebook post that is not a promoted post, and even then it seems unlikely. Also, don't buy into anyone promising to sell you "likes". It would do you better to have 2 customers who listened to what you had to say and were engaged than to have 200 customers who don't know you and ignore your posts.

• Podcasts can be a great way of growing your knowledge while you are driving between calls. If you use a smart phone it is pretty easy to subscribe to and listen to podcasts. There are podcasts for small business, for marketing, for news and just about any other subject under the sun. I like to listen to podcasts during my daily commute and have found some to be extremely informative. There are a lot of fun and entertaining shows to enjoy as well, but my point is how you can use that "wasted time" to improve yourself.

• Respect technology, but don't fear it. There are some folks who are willing to post every aspect of their lives to the internet. There are other folks who worry that anything they do on the internet will come back and haunt them some day. While I would agree that sharing too many details on line can create problems, I think just as often, a fear of the unknown prevents us from trying out news tools and seeing how they can help advance our lives and our businesses. Its a fine line, but the world is changing FAST and it would be wise to try to keep up with the changes. The trick is to recognize what is likely a lasting change and what is just a fad. Give yourself some room to experiment. 

So those are the kind of things that run through my mind sometimes. My hope is that some of my musings will cause you to shift your thinking in some way that might make you and your business stronger. I look forward to hearing your comments.

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Five Hidden (And Not-So-Hidden) Expenses

Some Expenses Are Money Down The Drain

January can leave a lot to be desired. The weather is cold. The roads can be treacherous. The holiday season is over and its almost 6 months until the next big 3 day weekend national holiday. To make matters worse, the bills from holiday credit spending come due. W.L. May understands. We get credit cards bills too. In an effort to help keep some of your costs in line, we offer this list of hidden expenses that could be costing you money.

1. Second Trips

Problem: Not enough calls get completed on the first visit to the customer. There is the obvious lost time, not to mention gasoline expense involved in making a second trip. There also can be the not as obvious expense to your reputation with the consumer, and ultimately within the community when they talk their friends.

Solution: Take the time to try and diagnose the problem over the phone. Arrive prepared with likely needed parts.  Consumers are more time sensitive than ever. They expect a completed job on the first visit. They don't expect to wait a few days for you to order the parts and make a return trip. Make sure you have adequate inventory on hand even if it means you have to stock some more costly parts to do so.

2. Missed calls

Problem: Every call could be a customer ready to hire you to solve their problems, yet many smaller companies let every call go to voice mail. A certain percentage of those calls won't leave a message. They will try someone else. On the other side of the equation, when messages are left, calls are not returned promptly if at all.

Solution: Lets face it. A lot of technicians hate using the phone. Appliance repair is a mechanical field and a lot of techs would rather have their head in an appliance than having a phone pressed against it. It may be worth hiring a person to help take phone calls during the busier times of day. Some companies that have done so found more time for servicing appliances when they freed their techs up to be techs. However you answer inbound calls, there will likely be a time when a message is left for you. Make sure you are returning those calls promptly. It is a consumer expectation and not doing so can be damaging to your reputation.

3. Missed opportunities

Problem: Every day there are opportunities that arise that don't get acted on due to time constraints, initial cost, lack or recognition or old fashioned laziness.

Solution: This will vary from person to person. Every service call is an opportunity for promotion. Is your vehicle clean, and marked with attractive signage? If so, you have taken advantage of a great opportunity for advertising. After all, you are basically in a rolling billboard. Do you leave behind stickers or refrigerator magnets with your contact information? There's another opportunity. Do you take advantage of training when available? Another opportunity. The fact is, every day we are given opportunities. Recognizing them and acting on them will contribute greatly to your long term success and likely even your short term cash flow.

4. Returns

Problem: What seems like a way to reduce inventory and save on overhead cost some companies more than they are saving.

Solution: It is possible to over stock and have too many items on hand. If that happens the temptation is just to send it all back to your supplier for credit. Sometimes that is the right answer, but before you do that, there a few points to consider. How much will it cost to process the return? Freight, boxing materials, your time in packaging, shipping and accounting. It all adds up. Consider if this is a part you will likely be reordering. If so, does it make sense to send it back? Sometimes a discount to the consumer on a part price can leave you farther ahead than a return for full credit. 

5. Mistaken assumptions

Problem: Assumptions that are made about customers and the marketplace can end up costing you a lot of income.

Solution: Avoid assuming how much a customer is willing to spend. Over the years, due to a variety of factors, some things are more expensive than they used to be. As professional servicers, occasionally a change in price will induce a little bit of sticker shock to those of whose are quoting prices. When this happens, it is important to remember that your client probably does not have a personal memory of what that item "used to cost". If you offer your quote apologizing for the high price, you are introducing a doubt into the negotiation that could end up costing you the job. Let the customer object BEFORE you apologize for the price. Remember, Howard Hughes was often known to dress like a bum, Bill Gates looks like a college student, and not everyone that LOOKS like they have money to spend actually do. Avoid those assumptions.

This short list covers a lot of the hidden (an not-so-hidden) expencess I see every day as I am helping technicians get through their day. I am sure there are a many more expenses that come up every day as well. Let us know in the comments what expenses you have found and how you have reduced them.

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Ted Talk: The Magic Washing Machine

Kelly will be back next week. Until then we have a video to share with you.

TED Talks are conferences held periodically that feature prominent modern thinkers who make short presentations about a wide variety of subject, In this clip, Has Rosling talks about the washing machine and its effects on society and the advancement of mankind. It is an interesting presentation that we hope you enjoy.


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Monday Motivation

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Fun Morning Videos: Red Green's Air Hockey Table

After all of the technological innovations that were in yesterdays news recap, we thought it might be fun to go to a more low tech idea today. On his "Handyman's Corner", our old favorite Red Green uses some clothes dryers to make an air hockey table. Don't try this at home!



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Throwback Thursday: News Recap January 16, 2014

If you have been reading the W.L. May Blog but haven't checked us out on Facebook, Twitter or Google+, you may not be getting the whole story. We use all of those social media outlets to share news stories that relate to our industry as well as appliance tips we have found from other sources. Here is a recap of some of the top stories we have seen lately. A lot has been happening so without further ado:

We start with some consumer friendly articles we feel would be great for sharing:

Yahoo Shine! reminded us that using a dishwasher is easy, but it is still possible to do it wrong. LINK

Treehugger had 5 uses for a broken washing machine. LINK

HGTV posted a slideshow of tips for organizing your laundry room. LINK

The Mom Advise blog posted a great article celebrating dishwashers. It is full of tips of all kinds. LINK

Digital Journal talks about some recent blog posts encourage teaching children appliance related chores. LINK

Review of the Day gave us their top 10 dishwashers for 2014. LINK

Globe and Mail posted a history of the Maytag Man, and how he is changing as he moves into the future. LINK

Next, we look at the manufacturers and how they have been in the news recently:

Building online told us that GE is making the first Monogram refrigerators since 2001 at it plant in Selmer, Tennessee. LINK

Appliance Magazine reported an expansion of Electroluxes North American workforce. LINK

GE introduced a new mascot for its Artistry line of appliances. There is a contest too! LINK

Electrolux opened a new plant in Memphis. LINK

This story about the new Electrolux plant in Memphis includes some video footage of the facility. LINK

Samsung is making a push to take the top spot in worldwide appliance sales from Whirlpool. LINK

The case about unlawfully dumped LG and Samsung refrigerators sent back to International Trade Commission LINK

We found several articles that might be of interest to those of you who love all thing appliances:

Deseret News reported on a little girl who was mistaken when she though she found the perfect hiding spot. LINK

Reviewed.com told us about a guy from New Zealand who made same major modifications to his microwave. LINK

FuunyJunk posted a picture from the Philippines that showed an example of an ingenius way to recycle a refrigerator. LINK

In an weird echo of a previous story from Utah, an Australian man got stuck, naked, inside his washing machine as he was hoping to surprise his wife. LINK

Thanks to Gai in our Seattle branch for finding this history of the origins of Frigidaire. LINK

Gai also found a timeline of Kenmore history. LINK

ZanaFund told us about a manual washing machine that they are introducing to poorer areas of Peru. LINK

The Consumer Electronics Show, held in Las Vegas every January generated a  lot of news and debate:

Sky News had its concerns about smart appliances. LINK

Techlicious blog discussed smart appliances and connected homes that were getting a lot of attentions. LINK

GE announced an app that would allow you to control your enabled range via smart phone. LINK

Internet connected appliances get predicted every year. This article from the Guardian is dubious we will ever see mass adoption. LINK

With so much attention being given to smart appliances, Venture Beat was skeptical. LINK

Another report from the CES show, this time, featuring Whirlpool's products. LINK

We saw several patents announced:

LG filed a patent for a new dishwasher control. LINK

Whirlpool was issued a patent for a design that will allow ice and water through the door of a bottom mount refrigerator. LINK

Whirlpool was issued a patent for a washing machine with a direct drive system. LINK

CNet showed us pictures of Whirlpool products showcased at the CES show in Las Vegas. LINK

ComputerWorld is enthusiastic about the induction range cooktop prototype that Whirlpools showcased at CES in Las Vegas. LINK

Sometimes, the links we post are related to technology, business or happenings on the internet:

If you have heard about cloud computing and didn't understand what they were talking about. Or if you got it, but have your suspicions, this article may change your mind. LINK

Pew Internet released its report on social media usage for 2013. An interesting must read for anyone marketing via social media. LINK

We close with a few thought provoking stories:

The Arizona Daily Star showed us how expensive it can be NOT to own a working washing machine and clothes dryer. LINK

Apartment Showcase told a story of a "broken appliance" that reminds us that sometimes an obvious cause for an appliance break-down is right under our noses. LINK

When you spend as much time around appliances as we do, it is easy to forget that many consumers don't pay much attention to the world of appliances until something causes them to think about it. This article serves as a reminder. LINK

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Wednesday W.L.May Profile: Jeff Wing

This is the part of the blog where we share a little about ourselves. Today we would like to introduce you to one of the people that help provide you with our famously fast and accurate customer service.

Name?
Jeff Wing

Job Title?
Warehouse

Where did you grow up?
Portland, OR

How long have you been with W.L. May?
23 years.

What did you do prior to joining W.L. May?
Worked at a gourmet food distributor on Swan Island after persuing a degree in journalism from OSU.

What do you enjoy doing when you're not at work?
Soduku puzzles.

To what do you credit your success?
What I learned from my grandparents-hard work, diligence , and a solid grounding in the Lord.

What do you like about working at W.L. May?
I find the work to be stress-free.

Can you share one piece of advice for others in our industry?
Don't sweat the small stuff, and it's all small stuff.

Is there anything else you like to say?
At the moment, I am at a loss for words.

Kelly's Korner - Are you a Fred Flintstone or George Jetson?

Hey, All,

So you've got a smart phone to stay in touch with your friends and family and a new tablet that you can stay in touch with the world - but what about your business? How do you keep track of your inventory, customers or paperwork?  How do your customers find you?

The Fred Flintstone businesses still rely on the Yellow Pages, have no computer to help with inventory, billing, ordering and research and barely have a fax machine and do everything by hand.


Creative Commons license on image.

The George Jetson businesses have websites that their customers can use to find out information on the company and schedule appointments.  All their accounting information is on the computer and easily accessible and ready for tax time; their parts people/technicians can look up their own parts and don't have to wait for research.  Their customer base is on there also, and easy to bring up when Mrs Jones calls about her washer - all the info you need is there, all you need to do is set up an appointment time.

Research shows that over 80% of people today look for products and services on the internet.  Websites are relatively easy to set up and change as needed - like offering specials, company news, pictures, information, etc.  With a Yellow Page ad you are stuck with the same ad for a year and it costs a bunch of bucks.

Now this is not to say that we here at W L May won't be here for you - we have been for the last 90 years and will be here for the next 90.  But we are wanting our customers to increase their business and we have lots of ways for you to do this.  Talk to your account manager and we can give you infomation on who best to go to to set up a website, organizations to join, and other ways to increase your bottom line.

Give us a call and move out of the Stone Age and into the 21st century!

Have a great week!

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Monday Motivation

Fun Friday: Appliance Trivia Challenge

So you think you know all about appliances? Here is a short set of trivia questions to test your knowledge.

QUESTIONS:
1. This appliance company made cars in the 1940's?
2. Whirlpool offers 2 direct drive couplers for washers that are often used interchangeably. What are the part numbers for them?
3. Paul Theroux wrote a book, that later bacme a movie, about a man who moved his family to the jungles of Central America to build a refrigeration system to "make ice from fire". What was the name of the book/film?
4. What is the part number for the popular Supco "3 in 1" Hard start?
5. Who made the "Bouncing Betty" washer?
6. What part of a refrigerator is a typically cleaned with a brush?
7. What is a Brownian Refrigerator?
8. The world’s largest refrigerator is a 27-kilometer cryogenic distribution line built for use in the LHC tunnel (Large Hadron Collider project), a particle accelerator that will enable scientists to recreate the conditions in the universe just after the Big Bang. Where is it located?

ANSWERS:
1. Crosley
2. 285753a & 285852a
3. The Mosquito Coast
4. RCO410 or RCO810
5. Frigidaire (it had a bouncing agitator)
6. Condenser coils
7. Suggested in 2006, it could be the worlds smallest refrigerator. The molecular-scale device would theoretically be used to keep nanoscale machines cool and control temperatures during molecular biology experiments.
8. On the Franco-Swiss border west of Geneva

O-2 correct: You know a bit, but still have a lot to learn. Luckily you came to the right place.
2-4 correct: You know a fair amount about appliances. Keep visiting this blog to learn even more.
4-6 correct: You know a lot about appliances. Pass some of that knowledge on to someone.
6-8 correct You are an appliance star! Great job!

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Appliance Tweets: New Year Edition

Today we were reading some Twitter tweets and found a few that we hope you will enjoy.

The first tweet is something we all feel after the holidays when all the new clothes have been worn:

I need Christmas to happen again or else I'm gonna have to do some laundry.
— Chhristoppher (@c123harrris) January 6, 2014

Alas, the holidays are over, but here is a New Years message that would serve all of us well in 2014:

Goals don't have to be grand; they just have to represent something we want to work towards. It's a critical life skill at any age. #Dadchat
— Stephen (@AReallyCoolDad) January 3, 2014

This tweet offers another suggested "critical life skill" that also could serve you well through the year:

The critical skill of this century is not what you know; it is how you access what other people know. -CK Prahalad #G5Live
— Fran Hart (@FGHart) December 10, 2013

While we are on the subject of accessing knowledge, remember that customers always have choices when it comes to where they access their knowledge:

Ah, the quiet moment of realization that the rude appliance repair company can be fired.
— Nia Vardalos (@NiaVardalos) October 2, 2013

The best Appliance Repair companies will be able to stand behind the statement:

Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.~ Warren Buffett
— Tina Cook (@TinaCook) June 20, 2013

We love it when people have this kind of enthusiasm for their laundry products:

I love the smell of laundry detergent & fabric softener
— Dani. (@DanielleEvelyn_) December 10, 2013

Some people have not yet had the chance to develop laundry enthusiasm:

I'm questioning you if you're in high school and you still don't do your own laundry
— •Caroline• (@cgm155) January 6, 2014

Laundry really can be fun!

I'm listening to Stevie Ray Vaughan and folding laundry if you're curious about my wild side
— J (@Baldylockzzz) January 6, 2014

As fun as laundry day can be, be careful while you do your washing:

In 1999, more than 3,000 people were hospitalized after tripping over a laundry basket.
— Amazing Facts (@FactSoup) January 6, 2014

And to close, we leave you with one more thought for the New Year:

One of the best ways to achieve your goals is to surround yourself with people who have dreams, goals, and ambition.
— Life Hacking (@TricksAndHacks) January 6, 2014

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Continuing Education

REGISTER HERE

Would you trust your doctor to treat you if they never learned about any new treatments? How about an auto mechanic that can rebuild a carburetor with his eyes closed but doesn't know much about these new fuel injection motors? Odds are you might try to find a second opinion in either circumstance. Your customers size you up the same way. You may be a wizard on old belt drive washers, but if you scratch your head every time you come across a machine with a control board, you are potentially losing your customers trust. The good news is that you can prevent this scenario from happening. 

United Servicers Association (USA) is a group created by and for service techs in the appliance industry to help them build strong businesses in a competitive environment. One of the ways that USA helps its members and can help you be more confident with your customers is by facilitating factory training for its members. The big event of the USA calendar year is held each spring when they hold their annual Appliance Service Technical Institute or ASTI.

The ASTI is basically a convention where servicers from across the United States and Canada gather for several days and attend training on a variety of subjects. Training is offered on various brands for basic to more advanced skill levels. In addition the ASTI offers training on many aspects of running a service company. Everything from marketing, to business management to strategies for dealing with warranty providers are covered in various sessions through the week. These sessions are sometimes in the form of a presentation, and sometimes they are round table discussions. It truly is a a great opportunity to gain more knowledge about the appliance repair trade and to meet and share ideas with other servicers who you are not in direct competition with. Registration to the ASTI also gives you a years membership in USA. This allows you access to their technician chat and service library. Both of which are already helping servicers on a daily basis. Its a great organization, and that is why it has the support of W.L. May Company.

If this sounds like something that could benefit you, this is a wonderful year to consider attending. The ASTI is held on the West Coast just once every three years and this year it is being held in sunny San Diego, California from February 26-March 1. This location means a lot less travel for most of our clients than most years. There are special room rates available for attendees at the host hotel and W.L.May Company has a promo code that can save you fifty dollars off of the cost of registration. Ask your account manager for details. Brad and Todd will be there as usual and the both would like to meet some new folks this year. If you decide to spend an extra day or two as a vacation in San Diego, you will find a lot to enjoy in the area.

You will find more info and a link to register on the USA website HERE. Even if you can't make the trip, we still recommend membership for the chat program and service library. These are resources that are simply not available from other sources.

Every year we hear back from people who finally decided to attend. Every year they say the same thing. They tell us that they come out of the week with a fresh enthusiasm for their business. They tell us that they have new skills. They tell us that if they implement just ONE idea from the ASTI it would more than offset the cost of attendance. They tell us they had fun and enjoyed meeting fellow servicers. Don't miss this chance to get ahead, register now!

For more from education and entertainment from W.L. May Company click...HERE

KELLY'S KORNER - AFTER THE HOLIDAYS

Hey, All!

Wow, the holidays and vacation are over!  I hope they were very good for you and that the coming year is happy and prosperous.  I had a great time!

The Christmas tree is down and the lights and decorations all put away - now what?  Well, now is a good time to get everything ship-shape and Bristol fashion.  Start by making a list of all the things you NEED to do and those you WANT to do.

Creative Commons license on image.

NEED TO DO:  Clean refrigerator of all leftovers, get documents together for taxes, check outside your home (or office building) for any winter damage so far (gutters {think about getting a LintEater - DVC202 - not only will clean lint build-up in your dryer venting but has an attachment for downspout cleaning}, moss on your roof, and if you run a business - INVENTORY!  And did you change the batteries in all your smoke alarms and CO2 detectors?  Window washing - inside and out - although if it is freezing weather where you are at you might want to wait on the outside windows.  These are just a few of the things that are looming out there - start that list and take things one at a time.

WANT TO DO:  Clean out cupboads, new paint on walls or maybe just some touch up in spots.  Don't forget your appliances!  W L May has touch-up paint for your appliances.  Reorganize and get rid of stuff you don't want or need - someone out there will and it's a good write off on those taxes!

I'm sure you can think of a bunch more things that you could put on these lists - the key is to take things one at a time (maybe a "Honey-do" jar with a task per slip?) so the list doesn't look so daunting.

Have a great week!

PS:  Boy, do I need a copy of this book!

For more from education and entertainment from W.L. May Company click...HERE
 

Monday Motivation

A Trip To the Washing Machine Museum

Lee Maxwell Washing Machine Museum in Eaton Colorado is the largest washing machine collection in the world. I may need to make a pilgrimage someday. In the meantime the following video shows off a few items in the collection. The sound quality not is so good, but how often do you get to see working examples of the antique models?

Here is a link to the washing machine museum http://www.oldewash.com/

Enjoy the video.



For more from education and entertainment from W.L. May Company click...HERE

Throwback Thursday: News Recap January 2, 2014

If you have been reading the W.L. May Blog but haven't checked us out on Facebook, Twitter or Google+, you may not be getting the whole story. We use all of those social media outlets to share news stories that relate to our industry as well as appliance tips we have found from other sources. Here is a recap of some of the top stories we have seen lately. A lot has been happening so without further ado:

We start with some consumer friendly articles we feel would be great for sharing:

• Ask A Realtor from The Alpen Horn News talks about how appliances are considered in the home sales price and offers some advice to home sellers. LINK
• Babble has a list of tips to make laundry day easier. LINK
• AllTech shared some commons signs that indicate the need for refrigerator service. LINK
• Tri State Neighbor is gave us a few appliance tips. LINK

Next, we look at the manufacturers and how they have been in the news recently:

• GE announced a contest for designers with a $10,000 prize for appliance design. LINK
• Whirlpool will be moving some cooking manufacturing from Mexico back into the U.S. LINK
• Samsung reported a strong year of sales in 2013. LINK

We found several articles that might be of interest to those of you who love all thing appliances:

• In an unusual twist, two men were wanted by the police for "Assault with Refrigerator" LINK

Sometimes, the links we post are related to technology, business or happenings on the internet:

• Entrepreneur talked a little about business debt. The good, the bad and the ugly. LINK
• Tomorrow Machine told us about a self-cleaning plate. LINK

We close with a fun story:

• Live Mint got a little introspective on a visit to the laundry room. LINK

For more from education and entertainment from W.L. May Company click...HERE

Happy New Year!