Author: Phil Harwood

Phil HarwoodNov 3, 2023

To assess your company’s recruiting strength, answer the following list of questions and make note of the questions you cannot answer in the affirmative. Is someone responsible for recruitment strategy and processes? Does your company proactively anticipate specific staffing needs? Does a written position questionnaire exist for the position, outlining all of the details? Does […]

Phil HarwoodMar 24, 2015

Sarah was one of the best account managers I ever worked with. She kept in touch with me throughout the year, making sure my needs were met by asking intelligent questions about my business, listening to me, recommending solutions that fit my budget and helping my company achieve its goals. Over time, she became a […]

Phil HarwoodNov 3, 2023

In many companies account management takes a back seat to sales and operations. These organizations may sell and produce volumes of work, but they miss out on the best part—the ongoing relationship. In doing so, they fail to reap the many benefits that come with great, proactive account management. These include the following. 1. Higher […]

Phil HarwoodNov 3, 2023

Employees are telling a story every day and every time they meet someone. The story is about their employer, whether it’s the company itself, their supervisor or the owner(s). If these employees are highly satisfied, they’re singing the praises of the place they call work. Without prompting, they excitedly share how great it is to […]

Phil HarwoodAug 3, 2018

In the course of my 30 years in management, I’ve hired thousands of people. Some were excellent and some were not. The interesting thing is that my “gut feeling” was not always the best way to judge talent. I’ve learned over the years that it’s much better to follow a defined hiring process and try […]

Phil HarwoodAug 3, 2018

Looking at the calendar, there are 60 business days from Jan. 5 to March 27. Where I come from, a typical spring landscape season begins the first week of April. For many of you, you may only have 50 or 40 days to be ready. I learned early in my career that it’s better to […]

Phil HarwoodNov 3, 2023

The winter months provide an outstanding opportunity to review and fix processes that need attention. In my experience, most organizations have some processes that are either broken or missing. For those without serious process problems to address, the winter months allow for review, revision and improvement of processes that may be adequate but could be […]

Phil HarwoodNov 3, 2023

During a winter event, a typical approach is “all hands on deck.” In the midst of all this activity, little if any effort is put toward data collection. It’s clearly a secondary priority (after taking care of the customer). Still, snow professionals with reliable information at their disposal are better equipped to assess the profitability […]

Phil HarwoodDec 29, 2014

Any self-respecting child of the ’60s has a lava lamp on their desk or, if not, they wish they did. After all, lava lamps are not only cool, they inspire creative thoughts leading to fresh ideas and new approaches. At least that’s what my lava lamp does for me. Let me explain. There are times […]

Phil HarwoodDec 1, 2014

Like many of you, I plan to take some time away from work later this month, not only to celebrate Christmas and the New Year but also to spend time with family, relax and refresh before launching full force into 2015. I recognize the need to shut down the engines, especially after running hot for […]

Phil HarwoodAug 2, 2018

People today are busier than ever. From the moment we wake up in the morning until we hit the hay at night, our lives are jam packed. Most of us are plugged in all the time, never off the clock—always available to be reached and consumed with tasks, deadlines and stress. In the midst of […]

Phil HarwoodAug 23, 2018

We’ve all heard the expression, “He or she is in the zone.” When I think of someone in the zone, I think of a person who is optimizing their talents, intently focused on achieving something they’re passionate about. When I’m writing in the zone, my words flow like a river out of my mind and […]

Phil HarwoodOct 27, 2014

As a young boy, I wouldn’t go out of my way to watch “Scooby-Doo.” But if nothing else were on, I would watch it. Scoobs was the canine member of a rag-tag group of “do-gooders” that had a knack for solving crimes right before the episode ended. Like most dogs, he loved snack biscuits—appropriately called […]

Phil HarwoodAug 14, 2023

There is an outdated business philosophy that rears its head periodically. It says the customer experience comprises three aspects—quality, speed and price–and businesses only can deliver two of these aspects at a time. Choose quality and speed, but sacrifice price. Choose speed and price, and sacrifice quality. Business is a zero-sum game where these trade-offs […]

Phil HarwoodAug 2, 2018

As a junior in college I applied for an internship in IBM’s marketing department. Unfortunately, I wasn’t selected for the internship, but I was a finalist and had the opportunity to interview in person with its local marketing manager. The interview was held in the manager’s office. Walking into his office, the first thing that […]

Phil HarwoodSep 11, 2014

Close your eyes for a minute and visualize an important person in your life—your wife, husband, son, daughter, boss, coach, etc. Picture their face and hear their voice as they speak these words: “I just want to take a minute to tell you how much I appreciate you and what you do. I don’t say […]

Phil HarwoodSep 11, 2014

If you’ve ever had a conversation with a tree or a brick wall, you know how it feels to interact with a company that relies too heavily on automated email marketing. Ask a question, and be ignored. Click on the wrong thing, and prepare for a lifetime of “helpful hints” that may or may not […]

Phil HarwoodNov 3, 2023

One of the classic questions a customer asks a snow removal professional is, “How do you price—hourly, per plow or flat rate?” Of course, this question implies each snow contractor utilizes one pricing method exclusively or at least has a preference. While there are some who may be more simplistic in their approaches, the snow […]

Phil HarwoodSep 11, 2014

As mentioned in my last post, the workforce participation rate is lower today than it has ever been in my lifetime. It has never been more necessary to put aside outdated hiring procedures. It is time to get creative. I sat down recently and came up with 20 creative ideas for recruiting. In this blog […]

Phil HarwoodAug 2, 2018

The workforce participation rate is lower today than it has ever been in my lifetime. More people every day are choosing not to work for a variety of reasons, and it’s reducing the pool of potential employees. For those who are interested in working, there are plenty of jobs. In fact, there is actually fierce […]

Phil HarwoodSep 11, 2014

Did you ever wake up from a dream that you didn’t want to end, and you spend the rest of the night trying to remember and finish the dream? Or, did you ever want something so badly but it was just out of reach, and it consumed your thoughts, night and day? If so, you […]

Phil HarwoodAug 2, 2018

I love social media. In fact, there’s a good chance I’ll post this article on Facebook, LinkedIn and tweet it to my Twitter followers. Social media is powerful, no question. But let’s not forget the power of other forms of marketing: unsocial media marketing, if you will. The word “media” refers to the format, mechanism […]