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More professional?


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May 2007 fairway wrote,

 

How do you differentiate yourself as a professional tow company rather than just some guy with a tow truck and a cell phone?

 

ASAPautomotive said:

Uniformed, clean cut, clean driver(s), background checks, drug testing, certificates of training, modern trucks, the right equipment on the trucks to handle the task at hand (if we don't have it, we refer you to someone we trust who does have it), DOT / ICC, State PD inspection, state association member, the phone is answered quickly and politely, not just a company name blurted out, accurate ETA information (if it's going to be 3 hours, we tell you 3 hours), consistent pricing, references available on request, computerized invoicing available via email to regular accounts, credit cards accepted over the phone with receipts emailed at time of charge, customer satisfaction surveys (mailers), regular visits to account clients just to say hello and see how we are doing, etc....
Last edited by ASAPautomotive on 05 May 2007 21:46, edited 2 times in total.
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In Memory of Brotherandsons who said:
Donnie covered the meat of the issue pretty well, and Leo hit the mark on investment for sure. One thing I always kept at the fore front with all my customers was understanding their business.
If they delivered beer, my job was to help them get the beer delivered, what could I do in my segment of their program to make the beer get there on time ?
If they harvested citrus, how could I help them make sure they got it done efficiently. etc etc
Each customer has particular conditions, even so small as asking their shop mechanic to weld pull hooks on certain equip that worked in bad areas to facilitate rigging, or suggesting they keep one tractor available for swaps , so we could tow it out to the casualty and keep the load going to where it was intended.
Even going so far as offering training for new drivers, to avoid them doing things like Unhooking 5th wheels when they shouldn't, how to drive in the groves, how to "help" the wrecker operator when stuck etc etc. I was always involved and became a part of their operation, and thats what justified the price I charged which was usually at the high end of the going rates in my area
"Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit upon his hands, hoist the black flag and begin slitting throats." H.L. Mencken
 
The Retired from Towing Anaron said:
Professionalism is the lifeline of our industry. Many factors determine the level of professionalism. Granted most of the things we do to appear professional is simply window dressing but there is a core to "professinalism". There are 3 basic ingredients for professionalism. Concentrating on these will cover any and everything we can do.
#1 - HONESTY & INTEGRITY! Without this there can be no professionalism. With honesty & integrity as our foundation everything else will fall in place over time.
#2 - PRIDE! Pride is a key ingredient. It is the driving force that keeps us progressing forward, higher and better.
#3 - COMMITMENT! You must be committed to this industry. Professionals know their field of operations and never stop learning. They possess exceptional communication skills with their co-workers, bosses, customers - who ever they come in contact with. They have a high degree of respect for themselves which translates into a high level of respect for others. Professionals are the ones that "do" instead of waiting to be told to "do".

Sometime ago, I found this article on professional vs. amatuer. I took the list of "A Professional" and put them on my wall directly above my computer monitor where I would continually see them and keep me reminded what I must do.

Are You a Professional?


How you look, talk, write, act and work determines whether you are a professional or an amateur. Society does not emphasize the importance of professionalism, so people tend to believe that amateur work is normal. Many businesses accept less-than-good results.

Schools graduate students who cannot read. You can miss 15% of the driving-test answers and still get a driver license. "Just getting by" is an attitude many people accept. But it is the attitude of amateurs.
"Don't ever do anything as though you were an amateur.
"Anything you do, do it as a Professional to Professional standards.
"If you have the idea about anything you do that you just dabble in it, you will wind up with a dabble life. There'll be no satisfaction in it because there will be no real production you can be proud of.
"Develop the frame of mind that whatever you do, you are doing it as a professional and move up to professional standards in it.
"Never let it be said of you that you lived an amateur life.
"Professionals see situations and they handle what they see. They are not amateur dabblers.
"So learn this as a first lesson about life. The only successful beings in any field, including living itself, are those who have a professional viewpoint and make themselves and ARE professionals"
- L. Ron Hubbard
A professional learns every aspect of the job. An amateur skips the learning process whenever possible.
A professional carefully discovers what is needed and wanted. An amateur assumes what others need and want.
A professional looks, speaks and dresses like a professional. An amateur is sloppy in appearance and speech.
A professional keeps his or her work area clean and orderly. An amateur has a messy, confused or dirty work area.
A professional is focused and clear-headed. An amateur is confused and distracted.
A professional does not let mistakes slide by. An amateur ignores or hides mistakes.
A professional jumps into difficult assignments. An amateur tries to get out of difficult work.
A professional completes projects as soon as possible. An amateur is surrounded by unfinished work piled on unfinished work.
A professional remains level-headed and optimistic. An amateur gets upset and assumes the worst.
A professional handles money and accounts very carefully. An amateur is sloppy with money or accounts.
A professional faces up to other people's upsets and problems. An amateur avoids others' problems.
A professional uses higher emotional tones: Enthusiasm, cheerfulness, interest, contentment. An amateur uses lower emotional
tones: anger, hostility, resentment, fear, victim.

A professional persists until the objective is achieved. An amateur gives up at the first opportunity.
A professional produces more than expected. An amateur produces just enough to get by.
A professional produces a high-quality product or service. An amateur produces medium-to-low quality product or service.
A professional earns high pay. An amateur earns low pay and feels it's unfair.
A professional has a promising future. An amateur has an uncertain future.
The first step to making yourself a professional is to decide you ARE a professional.
Are you a professional?
http://www.tipsforsuccess.org/professionalism.htm

"Copyright © 2007 TipsForSuccess.org. All rights reserved. Grateful acknowledgment is made to L. Ron Hubbard Library for permission to reproduce selections from the copyrighted works of L. Ron Hubbard."

Wikipedia defines professional: A professional is a worker required to possess a large body of knowledge derived from extensive academic study, with the training almost always formalized. Professions are at least to a degree self-regulating, in that they control the training and evaluation processes that admit new persons to the field, and in judging whether the work done by their members is up to standard. This differs from other kinds of work where regulation (if considered necessary) is imposed by the state, and official quality standards are often lacking. Professionals usually have autonomy in the workplace - they are expected to utilize their independent judgement and professional ethics in carrying out their responsibilities. This holds true even if they are employees instead of working on their own. Typically a professional provides a service in exchange for payment, in accordance with established protocols for licensing, ethics, procedures, standards of service and training / certification.
 
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In Memory of Brotherandsons who said:
Awesome Ron..I have already printed it and given it to my Sons. I particulary like the references to autonomy in the workplace, and this quote I would like to tatoo on the inside of some folks eyelids... I feel it is the future of our Industry
Professions are at least to a degree self-regulating, in that they control the training and evaluation processes that admit new persons to the field, and in judging whether the work done by their members is up to standard.
 
The Retired from Towing Anaron said:
Jan, I wholeheartedly agree! However, I see a strong indication of government regulating us instead of the industry regulating itself because we have shown no inclination to cleanup our own industry. Government regulation is very inefficient and cumbersome so you pretty much know what your going to get in the end.
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DennisMHDT said:
We're under exclusive contract with the NYPD and the City of New York. That says a lot in this town.

Everything is done professionally, and everything looks professional. Like another Co. in the area has on their trucks - Image is Everything. All drivers are properly vested. All our invoices are easy to read and understandable. All drivers and office personel know how to properly speak to people.

and i personally feel that the key to being professional is being respectful and friendly.
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Brooklyn, We Go Hard.

 

TOWAHOLIC said:

A professional is doing your absolute best even when you don't WANT too.
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