MSCA National Seminars Continue to be Great Success
The Greater Michigan MSCA in cooperation with the Detroit Chapter of the MSCA continues to bring national training seminars to our Mechanical Service Contractor members. Highly qualified instructors, who have worked closely with MSCA and MSCA member companies over the past several years, teach all programs. These instructors are very familiar with our industry and its unique needs and have specifically designed these courses with those requirements in mind.
UA STAR Certification Program HVACR
During the training program specific classes were geared to teaching the HVACR Service Apprenticeship Curriculum, and Journey Training for specialties in the HVACR Industry.
Among the discussions at the program was the new UA STAR Certification. UA STAR Certification gives UA workers the edge in the competitive heating, cooling and refrigeration industry. As a UA service technician they can take the UA STAR Certification exam and earn STAR Certification, plus 30 college credits toward an Associates Degree in HVACR or Construction Supervision.
The UA STAR Program was developed jointly by the UA and Ferris State University - one of the most highly acclaimed providers of education programs in the heating and cooling industry.
As UA STAR Certified technicians they'll find themselves in demand in a high-tech, fast-growing industry that offers great potential for a lucrative and secure future. They prepare for the UA STAR Certification exam throughout the 5-year apprenticeship at the local UA training school. Then they take the exam, receive certification and will be among the most sought-after service technicians in the industry.
A number of contractor groups toured the training programs to learn more regarding the UA's continual upgrading of their HVACR Program and the new STAR Program.
They had the opportunity to tour through the UA's HVACR Trailer (pictured left) that is utilized throughout the country for specialized training. They also had the opportunity to interact with the students who were taking HVACR Instruction Training at the program.
The Greater Michigan & Detroit MSCA Sales Institute
The Greater Michigan and Detroit MSCA's recently brought to Michigan, the Mechanical Service Contractors Sales Institute - Part II, a specially prepared follow-up to the national training program sponsored in May of this year.
Once fundamental selling skills are mastered, it's up to the salesperson to be confident, persuasive and concise in communicating one-on-one, in small group meetings, or in major presentations. Part II of Effective Selling Skills for the Millennium was built on the skills learned in Part I by focusing on the sales presentation and the negotiation phases that lead to signed contracts.
Negotiating is a key element in the day-to-day activities of the mechanical service provider. Negotiation involves cooperation in finding solutions without creating resentment or hostility from others along the way. Service providers must use negotiating skills that result in solutions which benefit our clients and customers as well as the long term success of the companies we represent.
Successful negotiating is a skill, and like other skills it can be both learned and improved upon. Effective Selling Skills for the Millennium: Part II taught those in attendance these important strategies so that you not only get what you want, but you will also help others get what they want too. This course was an action packed program designed to teach the effective principles of win-win negotiating.
It helped participants make more polished and professional sales presentations while increasing their knowledge of human behavior and rapport building in the negotiating setting. With this knowledge, they will have the opportunity to create satisfying solutions consistently.
As part of the on-going educational benefits of the Mechanical Service Contractors of America, this was another excellent program that works very effectively when brought into the local service market area.
Greater Michigan MSCA Co-Sponsors 1st Meeting on New National Service Agreement
The new National Service and Maintenance Agreement was unveiled at a national MSCA meeting co-sponsored by the Mechanical Service Contactors of American and the Greater Michigan MSCA. Held at the Eagle Crest Hotel in Ypsilanti, the program had over 100 persons in attendance from five states.
The new National Service and Maintenance Agreement will become effective January 1, 2001.
The meeting featured a Power Point Presentation outlining all of the new features of this "new and approved" Agreement. Presenters reviewed how it could best be utilized to enhance service operations for the MSCA Contractor.
In attendance with the contractors were United Association Business Managers and Agents, UA Local 190's Business Manager Ron House, Business Agents Mike Kemp and Steve Fountain, and UA 370 Business Manager Mark Johnson.
This gave everyone involved the opportunity to be on-hand to hear the interpretations and explanations of the terms and provisions of the new agreement. An extensive question and answer session followed giving everyone the opportunity to leave with a clear understanding of the agreement.
Division Sponsors Meeting with MSCA and UA National Representatives
Our MSCA Chapter recently sponsored a meeting with UA International Representative for Service Don House and Mechanical Service Contractors of America's Consultant Ken Wohlfarth to discuss the National Service and Maintenance Agreement.
The National Agreement gives freedom of movement for contractors and their employees along with other incentives for hiring.
The Agreement is being utilized very successfully in Michigan by a number of contractors, and the Michigan Oversight Committee, which oversees the Michigan Agreement, is always looking to add contractors to the active list.
Both speakers, excellent advocates for the Agreement, reviewed in detail the benefits it could provide and outlined how it can assist the mechanical service contractor. They also discussed the UA's new HVACR Training and the potential of the service marketplace for service contractors. The luncheon provided those in attendance with the ability to ask questions to better understand the program, learning first hand from the country's most knowledgeable sponsors.
MSCA Marketing Committee Tours Ferris State University
The MSCA's Marketing Committee traveled to Big Rapids, Michigan, to hold their Marketing Committee meeting, and to lend support to its Student Chapter of the year as it received the award.
Mike Feutz, Program Director of the Ferris HVACR Department and Scott Leach, both Chapter Advisors toured the Marketing Committee around the University. It gave them the opportunity to learn more about the University and the activities of the HVACR Department. Ferris had just completed a new Library on campus, which was the focal point of the tour.
MSCA Marketing Committe Meets
Following the ceremonies, the MSCA Marketing Committee held their meeting to discuss upcoming programs. The Committee is currently in the process of considering on-line promotional brochures that a member can point toward to their own companies, updated MSCA brochures, and possible news items for contractors to utilize in their local publications. Guests of the Committee included members of the MSCA Student Chapter, Molly Forward, Detroit MSCA Bureau, and Don House, UA International Representative for service.
Michigan MSCA's Partner for the Benefit of Michigan Service Contractors
The Greater Michigan MSCA and the Detroit MSCA Chapter partnered to bring to Michigan a national training program that has received rave reviews throughout the country. The Mechanical Service Contractors Sales Institute is a consultative selling skills program that focuses on selling service maintenance contracts. To assist with an out-state MSCA member's ability to attend, the programs were held at Lake Pointe Manor in Brighton. Contractors from Ann Arbor, the Detroit area, Flint, Lansing and Grand Rapids were in attendance, along with Greater Michigan MSCA's President Sandra Miller andExecutive Associate Diane Calmeyn, Molly Forward, Director of the Detroit MSCA Bureau (pictured right) and Walt Maner, MPMCA.
The Sales Institute curriculum "Selling Service in the Millennium" has been designed specifically for managers and salespeople working for mechanical service contracting firms. Representatives included company owners, sales personnel, service managers, and technicians, all who were positive about the program.
Conducted by Nancy Bandy, Vice President, Training & Development of the Global Training Group, (pictured left) the program addressed specific examples and techniques that pertained directly to our participants and their service companies. As an instructor Nancy received rave reviews with contractors eager to sign up for the following classes to be conducted this fall. There is no better endorsement than that.
Using small group activities, assessment tools, and role-playing exercises, participants learned how basic sales skills can be customized to the mechanical service contracting business. The classes are structured to encourage individual participation and involvement.