By Tom McNall
If you’re downtown and a man comes up to you in an overcoat offering to sell you a watch, are you really expecting to get a Rolex for the $10 he’s pitching? And if you actually do expect to get a Rolex for a sawbuck, then have I got a deal for you: Ever thought about owning some oceanfront property (post-earthquake) in Arizona?
By Tom McNall
I tend to write a lot about money – collecting it, earning it, and placing a higher value on your services. Now I don’t want everyone out there to think that I’m a guy who can’t stand to see one penny go unattached. My hope is to drive home the point that while I don’t encourage greed, I don’t endorse people getting into this trade as unwitting non-profits.
By Tom McNall
OK, how many times a month do you hear the question being
asked: “Is this a fissure or a crack?”
By Tom McNall
One of the frequent calls I get in today’s explosion of commercial stone-flooring applications is, “We have this blotchy white look to the floor,” or something along those lines. I’ve heard it so often that I’ve given it a name: White Floor Phenomena (WFP).
By Tom McNall
How willing would you be to climb into a bus if the driver was wearing dark glasses, had a red-tipped white cane, and saved the shotgun seat for a German Shepherd with a harness? At first, you’d probably think it was a joke – but when you realize he’s really blind, would you put your trust in the driving skills of a blind man, no matter how good his dog is at barking directions?
By Tom McNall
How many times have you seen the tourist asking a local, “Where is the hotel?” And, when the visitor doesn’t get a response or only a shrug from the local, they try to communicate better……by asking, louder and slower, “WHERE IS THE HOTEL?”
In today’s global economy, we need to be able to communicate better. But this article is not going to deal with Spanish, Italian or Mandarin. Let’s look at a different type of language spoken right here in North America (and all over the world for that matter) that, far too often, seems foreign to many.
By Tom McNall
“Would this floor look better honed?” “What about these spots over here, will they still show if the floor is honed?” “Should I leave it polished?” “Why didn’t the sealer prevent these spots?” “Why does it not look the way I wanted it to?” “The installer just should have done it right the first time.”
By Tom McNall
In this modern age, communication is everywhere. With the click of the button, you can get information on thousands of topics, including stone.
By Tom McNall
We all hear the stories of customers so tight with the dollar that they could grab some coal and turn out diamonds. Do we just dismiss them as being tightwads and cheapskates, or do we try to understand their mindset and work with what we know?
By Tom McNall
Behold the non-customers: the individuals who believe they’re good clients, but – in reality – have no intention of paying you what you are worth.