Nexstar® Network provides needed value

As a plumbing and heating service professional it is always a good thing to have the best resources at your disposal. One such resource is Nexstar® Network. Nexstar® Network, founded in 1992 as Contractors 2000, is a business-development and best practices organization delivering comprehensive business training, systems and support to independent home service plumbing, heating, air conditioning and electrical professionals across the continent. Nexstar currently has 390 member companies across the continent. Nexstar helps help business owners get rapid results guided by experienced coaches, surefire systems and incredible peer connections.

Nexstar coaches and member trainers come from the industry and have owned and operated businesses within it. They have seen and solved the challenges you face. They guide, advise and mentor members and show you the rewards of accountability.

Recently, Phc News conducted an exclusive interview with Marla Coffin, senior vice president and general manager of Nexstar® Network:

Phc News: How does one become a member or affiliated with Nexstar?

Marla Coffin: New members come to Nexstar with an innate passion and desire to grow their business. They believe they can make that happen, but know that they need and want help doing it.

Nexstar offers a choice of memberships to meet each company’s differing needs. Some companies want quick, aggressive growth, some want specific business refinements and others want to strengthen the fundamentals or build stronger marketing. You choose the membership approach that’s right for you.
New members make a commitment to being “simply the best” in customer service, profitability and employee satisfaction. Membership also begins with acceptance of the Nexstar Code of Ethics and a commitment to uphold it, from our staff in our home office to our business owners and their technicians in the field.

Phc News: What are the goals of Nexstar (short term & long term)?

Marla Coffin: Nexstar’s overall goal is to be the organization of choice for plumbing, heating, cooling and electrical service providers and to continuously develop our resources and services to meet their ever-evolving needs.

We will continue to carry out the mission of our founder Frank Blau: “Member by member, uplift the whole industry by setting the standard of excellence.”

Phc News: Is the objective to gain unlimited new members or is there a certain number to hit?

Marla Coffin: Nexstar membership is allocated by market areas and because we want our members to be “simply the best” in their market, the only restriction is market availability. We limit membership so we can be responsive, not exclusive. We support members who truly want to raise their business level and set the standard for independent service providers.

Phc News: Take me through the process of joining Nexstar. What are the steps of a new member should experience?

Marla Coffin: Once you join, you are immediately assigned to a business operations coach who becomes your private advisor and together; you dive in and determine the top strategies to focus on to benefit your business over the next twelve months and beyond. Once we make that determination, your job is to start implementing with our help.

We’re at your side that first year, intently guiding you and you’ll get rapid results because you’ll have access to proven systems and training, a bench of experienced coaches, and mentoring from peers who will willingly share their secrets of success with you.

Phc News: Tell me a little bit about Nexstar meetings, conventions.

Marla Coffin: Nexstar schools and events are designed to help members move their businesses forward faster using tried and true business systems. Here are some examples of what is available to our members:

Schools get member teams firing on all cylinders:

• New Member Boot Camp
• Nexstar Service System
• Call Center School
• Service Management
• HVAC Sales Management
• Nexstar HVAC Sales System
• Executive Leadership
• AC Planning Workshop
• Train the Trainer

Super Meeting (Fall) Owners Spotlight Series (Spring)

Super Meetings are what the name implies: the biggest event for Nexstar member owners and managers; crammed with success-building seminars, networking with peers, a vendor tradeshow, fun, and time to think about where your business is going.

Owners’ Spotlight Series is a well-attended member event providing solutions for one critical challenge in the management of today's progressive service companies.

Both of these events deliver:

• Non-stop learning and interaction with coaches and peers;
• World-class speakers and top industry consultants who give you insight and advice;
• Opportunity for one-on-one meetings and straight talk with other members;
• Answers to your top of mind questions;
• Inspiration and renewed energy to return to your shop and begin implementing what you’ve learned; and
• Energy and inspiration!

Nexstar Peer Group Meetings

Nexstar conducts peer group meetings so members have the opportunity to see and learn from the best-run companies. Meetings are hosted by member companies that open their business, their books and their secrets to fellow members; owners and managers of independent plumbing, hvac and electrical contracting companies. It’s three days of intense mentoring and participants walk away with tangible strategies that have led to documented success. Peer Group meetings set the standard and raise the bar for other professionals to live and work by.

Phc News: Briefly describe the important of Nexstar coaches.

Marla Coffin: Nexstar coaches have over a century of combined industry experience and have owned and operated businesses within it. They provide an objective outside perspective and guide you through action steps that lead to success. They focus on you and your business, not generalizations and will continue to guide you throughout your business growth and success.

Phc News: Would a Nexstar member be considered a preferred contractor to consumers?

Marla Coffin: Yes. When a homeowners hires a Nexstar member company, they can feel confident that they are getting the best in customer service and business ethics.

Membership begins with acceptance of the Nexstar Code of Ethics and a commitment to uphold it, from our staff in our home office to our business owners and their technicians in the field.

All new Nexstar members go through background checks, including a BBB assessment, credit checks and verification of a current business license in good standing.

Nexstar strives to operate under the Better Business Bureau’s mission of advancing marketplace trust. In fact, colleagues often refer to our organization as a “mini BBB,” which is one of the highest compliments we receive. We’re selective, we recruit members with high standards and we hold them to it through our training programs and checks and balance systems, including a four-member ethics committee.