Welcome to another episode of the Profit Roadmap, where we interview experts to help you grow your field service business. In this episode, we're diving into the latest hiring trends and insights in the service industry right now. Plus, learn about employee engagement and retention strategies with Bear Duplisea, Senior Account Executive at Applause and former Service Autopilot team member.

In this episode, we cover:

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• Why traditional rewards aren't working anymore
  
  
• The importance of instant recognition
  
  
• How to create genuine employee engagement
  
  
• Measuring the impact of employee retention
  
  
• Building sustainable business practices
  

About Our Guest

Bear Duplisea has spent nearly 25 years working with small and medium-sized business owners. After building Service Autopilot's sales department for over a decade, he moved to Applause to help businesses solve their employee engagement challenges.

The Changing Face of Recognition

Bear highlights a big shift in employee motivation: "The paycheck is enough to get us to come to work... but beyond that, to do the above and beyond to be exceptional, there needs to be some other incentive."

He says that today's workforce expects immediate feedback and recognition: "We're used to this instantaneous result. And because of that, the carrot no longer works."

Measuring Success Through Retention

"One of our companies saw over a 10-month period, a 26% drop in employee turnover," Bear said. For large companies, this can mean six or seven-figure savings in hiring and training costs.

The Impact of Instant Recognition

Bear explains how immediate feedback affects performance:

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• Creates instant dopamine hits from customer appreciation
  
  
• Builds a customer-obsessed culture
  
  
• Helps employees think like business owners
  
  
• Reduces callback rates and improves quality
  

Culture Building Strategies

"If you feel really good about your culture and everything like that, and you've put everything out there for the prospective employee and they don't want to work for you... then let them," Bear advises. He emphasizes that culture fit is more important than filling positions quickly.

The Hidden Cost of Callbacks

Bear also mentioned that revisits are not just a cost of doing business: "People, business owners I talk to all the time chalk that up as the cost of doing business. Good business owners understand, like that's a huge gap."

He breaks down the real impact:

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• Every callback is pure loss—fuel, labor, wear-and-tear
  
  
• It affects employee overtime and scheduling
  
  
• Impacts customer satisfaction and retention
  
  
• Reduces overall profitability
  

The solution? Better employee engagement leads to better customer communication: "Their technicians are now taking the time to explain to customers... They're like, 'I better explain this to this customer because I don't want them to complain.'"

Leadership Lessons from a Lifetime of Service

Bear shared powerful insights learned from his father's 50-year career in business:

"Sales is easy, super easy, because you can be part of the solution or you can be part of the problem. Just don't ever be part of the problem."

This philosophy goes beyond sales to all aspects of business leadership:

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• Focus on solutions rather than problems
  
  
• Take ownership of outcomes
  
  
• Lead by example in customer service
  
  
• Build genuine relationships with both employees and customers
  

He also talked about the fundamental truth about business relationships: "People don't give a sh*t how much you know until they know how much you care." This principle drives successful employee engagement and customer satisfaction.

Key Takeaways:

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2. Focus on Immediate Recognition
   

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• Implement systems for instant feedback
  
  
• Create visible celebration channels
  
  
• Connect customer satisfaction to employee rewards
  

2. 
   
3. Measure What Matters
   

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• Track retention improvements
  
  
• Monitor callback reduction
  
  
• Calculate cost savings from reduced turnover
  

3. 
   
4. Build Authentic Relationships
   

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• Create genuine connections with employees
  
  
• Give ownership in outcomes
  
  
• Listen and respond to feedback
  

Quote Highlights

"If you're dumb, surround yourself with smart people. If you're smart, surround yourself with smart people who disagree with you."—Isaac Jaffe, Sports Night

"People don't give a shit how much you know until they know how much you care, so just care."—Bernie Duplisea, sales expert & entrepreneur

Show Notes—Links

To discover more about employee engagement solutions for your field service business, visit applausehq.com.

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• Applause
  
  
• Surviving Christmas (mentioned movie)
  
  
• #ELOsoFumarTakes
  
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  • Apple
    
    
  • PodBean
    
  
  
  

Did you know, we have a new YouTube channel? Be sure to like and subscribe to our podcast on all channels so you never miss an episode!

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• YouTube
  
  
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• Spotify
  

Related: Coaching & Retention in the Service Industry With Chris Crew from Blue Collar

Originally published Jan 9, 2025 5:15 PM CT

The post The Latest Hiring Trends & Insights in Field Services With Bear Duplisea from Applause appeared first on Service Autopilot.