Your Business

 

 

Articles in this section are intended to help electrical contractors grow and improve their businesses, from financial and legal advice to creating a service and maintenance department. You’ll find articles on estimating projects and more below. 

The past two columns have covered issues related to your most important asset (and the most difficult one to measure): your employees.

Trucks. Whether two or three for a small firm, or a fleet for a large company, electrical contractors can’t conduct business without them.

The first step for an electrical contractor that is considering entering or expanding its presence in the energy services market is to identify the target customers.

Variables affecting electric power quality haven’t changed significantly over the years, but the technological advances of electrical and electronic equipment make the equipment much more vulnerable to power quality events than in the past.

More on Your Business

 
Gulf Coast Dodges Hurricane Isaac Bullet
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On the seventh anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, Gulf Coast residents watched as Category 1 Hurricane Isaac bore down on the New Orleans region, evoking memories of the costliest U.S. hurricane disaster on record. On Aug.

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Conditioned Attitudes
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Financial decisions are based on facts and formulas, so it is common to think of them as rational and logical. The reality is that decisions, even financial ones, are based on emotions. Attitudes and beliefs developed throughout your life affect your financial decisions.

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The Tail Wagging the Dog
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When drafting an electrical subcontract, it is fairly standard for a general contractor (GC) to refer to the contract between the owner and GC. GCs typically want to include the owner’s terms and conditions.

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Natural Variations
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On most distribution networks (except maybe in rural areas), the voltage levels typically reduce to a couple of percentage points from nominal when the sun rises, people wake up and they start using more electricity. Conversely, as the sun sets, the voltage creeps back up, and by 10 p.m.

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Partner Up for Profit
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With commercial and residential business still lagging in many parts of the country, electrical contractors seeking a bottom-line boost may find better luck in municipal and institutional projects.

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Washington Utilities Testing Grid Energy-Storage Device
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One of renewable energy sources’ biggest challenges is the intermittency of power generation. Finding a way to store power for later use helps make renewables more practical for tying into the grid where demand does not always coincide with the wind or the rising sun.

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WD-40 Seeks Electricians for New Advisory Board
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Ever want to give feedback directly to the WD-40 marketing team or share an idea you have about a product? WD-40 Co., San Diego, is asking electrical professionals to join its new informal advisory board, the WD-40 VOICE, to let their opinions be heard and help shape the future of its products.

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