Strategic Business Plans Going Into 2022

RCS Influencer Mandy McIntyre says that building and maintaining relationships with customers and suppliers is the main focus for this new year. 

Editor’s note: The following consists of a conversation between RCS Multi-media Manager Megan Ellsworth, and Mandy McIntyre. You can listen to the podcast or read the transcript below. 

Megan Ellsworth: Hello everyone. My name is Megan Ellsworth here at RoofersCoffeeShop.com, and today I am with Mandy McIntyre from First Choice Roofing, and this is the last influencer question for 2021. I can't believe it. 

Mandy McIntyre: I know, what a year. 

Megan Ellsworth: Crazy. Well, that question is what are some strategic business plans that you have for 2022? And I'm really interested to hear what you guys are doing over there. 

Mandy McIntyre: So one of the biggest things we are focusing on for 2022 is really working on building, strengthening, and retaining relationships. Because we keep seeing materials with escalated pricing, we see materials with back order dates, and you think you're getting get it next month and then they say all of a sudden, no, no, it's going to be three months from now. So I think the best strategy anybody can do is continue to maintain and strengthen all of your relationships across the board with your suppliers and especially with your customers, because at some point everything's going to catch up, we're going to start to get our materials again, things are going to start to even out. And if you don't maintain that relationship, that's what's going to die in that interim between now and then, you know what I'm saying? 

Megan Ellsworth: Right, yeah. 

Mandy McIntyre: So we're really going to focus on even if we don't have good news or we don't have any news, still staying in touch, maintaining that line of communication, like hey, just checking in. I don't have any new updates, but I'm letting you know I haven't forgotten about you. 

Megan Ellsworth: Yeah. 

Mandy McIntyre: And that type of thing, I think another big thing is focusing on your employees because everyone is spent, everyone's burned out. There's the great resignation going on I mean, and employees wellbeing is a huge topic. So you also have to maintain, build, strengthen your relationships with your employees, you know? 

Megan Ellsworth: Absolutely. 

Mandy McIntyre: Asking for their feedback. Are they happy? What's working, what's not working, really getting their buy in as far as their part of the company. 

Megan Ellsworth: Absolutely. Those are some great points. Are you guys doing anything specific with your employees for the end of the year, just something to get everybody's mind off of all the woes? 

Mandy McIntyre: Yeah. Well, actually it's funny, tomorrow is our Christmas luncheon, so we're doing our Christmas luncheon in turn with a lunch and learn. So they'll get paid training, we'll have our Christmas luncheon with everybody. And there may be a surprise visit from Santa at the luncheon tomorrow perhaps. 

Megan Ellsworth: Oh my gosh. 

Mandy McIntyre: The whole front office just got decorated so it looks like a winter wonderland down there. 

Megan Ellsworth: Aw. 

Mandy McIntyre: Yeah, so it should be pretty cool. And another thing is just having a very clear transparency as far as expectations and what they can do to grow. Because again, with this great resignation going on everyone wants to know am I stuck where I'm at? Am I pigeon holed? Have I reached my ceiling at this company? So we're trying to make it very clear of the opportunities that everyone can strive for and attain if you do X, Y, and Z. 

Megan Ellsworth: Right. 

Mandy McIntyre: Yeah. So yeah, really just trying to keep everybody happy, you know? 

Megan Ellsworth: Yeah. Just honesty and just communities what's really needed right now, and sounds like you're doing a good job of it. 

Mandy McIntyre: We're trying, it really has been a struggle. I mean I felt it personally this past year. Everyone thought COVID was going to be a two week stint and it's two years now. And I'm actually hearing of more people getting COVID now than at the beginning or in the middle of the pandemic. So we're still in the middle of a lot of uncertainty, a lot of just issues across the board, personal, professional, and you just got to maintain some positivity and transparency and communication, and let people know it hasn't been a good year for us, honestly it really hasn't. We lost a lot of production because of materials, and we're very clear with our employees telling them hey, it wasn't our best year but we have jobs lined up and we have some materials lined up and we're going to keep things going, to give everyone some comfort and some stability across this great unknown we're all kind of traveling through together. 

Megan Ellsworth: Absolutely. 

Mandy McIntyre: Yeah. 

Megan Ellsworth: Wow. Well, thank you so much for your time, and this was a really great topic. No one really even touched on this a whole lot, so I really enjoyed your perspective today. 

Mandy McIntyre: Thank you, Megan. I appreciate that. 

Megan Ellsworth: Absolutely. Well, I'll be chatting with you in the New Year. Happy holidays. 

Mandy McIntyre: Okay, thank you. Happy Holidays to you too. 

See Mandy's full bio here.