October 2008 Table of Contents

Features

• 38Special Feature: The Dope on Diesel
  Market conditions and other factors drive up the price of fuel for heavy trucks and equipment. Expect prices to remain high in the foreseeable future
• 46Cover Story: A Hard-Won Lesson
  Virginia contractor credits trade association seminars, and the colleagues they introduced him to, with boosting his business from pitiful to profitable
• 56Special Feature: Weapon of Mass Detection
  Sleuth Plumbing Technologies takes pride in being a resource for customers in a wide range of investigation and rehabilitation services
• 78Tech Perspective: Main Entrance
  Lateral-to-main connections can be major sources of sewer leakage. Manufacturers have devised a variety of remedies for sealing that junction

Columns

• 10From the Editor: It’s Your Time. Use It Well.
  You can gain more control over your time and get more done by conquering the problems of procrastination and interruptions
• 16Safety First: Shine On
  Knowing what to do for a black eye can save valuable time and prevent possible loss of vision
• 24Money Manager: Smart Leasing
  It’s important to know when it makes sense to lease instead of buying, and to understand the lease terms and conditions
• 30Better Business: Service: Another View
  A new book says businesses can best increase satisfaction, build loyalty and control costs by liberating customers from customer service
• 66After Hours: Scaring Up Business
  Halloween King raises funds for community programs and gains visibility for his drain-cleaning franchise with an annual haunted house attraction
• 72Money Machines: Business Partners
  Fully outfitted service vans support The Waterworks’ technicians in a compensation program that links pay to productivity
• 82Product Spotlight: Monitor Tells When It’s Time for Grease Trap Service
  Determining when a grease interceptor needs cleaning can be an inexact science.
• 86Reader Pipelines: Look Before You Line
  CIPP repair is a valuable pipe-rehabilitation technology that also demands commitment to training from contractors who use it to solve customer problems
• 98Tough Job: High and Low
  Fiberglass-reinforced lining enables a California contractor to rehabilitate 10 miles of sewer piping in backyards and canyons
• 100Industry News: Industry News
  Federal Signal Expands Dealership; Logiball Celebrates 25th Anniversary; Lenzyme Installs Solar Heating Panels; Simple Solutions Adds Distributors; Mr. Rooter Presents Franchise Awards; WJTA Offers Vacuum Safety Seminar