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The Dalton Mills
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Read the latest on AI, home service software, and what’s changing across the field service industry.

August 21, 2026
Business Advice
Why Gen Z is Quitting College to Work in the Trades
In 2026, 60% of Gen Z-ers plan to quit college and start working in the trades, with 21% of them aiming for constructions, 10% for electrical jobs, and 9% for manufacturing.

August 19, 2026
How to Set Up Service Call Fees for Field Service Businesses
Of all the service prices available in any given trade, call fees are the easiest to get wrong.

August 18, 2026
Business Advice
Which KPIs to Should Your CSR Team Track for Your Field Service Business
Tracking your Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) might be additional hard work for an already clogged administrative department, but it’s necessary to ensure your business is on the right track.

August 17, 2026
HVAC
How to Grow Your HVAC Business From Scratch
Starting a business from scratch is very difficult. There are a lot of things you need to get right, from cashflow to operational efficiency, lead conversion, marketing, and online visibility.

August 16, 2026
Business Advice
How to Filter Out Spam Calls as a Field Service Businesses
While businesses are typically flooded by spam emails, spam calls are equally as damaging and disruptive.

August 15, 2026
Business Advice
Recruiting Tips for Growing Home Service Companies
When it comes to building or expanding a business in the trades, two things matter more than anything: hiring good professionals and retaining them.

August 14, 2026
Business Advice
How to Prevent No-Show As a Field Service Business
Cancelled appointments and no-shows make you waste valuable crew time and money due to fuel waste, equipment rental, and other expenses.

August 13, 2026
AI
AI Customer Service Reps for Field Service Teams
A July 2026 study by Salesforce revealed that 95% of field service organizations have already incorporated some form of AI into their services. 85% of them also plan to expand upon that over the next 1-2 years.

August 12, 2026
Painting
Painting Costs & Pricing in 2026: How to Structure Your Rates
Pricing your painting services based on the competition is a losing move because not all businesses and contractors have the same expenses.

August 9, 2026
Handyman Services
Handyman Pricing Guide 2026: How to Quote Jobs Profitably
Handyman jobs are notoriously difficult to price due to the variety of services available, each with their own costs, complexity, and pricing system.

August 5, 2026
Landscaping
Landscaping Pricing in 2026: Average Labor Rates & Profit Margins Explained
Landscaping jobs come with several straightforward pricing models, each with their own pros and cons.

August 3, 2026
HVAC
How to Price HVAC Jobs in 2026: Rates & Pricing Structures
Trying to price HVAC jobs correctly can quickly overwhelm even the more experienced contractors.

July 31, 2026
Plumbing
Plumbing Rates in 2026: How Much Should You Charge?
The question of how much you should charge for plumbing services in 2026 is at least as important as how to get to those numbers in the first place.

July 29, 2026
Electrical
What to Charge for Electrical Jobs in 2026: Pricing Models & Job Costing Explained
The main problem with pricing electrical jobs in 2026 is sorting out the sheer number of factors that go into it.

July 21, 2026
Remodeling Contractors
Handling Scope Creep and Change-Order Disputes in Remodeling Jobs with AI
Change-order disputes and scope creeping are recurrent problems in the home remodeling sector. AI can now help contractors prevent and adapt to these problems faster.

July 17, 2026
Pool Services
Solving the High Churn Rate Problem for Pool Service Businesses – AI vs. Standard Software
Pool maintenance businesses experience worrying churn rates and standard service software can only do so much to mitigate the problem. AI arrives to help.

July 16, 2026
Home Cleaning
Home Cleaning Businesses Can Use AI to Lower Their Turnover Rates
High turnover rates and the difficulty of finding reliable workforce are two of the most impactful problems for home cleaning businesses. AI can help mitigate these issues.

July 14, 2026
Snow Removal
Can AI Help Snow Removal Businesses Cut Costs and Increase Profits?
Standard CRM and FSM software tools are great for business management, but they’re not perfect.

July 13, 2026
Restoration Jobs
How AI Increases the Approval Rates of Insurance Quotes for Restoration Jobs
Most restoration businesses struggle with insurance quote delays and rejections due to the adjuster returning claims for revision.

July 12, 2026
Custom Home Building
How Custom Home Builders Can Use AI to Handle Subcontractor Delays
Custom home building is a trade that has just as many problems as it has services.

July 11, 2026
Janitorial
How AI Solves Scope Creeping in Janitorial Jobs
Scope creeping is one of the most prevalent problems in the janitorial trade.

July 7, 2026
Restoration Jobs
Why Restoration Contractors Prefer AI Over Traditional Estimating Software for Damage and Cost Estimates
One of the biggest problems associated with restoration jobs is poor estimating.

July 6, 2026
Fencing
How Fencing Contractors Use AI for Project Planning and Execution
Like most blue-collar jobs, fencing jobs have many moving parts, from planning to execution and follow-up repair and maintenance checks.

July 3, 2026
Handyman Services
Why AI Is Replacing Field Service Software in Handyman Jobs
Blue-collar businesses typically use multiple CRM tools and field service software to manage their operations and organize logistics.

July 1, 2026
Property Maintenance
How AI Helps Property Maintenance Businesses Increase Lead Conversion
Lack of scalability is the no. 1 killer for small and medium-sized companies and the main reason why most of them don’t survive their first year.

June 28, 2026
Appliance Repair
How Appliance Repair Businesses Use AI in 2026 to Boost Revenues
AI adoption is on the rise in 2026, projected to reach 20% this year, an almost 3x increase from 2025’s 7%.

June 3, 2026
Alarm Systems
How AI Can Help Alarm System Technicians Spend Less Time on Documentation
AI can help alarm system technicians spend far less time buried in documentation.

June 1, 2026
Garage Door
AI for Garage Door Service, Repair, and Installation
The garage door trade has exploded, and AI is reshaping how shops run it.

May 28, 2026
Masonry
How AI Can Support Masonry Work Without Changing How Crews Operate
AI can take on masonry's growing admin work without changing how crews operate.

May 28, 2026
Chimney Sweep
The Benefits of AI in the Chimney Repair Industry in 2026
Chimney repair is among the most profitable trades, and AI now offers real solutions.

May 26, 2026
Pipefitting
How AI Can Massively Improve BIM in Pipefitting
BIM is indispensable in pipefitting, but AI fills the gaps it leaves behind.

May 23, 2026
Water Treatment
How AI Tools Can Help You Run a Better Water Treatment Business
AI tools can help you run a leaner, more profitable water treatment business.

May 22, 2026
Landscaping
How AI Can Save Your Landscaping Business
The landscaping industry is booming, yet only 17% of companies have adopted AI.

May 22, 2026
Irrigation
What Can AI Do for Irrigation Businesses?
AI can organize the massive field data that modern irrigation businesses manage daily.

May 20, 2026
Roofing
9 Ways AI Can Help Your Roofing Business
95% of roofing businesses fail within five years, but AI can change that.

May 18, 2026
Pest Control
AI Use Cases for Pest Control Companies
AI can run the scheduling and routing you didn't get into pest control to do.

May 17, 2026
Plumbing
Can AI Help Your Plumbing Business?
Most plumbing businesses struggle with cash flow and reviews, but AI can solve both.

May 15, 2026
Electrical
AI for Electrical Contractors: Helpful Tool or Risky Shortcut?
As AI shows up across more industries, electrical contractors are asking where it fits.

May 13, 2026
HVAC
How HVAC Businesses Can Use AI Without Losing Control of the Work
Roughly 80% of small HVAC businesses fail early, but AI can change that.

May 12, 2026
AI
How to Use AI in Your Day-to-Day Operations Without Trusting It Blindly
AI can handle your day-to-day operations without you ever trusting it blindly.
