Executive Insights: Jason Krisher, Assistant Vice President - Facility Care Corporate Accounts, Ecolab
Jason is an accomplished sales leader with 24 years of experience in the cleaning industry – 17 of those focused on management and sales training. His expertise in building strong customer relationships has helped him to deliver strong results for which he has been recognized numerous times at a national level. It has also established him as a trusted mentor for many in the industry.
Having begun his career with Ecolab in Southern Illinois, Jason has held roles of increasing responsibility across multiple states. He is currently Assistant Vice President of Facility Care Corporate Accounts and previously served as Regional Assistant Vice President of Distributor Sales. In both roles, he has successfully built and strengthened relationships with customers and partners of all sizes. Jason currently resides in Canonsburg, PA with his family.
1. What are some trends you see developing in the building service contracting industry?
Good talent has always been a make-or-break aspect of this industry. In the current labor market, recruiting training, and retaining good people is more challenging than ever. I am seeing BSCs looking for more support in this area, which I am happy we are able to address through simplified programs, in-person support and On-Demand Digital training. The flip side of this is that BSCs tend to be better equipped to manage the tight labor market and are seeing growth, as more self-op buildings turn to contract cleaners to address their challenges. This, combined with increased awareness of the importance of cleanliness, has also helped as BSCs look to segments outside of their traditional areas of focus for growth. In particular, I’ve seen more BSCs looking to healthcare, education, and more industrial spaces that are operating fully in-person for growth as office buildings have been slower to recover. In addition to new verticals, I’m also seeing BSCs drive growth by offering more specialized and value-added services that help to increase both sales and profits. This includes things like adding day portering shifts for more visible cleaning, or specialty floor care services like stone care and restoration.
2. How would you describe your leadership style?
I try to lead by influence. I feel that if you help someone come to the decision on their own, they are more likely to succeed because they feel they have a vested interest in the outcome. Far too often, individuals in leadership or management positions end up giving directions and telling people what to do. All this does is create an environment of reacting rather than anticipating and truly understanding the objectives.
3. What is one challenge you’ve experienced in your career, and how did you handle it?
This may sound counterintuitive coming from a Sales Leader, but early on, Cold Calling was a part of the job I really struggled with. It felt awkward, like I was barging in on customers without consideration of their time and what they had going on. Over time I learned to utilize my resources and relationships. I would reach out to an existing customer, work with Distributor partners or leverage others in my network to help with an introduction to “warm up” the call. This turned one of my biggest challenges into something I truly enjoy and has led to greater success.
4. Any advice for new BSCs coming into the industry?
Over my career, I’ve had the most success when I build strong, long-lasting relationships. To build these relationships, you cannot focus on just one individual problem, but focus on understanding the customer’s overall business goals and challenges. For a new BSC to be successful, they need to empathize with their customers and truly understand their needs. Having patience while building relationships initially and dedication to sustain them over time will be the keys to driving long-term growth.
5. What is the best piece of advice you’ve received in your career?
Think before you react. Early in my career, I tended to react immediately when someone told me something I didn’t think was right or exactly what I wanted to hear at that moment. I didn’t give myself time to process and look at it from their perspective. This resulted in building walls between myself and the people I worked with and respected. I learned to take a few moments (minutes, hours, whatever was needed) to get past my initial reaction and think about the bigger picture. Taking the time to think and respond, rather than just react right away has yielded dramatically different results. This has not only helped me in my career, but in my life.
Jason Krisher