ASHI Is Here For You

by Jennifer Gallegos April 2, 2018

Hello, ASHI members! I hope that this spring season is bringing you lots of business and I want to tell you about some projects we are working on that will benefit you.

ASHI staff members gather at least twice a month to discuss ways in which we can better serve you and enhance the home inspection profession. ASHI HQ is the home base for a team of 15 people who strive to do their best, sharing ideas and suggesting improvements to processes that can make ASHI even better. With so many ideas, sometimes it can be difficult to accomplish everything on our list. Recently, Executive Director Frank Lesh, along with the ASHI Board, decided on a goal for the year: retention.

Focus on Retention
Retention has always been a top priority for ASHI, but with recent changes in ASHI’s demographics and procedures, we have seen a greater fluctuation in our membership numbers than ever before. We often ask the question: Why? Which group is not renewing? How long have they been ASHI members? Are they reaping all the benefits we have to offer? 

Well, when we examined the reasons why people cancel their membership or do not renew, the majority of them said, “I can’t make it, so I’m closing my business,” or “I’m going back to my previous profession because home inspection didn’t work out for me.” This left us with the question: How can we help?

On the other end of the spectrum, we also have noticed transitions happening among members who are seasoned ASHI Certified Inspectors (ACIs). Many of them are ready to make the switch to become retired members of ASHI or they are retiring from the profession completely. 

So, if we have “newbies” not making it and we have many tenured ACIs retiring, where does that leave ASHI? 

This is the question I asked the ASHI Board at their meeting in January. Many agreed that ASHI should focus on providing more services for new inspectors, including mentorship programs, peer reviews and specific programs to help new inspectors succeed in their business. 

I also talked about changing the culture—perhaps by asking our tenured inspectors to help the newer inspectors in the field. I said that I understand that there is competition, but what about showing camaraderie with one another? When I brought up this topic, ASHI Past-President Marv Goldstein said, “As one of the home inspectors who was around at the beginning of ASHI, it’s not about changing the culture—ASHI started out as an association where home inspectors gathered to help one another. It’s about going back to that culture.”

Those words resonated with me and my colleagues. By keeping this idea in mind, we are planning goals and projects that will cater to new inspectors, and we are partnering with our chapters, affiliates and other allied associations to provide high-quality benefits for both new and long-term ASHI members, and everyone in between.

So, what’s coming your way? 
Free Marketing Tools: During the 2017 holiday season, we asked you to participate in our ASHI Homes for the Holiday Campaign. We had approximately 150 entries and now our talented graphics team created a standard template in different colors for you to use. This “pop-up house” was designed to be used by members as a marketing tool, to promote yourself to real estate agents, buyers and sellers. You can now give an eye-catching “house” along with your business card. You can even add your business logo to the house if you like—a free marketing tool for your business!

Quarterly Email for New Members: The membership team is working on a quarterly email for brand-new members that will be tailored to their specific needs. It will break down all the benefits we offer by topic and theme. It will be a great way to help our new inspectors stay on track.

Background Verified Inspector Program: In January, we launched the Background Verified Inspector (BVI) program to our existing members (it is mandatory for all incoming new members). Sterling Talent Solutions, our background check company, keeps your personal information safe and in one place. Participating in this program is a great opportunity for you to add credentials to your business. An added benefit is that, once you’ve been cleared, you will receive a digital badge with the BVI logo for your website, email signature and other marketing pieces. For more information on the BVI program, contact us at membership@ashi.org

Instructional Videos: We are creating short videos on popular topics for both inspectors and homebuyers. These videos will help inspectors learn important information while they are on the go. Keep an eye out for these videos on our website, our YouTube Channel and social media. 

Parallel Inspections: One big project we are working on is revamping the parallel inspection program. This is a type of mentorship and instruction that we know many new inspectors are looking for and need. This project will take some time to reconstruct, so I ask for your patience as we work out the kinks to present a strong program.

Would You Volunteer to Be a Mentor? If you are an ASHI Certified Inspector (ACI) who is willing to be a mentor to a new inspector, please send a message to membership@ashi.org. We intend to build a list of members who are willing to share their knowledge and experiences with new inspectors coming on board. 

Would You Like to Be Paired with a Mentor? If you are a member who would like to be connected with a mentor, please send a message to membership@ashi.org. We will find someone who can help you or we will partner you with someone in your local chapter while we work on building this program. 

ASHI Is Here for You!
ASHI wants to help you. We are here to listen to your needs, suggestions and wants, but we can only know them if you tell us what they are. Reach out to your local chapters, reach out to leadership and reach out to us.

We are here to serve you!


To Read the Full Article

ASHI offers its members unparalleled resources to advance their careers. ASHI offers training for inspectors at all levels of knowledge and experience, including resources about all major home systems. Members benefit from a vast network of experienced professionals, providing a community for mentorship and knowledge sharing..

Learn More About Membership »

In this Issue

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Professional Networking

Grow your professional network, find a mentor, network with the best, and best part of the community that’s making home inspection better every day.