When a client calls the main office to complain about a completed job, it usually means the job is about to cost you money. You’ll have to schedule a crewmember—or two—to take equipment back to the site to repair or complete some portion of the project on the company’s dime. Let’s talk about setting up for success so those callbacks are rare.
During the pre-shift toolbox talk, ensure each crewmember understands that his or her role is vital to getting the job done right and preventing callbacks from the client.
Think about it. If the laborers preparing the pavement for sealcoating don’t get the surface clean enough, the sealer won’t adhere properly. Blackened grass and leaves don’t look great to the paying customer. If the sealcoating team has to stop and pull weeds, the delay could mean the surface isn’t dry enough for the striping crew to perform their task at the end of the day.
You can bet the paying customer will demand money back if he can’t turn his parking lot over to traffic at the promised time.
When the foreman on the job shares with the workers how they directly impact quality and pay, you should see a rise in quality. If you don’t, you may need to look at the attitudes among the crew, but that’s another conversation for another setting.
Reminding workers of their importance not only influences the bottom line, but it can also influence safety. A worker who is paying attention to detail has to be alert. He or she maintains equipment for proper operation and watches out for dangers in the area. This is all an improvement for the maintenance crew that may or may not have been convinced of their efficacy before the shift started. Make sure they all know how important they are today.
Do you need to share this tip with a foreman or project manager?
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