Attention | Owner-Operated Businesses
Find out how one owner-operated business solved their biggest operating frustration and freed the owner from being the ‘answer man.’
The Frustration That Kept Happening:
The owners of a Pool Service Company had an ongoing frustration with their Service Technicians that they hadn’t been able to solve. The Service Technicians kept asking the owner of the company the same questions over and over about servicing their customers’ pools and spas. This was an extreme frustration for the owner who didn’t understand why the Service Technicians weren’t able to remember the answers to those questions. It was easy to criticize the Service Technicians and even blame them for not taking their job seriously. It was so frustrating to the owners of the company that they sought the advice of a business broker about possibly selling their business. They were that frustrated. The business broker introduced them to me and we had a conversation about this all consuming frustration. These business owners weren’t familiar with business coaching and how it can help solve this type of frustration and many others that come up in the course of doing business.
The Way Out of the Frustration
The conversation we had was an exploration of what was at the heart of this frustrating condition. As it turned out, the Pool Service process is quite detailed and although there was some paperwork for the Technicians to use when they serviced the pools and spas, it didn’t have enough detail to relieve the owner of the burden of constant questions from the Technicians. This exploratory conversation revealed the lack of a written system for how to service a pool and spa. As it turned out, it wasn’t an attitude problem on the part of the Service Technicians. It was a missing system that was needed to ensure accuracy as the Service Technicians did their pool service routes every day.
The Solution
Once we identified what was missing, I helped them build the missing system for how to service a pool and spa and established a plan for them to introduce it to their Technicians and train the Technicians in the system. Systems provide a step-by-step guide along with standards that ensure the quality that a company promises its customers. Systems help companies deliver their products and services in a consistent way that meets their quality standards. They also give the employees the support they need to thrive on the job.
When we wrote the system for pool and spa service, we saw that it had a lot of steps and a lot of complexity. It wasn’t fair to ask the employees to remember all those steps without having anything to refer to in writing. Once the employees were trained, they had a copy of the system with them to refer to in case they had questions. We built a checklist that they could use to stay on track ensure they hadn’t skipped any steps. If they needed more detail, they could refer back to the more detailed step-by-step in the system.
Writing up this one system (the core system of their business) made a big difference in the quality of life of the owners and the Technicians. No longer were the owners plagued by the Service Technicians’ constant questions. And the Service Technicians finally had the tools and support from the owners of the company that allowed them to thrive.
Instead of selling their business, these business owners now have a business that is meeting their goals and providing a supportive workplace for employees. During this challenging time, they have been able to retain all their employees and deliver their pool and spa service seamlessly.
Find out the solutions to the key frustrations that are holding your business back. You will leave that conversation with the solutions that will solve those key frustrations. Call now to schedule your Frustration Transformation Conversation – 408-884-8861. Or click here www.intentionalleaders.com/worksheet
