In Minor's League

Q: I am having trouble getting my staff to deliver quality service to our customers. Can you give me some tips on how I can improve in this area?

A: First, I think it is important that you define exactly what quality is for your particular discipline. I have often seen companies make the mistake of assuming that they understand exactly what the customer wants without even asking them. A good first step is to determine what level of quality the customer wants. This can be done in a couple of ways.

I strongly suggest the use of focus groups. Focus groups include a small group of people in a casual environment and are put together to solicit feedback regarding a number of issues. If you do this regularly you will be amazed at what you hear, not to mention the positive public relations it will bring your company. By sitting down face-to-face with your customers, you are able to get to the root of any issue. Be prepared with questions and possible follow-up questions to ensure that the time your customers invest with you will be worthwhile.

Another way to find out what the customer wants in the way of quality is through simple surveys. Keep the survey relatively brief (no more than five to six questions) and offer some prize potential for those who return the questionnaire to increase responses.

Once you have defined exactly what quality is for your customer, the next obvious step is extensive employee training. Many folks talk a good game regarding training but few really invest in it. There are many different ways to train people. Most importantly, remember that training starts on day one.

We’ve all heard the old adage, “You never get a second chance to make a good first impression.” This cannot be overemphasized where training is concerned. Consider putting together an orientation video in which the importance of quality is emphasized. This also can be accomplished with computer programs. Once your employees visualize what quality is, it’s important that their first few days on the job are spent with a significant focus on quality. Consider having one or two of your foremen in charge of the training for all new people to ensure consistency with your program.

Now that you have defined what quality is and trained your people, hold employees accountable for delivering quality. The best way to do this is by offering reward-based compensation. I strongly suggest that for all of your field people you put as much as 20 percent of their pay at risk and tie in factors like quality, customer service and production to their compensation. We’ve all heard another old adage, “What gets rewarded gets done.” Simply said, if you reward your people for delivering quality service, then that is what you will get.

Lastly, you have to be obsessed with delivering quality services and emphasize that continually to your people. Quality work starts at the top. The leader has to make this a priority in the organization. Consider including verbiage in your mission statement that touches on the importance of quality. Keep that mission statement/philosophy in front of people at every opportunity. Make sure that everyone at all levels in the organization understands the importance of delivering quality service. Reward those who deliver quality financially and with non-monetary rewards, such as thank-you notes, public praise and monthly, quarterly or annual awards to keep the quality focus in front of them. If you do all of these things, you will see the quality in your services improve drastically.

In addition to serving the industry as a consultant and speaker, David Minor is the William M. Dickey Entrepreneur in Residence and director of the James A. Ryffel Center for Entrepreneurial Studies at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas. Prior to joining TCU, David was the president of Minor's Landscape Services, a 300-employee, former INC. 500 award-winning company he founded in 1978 and sold to TruGreen-ChemLawn in 1998. Readers with questions for Minor can fax them to Lawn & Landscape at 216/961-0364 or e-mail them to bwest@lawnandlandscape.com.