January 6, 2016
Best Practices Checklist for Professional Operations
 
Staff and training
  • Train regularly — build it into your budget. Poorly trained staff do poor work
  • Hire for attitude and train the facts or skills. You can’t train someone to smile
  • Set consistent standards for behaviour. Monitor, reward and reprimand accordingly
  • Motivate employees to engage a professional image. Train the nuances
  • Have a written employee handbook or manual. Train and sign-off on it
  • Have written employment agreements with all staff
  • Have a well communicated H&S program with regular, relevant training
  • Be clear, ethical and fair with staff
  • Encourage certification and apprenticeships
  • Have an effective communication system, so that all departments are in the loop
 
Image
  • Have uniforms and clearly marked trucks and equipment
  • Insist on clean vehicles and equipment
  • Ensure a process is in place for ensure attention to detail and finishing touches
  • Brand your company image, i.e. consistent logo, vehicles, uniforms, correspondence, phone manner, etc.
  • Ensure staff know proper conduct for communicating in person with customers
  • Ensure staff work at consistent pace and in a respectful manner
 
Scheduling
  • Show up when promised
  • Know the limits of your resources. Don’t over-promise
  • Have a schedule plan several weeks in advance and adjust as needed
  • Ensure proper material quantities, labour budgets and equipment requirements are in place before commencing a project or task
  • Manage down-time (breaks, travel time, etc.) effectively
 
Execution of work
  • Delegate tasks to competent people
  • Use the best tools available. Good tools make work more efficient.
  • Incorporate safe work practices in to every task and technique
  • Ensure staff are competent and well-paced to keep job costs on budget
  • Ensure equipment is well maintained and back-ups are available
  • Think proactively, have a plan B and someone to execute it with speed
  • Ensure all involved in each job know the scope and are competent.
  • Have clear documentation to report all materials and labour on every job