Looking very closely
Who here likes to work for appreciative clients? I do!…I do!….Here is one way I’ve found to insure it.
In a recent visit with a coaching Guru, I was able to come to the realization that nothing is perfect.
Some find this comforting while others are freaked out by it. I am determined to create a company that has a love for producing results that scream, “GREAT”!
When you look closely enough, you can always find something wrong. Jewelers have a loupe that allows them to get up close and magnify the thing they are looking at so much that they can find flaws in Diamonds! Where does it stop? where is the line? The trouble is that if you look closely enough, you will find it.
In a strange twist, flaws can denote value too, I have a friend that makes a handsome living looking for coins that are flawed because they are rare.
My remodeling company has got to figure out how to solve the problem and systematize our quality standards. I can’t be everywhere. Like Edward Deming convinced the Japanese to engineer in quality with great success, we are not going to inspect things at the end of the assembly line.
We need to hold ourselves responsible for our level of quality throughout our projects and continuously raise the bar.
Double stamp
Symmetry gives me a sense of calm and wellbeing. When I am wearing my Paramedic hat, I am constantly comparing limbs to find deformity and detect subtle differences in strength and sensation.
Where I am headed with this all ties directly to the “you-missed-a-spot mentality” which I have touched upon in the past. How closely should you look? What is the benchmark for great?
We strive to be first to see less than perfection, but it occasionally slips by us. We try to be the Bud-Man of remodeling “Dauntless Defender of Quality!” Absolute trust in our good intentions is essential, we are on the same team.
Sure, we are good at figuring out what is wrong and not dwelling on who is wrong. Sure we are good at sucking it up and getting it fixed, but I am not ready to be done tinkering with our process. I believe this will differentiate us from the pack and ultimately define us.
“That’s good enough for government work,” is a saying that makes me ill. Why can’t we say, “That’s not good enough for us?” Our quality threshold must live a click or two above our clients.
At the restaurant, we used to play a game when we interviewed folks to work, it involved a little self discovery. The “Ah Ha!” moment happened when they realized that it is in no one’s best interest to serve a pizza that is cooked less than perfectly, or with the wrong toppings.
Perhaps a calibration tool is required. What can it be? How do I build one?
Aircraft mechanics have tolerances that they use as a guide, and remodelers have tools overflowing from their belts. Levels, plumb bobs, lasers, tape measures, etc. What we need to build is a tool that denotes great!
Our new tool
Snapshot
That is when it hit me. We are going to start admiring great work wherever we find it. The most powerful tool of all is to “create that mental snapshot” when it comes to great craftsmanship. Whatever form it is in, expect us to openly scrutinize everyone’s work and celebrate the results.
Levco’s remodeling process is designed to create enthusiastic referrals, and this is just one of the tools we are using to accomplish our singular goal.
We are all professionals. When we catch ourselves doing something great or catch something that is not so great, the bell should ring loud. We must pledge to never be satisfied until it is great. Accountability is king in this industry. When this is the norm, nothing can stop the amount of praise we receive from our clients, or fun we have working together.
Bonus Round Questions
- Who can give me some examples of raising the quality bar in their industry?
- How do you share stories of great work that you admire with your coworkers?
Your comments are welcome. To ask questions or get more information about remodeling, click here to email me directly, or call 208-947-7261
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