Enhancing Precision in Job Costing: Part 2

Reviewing the Performance of Your Mowing Crews

Setting up your mowing crews’ routes for the season is a meticulous process that requires careful planning. However, reviewing these routes after the first and second weeks of mowing is equally essential to ensure they remain efficient and effective.

Getting Curious for Efficiency

Efficiency is critical to maintaining profitability in landscaping services. After setting up your mowing routes, engage with your field team leads and account managers to seek feedback on the routes and identify any potential areas for improvement. Here are some points to consider:

• Route Efficiency: Are the routes optimized for minimal travel time and maximum productivity? Discuss with your team to identify any routes causing delays or unnecessary travel.
• Client Needs: Have any clients’ needs changed since the routes were established? Regularly communicating with clients can help you stay ahead of any changes in their requirements.

Collecting and Analyzing Performance Data

Collecting performance data is essential for understanding how your mowing crews are performing and where there might be opportunities for improvement:

• Manual Data Collection: Manual data collection can provide detailed insights, although it may be time-consuming. Field team members can offer firsthand accounts of their experiences and challenges.
• Software Solutions: BOSS software offers real-time data collection, allowing you to monitor performance as it happens. The customizable BI Dashboard provides tailored views of data and charts, making it easy to focus on the metrics that matter most to you.

Review Frequency

Regularly reviewing performance data ensures that you can quickly address any issues and continuously improve your processes:

• Daily Reviews: Daily check-ins help catch any immediate issues and ensure that each day’s work progresses as planned.
• Weekly Reviews: Weekly reviews provide a broader perspective, allowing you to identify trends and adjust as needed.
• Monthly Reviews: Monthly reviews allow you to reflect on longer-term trends and strategically adjust your routes and processes.
• Post-Service Reviews: Reviewing performance data after each service is completed ensures a thorough analysis of the entire job.

Sharing Data with the Company

Sharing performance data with your team helps ensure everyone is aligned and working towards common goals. Here are some practical ways to share data:

• In the Shop: Post-performance data in a common area where all team members can see it.
• In the Office: Share data with office staff to keep everyone informed and engaged.
• Text Crews: Send performance updates via text to keep crews informed.
• Company Email: Use company-wide emails to share performance data and updates.
• Daily/Weekly Huddles: Hold regular huddles to discuss performance data and address any issues or opportunities.

Creating a “Watch Report”

Consider creating a “watch report” for accounts that consistently underperform. This proactive approach helps identify problem areas and allows you to address issues before they become more significant. BOSS’s homepage offers quick links to review report status, which are customizable for production managers, account managers, or foremen/crew leads.

By regularly reviewing your mowing crews’ performance and leveraging the capabilities of BOSS software, you can enhance efficiency and ensure that your routes are optimized for success. This approach helps you maintain high service standards but also supports continuous improvement and long-term profitability.