The hiring of two quality assurance (QA) managers, according to the company, contributed to some of that revenue growth. According to Ryan Petitti, director of technical operations and quality assurance at Green Lawn Fertilizing, the company places a strong emphasis on providing exceptional customer service, making quality assurance a logical outgrowth of that goal.
“The addition of a quality assurance team was not about merely finding problems, it was about adding team members that could build relationships, identify the areas of opportunity, and constructively develop our technician teams by building on trust,” he says.
Petitti sought candidates who were flexible and had good self-awareness and interpersonal skills. The quality assurance managers work directly with technicians and interface with customers in specific territories.
What Do They Do?
The performance of the services rendered by technicians is assessed by Green Lawn Fertilizing’s two quality assurance managers. The technicians are mentored and trained by the managers.
Vehicle and driver safety, customer communication, spotting and treating pests, best practices, equipment maintenance and calibration, regulatory and environmental compliance, and more are among the topics covered.
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The QA team is seen by Green Lawn as a further step in fostering client trust. To address client concerns, the managers also collaborate with the operations and customer service teams.
“Depending on the customers’ needs, the quality assurance managers will evaluate the property, diagnose concerns, share actions that can be taken to maximize service results, reset expectations if necessary and communicate next steps,” he says.
Positive Experience
According to Petitti, there haven’t been any problems with the QA team double-checking the work of the technicians. In reality, technicians frequently ask quality assurance managers for additional training or information. Customers have taken notice, claims Petitti.
“(They’re) often amazed that the company has a dedicated position focused on the quality of the service being delivered to their properties,” he says.
Keep in Mind
Petitti emphasizes that operations thinking about adding a manager or team for quality assurance should not link the position to production. Applying technician performance metrics to the QA team is not a good idea.
Field visits with technicians are an entire day for Green Lawn’s quality assurance manager. The goal, according to Petitti, is to promote good coaching and relationship-building.
“If the position is tied to revenue, the daily demands of the business will dictate where time is spent because of immediate needs,” he says. “This will have an effect on the position’s long-term influence.”
Also, don’t anticipate a quick return on your investment. Green Lawn sees the quality assurance team as a long-term investment.
“Such impacts will be seen in technician retention, customer retention, a reduction in service calls, improved product management (savings on wasted product and labor time) and a competitive advantage that sets the business apart from others,” he says.
