INCREASING HOME SERVICES CAPACITY WITHOUT ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT INVESTMENT

The "Two Tech Team" project is a compelling case study of a home services company that successfully addressed capacity limitations and growing customer demand without the need for additional equipment investment. Faced with a booked-out schedule and a lack of capital for expanding its fleet, the company embarked on a mission to optimize existing resources and increase service capacity. Through a meticulous and data-driven approach, they introduced policies and procedures for two technicians to work as a team. This allowed them to efficiently handle more service requests and reduce the turnaround time from call to the day of service. By retraining technicians, adjusting scheduling software, and evaluating pricing models, the company achieved remarkable outcomes. Service capacity increased by 45.5%, accompanied by a 75.8% rise in revenues. Moreover, employee satisfaction soared, leading to a notable reduction in turnover, and return visits on service calls decreased significantly, enhancing customer satisfaction. The project's success highlights the importance of collaborative problem-solving, data-driven decision-making, and prioritizing employee well-being in achieving business growth and customer satisfaction within the home services industry.

PROJECT OVERVIEW

Description: The Two Tech Team project aimed to increase the capacity of home services provided by the company without the need for additional investment in equipment. The goal was to handle more service requests efficiently and reduce the turnaround time from call to the day of service.

PROJECT BACKGROUND

Problem: The company had a growing client base but was losing business due to a booked-out schedule and limited capacity. They lacked the capital to purchase new equipment to expand the fleet and meet the increasing demand for services. Opportunity: Realizing the market share loss due to extended turnaround times, the project was initiated to find innovative ways to increase capacity without purchasing additional equipment.

PROJECT STAKEHOLDERS

• Technician Managers
• Technicians
• Office Managers
• Receptionist Team
• Phone Agents
• Executive Team

PROJECT SCOPE

• Increase service capacity without investing in new equipment.
• Design and implement procedures to enable two technicians to work as a team instead of one.
• Utilize existing equipment (vehicle, ladders, power tools) and supplement with necessary hand tools.

PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION

• Used Microsoft Word to create new policies and procedures for two-technician crews.
• Rewrote training manuals based on the new policies and procedures.
• Retrained returning technicians and provided training for new technicians.
• Adjusted presets on the SQL-based scheduling software.
• Reviewed pricing models to calculate an increase in pricing to manage demand while increasing capacity.
• Rolled out the changes in the Spring and reevaluated the effectiveness after two months.
• Tracked revenue in Quickbooks.

PROJECT RESULTS AND OUTCOMES

• Increased capacity by 45.5%
• 0.5% increase in equipment costs
• 75.8% increase in revenues
• Improved employee satisfaction by 65.8%
• 15% reduction in turnover
• Decreased return visits on service calls by 23%.

SUCCESS METRICS

• Capacity: Compared capacity over the previous three years.
• Revenue and Cost of Goods Sold: Tracked in Quickbooks.
• Employee Satisfaction: Tracked through employee evaluations and a standard questionnaire compared to the previous three years.
• Reduction in Return Service Calls: Tracked as a line item in Quickbooks and compared over the past three years.

CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS

• Wasted labor from getting techs used to new processes: Addressed through daily evaluations and morning meetings with all technicians.
• Missing tools: Implemented a deposit system for technicians' own hand tools.
• Training difficulties: Overcame with a comprehensive training plan and skilled trainers.

USER FEEDBACK

The "Two Tech Team" project received positive user feedback, leading to increased client satisfaction. With two technicians working as a team, service efficiency improved, reducing call-to-service time and addressing customer needs promptly. Clients appreciated the streamlined process, shorter wait times, and better-equipped technicians, resulting in fewer return visits. Satisfied clients shared their positive experiences, enhancing the company's reputation and attracting new customers. The project's success highlights the value of customer-centric approaches, improving both capacity and customer relationships within the home services industry.

LESSONS LEARNED

• Collaboration and considering various perspectives are vital.
• Data-driven decision-making based on numbers is crucial.
• Employee satisfaction leads to increased productivity.
• Well-thought-out and executed projects yield significant benefits.

FUTURE PLANS

No need for further expansion as the project achieved its purpose and became a staple of the company's operations.

RECOMMENDATIONS

The key to overcoming challenges lies in taking the time to thoroughly examine all angles and perspectives. Instead of dictating, it is essential to make the most of available resources and foster collaboration among stakeholders. Data-driven decision-making should be prioritized over relying solely on intuition. By following these principles, the presented use case offers a comprehensive understanding of the project's successful outcomes, its significant impact on stakeholders, and the valuable insights gained from its execution.