Chasing the Bounce

I was listening to a radio show about pool maintenance recently. (Insert Marco has no life comment here). They said after adding chemicals to your pool, wait 48 hours to test levels again. Without the wait you are testing an artificially high reading and “chasing the bounce”

We observe interesting trends due to our unique position in the industry. A recent and frustrating one is the “new/old” GPS user. This is a company that bought GPS when the business was booming, tried it without much success and set it on the shelf. With times tougher, they are dusting their units off and realizing they need to revisit the advantages of the technology. They had initially jumped in with everyone else and usually did not have enough time to correctly learn this demanding technology. They were following the initial popularity of GPS, effectively chasing the bounce.

The reasons for idle GPS are consistent. They break down to training and or data. Either the user did not grasp training or get enough. Sometimes the “GPS Point person” left. Data was the other problem. From too little too late, or plenty wrong information. Once you send questionable information to the field, you are done. Speaking as a former field hand, once you put egg on my face, I will never give you another chance.

You may be looking at that dusty GPS rig in the closet and thinking you should give it another opportunity. It is a valuable tool, but still only a tool. You need to know how to use  and feed it. You have seen the contractors who are still out there, working and profitable, running GPS.

Here are the steps for success;

• Get the dealer involved. Have them update firmware and train you on the use of the equipment.
• Learn how to build data, or where to get it done.
• Get your people trained, if they are still with you they are most likely keepers.
• Run your own time and motion studies to see what it costs to move dirt. (Hint, it will be about half the cost without the toys.)
• Change the per yard price on the excel bid sheet. Win some work and make money at lower cost.
• Amaze your friends and neighbors with your brilliance.