By Tom Smith
Quality control consistently ranks in the top three factors that determine the success–and profitability–of a dealer's installed sales program. Achieving top-notch quality takes investment, time, and skilled installers working according to disciplined processes. Beyond that, there are various ways to maximize quality, and the path you choose depends on the size and maturity of your installed sales operation.
Good
It should be standard operating procedure to begin each job with a checklist and to make it available to customers in pre- and post-job walkthroughs. Ultimately, the customers decide whether you've met an adequate quality standard, so they should have the power to sign off on a job.
Such steps are central to setting clear expectations, which are key to building and managing quality customer relationships. A customer who doesn't get surprises because he knew what to expect is more likely to be a repeat customer.
Hiring specialists for each type of installed sales your company performs–gutters, roofs, windows, doors, and so on–helps ensure you have the people most qualified to meet your standards. Just as employees specialize, the trucks they drive should be specialized as well. Jacks of all trades simply can't get and maintain the needed expertise.
Better
If you hire your own installers, plan to pay for training, especially vendor-specific classes such as those that window and insulation manufacturers offer.
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