How We Define “Done Right” With Job Forms

Question

As we added technicians, I realized “do a good job” is way too vague.

What does that actually mean?

For us, it means things like checking the gate, following the right yard pattern, documenting anything unusual, making sure the area was actually completed, and leaving the property secure.

The more of that we can put into Job Forms, the less we have to rely on someone remembering every detail from training.

That matters even more when someone is new, covering another route, or just having an off day.

I still think training and judgment matter. A checklist can’t replace a good technician.

But it can protect the standard.

The goal is that “done right” looks the same no matter who is on the route that day.

What are the non-negotiables you’ve built into your Job Forms?

thejobberva · Answer

I Agree that a checklist protects the standard without replacing judgment. A few things that make Job Forms hold up across a crew:

PHOTO PROOF BEATS A CHECKBOX. A tick box says "done." A required before and after photo says done right. Make photos mandatory on the items that cause callbacks, like the gate latched, the finished area, and anything unusual you found.

MAKE THE ISSUE FIELD REQUIRED. Add a question like Anything unusual on this property? that can't be skipped, even if the answer is no. It forces the tech to look, and it catches the dead sprinkler head or the damaged fence before the customer finds it.

END WITH A SECURITY CHECK. The last items should be gate closed and locked, pets and kids not at risk, tools off the property. Putting it last means it's the final thing they see before leaving.

WRITE THE ITEMS AS YES/NO ACTIONS. Gate latched? gets a real answer. Did a good job? gets a lazy one.

REVIEW THE FORMS WEEKLY. Spot check three or four completed forms a week. If techs know someone looks, the quality stays up, and you'll see which checklist items are being rushed.

For new techs, I'd add one extra item: Did you follow the route notes for this property? It catches most of the mistakes from covering someone else's route.

AnthonySalazar

roselvaggio · Answer

Photos of the busiest areas of the home! Our techs cannot complete a job until they upload showing that kitchens, baths, and (usually) living rooms have met the standard we set for everyone. All too often it used to be a he-said she-said between techs and clients.

zoqena · Answer

Ours come down to five, and we keep them required rather than optional, or they quietly stop happening.

Gate and property left secure, with a photo of the gate closed. A before and after photo of the area actually serviced, not just the best-looking corner. A completion status on every visit, full, partial, or unable, with a reason required whenever it is not full. Anything unusual noted on the spot, access issues, damage, pets, or something left behind. And the customer notes checked before arrival, so gate instructions, pets, and access issues are read before the tech is standing at the property, not after.

The part that made it stick was not the form itself. It was reviewing every partial and unable visit at the end of the day, while it was still fresh, and keeping the form short enough to finish on site in about a minute. Once the list got longer than that, people started tapping through it without looking, and the standard we were protecting disappeared.

anthonysalazar · Answer

I like the distinction between photo proof and a checkbox.

We already use a gate photo on every visit for exactly that reason. It removes ambiguity and gives both the tech and customer something concrete if there’s ever a question later.

I also really like making the “anything unusual?” field required. That turns the form into more than a completion checklist and makes it part of risk management too.

anthonysalazar · Answer

That’s a huge one.The photo turns a quality standard into something you can actually review instead of relying on memory after the fact.We’ve seen the same benefit with gate photos. If there’s ever a question about whether it was left secure, you’re not stuck arguing over two different versions of what happened.

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How We Define “Done Right” With Job Forms

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