Keeping Track of Crews

by Charles Vander Kooi, ConcreteNetwork.Com Columnist

One of the things which is always a problem with field people is paperwork. The greatest of the hated paperwork is any job costing time or time card reports which have to be kept. This problem becomes even greater for maintenance or tree trimming, in any type of service company where your crews are on many jobs during a one day period.

Here is an idea which can help keep track of these crews as they move from job to job. It can even be used by a foreman on a big job; however, this idea does require you have a radio communications system in your vehicles. One contractor has the foreman radio the office each time they arrive at a job with a simple code, i.e. Foreman #10 (example) and number 1 for arriving at a job name. For example, the foreman would simply say, 10-1 at Smith Residence. At that point, the secretary monitoring the radio acknowledges the message and logs the time. When the foreman is done and ready to leave, he radios 10-2 (2 for departing) the Smith Residence.

At the end of the day, you have a log of the hours spent on each job and travel time between each job. The office personnel can either do the hated and often incorrect paperwork for job costing. This system can also help minimize those extra stops at donut shops, lengthy lunches, etc.

Seminars offered by Charles Vander Kooi
Estimating & Bidding Balancing Estimating, Job Costing, and Accounting People Management

Charles Vander Kooi Biography:

Charles Vander Kooi has been involved in the construction industry for over 30 years, thirteen as an upper-management employee of companies and seventeen as a consultant. He has bed over a billion dollars in work over his career. As a private consultant, he has helped over 1,200 companies in their estimating/bidding systems and has lectured to over 70,000 contracting people nationally and internationally.

Constantly in demand, Mr. Vander Kooi speaks at an average of 100 Trade Shows and Conventions annually, teaching his philosophy across the U.S., Canada and Australia. His company consults with an average of 100 clients annually to assist in improving their performance.

He has authored eight books to the industry and his seminars are available on audiocassettes as well as videos.

Vander Kooi and Associates, Inc.
Phone: 303.697.6467, Fax: 303.697.6815

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