Meet GNI's insulation operations team
November 06, 2023
Dan West, our Production Supervisor in Durham, talks about how GNI's ops team keeps everything running like clockwork.
With multiple trucks heading to multiple job sites every day, it takes knowledge and organization to ensure the right people are in the right place at the right time, every time. It definitely isn’t easy, but GNI’s superstar operations team are there to seamlessly fit together all the puzzle pieces each day – and keep things running smoothly.
These production wizards have to have an accurate picture of how long a job will take, then schedule a crew to do it. There’s sequencing with other trades to consider, especially on bigger projects, to ensure the install happens at the right point in the build. And when customers inevitably face delays and schedules have to shift, that complex puzzle needs to be reassembled.
“At the Durham branch, we have 5 trucks, with one to two jobs per day per truck on average,” says Dan West, Production Supervisor for GNI’s Durham location. “They're pretty tightly scheduled, and that can get complicated when our customers face delays due to inspections not passing, other trades falling behind schedule, or someone simply forgetting we were due to show up at their house that day.”
Sequencing is particularly important on larger jobs and renos. But not all customers are familiar with the process, especially homeowners and less experienced contractors. Luckily, GNI has plenty of experience with scheduling – and with keeping the lines of communication open so nothing gets missed.
“Staying on top of the status of HVAC and framing inspections is important,” says Dan. “Having the conversations to see if they're progressing as planned goes a long way to ensuring we stay on schedule. So does understanding capacity capabilities (how much work each crew can do in a given time) and geography. There are so many variables at play to maintain efficient scheduling, but the more experience you have with it, the smoother and easier it is.”
Being able to schedule things last minute isn’t always possible, but it’s easier for a company the size of Great Northern. If a schedule does change (and anyone that's ever done a reno will know just how often that happens), the GNI team has the resources to respond quickly.
A typical day for the Durham operations team
The production staff start their day at 6:30 a.m. They'll go over paperwork, help load the trucks, and ensure everyone has what they need. Once the trucks arrive on site, they deal with any problems that might come up. If there are no issues, it's on to confirming appointments for the next day and stocking up on materials.
Working to the highest standards
The operations team is spread across the company, with people at head office and all the branches, working as one Ontario-wide network. They're focused on aligning standards and gathering best practices from each branch so the customer experience is the same high quality, no matter which location you're dealing with.
Experience makes the difference
Great Northern branches are staffed with people who know what they’re doing: there’s a ton of expertise. For example, Dan West spent years as an installer before moving into his current role. Which means his scheduling is accurate because it's realistic – he's been there, done that, and he gets it.
The company’s sales reps and installers have also been in it for a long time, with newer installers paired with someone seasoned.
“Ultimately that depth of experience is where GNI offers real value,” says Dan. “You're going to get a good, experienced sales rep. You're going to have your project scheduled by somebody who knows what they're talking about and can interpret the needs of your project on a timeline that works for everyone. You'll have installers that give the work the attention and care it deserves. And if things don’t go exactly as planned? We're coming back to make it right.”
Want to know more about the teams that make GNI tick? Read about the powerhouse Customer Experience team that's putting customers first.
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