Last but not least, youhave toprepare toweanyourpaper-pushing, pencil and tape-pullingdependent
field staff from “thewaywe’vealwaysdone it”. Conventionalwisdomandmanagement gurus tell you
to introduce the tablet and lasermeasurer (yeswegot those too) bygettingbuy-inetc. etc. Here’s
what I can tell you, give thema choice: “ChangeorDie”. No, not literally (at least not right this sec-
ondand certainlynot in theoffice lest youhave todo extrapaperwork). Anyway remind them it is
how theworldworks. Mostwill behappy towant tobeapart of
something
, particularlywhenyou fol-
low throughandmake them feel special. Field staff seems to likepizza. For those that insist onnot
changing, explain to them that youwill pay them$1.00 for eachphysical parcel inspection that theydo
as longas it complieswith the statutes.
Tell them that youare the judgeof that. And theyhave topay
for their gas anduse their car andhave theirown insuranceandbebondedanduse their cameraand
theirmeasuring tape. And theirpaper. And theirpencils. Somewill stillwant to jumpon that. You
shouldhave the resignation letter andnew contract readyand take thedeal. Remember, theydon’t
havea learning curveand they cannot possiblydo 10.1perhour for8hours to complywith the forth-
comingStateof theUnionminimumwageproffering. Anyway,wepaidavendor$1.00perparcel to
do just that, andno, noneof the individual contractorsdidnear80perday. Yes,wehave tried just
about everythinghere. Another true story.
You should figureabout a sixmonth transition for your field staff tomove to the tablet nomatterwhat
youaredoingnow. Yes, therewill begnashingof teeth, complaining, perhaps even threats. Remem-
ber thepizza. A satiated fieldperson is ahappy fieldperson. Youalsoneedanexpert that “knows the
data” so that staff canaskquestions andbegiven realworkinganswers. And (figuratively) holdhands
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Spring2014Newsletterof theFCIAAO
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