Before beginning to use this checklist, it wasn’t uncommon for Integrity Alaska’s production manager to receive incomplete project folders from the sales department, even though the production manager lacked the authority to address the problem of the missing information with the sales reps.

Enter the post-sale checklist, which helps the sales manager ensure that all paperwork is complete before it reaches the production manager. With the checklist, says Chris Dunn, president of the Anchorage company, if a folder is incomplete, the sales manager “knows immediately instead of when the job is done.”

The sales manager can also see if a sales rep has a pattern of specific mistakes or omissions, so she can provide training. Dunn says that the checklist helps the company modify processes quickly, making it easy to train new salespeople and to figure out what re-training is needed for existing staff.

Dunn says that the form also helps the production team concentrate on its strengths—field work and measuring—instead of having to fill in missing information.

  • A. Added Accuracy: This top section is essentially the same checklist that’s used by salespeople to make sure they’ve included all the required information in the folder. Having the sales manager review the list provides added accuracy.
  • B. Specifications: The salesperson fills out the work order electronically, then places a print-out in the folder.
  • C. Thank-You Review: The salesperson sends a handwritten note to the customers after the sale. In some cases, salespeople have written something that the customer considered inappropriate, so the manager reads the note before sending to ensure it reflects the company’s professionalism.
  • D. Photos: The salesperson takes photos during the initial visit. He prints the pictures, annotates them to indicate any issues, then attaches the photos to the work order.
  • E. Roof Measure: President Chris Dunn says that most Anchorage homes have roofs that are accessible, so the sales rep sketches the roof and takes measurements. For more complex roofs or when it’s not safe or is too icy to walk the roof, the company uses EagleView to provide aerial measurements.
  • F. Sales Goals: The company posts a dashboard of individual sales reps’ goals as well as companywide sales goals. The salesperson adds his sales to the board.
  • G. Particulars: These are the product specifications, including colors and dimensions.
  • H. Able to Approve: If the folder is complete, the sales manager signs the commission request for processing by the admin staff.

Nina Patel is a senior editor at REMODELING.