Super-techs are not hired by chance. Rather, they are shaped and molded. These people all share two critical attributes: Motivation and Desire. How we as managers fuel their motivations and desires on a daily basis is the foundation of building a super-team and reducing employee turnover — the black plague of our industry. Numerous technicians filled with potential, fall to the wayside as a direct result of lackluster management and the "bean-counter" mentality.

Great managers are leaders by example. They get involved and coach their people daily. They zero in on the tech's ambitions, (a cash bonus, a 1st home, a new car, a child's college education) and they demonstrate how the company is a financial vehicle for the tech to realize those dreams. The best managers always keep their techs' goals in mind and do everything within their power to make them a reality. Success is most gratifying when it is accomplished by helping others realize their dreams.

Step 1: Hire the Right People

I would rather hire someone who is motivated with a willingness to learn than someone with loads of experience and pre-existing bad work habits. The biggest hitters I have ever known were former bus drivers, mechanics, delivery drivers and even bounty hunters — all with no prior plumbing or drain cleaning experience. What they all shared was motivation and a strong work ethic. Experienced people need to be re-programmed to your company's ways of doing things. They tend to bring in extra baggage. Years of experience and a clean driving record assure you of nothing. Seek people that are looking for a future not just a job. Ask interview questions that give insight to the applicant's goals. A good candidate will make direct eye contact with the interviewer and will be concerned about how your company will help him achieve those goals. Supertechs want an environment that gives them the opportunity to prove themselves and rise to the top.

Step 2: Comprehensive Training

Give your people a thorough understanding of all facets of their job and clearly define what's expected of them. Provide written materials whenever possible. I distributed one or two handouts every week to my crew. Perhaps a write-up on handling customers or operating a trailer jetter or calculating job costs or figuring out a hypothetical plumbing problem. Trainees were given hands-on training for six weeks before they went solo. They were drilled on everything from filling out an invoice correctly to performing the most complicated tasks. They knew all the basics. After two or three months on the road, they learned about cameras and locators. They were either showed or assigned to an ongoing sewer repair for more hands-on training. During all this time I would monitor their progress and probe for areas where they needed extra training. The training never stopped. We gave several in-house classes weekly on a wide range of topics, but always with the goal of enhancing their skill-level. Then the big day would always come — their first "big" job. They got the biggest thrill out of selling their first sewer replacement.