Hopefully everyone has had a good and successful summer so far. It is hard to believe that in just a few short weeks the calendar will start moving toward fall. For many of us in the pavement maintenance business, that means the finish line is starting to come into sight. We are still busy, still working, and still trying to finish strong, but we can also start to see the end of another season coming.
One phrase that has really stuck with me over the last year or two is “do it with intention.”
I first heard a younger person say it when they were talking about something they were attending. I don’t remember the exact conversation, but they said they were “doing it with intention.” For whatever reason, that stuck with me. Since then, I have found myself using that phrase more and more. And like a lot of things, I started thinking about how it relates back to our asphalt businesses.
Doing something with intention really just means doing it with purpose. You are not just going through the motions. You thought about it. You planned it. You prepared for it. You are trying to do it the right way.
That sounds simple, but in our industry, I think it’s easy to just go through the motions – especially in the middle of the season. But we can’t afford that.
Estimating With “Intention”
Take estimating for example. When I go look at a parking lot, I want to do that inspection with intention. I want to actually look at the pavement, not just drive through the lot or just measure it and throw out a number. I want to see what is really going on. Is it oxidation? Is it failed asphalt? Is it base failure? Are the cracks something crack sealing can help, or is the pavement already too far gone?
We all know how this business gets. Sometimes you are way busy. Sometimes your schedule is full. Sometimes you are fat and happy with work, and another estimate feels like just another thing to get done. But if you go look at a job with that mindset, you are not doing yourself or your customer any favors.
If I am rushed or distracted or not sure if we want the job – if I am not doing the estimating with intention -- I might miss something important. I might miss drainage issues, alligator cracking, oil damage, bad transitions, or areas that need patching before sealcoat. Then when we get on site to start the work that “simple” job becomes a problem. And it becomes a problem for both the customer and for the business.
That is where intention comes in.
If I go into that inspection knowing I want to provide the best recommendation I can, then I am already off to a good start. I am giving the customer a better inspection. They’re getting a more accurate proposal, they have a better idea of their options and potential expenses, and they have an idea of what future maintenance might include and cost. And from my standpoint I’m able to better schedule that job for my crew, I can develop a plan for it, and I have a better handle on costs (which results in a more accurate profit picture for that job). Basically, I’m setting that job up to be successful from the beginning for me and my customer.
“Intention” On The Job
The same thing applies once the contract is signed.
Sealcoating with intention means more than just spraying black on the ground. It means completing the job with a purpose: safely routing traffic and pedestrians around the work zone, cleaning the lot properly, watching the edges, protecting sidewalks and buildings, making sure the mix is right, and not leaving a sloppy mess behind.
Crack sealing with intention means cleaning the cracks, applying the material correctly, watching traffic, and not leaving tar all over the place. Striping with intention means straight lines, correct layout, ADA stalls done right, arrows and stencils clean, and leaving the lot looking sharp when you pull out.
None of that is complicated. But it does take effort; it takes intention.
I think sometimes – especially in the heart and heat of the season -- we forget how much those little things matter. A customer might not know every technical detail about asphalt, but they can tell when a contractor cares. They can tell when the crew is organized. They can tell when the job looks clean. They can tell when somebody took pride in the work.
I’ve written many times before in this column about reputation and building your brand. Every estimate, every phone call, every crew, and every finished project contributes to that reputation. When you do those things with intention, you are building more than just another completed job. You are building confidence with your customer, your employees, yourself, and giving customers the confidence to rehire you (and potential customers the confidence to hire you).
“Intention” At Trade Shows
I also think this applies to how we grow as business owners. PAVE/X is a good example. You can go to a trade show and just walk around, look at equipment, shake a few hands, and call it a good show.
Or you can go with intention.
You can go there with a couple of problems you are trying to solve. Maybe you need a better crack sealing setup. Maybe you are looking at a new sealcoat machine. Maybe you want to improve scheduling, hiring, estimating, or how your crews operate. Maybe you have new hires who need a sealcoating or striping crash course. Maybe you’re thinking of adding sealcoating to your paving operation.
If you intentionally spend some time in advance thinking about what you want to do to improve your business, what you want to take home from the show, you can take those ideas to PAVE/X and get some suggestions – whether from seminars, from exhibitors, or from other contractors you meet.
Same show, same people, same equipment, but a totally different mindset – an intentional mindset.
That is the point I am trying to make. Doing things with intention does not have to be some big, complicated business theory. It can be as simple as slowing down a little and asking yourself if you are really doing the best you can with what is in front of you.
Estimate with intention. Communicate with intention. Schedule with intention. Perform the work with intention.
And then extend that “intentional” mindset to your crews. Let them know what the goal is before they get to the job. Let them know what matters on that project. Sometimes just having everyone on the same page makes a huge difference.
At the end of the day, intention sharpens your focus. It makes you think a little more. It makes you prepare a little better. And in this business, that little extra level of thought and effort can pay off for years to come.
