To say that Jason Briggs knows service would be an understatement.

Not only has he co-owned Paradise Pool and Spa since 1994, but he has been active in the Army National Guard since graduating from high school.

In fact, as of this interview, Briggs was heading out of town on assignment. Before leaving for duty, Briggs was able to share some insights on how the Torrance, Calif.-based company has evolved and what this meant for his customer service initiatives.

In the case of his company, Briggs credits a number of recent improvements for maintaining a high level of customer service. He took a holistic approach, implementing a wide variety of improvements across specialties. To increase professionalism, he purchased new company vehicles and uniforms. He made key staff changes, hiring route and office managers and a front office receptionist.

And, like our other customer-service award recipients, Briggs embraced technology, installing advanced phone systems with email capabilities and an exchange server for interoperable communications and scheduling. Perhaps the most critical improvements include the addition of a GPS tracking system and the implementation of digital record keeping, he says.

“The GPS system allows us to see where all the technicians are in the field at any given moment, which leads to a much faster response time and more efficiency,” he explains. “The digital reporting allows everyone to access historical data about customer visits and interaction for analysis and retrieval.”

To reinforce these changes, Briggs hosts weekly training and safety meetings.

As a result of these efforts, he says the company has grown exponentially. “We must be doing something right,” he acknowledges, pointing to his more than 700 accounts.

Of course, adjustments like this don’t come without some challenges, and finding the time necessary to keep up with the pace and implement evolutionary change will continue to be a struggle. But Briggs sees this as a battle worth fighting: “Our goal is to provide the best quality and responsive customer service, and we will always take care of customer’s needs as if they were our own,” he says. “Do it right or not at all.”