37. Quality, Integrity, and Lots of Bad Grass

How do you respond when you’re dealt a bad hand?

After months of deliberating and decision-making, Dale and Brian have landed on a product manufacturer and ForeverLawn is up and running. Once again, projects are finally being sold.

Ready to get the installations in the ground, the Karmie brothers unroll their first order– and notice a major issue with the product.

This unfortunate surprise quickly turns into a discouraging trend. Install after install, every order received was wrong in some way: bad backing, streaks, incorrect lengths…the list went on and on.

Regardless of these pains with their supplier, Dale and Brian never let these challenges negatively impact a customer. Ensuring a standard of quality and care  consistent with their ForeverLawn mission, Brian and Dale established a step-by-step conflict resolution known as the 3-D’s: Disarm, Defend, and Define. These principles became critical in maintaining good relationships and providing a high-quality product and service despite consistent roadblocks outside of their control.

Often we are thrown into situations where we’re dealt a bad hand.  In this episode, Dale and Brian share the importance of doing everything we can to play that hand right despite the cards we’ve been dealt: assume ownership, don’t cast blame, and keep your perspective fixed on the big picture.   It’s not always easy, but as you’ll hear from the brothers today, it is always worth it. 

Welcome back to Impact Without Limits. 

Episode Highlights: 

  • 9 months of product issues
  • Holding to a high standard of quality and care
  • Implementing conflict resolution for long-term relationships
  • The three D’s: Disarm, Defend, Define
  • Sympathy vs Empathy

Links Mentioned in Episode/Find More on ForeverLawn: