This summer, the vast majority of all our stakeholders are being faced with many challenges – mostly keeping up with all the excavation activity around our state. Our ticket volume is up this year (incoming tickets are up 16% compared to 2024), and owner/operators are having trouble keeping up with the volume. As a result, excavators are having trouble with timely locates. This isn’t just a Louisiana issue…. We hear about the same issues from our peers around the country.
Fielding complaints from excavators and owner/operators has somewhat consumed most of our field staff’s time. We certainly do not have all the answers, but we are doing our best to help resolve the problems by communicating with the impacted parties.
I will have to admit that patience never was one of my greatest strengths; however, compassion is! This is why we aim to please and understand clearly that time constraints are often the driving factor.
So, what is the solution? It may be overstated, but effective communication is the key. At the end of the day, we all have a job to do. But understanding where the “other person” is coming from may shed some light on the issues at hand. I urge you to do your best at putting yourself in the shoes of those you feel are the problem.
There is nothing like good, honest discussion between two parties. It seems like a simple solution, and it doesn’t solve all the problems, but it is a good start. I also think it is extremely important to respond to the other party in a timely manner. Nothing frustrates me more than not receiving a response at all!
One final suggestion from me is to obtain and keep handy good contact information. This is a critical step in developing positive relationships with each other. Knowing someone on a first-name basis is golden!
I suppose this is enough “preaching” about communicating with each other. Just know that our staff will continue aiding our stakeholders the best we can, but I urge you to do your best at working things out with each other. And if that fails, contact us and we will try and assist in resolving the issue.
Until next time, please stay hydrated with this excessive heat and continue to be safe out there!