Corey Operations

The work

Three before-and-afters from my own operations work, and a look at what you get at each step.

These come from my years in operations at a regional services company. Names and identifying details are left out. Every before and after here is real, and the only numbers are ones I can back up.

Before and after 1

Five systems, one operation

A regional services company growing faster than its processes.

Before
After
BeforeEvery new customer was typed into several systems by hand.
AfterCustomer details are entered once and flow through the connected systems.
BeforeEach setup was done a little differently.
AfterOne standard template drives every setup. A nightly check flags anything that has drifted.
BeforeReports and payment notices were assembled by hand, including about 18 payment emails a month written one at a time.
AfterReports and notices generate from the source data. Any manual correction is marked and logged.
BeforeEquipment failures were usually found when a customer complained.
AfterFailures are flagged within about an hour.
BeforeLeadership checked 8 separate screens every Monday.
AfterOne weekly digest.

What I did

I followed the work from signed deal to monthly report and found every point where someone was retyping it. I connected the tools the company already paid for instead of replacing them. Then I wrote the standard down as a template and put a check on it.

Why it stuck

Nobody had to learn a new set of tools. The ones they used every day finally worked together.

Live in about 13 weeks, built by one person.

Before and after 2

One standard for every rollout

A monitoring and control system rolled out to commercial customer sites.

Before
After
BeforeDeployments had no standard process.
AfterEvery deployment follows the same intake form, configuration calculator, and validation procedure. Deployment time dropped over 30%.
BeforeCustomer sites could see demand spike up to 3× when equipment ran, driving steep utility charges.
AfterThe system holds each site under a set demand threshold. Customers avoided an estimated $1M+ in demand charges.
BeforeThe system was new and unfamiliar to customers and to our own team.
AfterTraining sessions and onboarding guides made it usable. Customers used the data to manage costs and justify budgets.
Before—
AfterDeployed at 200+ sites.

What I did

I standardized the whole deployment with reusable templates and procedures, trained customers and the internal team, and turned what we learned in the field into product improvements.

Why it stuck

The templates made the right way the easy way. It became one of the company's most valued services.

Before and after 3

Old equipment, new system

Equipment at many customer sites, across many hardware types.

Before
After
BeforeEquipment ran on outdated systems. Users couldn't find it in apps or maps, and it couldn't be managed remotely.
AfterEquipment runs on a modern system. It's visible in apps and maps and managed remotely.
BeforeIt sat underused and earned little.
AfterPublic pricing turned idle equipment into earning equipment.
BeforeMoving it meant a long list of technical steps across field and remote teams.
AfterField teams follow step-by-step procedures, with clear criteria for what can move. Downtime and support incidents dropped.
BeforeCustomers were uneasy about the change.
AfterEvery customer got a plain-language playbook: the steps, the timeline, and what they'd gain.

What I did

I set the criteria, wrote the procedures, and set up a central tracker with automatic notices so field techs, remote engineers, and customer success all saw the same status.

Why it stuck

Everyone followed the same written steps and watched the same tracker. Nothing depended on who happened to be on the job.

What you get at each step

These show the format and depth of what you'd get. Details are generalized, and no company is named.

1

Evaluate: the evaluation summary

Sample · details generalized

Operations evaluation

A regional services company

What I did

I spent time on site watching the work: sales handing off new customers, operations setting them up, support taking calls, and the team pulling monthly reports. I talked with the people who do each job.

Where you are today

Mostly Chaos, with pockets of Predictable. The work gets done and customers are served. But most tasks are done a little differently depending on who does them, and a few people hold most of the know-how.

What I found

  1. The same information gets typed into several systems. Each retype is a chance for an error, and nobody owns the whole path.
  2. Know-how lives with a few people. New hires learn by shadowing. When someone is out, work waits.
  3. Setups vary by who does them. Small differences pile up and surface later as customer problems.
  4. Problems are found by customers first. There's no early warning when something breaks.
  5. Reporting is rebuilt by hand every month.

What's working

  • The tools are good. They just aren't connected, so nothing needs replacing.
  • People want this fixed. Everyone named the same problems without prompting.

What we'll measure

MeasureTodayCheck again at
Setups needing a fix after launchBaseline set at start90 days
Time for a new hire to work on their ownBaseline set at start90 days
Hours spent on monthly reportingBaseline set at start90 days

Recommended focus

Start with new-customer setup, because every other problem traces back to it. Then reporting, then support.

Next step

A one-page plan: which procedures get written, who writes them, and by when.

2

Plan: the 30/60/90 plan

Sample · details generalized

30/60/90 plan

A regional services company

Goal: move setup, reporting, and support from Chaos to Predictable.

Days 1–30: New-customer setup

ProcedureWritten byReviewed byDue
Hand off a signed dealSales leadOperations LeadWeek 2
Set up a new customer accountOperations specialistOperations LeadWeek 3
Setup check and fixesOperations LeadOperations ManagerWeek 4

Days 31–60: Reporting

ProcedureWritten byReviewed byDue
Build the monthly customer reportAccount managerOperations ManagerWeek 6
Correct a report figureAccount managerOperations ManagerWeek 7
Quarterly customer reviewAccount leadLeadershipWeek 8

Days 61–90: Support and upkeep

ProcedureWritten byReviewed byDue
Respond to an equipment alertSupport leadOperations ManagerWeek 10
Log and close a support issueSupport specialistSupport leadWeek 11
Keep procedures currentOperations ManagerLeadershipWeek 12

How we'll run it

  • Week 1: training for everyone writing procedures, using the standard template.
  • A 30-minute check-in every week to review drafts and clear what's stuck.
  • Each procedure gets an owner and a review date when it's approved.
  • Day 90: re-measure and decide what's next.
3

Implement: a finished procedure

Sample · based on a real procedure, details generalized

Train a new customer on their dashboard

Customer Success · Owner: Customer Success Lead · Version 2.0

Purpose. Every new customer leaves training able to use their dashboard on their own. That's what keeps them using it.

When. Within a week of a customer's account going live.

Who's involved

  • Trainer: Customer Success Manager
  • Attendees: the customer's owner or manager, plus anyone who'll use the dashboard day to day

Before you start

  • The account setup is complete and matches what the customer signed up for.
  • Every feature they're paying for is turned on and tested.
  • A demo account with sample data is ready, so they can practice without touching live data.
  • You've read the customer's notes and know the two or three things they care about most.

Steps

Open the session

  1. Ask what they want to get out of the dashboard. Write down their answer and come back to it at the end.
  2. Show the overview screen first. Point out the two or three numbers that matter most to them.

Walk through the dashboard

  1. Activity. Show where daily activity shows up and how to filter it. Have them find one specific item themselves.
  2. Equipment. Show how to check status and spot a problem early.
  3. Locations. Show how location details appear to their users, and how to update them.
  4. Users and permissions. Set up their staff logins together. Explain who should see what.
  5. Pricing. Show where pricing lives and how to change it. Have them make a practice change in the demo account.
  6. Reports. Pull one report together and show how to export it.

Close the session

  1. Go back to what they said they wanted in step 1. Confirm they can do it on their own.
  2. Send the user guide and your contact information the same day.
  3. Book a follow-up check-in for 7 days out.

Tailor it to who's in the room

If you're talking toFocus on
An ownerRevenue, usage, and whether it's paying off
An operations managerStatus, alerts, and catching problems early
FinanceReports, reconciliation, and pricing

Done when

  • The customer can do their core tasks without help.
  • The 7-day check-in is on the calendar.
  • Training notes and any feature requests are logged on the customer's record.

If something goes wrong

  • A feature isn't working during training: note it, move on, and open a support ticket right after the session. Don't troubleshoot live.
  • The right people aren't in the room: finish with who's there and book a short second session for the rest.

At the 7-day check-in

  • Check that they've logged in and used the main features.
  • Answer new questions.
  • Log anything they asked for so the product team sees it.

Something missing or wrong? Leave a comment on this procedure. The owner reviews comments weekly.

Want to see where your business sits?

Serving metro Detroit. Based in Holly.

Book an evaluation Or email travis.corey@icloud.com. I reply within one business day.