Throughout our lives, it seems that perfection can never be achieved but we can strive for excellence. That measure of difference between something being “good” and the same thing becoming “excellent” is usually another inch of effort beyond what was required to make it good. If it is only another inch of effort, why do so many of us stop at “good”? It is likely because that extra inch of effort to achieve excellence takes another level of EFFORT that we may, or may not, be willing to give.
However, when it comes to the Missouri ticketing system, damage prevention, and public safety, this is EXACTLY what prevents us from achieving excellence. Here are some examples:
- It's easier to simply provide a response on the ticket rather than providing a complete picture, which would include your response coupled with your GIS mapping data. To do this, utility owners must first set up an interface that allows Missouri 811 to read the GIS data.
- It’s easier to submit multiple tickets well in advance because I’m worried they won’t be marked in time than it is to use Advanced Ticketing and schedule them for when the work is actually ready to begin.
- It’s easier to clear my ticket than it is to mark the infrastructure because I believe it’s cheaper to repair the damage than it is to pay someone to mark it. At least, I think so.
We at Missouri 811 take the pursuit of excellence seriously and apply it to ourselves. We are constantly looking for ways to make that ticketing system excellent, not just good. Here are some of the improvements we have implemented or are still working through:
- Adding excavators on our Board of Directors so we can work better to serve all stakeholders through collaboration rather than relying solely on legislative changes.
- The Project Coordination Tool is about to launch and will allow you to post your long-term projects and collaborate with others to coordinate right-of-way work.
- We are discussing ways to improve the locate response process for everyone rather than forcing larger projects into a two-day locating window.
- We are discussing ways to structure the system for contractors and subcontractors do not have to submit the same ticket.
If you have ideas on how to make the Missouri 811 system better, we want to hear them. Share them with the Operating Committee at operationschair@missouri-811.org or any Missouri 811 employee. That includes me…You can email me at rnorden@missouri-811.org
