Service, Safety and Quality

“No job is so important, nor service so urgent, that we cannot take the time to perform our work safely.”

I first read those words on the wall of an Indiana Bell construction garage over 40 years ago. I saw, heard or spoke those words hundreds of times during the next ten years. They’re etched indelibly in my memory, even now. They tied together three key concepts that guided our company and the entire Bell System: service, safety and quality.

Service was important. Telephone service was our only product. The quality of our service was constantly measured and managers were held accountable for its continuity and reliability.

Managers were also accountable for productivity – getting the job done. Whatever the job: setting poles, stringing cables, installing the phones; it was measured by one of the many “indexes”. A manager soon learned that it was more productive to get the job done right the first time – one definition of quality.

The only thing that came before service and quality was safety. The words on the wall said it all. Getting the job done, quickly and right, was important. But, not as important as completing the work without setting up a set of circumstances that would be harmful to employees or customers. There were volumes of Bell System Practices that spelled out, down to the smallest detail, the right and safe way to do every job. There was no excuse for doing the job any other way.

A lot has changed in today’s telecom industry, but some things do not change.. Most telcos are installing advanced, broadband networks composed of fiber and electronics rather than copper cables. Telcos are working like crazy to get these networks built and to hook up customers. By all reports, the rich array of voice, Internet and TV services are excellent – the customers love the services they’re getting and want more.