Executive Insights: Jill Davie, President, TEAM Software

Jill Davie started full time with TEAM Software in May 1998 as an account manager after working at the company as an intern during college. Over the next two decades, she held various roles, including senior vice president of client experience. Davie is now using her deep industry knowledge, her focus on our customers and her passion for TEAM’s people to serve as TEAM’s president. She earned her Bachelor of Science in business administration and marketing from Iowa State University.

What are some trends you see developing in the building service contracting industry?

We're seeing that the BSC industry is largely overwhelmed and continuously stretching resources. A catalyst to the current environment is, of course, challenges brought on by the current, tight labor market. We're seeing managers and supervisors rolling up their sleeves to fulfill scheduled work requests, and in some cases, having to let go of contracts simply because there aren't enough people to service a job to SLA standards. In this climate, BSC's can no longer really put efficiency on the back burner. Spending time on manual processes, trying to clean up mismatched data from disparate software systems, not having an eye on job-level profitability...those are resource-draining activities that BSC's simply cannot afford to continue long-term. I think this creates a really unique opportunity to dig into what systems you have in your toolbox. You can leverage them to become more efficient and productive, to improve communications with your employees and customers, to identify areas to maximize resources and get the most out of your operations. If you don't have the right systems in your toolbox, it really is crucial to invest in those systems now, and take a proactive approach to staying ahead of the trends.

How would you describe your leadership style?

I feel like it is my job to support my team, remove their roadblocks, set them up for success - and then get our of their way. Every individual we hire at TEAM is hired for a reason. I know they are capable, and I want them to shine knowing they have strong support and resources at their back. I really try to be a servant leader in that way, providing advice where I can be valuable to reach our goals, and celebrating successes along the way. Coincidentally, it's the same way I approach TEAM's customers in the BSC space. It's so important for us to listen to what they need, remove the obstacles holding them back and celebrate their successes when they have a big win.

What is one challenge you’ve experienced in your career, and how did you handle it?

COVID has been a challenge on many different levels. It was, and still is, an event that has changed how my team operates. We planned, adopted and implemented a remote work model very quickly. We knew in doing so, we needed to continue to deliver on our promises to our customers, without any interruptions. We were able to make those changes really quickly because we'd prioritized getting the right systems in place to support our team in a distributed format the way we design our solutions to support cleaning companies with a distributed workforce. It also, in some ways, gave us the opportunity to test our own solutions' flexibility to meet ever-changing needs that boiled to the surface as COVID swept the world. In that challenge, we've been able to prove our value and identify even more ways we can pass that value on to our customers (and their customers).

Any advice for new BSCs coming into the industry?

From my perspective, it is crucial for new BSC's to become a BSCAI member and take advantage of all events, networking opportunities and resources at your disposal. Make those connections with members, with vendors. This industry is really like none other in that everyone is incredibly willing to help a growing contractor and impart their knowledge on successes, missteps and plans for the future.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve received in your career?

The best advice I've received I can attribute to TEAM's Founder, Frank Labedz. He told me, when building a team, to always hire people who are different from you, smarter than you, and who could ultimately replace you. Sometimes a manager is hesitant to think that way, because you're (almost always) hiring for roles that are below your own in an organizational structure. In reality, though, knowing you have capable individuals who can step into your shoes as quickly as possible can greatly benefit your company's success and you as a leader. For me personally, it means I know our clients are taken care of the way I would want them to be, and my company is in good hands as we head into the future.

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Jill Davie, President, TEAM Software