Spartan Plumbing
All Boards→Leadership→Business Operations
Business Operations~18 min

Strategic Planning Process

Purpose

Outlines how Josh and Spartan leadership approach annual and quarterly strategic planning — setting growth priorities, reviewing performance, and making key operational decisions.

Who This Applies To

Josh (owner), and any leadership team members invited to planning sessions.

Planning Cadence

| Horizon | Frequency | Output |

|---|---|---|

| Annual Plan | Once per year (Q4) | Company goals, KPI targets, hiring plan, capital investments |

| Quarterly Review | Once per quarter | Progress vs. annual plan, adjustments, Q+1 priorities |

| Monthly Operations | Monthly | Operational KPIs, staffing, revenue vs. budget |

Annual Planning Process (Q4 of each year)

Step 1 — Review Prior Year Performance

  • Pull annual ServiceTitan report: total revenue, RPL, GBA, job count, recall rate.
  • Identify top 3 wins and top 3 gaps from the prior year.
  • Review callback rate and identify systemic issues to fix.

Step 2 — Set Growth Priorities

Spartan growth is driven by two levers:

  • Volume — more leads, more technicians, expanded service area.
  • Average ticket — higher RPL, better GBA through Good/Better/Best execution.

    • Slack strategic insight: Spartan's primary focus is on setting up "turnover opportunities" — identifying potential large-project customers during service visits and converting them to comprehensive installs. Single-job revenue is good; multi-visit relationship revenue is the goal.

    Also strategic: polybutylene (poly) piping replacement. Spartan is building a proactive "watch" around poly piping — identifying homes with it during service visits and educating customers about replacement. This is a significant revenue growth driver.

    Step 3 — Set KPI Targets for the Coming Year

    • Update RPL, GBA, Lead Creation Rate, and Closing Rate targets.
    • Share updated targets with coaches in ServiceTitan and in the #training-lab channel.

    Step 4 — Build Hiring Plan

    • Determine headcount needs based on projected job volume (see Capacity Planning & Hiring Triggers).
    • Identify which roles to hire first: service tech, install tech, or office.

    Step 5 — Capital & Technology Decisions

    • Review equipment (jetter, drain camera, service vehicles) for replacement or addition.
    • Review technology stack (ServiceTitan, Paylocity, Tradeshift, GoodLeap) for upgrades.
    • Assess Avoca usage and adjust after-hours call handling as needed.

    Quarterly Review Process

  • Pull ServiceTitan quarterly report — compare against annual plan targets.
  • Identify KPIs that are off-track and assign corrective actions.
  • Adjust the hiring plan if job volume is significantly above or below forecast.
  • Review any compliance, licensing, or insurance renewals due in the next quarter.

    • Nexstar Network

    Spartan is a Nexstar Network member. Use Nexstar resources for:

    • Industry benchmarks to compare Spartan's KPIs against peers.
    • Training programs and coaching frameworks.
    • Best practices for pricing, call handling, and tech performance.

    Important Notes

    • Strategic planning is Josh's responsibility. This document is a process guide, not a substitute for Josh's judgment.
    • Decisions made in planning sessions should be communicated to the full team during the Monday Morning Meeting.
    • Do not set KPI targets without also defining the training and coaching plan to hit them.

    Related SOPs

    • Revenue Targets & KPI Dashboard Guide — current KPI benchmarks
    • Capacity Planning & Hiring Triggers — headcount decisions
    • Weekly/Monthly Review Meeting Cadence — how plans are communicated to team
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