The Edge June/July/August 2026

BOOSTING YOUR BUSINESS

patterns, or seasonal factors,” Lehmann says. “More frequent optimization would help us stay efficient and responsive throughout the year.” Take time to determine what factors matter the most to you when creating your ‘ideal’ route density. Metrics like rev enue per day, stops per day, and service time should all be considered. Cundiff says they typically pay atten tion to the number of stops per day the most as they are commission-based, and it helps ensure their technicians receive good pay. “We don’t pay hourly, and we use that commission structure as a form of influence on their efficiency,” Cundiff says. “They say, ‘Hey, I need to make more money.’Well, how can you do more jobs in the day?” Lehmann says their key indicator of an ideal route is reduced windshield time. “The less time a technician spends driving between jobs, the more efficient the route is, and the more productive the day becomes,” Lehmann says. “If we can minimize that driving time while still hitting all our stops, we know we’ve hit a good balance between efficiency, customer service, and profitability.” TE

the houses on their route. Lehmann recommends using routing software as your guide and then layering in your knowledge of the area and the specifics of each job. “For example, we might know that certain streets are impossible to navigate at certain times, or that some properties take a little longer than the average,” Lehmann says. “So, we take the soft ware’s optimized routes and tweak them where needed. It’s a balance of trusting the technology, but validating it with real-world insights to make sure routes are both efficient and practical.” PRACTICAL ADVICE Even after fine-tuning your routes, it’s a good practice to regularly review them to see if they are still optimized. Cundiff says on a yearly basis, they’ll review their territory lines if any changes need to be made, and their routes are optimized on a minute-by-minute basis in their software. Lehmann says they currently re-optimize their routes once a year and are looking to improve. “Ideally, we should be reviewing and adjusting routes quarterly to account for changes in client growth, neighborhood

Weed Man sends routing information to their technicians’ tablets, which con stantly optimizes their route depending on who canceled during the day or when jobs have been added. Their pro prietary software structures their routes so they only have to make right turns versus having to cross the street. Cundiff says that for their technicians who are new to an area, their internal routing software serves as their lifeline, but over time, they become familiar with

 KEY TAKEAWAYS ■ Route density directly boosts profitability

■ Accurate property data matters because bad measurements can undermine route optimi zation. ■ The best routing com bines software with human judgment so companies can account for traffic, neighborhood quirks and real-world conditions.

by cutting drive time, reducing overtime, and improving technician productivity. ■ Marketing is essential to building density. Focus on targeting ideal clients through direct mail, look-alike campaigns, and referral networks.

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28 The Edge // June/July/August 2026