Day: January 31, 2019

PRSM2019 National conference aims to inspire

PRSM members will “Aim High and Reach Wide” at PRSM2019 National Conference April 29–May 1 in Denver, Colorado. With stunning views of the Rocky Mountains and the rustic, cabin-like feel of the brand-new Gaylord Rockies, conference attendees will be inspired and ready to share their expertise, make new connections and learn. 

“We’re very proud to be one of the first conferences held at the Gaylord Rockies,” said LeeAnn Norton, CEM, PRSM’s Vice President of Global Events. “This venue reflects the laid-back atmosphere of Denver, which we want our members to embrace as they dive into networking, stellar education sessions and exciting events.”

In the true spirit of Denver, pre- conference events will kick off with a tour of a “different” type of facility—PRSM members will visit a marijuana greenhouse and dispensary. Attendees will observe how dispensaries handle codes, standards and manage hazards related to lighting, fumigation, HVAC, humidity control and fire protection.

“This is new for PRSM, and probably new for many of our members,” said Bill Yanek, PRSM CEO. “As we expand our membership, we want to serve all types of multisite FMs and provide our members with new tips and tricks for thinking outside the facilities box mindset.”

There will also be a tour of the U.S. Mint in Denver with a focus on energy and water sustainability as well as material usage.

Strategic education tracks include regulatory changes, cost savings, business management, professional development and retailer-to-retailer forums where retailers can discuss industry problems and solutions with other retailers. Power Sessions will also be presented on the exhibit hall floor for an energized, in-depth look into current FM tips and trends.

This year, to better serve our evolving membership, PRSM will incorporate a new restaurant and technology pavilion, which will focus on multisite facilities that now include restaurant-style areas. Whether you are incorporating hot food bars into grocery stores or coffee bars into a department store, PRSM will have the information and technology you need to succeed. Chatbots, beacon technology and Echo Dots will be used to provide up-to-date conference information and get you pointed in the right direction.  

Other conference events will include a Young Professionals Meet-Up (young professionals can come for free and should visit prsmnational.com for information), Quick Connect sessions, opportunities to help the PRSM Foundation (including a charity event at Top Golf and a volunteer opportunity at a local Denver charity), and a Veterans Job Fair hosted by PRSM’s Supplier Relations Committee & Veterans Task Force.

PRSM wants to help eliminate the joblessness and homelessness that affects our nation’s veterans. The job fair will be held when the Exhibit Hall is open to allow veterans — from the local Denver area and across the country — to walk through, visit with PRSM members at work, and connect with organizations who hire veterans. PRSM urges all attendees, both retailers and suppliers, who may have hiring needs or are interested in hiring veterans, to contact the task force at veterans@prsm.com.

PRSM2019 National Conference is the only facilities conference that brings retail, restaurant and other multisite facilities professionals together under one roof. With a sold-out show floor, record-breaking attendance expected and endless new opportunities to “Aim High and Reach Wide,” PRSM2019 is the place to be. 

“This is going to be a National Conference unlike any we’ve had before,” Yanek said. “From the new location to the new education sessions to the new conference surprises we have in store, our members are in for the event of a lifetime.”

PRSM Coast2Coast Local Connect 2018 Attracts Nearly 250 Attendees

PRSM Coast2Coast Local Connect 2018, held November 8, provided almost 250 PRSM members across North America the opportunity to meet — on the same day — in a dozen different cities ranging from Toronto, Canada, to Irvine, California.  

The event kicked off in New York City where the largest crowd of almost 60 PRSM members gathered at District Social. It wrapped up with members meeting in Irvine, San Francisco and Seattle.

PRSM retailers and suppliers packed the annual networking events to share ideas, develop new relationships and support their local Children’s Miracle Network hospital. PRSM members donated $11,290 total.

Those attending the events praised the opportunity to connect or reconnect with other PRSM members and discuss numerous issues impacting them and the retail facilities industry. 

PRSM Coast2Coast — Local Connect is the single largest networking event PRSM conducts each year. “PRSM members have requested we develop more localized events that enable them to meet with other retailers and suppliers in their area,” explained PRSM CEO, Bill Yanek. “PRSM Local Connect is just one of the venues we provide to help members connect locally. We also have our Retailer2Retailer meetings and we are in the process of developing more local events for 2019 that will build upon the success of PRSM Local Connect.”

Canadian Conferences Challenge PRSM Members to Get Comfortably Uncomfortable

We’ve all read the headlines and heard the news—brick-and-mortar retail is not the same industry it was 10 years ago, five years ago, one year ago, or even last week. Retail is growing, evolving and delivering new challenges for FMs faster than ever. Just like the U.S., Canada faces its own set of retail issues, which were addressed during PRSM’s Canada West and East conferences in Vancouver, October 18 and Toronto, October 25.

“The Canadian conferences were a huge success,” said Bill Yanek, PRSM CEO. “It was great to see our Canadian retailer and supplier companies come together to discuss challenges in the industry and hear firsthand how PRSM can help them succeed.”

The event kicked off with networking over coffee and quickly moved into the General Session where Codi Shewan challenged attendees to get “comfortably uncomfortable.” Shewan’s dynamic delivery inspired the audience to expect “business unusual” and to step out of their comfort zone to evolve, innovate and grow.

Following a short break, David Ian Gray, a noted retail strategist with DIG360 Consulting, Ltd., dove into the retail transformation and retail’s response to turbulent times. He discussed the implications of current retail trends on the future, and debunked commonly held myths by citing examples of retailers who are “doing it right.”

He helped attendees understand the “why” behind retail changes and provided solid advice on how retailers and suppliers can adapt to better support their businesses. He specifically explained how suppliers must understand the changes retailers are experiencing and create new value-added services that boost the bottom line and improve service.

The Canada Quick Connect and reception kept members engaged during the afternoon. During Quick Connect, suppliers could easily interact with potential new clients, and retailers could share their specific needs with multiple suppliers. 

We want to thank our host, Facility Plus, donors Benjamin Moore and National Coating Solutions and all the volunteers who participated in the PRSM Foundation charity event during PRSM Canada East. PRSM members painted, cleaned and made repairs at the Eden Food for Change charity in Mississauga.

“Facility Plus is proud to host the PRSM Foundation and the great charity work the Foundation does to help those in need,” said Melissa Kloster, Director of Operations at Facility Plus. “Our team enjoys giving back and it’s an excellent way to meet other PRSM members while helping a great cause.”

With two successful Canadian conferences wrapped up, PRSM is already looking toward the future. “Moving forward, we will have an even bigger presence in Canada, which we look forward to rolling out over the next few months,” Yanek said. 

Call to Action: Mark your calendar Sunday, April 28, 2019, the PRSM Foundation will host a golf tournament at Top Golf, during PRSM2019 National Conference. A PRSM Impact Charity event is scheduled for Monday, April 29, at the Volunteers of America Family Hotel in Denver.

Michael Kurland, Founder and CEO, Branded Group, Inc., has worked in the facility management industry for more than 14 years and launched Branded Group five years ago. We asked him his thoughts on FM and the value of his PRSM membership. 

What is the most interesting FM task you have been asked to do?

We completed a rollout for a national retailer where we renovated more than 75 of their employee breakrooms. It was an extensive and detail-oriented process. I oversaw the project from inception to completion. 

What are the main benefits you get from being a PRSM member?

The various networking events, which provide a valuable opportunity to brainstorm with my industry colleagues. I believe it is important that we collectively support and enhance the reputation of the industry. 

What advice would you give to someone entering the FM industry?

Network with industry peers. If you’re on the retail side, network with vendors, and if you’re on the vendor side, network with retailers. Focus on building authentic relationships, rather than selling. Gather as much knowledge as you can, because there’s always something to learn.

What do you see as the biggest challenges to the retail FM industry and why?

Facility management is often overlooked in the real estate department. Many times, the first line item to be cut from the budget is maintenance, which to me seems counterintuitive. If you don’t keep your stores looking fresh and inviting, customers will not want to shop in them. There is no immediate ROI on facility maintenance. However, it is a valuable investment in your brand, which influences your customer’s experience during every visit. 

Jamie Hubbard, Assistant Vice President, Procurement, Ascena Retail Group, has been working in facilities management on and off for 10 years. We talked with him about what he enjoys most about the industry, and asked what advice he has for those entering the field. 

Why were you interested in FM as a career? 

I love the fast-paced, ever-changing ebb and flow of the retail world. When I moved to corporate, what I missed most was interaction. Being in facilities, you can ultimately impact stores and customers in an interesting way. 

What are the main benefits you get from being a PRSM member? 

Definitely the supplier interaction, talking to new suppliers who can bring new fresh ideas to our organization — and the interaction with our peers, especially during the shows, talking about what products they’re looking at, what strategies they’ve put in place and what new technologies we’re not up to speed on. 

What advice would you give to someone entering the FM industry? 

You have to be prepared to handle different tasks every day. If you’re not a person who likes a challenge and turning chaos into structure, it’s not for you. You have to be prepared to handle the good with the bad. 

What do you see as the biggest challenges to the retail FM industry and why?

Most fleets out there are aging and funds available to bring everybody up to speed may be unrealistic. It’s a balance to pick the right supplier and the right number of stores that they can handle to be successful and to balance that with the right number of team members to make sure that your customer service is up to par while still managing the cost. 

One of the regular publications PRSM delivers to its members is a collection of case studies that consolidates best practices for facilities management professionals. 

This year’s Best Practices continues in that vein but with a new focus. Now, each publication will highlight the best practices in a single trade, with greater emphasis on real-world examples and practical processes to implement.

The first thematic Best Practices features important insights on floor-care programs. With articles from previous Best Practices Books as well as new material, this resource has the “best of the best” in case studies and best practices.

Subject matter experts on PRSM’s Best Practices Committee have selected 11 articles covering a range of topics, from self-performing vs. third-party service delivery to attendance tracking to standardizing a chemical cleaning program. The articles included provide real-world examples of cost savings, labor efficiencies and guides on evaluating and implementing new programs. A special section on floor types addresses maintenance of standard as well as newer, increasingly popular flooring materials and how they affect supplier planning.

These articles and others offer a wealth of valuable information for retail facilities managers as well as suppliers of floor-care services. Beyond the practical advice offered in the resource, members can get some satisfaction through knowing, as PRSM CEO Bill Yanek said in the publication’s foreword, “PRSM Members [are] not alone when dealing with day-to-day challenges.”

 

Sidebar: Takeaways from the Best Practices: Janitorial

Here is a small sample of the advice and best practices discussed:

On maximizing your training efforts:

“Understand how people learn best—training methods need to be compatible with individual preferences. Provide a manual, [offer] verbal explanations and physically demonstrate the desired behavior.”

On developing an annual floor cleaning schedule to deliver the most consistent, high-quality service:

“For those areas with the highest traffic volumes, extra high-intensity cleanings were specified and were able to be accomplished due to the reduction of overall cleanings.”

On converting from a locally managed janitorial program to a corporate one:

“Reassure local site/store managers … that this decision was thoroughly researched and evaluated internally, and suppliers were properly vetted before they were selected.”

Call to Action: Help Us Shape Future Best Practices 

We are looking for members to help produce Best Practices on HVAC and Lighting. In 2019, the PRSM Best Practices Committee, subject matter experts and PRSM staff will review PRSM’s Best Practices on HVAC and Lighting to create two new publications. If you would like to serve as a subject matter expert or sponsor, please email resources@prsm.com. To purchase a copy of PRSM’s Janitorial Best Practices, visit prsm.com. 

Good floor mats serve multiple needs 

Each of us probably crosses at least one of these every day. Floor mats are a familiar sight at entrances to retail and commercial spaces. But who thinks about them? Daniel Silver, VP Product Development at New Pig Corp, a Tipton, Pennsylvania-based leak-and-spill-management company, and his team do. “We are big mat nerds here,” he said. 

Floor mats serve a few important purposes, the first two being safety and cleanliness. Water, snow and ice tracked in on the average hard surface presents a huge risk of slip-and-fall injury. “American businesses pay $11 billion in direct costs for slips, trips and falls, according to the 2017 Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index,” Silver quoted. Proper placement of floor mats can help reduce that risk.

Reducing the amount of mud, dirt or other debris traveling into the retail space is also a consideration. And the floor mats need to be durable enough to withstand heavy foot traffic and regular cleaning. 

When deciding on floor mats, Silver said, facilities managers should think about the “walk-off” distance—the linear feet of matting required to wick off snowy or wet boots and shoes. “Most places don’t provide enough,” Silver said. 

Sidebar: Top 10 Causes and Costs of the Most Disabling U.S. Workplace Injuries, $Billions

source: Liberty mutual workplace safety index

Overexertion involving outside sources $13.7

Falls on same level $11.2

Falls to lower level $5.9

Struck by object or equipment $5.3

Other exertions or bodily reactions $4.2

Roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicle $3.2

Slip or trip without fall $2.3

Caught in or compressed by equipment or objects $2.1

Struck against object or equipment $2.0

Repetitive motions involving microtasks $1.5

 

Sidebar: What are the best places for floor mats? 

Depending on the needs of the store, floor mats can be used in the following locations: 

• Entranceways. Absorbent mats indoors and scraper mats outdoors 

• Moisture areas. Around moisture-laden areas (water fountains, refrigeration units that produce condensation, produce aisles with misters, etc.)

• Transition areas. Keep public-facing areas clean by positioning mats where back-of-house operations transition 

• to front-of-house. 

• Restrooms. The right type of mat, like one with an antimicrobial finish, will help control bacteria and reduce odors. 

• Workstations. Anti-fatigue matting at workstations helps employees who stand for long periods of time fight fatigue. 

• Branding/Messaging. There is a wide range of uses for logo mats, which can be placed anywhere a company wants to make a brand impression. This includes entranceways with a brand logo or welcome message, customer service counters (with an identifier message so the customer knows they are in the right place), or even promotional messages near kiosks or sale areas. 

If you haven’t switched to green cleaning products, here are five reasons why you should 

By: Mary Lou Jay 

 

1. It’s affordable.

The price of green products has deterred many facility managers from adopting them. But choosing the lowest cost option doesn’t always get the best results.  

“Green products are slightly higher in price due to the advanced technology, such as, HEPA filtration and microfiber product development,” said Glenn McCourt, President, National Janitorial Solutions. “However, in the long run, there is less maintenance required in many cases.” Green technology includes new pads that allow floor technicians to perform wet-work services using only water, as well as products that decrease the frequency of required wet-work services while maintaining floors’ cleanliness and shine.  

Low-moisture carpet cleaning (encapsulation) reduces water usage and prevents heavy soil buildup. “We can reduce or even eliminate deep carpet extraction, extending the life of fabric while reducing labor,” said Scott Brown, Vice President, Strategic Accounts, Betco. 

Meanwhile, the cost of ingredients in many green cleaning products has been coming down, and manufacturers are developing more multipurpose products. Instead of buying five or six different cleaners for various tasks, FMs can purchase larger quantities of a single product. 

KinderCare previously allowed each of its locations to buy their choice of cleaning products. Now the company uses the same green products throughout all its centers. “They don’t add to the cost. When using a nationwide standardized system, we found better pricing than if the products were purchased by individual centers,” said Rocky LaCross, Senior Director Support Services.

2. It’s effective.

Retailers are increasingly interested in green products and procedures, Brown and McCourt added. But performance remains a priority.

“With the advancements in technology, green products are not only safer, they are just as effective as their harsher predecessor products,” McCourt said. 

Suppliers are ready to assist retail maintenance departments transitioning to green cleaning. “We will look at their entire cleaning strategy to help create clean, green and healthy environments that make a lasting impression for customers,” Brown said. “Retailers should continue to look for ways they can affect the entire process—surfaces, employees and occupants within the facility.”

3. It’s healthier and safer.

For its green cleaning, KinderCare uses supplies from Betco and from EcoLab, which evaluates its products on more than 20 attributes relating to human, environmental and societal impacts. “We felt that it was better to go with a holistic attitude of cleaning and have products that are safe for children and EPA-approved,” LaCross said. This approach provides added assurance for parents, who know there are no harmful cleaning products children could encounter in the centers. A green cleaning program helps reduce absenteeism in stores by creating a healthy indoor environment for the user and for building occupants, Brown added. 

4. It’s better for business.

FMs making a business case for green cleaning can cite KPMG’s report on Global Retail Trends 2018, which found that “customers want the companies they buy from to practice sustainability, strong ethical behavior and transparency.”  More businesses are adopting sustainable practices. Starbucks no longer offers plastic straws or Styrofoam cups; McDonald’s uses electrified water to clean its restaurants. “News headlines somewhat force the hand of executives to be environmentally responsible, and this applies to most aspects of their business, not just cleaning and maintenance,” McCourt said.

Retailers can also reduce liability risks by using green cleaning products that can’t accidentally harm customers exposed to them.

5. It’s the future of cleaning. 

“Green has evolved from individual products to the overall sustainability of a facility,” Brown said. For example, sustainable cleaning products don’t just clean; they help extend the life of floors and surfaces so they require less heavy cleaning, maintenance or replacement. 

Sustainable cleaning products have less environmental impact. Products like Betco BioActive Solutions™ use a blend of microbial species that naturally stimulate enzymes for cleaning, so there are no high alkaline or low pH chemicals going down the drain. 

FMs who take advantage of advances in green and sustainable cleaning can keep stores attractive while protecting employees, customers and the environment from exposure to potentially harmful chemicals. 

 

Sidebar: Picking Your Products

➊ Do your homework. Determine your desired results, identify your budget and understand the proper solutions for your environment.

➋ Consult the experts. Talk to your cleaning provider and to supply houses; read cleaning blogs.  

➌ Remember there are numerous solutions that provide similar results. Keep looking until you find the one that best suits your needs.

Source: Glenn McCourt, National Janitorial Services

Your Go-To Tool

Janitorial Workload Tool 2.0, developed by the PRSM Benchmarking Committee in collaboration with Simon Institute and Michigan State University, will help retailers generate an accurate scope of work by quantifying cleanliness and removing subjectivity. It can also serve as a tool to help retailers determine and maintain their brand standards (level of cleanliness desired) and to gauge staffing requirements and costs. This could enable open conversations with the or ganization’s internal teams, such as finance, operations and store development, plus supplier partners. For more, visit prsm.com. 

Walmart plans to deploy almost 400 robotic cleaners  

By: Sheryl S. Jackson

 

Emma is not your typical Walmart associate. This member of the cleaning team for a Rogers, Arkansas, store proudly wears a Walmart name badge and works steadily throughout the shift keeping the floors clean with no break as “she” makes customers and other associates smile.

The only thing Emma requires is another associate to confirm the route to take while scrubbing the floors and normal maintenance required for most floor scrubbers. Maintenance, you ask? That’s right— Emma is a robotic floor scrubber.

“We are testing autonomous cleaners in 84 of our 4,700 stores and plan to have them in 360 of our stores by the end of January 2019,” said Ragan Dickens, Director of Corporate Communications, at Walmart. One benefit of adding the robotic floor scrubber to a cleaning crew is a cleaner store because the associates can focus on tasks other than floors. 

Moving an associate off a traditional ride-on or walk-behind floor cleaner also increases engagement with customers, Dickens explained. “Customers are less likely to approach associates for help if they think they are taking the person away from their job,” he said. Although customers will approach someone dusting or straightening up an area, they won’t ask someone to shut off and get down from a machine. 

Rise of the Robots

The move to robotic cleaners is an emerging trend in retail, said Joe Mann, Global Vice President, General Manager of Robotics at TASKI Intellibot, a PRSM supplier. While Intellibot does not provide the Walmart robots, it does sell robotic cleaners to retailers around the globe. A key benefit of robotic cleaners is the current labor market, Mann pointed out. “Retailers, as well as other industries, struggle to hire and retain janitors,” he said. 

Mann added that robotic cleaners should not be viewed as a labor cost-savings measure, but instead as a labor re-allocation strategy. “Cleaning crews are already understaffed in many places; in fact, one educational institution representative told me it is not uncommon for only 45 to 48 of the 65-person janitorial staff to show up to work on any day,” he said. “The robot guarantees the floors will be cleaned during the shift, allowing employees to handle basic tasks, such as trash pickup and bathroom cleanings, and have time to handle other tasks that don’t get done on a regular basis—for example, ledge cleaning or cleaning the kitchen area of the employee lounge.” 

Another benefit is a cleaner floor, Mann said. “Robots don’t get tired because this is not a second job for them—their productivity rates are high, and they clean consistently,” he said. Cleaner floors and stores translate to improved customer satisfaction and better image for the store. Not only does the store appear cleaner, but deployment of robots enhances the retailer’s image as a technologically savvy, forward-thinking organization, he added. 

Easy-to-operate robots have maps of the store that employees can use to set the robot’s path for the shift. The robot follows the path unless it “sees” an obstacle, such as shoppers, pallets or other items. At the end of the shift, data on areas cleaned—as well as those missed due to obstacles that caused the robot to move to the next aisle—is recorded so the next shift knows which areas need attention. 

Determining ROI

Although robotic cleaners can adapt to any floor layout, Mann said that some retailers must change some work processes to optimize the robot’s capabilities. For example, janitorial crews must be able to move displays to give the cleaner access to areas, and restocking associates need to coordinate with the janitorial crew to be sure they work in one area while the robot cleans the other areas. “This can simply be a case of starting the robot at one end of the store, then having it go back to beginning—following behind employees as they restock,” he said. 

Most retail operations—front of store as well as back of house operations—can handle a robotic cleaner, Mann said. Some exceptions might be stores with a small footprint or narrow aisles that cannot handle a robot that is 24 to 30 inches wide, he explained. “You want a return on investment of one to two years, which is reasonable for any big box store of 62,000 to 100,000 square feet,” he said. Determining ROI can be as simple as assessing how much is paid to a janitor working one six-hour shift, five nights a week, 52 weeks a year. “Depending on the wage rate for your area, along with cost of benefits, the robot can pay for itself in one year,” he added.

Mann’s company has seen a steadily increasing interest in testing or deploying robotic cleaners during the past three years. “Requests for trials have doubled every year for three years,” he said. “Retailers who are not evaluating this technology today are already behind their competitors.”

How do customers and associates view the robots? At Walmart, Emma and her peers in other stores get lots of attention as children wave to them and on Walmart’s social media forums. 

“Whenever we show photos of the robots in a store, our associates chime in and ask when they get to work with one! Dickens said. 

 

Retailers look for clever ways to keep stores clean—and save money  
By: Mary Lou Jay

 

Clean stores are essential to bringing in business. In a survey from ISSA — The Worldwide Cleaning Industry Association — 95 percent of shoppers reported unclean restrooms, unpleasant odors, dirty floors, spills, stains and dirty shopping carts would influence their shopping decisions. But tight budgets have made it difficult for retail facility managers to maintain their stores’ customary cleaning routines. At the same time, their cleaning vendors are experiencing staffing problems. With a booming economy and low unemployment rate, many potential cleaners have moved on to better-paying positions in other industries.

So FMs are trying different approaches to keep stores clean and customers happy. 

The Container Store previously outsourced once- or twice-weekly cleaning for its 92 locations. “But that became a challenge with scheduling, no shows and inconsistency in cleaning,” said Betty Hernandez, Store Facilities Manager. Several years ago, the company revamped its cleaning program for its 20,000 to 25,000-square-foot stores. 

“Our employees clean, vacuum, dust the store and clean the bathrooms,” Hernandez said. “Our staff is more hands-on and dedicated to the cleanliness of their store; they take ownership of it.” A vendor still handles the stores’ quarterly carpet cleaning. “A few managers had requested the employees do this, as they preferred to do it themselves instead of managing a provider who was inconsistent,” Hernandez added.

Ross Stores has some unique challenges in maintaining its 1,700 Ross and dd’s Discounts retail locations, said Joshua Witte, RFMP, Director of Store Operations, Brand Maintenance and Repair. The cleaning for Ross’ stores starts 90 minutes before stores open, which varies by location, and continues for another hour while customers are shopping. The short work hours make it difficult for Ross’ cleaning vendors to find and retain workers who will consistently show up.

So, Ross is asking employees to pick up the slack. “We have an initiative where we are shifting tasks from the janitorial companies to our associates in an effort to creatively manage cleaning budgets,” Witte said. Staff members do light work, such as cleaning entrance glass, jewelry cases and countertops; vacuuming walk-off mats; and checking restrooms in the afternoon. 

Janitorial crews perform the heavier work. “We’re taking the resources we have and focusing them on very specific parts of the store—restrooms, fitting rooms and front of house,” Witte said. As Ross concentrates its budget dollars on the most customer-visible areas, the store perimeters and departments receive less attention.

Ross is also considering reducing the number of service days in its lower-volume stores. 

Creative Cleaning 

One retailer that continues to rely upon cleaning contractors is Louis Vuitton. All of its 140 stores have high-end, upscale finishes, wool-and silk-blend carpeting, hardwood floors, real marble and Armourcoat plaster.=

But the continual janitorial staff turnover can lead to inconsistencies in meeting cleaning standards, said Alan Donohoe, Senior Manager, Store Planning and Preservation Department. “Getting people there on time is another giant challenge; they only have a certain amount of time to clean. So, if they’re late, they don’t get as much done.” At the same time, customers today aren’t as careful when they are in the store, so janitorial companies may need more workers to complete cleaning before the store opens. 

Donohoe said that cleaning customer service areas every day is essential to maintain the Louis Vuitton brand. Although the retailer could reduce the frequency of the back of house cleanings, “we try not to do that, because we want the team that works there to know those areas are also important,” he added.

Technology Impact

FMs are incorporating more sustainable products into their cleaning practices. Louis Vuitton specifies the green cleaning products that vendors use; the Container Store’s procurement department now orders more eco-friendly products, like self-dissolving cleaning fluid packets.

Some new products perform better and reduce costs. “The different types of floor finishes being developed now make it less labor-intensive to finish floors, and there are longer-lasting finishes, which reduce the number of times you have to refinish a floor,” Witte said. Robotic scrubbers that travel aisles independently may lessen big box stores’ reliance on human help. (For more on this, see “These are the Droids You’re Looking For.”)

Witte considers maintenance management software an essential tool for managing corporate cleaning operations. “The trend in maintenance departments is downsizing not upsizing; you need these tools to manage your business,” he said. FMs should choose vendors carefully to keep stores in top condition, Witte added. “The cheapest isn’t always the best.” 

Donohoe prefers to work with local maintenance companies. “You’re closer to the owner, who is the one who takes pride in what’s being done,” he explained. He recommends making a cleaning checklist that janitorial workers can easily understand and follow. 

To avoid confusion, Hernandez said FMs should develop a consistent schedule of required cleaning for stores, creating a separate work order only if extra work is required for specific outlets.

However they approach the task, FMs must continue to be creative in finding ways to keep stores clean. 

Janitorial Expenses

How much do you spend on cleaning services? Here are comparisons from PRSM’s 2017 Retail Facilities Management Benchmarking Report:

Want to learn more? The 2017 Retail Facilities Maintenance Industry Overview is available for purchase. Please visit prsm.com for more information.  

Give Your Feedback—and Get the Next Report Free

Data collection for the 2019 Retail Facilities Maintenance Industry Overview will begin in March 2019. Participating companies will receive complimentary peer comparisons, downloadable personalized PowerPoint presentations and the final comprehensive report. Please email benchmarking@prsm.com for more information. 

 

“If you don’t innovate, you die.” 

– Gary Vaynerchuk

 

April 30, 2023…  

PRSM’s National Conference in 2023 just shattered attendance records. PRSM’s keynote speaker, newly elected President of the United States, Mel Robbins, knocked it out of the park. President Robbins recounted her PRSM2019 keynote, which was the springboard for her unlikely election (on a platform of “We Told You So: Bricks-and-Mortar Retail Will Always Rock”). As usual, Robbins brought the room to its feet. After the live event, PRSM2023—on-demand engagement of PRSM content—reached all-time highs. 

 

The Road to PRSM2023 was paved with:   

Focus. Internally, PRSM is undertaking a “cultural evolution” that emphasizes improved technology and member engagement to better anticipate, identify and respond to industry trends. PRSM is prioritizing efforts to focus on those issues most important to the membership.

On Demand. Externally, PRSM is examining its market position, staff structure and headquarters location to best serve a membership that spans North America. Wherever and however PRSM does business, our mantra is becoming “on demand.” PRSM will be where our members are and deliver in ways our members demand.

Growing. Overall, PRSM must commit to grow. Most PRSM members are in Southern California, Greater New York City and Dallas, Texas. PRSM2023 includes a permanent association presence in those metro areas. PRSM events will also be tailored to these local markets. While the PRSM National Conference will remain the linchpin of our event lineup, PRSM will be local, on demand and in those markets where our members do the most business.

 

PRSM in 2019

Now that you have seen the future, what’s great about 2019? Well, in April, we will welcome Mel Robbins to PRSM2019 Conference at the Gaylord Rockies. She will tee up our National Conference, where attendees will access PRSM’s top-notch networking and world-class FM education sessions. PRSM2019 will feature education tracks focused on:

Mixed Use and the Retail Renaissance

Medical Retail

Building Executive Presence (Young Professional)

Navigating Federal Tax Laws Impacting Small Business Owners

 

PRSM: NYC and PRSM: SoCal

If you are a PRSM member located in Greater New York City or Southern California, PRSM wants to see you in person more often! We will develop quarterly retailer luncheon meetings in these markets as part of the PRSM local effort. Contact me at byanek@prsm.com if you want to be involved in developing these local events.

 

Episodes of the Road S2023

As we continue our journey to 2023, I will update you using monthly video updates. Please take a moment to visit the News Section of prsm.com or follow us on Twitter @PRSMAssociation to view the latest videos and keep up with our progress toward 2023.