Category: Connex News

Thursday on the Daily Grind livestream, Kevin Smith of Ferrandino & Son, discussed re-evaluating your vendor solution as multi-site facilities make plans to re-open. Ferrandino & Son is a national facility maintenance and construction services company that provides services to more than 35,000 locations across the United States.

“As far as the current climate we’re really still trying to deal with the real impact this pandemic has had on our industry,” said Smith. “It’s really transitioned from a health pandemic into a financial pandemic for many companies.

In our industry it is expected that 20-30% of smaller businesses are not going to survive the shutdown. This is going to be at the forefront of our planning as we try to assess who’s going to make it, who needs to reposition from a supplier standpoint, and what we can do to help.

One thing you can do to really gauge supplier credentials is to research them on the Connex Online Buyers Guide. You can also check supplier websites and ask questions in the Connex Communities.

As we move to re-open facilities there are key things to keep in mind:

·       Create an inspection checklist – and use it consistently

·       Prioritize, what can be pushed out

·       Don’t forget about the exterior of facilities

·       Keep safety in mind even post-COVID-19

“Even with these points, moving forward will be a process. However, if you think safety first going forward, we’ll get through this safely together,” concluded Smith.  

On Wednesday’s edition of the Daily Grind livestream, Chad Smith, Director; Business Development, Lennox National Account Services, discussed the important role HVAC systems play when re-opening facilities to the public.

 

Since 1895, Lennox has built reliable, innovative heating and cooling systems to help businesses reduce operating costs while maintaining comfort.

 

“We need to definitely consider airflow when re-opening multi-site facilities after COVID-19,” said Smith. “First, there are numerous resources available as we begin to reopen stores. These come from ASHRAE, the CDC, EPA etc., and there are so many different sized buildings to consider from small mom and pop shops to big box stores. However, there are a few important HVAC things to consider before re-opening:

 

1)      Outside air and design – critical to efficiency and stopping the spread of COVID-19

2)      Ensure exhausts inside the building are working properly

3)      Maintain the HVAC, even when facilities are closed

4)      Ensure suppliers can safely access rooftop units

 

These are critical to maintain both dark stores and those operating currently. Just as important is to stay plugged into connexfm.com to stay up to date with all the latest COVID-19 information. Connex can also help with wonderful resources and a list of partners and suppliers as we move through this crucial time,” concluded Smith.

This week on the Daily Grind livestream, we’re discussing the road to re-opening as many States make plans to open businesses. On Tuesday during the Daily Grind livestream, Ashley McConnell discussed the role of CMMS in reopening multi-site facilities. As the Vice President of Operations at Officetrax, she brings her expertise in CMMS tools for managing and servicing multi-site facilities.

 

“My experience comes from the chain management side of operations,” stated McConnell. “I think moving forward as we begin to re-open facilities; we need to understand the impact of the pandemic on employees.

 

COVI-19 had a massive impact across the board and, understanding employee needs as they return to work will be critical. One thing lacking under lockdown is socialization. People haven’t been around each other, and socialization is a critical part of our day-to-day work mode. Companies need to embrace the socialization.

 

It’s also going to be a very chaotic time as employees come back to work. They will be faced with the enormous task of picking up where they left off. Most of us while working from home simply worked in a corporate ‘life support mode.’ That’s where the right CMMS can guide employees in setting tasks and goals to manage issues and get the doors open again.”

 

When asked how her company is helping with the re-opening process, Ashley responded “At Officetrax, we know a CMMS is made to efficiently implement processes. However, every process begins with a human being there. Therefore, we need to ensure they have the right tools and understand how they use them. We each do our jobs in different ways, so we really need to fill in the knowledge gaps and be able to answer the questions they’re going to have. Ultimately, I’d look at this challenge like a UTX process.

 

1)     Understand what the overall picture is

2)     Transfer responsibilities and provide training

3)     Execute the plan

 

The bottom line is to provide your employees the assurance and tools they need to be successful and to ensure your re-opening will be as smooth as possible. The right CMMS is critical, as well as the processes to move your team forward to the other side of the pandemic,” McConnell concluded.  

It was #FeelGoodFriday on the Daily Grind! We took a break from facilities and focused on a present challenge for supplier members who are working in sales during COVID-19. Tamara Bunte, America’s #1 Sales Coach, discussed how to sell during COVID-19. Tamara is known for her keynote speaking and presentations on a variety of subjects including Master Sales through Prospecting, Referrals & Discipline

 

“As we settle into selling in the current COVID-19 crisis, we want to make sure we stop partnering with fear. Fear weakens your immune system; from endless news cycles and living in isolation it’s easy to get stuck in a negative feedback loop,” explained Bunte

 

“I absolutely recommend taking a news fast. Your family members will keep you up to date on the important stuff while you focus on your job. View this as a time of rest, a hard reset across the board and a great opportunity to connect with friends and clients.

 

I’m a huge believer in friendship first, business second. A lot of people pre-coronavirus lived the exact opposite, so if we can switch that moving forward and really start building relationships, we’ll be in a much better place as we get back to the new normal.”

 

Bunte had six recommendations for those selling during a pandemic

 

1)    Get organized – have less than 100 emails in your inbox

2)    Call your customers and position yourself to be at top of mind when things get back up and running

3)    Connect with your customers. Whether through email or social media, reach out make that connection.

4)    Personalize your communications. Let them know you value your clients as people, not just as an order number

5)    Ask for referrals. Keep it classy, but absolutely reach out and ask. We’re all in this together, so let’s help each other out.

6)    Build up your 5-star Google Reviews. People make decisions based on reviews versus referrals, so now’s the time to get your customers engaged and get those Google Reviews online.

 

All of these are things you can do to not only boost your sales on the other side of this event, but keep yourself busy and productive during this reset,” concluded Bunte.

Thursday on the Daily Grind, Amanda Smith, Superclean Services Company, delivered part two of her cleaning series. Superclean has been the country’s leading cleaning service provider for more than 35 years. Headquartered in Dallas, TX, Superclean serves a continuously growing range of clientele from various commercial industries all over the United States, AK, HI, PR, VI, and GU, as well as Canada.

·       Supplier/FM Collaboration is key to future success

 

Amanda continued “So I think what’s really important moving forward is that multi-site FMs collaborate with their cleaning supplier partners. There are several ways you can optimize scopes of work, housecleaning methods, and standardize operating procedures to improve cleaning for the health and safety of your staff and clients that are vastly different than in the past,” explained Smith.

 

“We actively work with clients to adjust those methods and implement best practices. From increasing touch point disinfection, to maintaining clean surfaces, and increasing training for in-house staff; the game has changed across the board and we all must change with it.

 

We have one client whose stores have remained open throughout the COVID-19 event. They reported to us that they had been spending up to $10,000 a day on EFT terminal failures due to staff spraying disinfectants directly onto the machines.

 

·       Proper staff training is key

 

Of course, we need to hit touchpoints as much as possible, but without proper in-house staff training, mistakes will occur. Proper training is also something to keep in mind as you roll out your cleaning strategy when re-opening locations.  

 

It’s a shared responsibility being able to strike a balance between staying actively aware of cleaning for COVID-19 and ensuring that in doing so everyone is using best practices to maintain equipment and safety. Collaborating with your cleaning supplier and maintaining good communication and relaying that information throughout the organization will ensure we all make it through this as safely and clean as possible,” Smith concluded.

Wednesday on the Daily Grind, Amanda Smith, Sr. Manager, Business Development, Superclean Service Company Inc., presented the first of a two-part series on COVID-19 cleaning.

Superclean has been the country’s leading cleaning service provider for more than 35 years. Headquartered in Dallas, TX, Superclean serves a continuously growing range of clientele from various commercial industries across the United States, AK, HI, PR, VI, and GU, as well as Canada

 

Smith began by stating, “There’s a lot of information available about cleaning today. Some of it is dead on and some of it is just misinformation. To ensure you are getting the facts about cleaning processes and products you should read the manufacture’s product guidelines when disinfecting. Some may only take sixty seconds; some may take four to five minutes to read. If you are not following the approved guidelines, you’re not properly disinfecting” she continued

 

“If you can source them today, disposable cloths and wipes are a great cleaning tool. Microfiber cloths have always been our first choice in the cleaning industry. We use them when disinfecting for COVID-19. However, it is important to still follow the proper procedures. Cross-contamination can easily occur if you take them from site to site and they are not properly laundered between uses.

 

The CDC is now mandating a two-step cleaning and dis-infecting procedure. A surface must be cleaned prior to disinfecting. Sometime there’s a lot of soil and contaminates that must be removed before you can disinfect an area. If soil and contaminates are not removed prior to the dis-infection process, germs and the virus can remain after the process is completed. Therefore, always clean the area first before beginning the disinfection process.

 

On the proactive front, Amanda added “There are several cleaning methods available today regarding what to do when COVID-19 is discovered at a site. Everyone should follow the required CDC guidelines. Superclean has developed a three-level cleaning strategy that can be adapted based upon the type of facility to be cleaned.

 

Level 1) Routine, daily cleaning and disinfecting on hard surface touchpoints (multi-site staff can usually manage this process)

 

Level 2) Requires greater detail and focus on touch points and is typically an added precautionary cleaning when someone was ill at the facility, but COVID-19 was not confirmed.

 

Level 3) Confirmed COVID-19 cases include a higher degree of PPE and biohazard waste disposal. If possible, the facility should be allowed to air out for up to 24 hours.  The main difference is the cleaning process is the inclusion of ‘soft surfaces’ like carpet, rugs, and upholstery.

 

Adopting these strategies can help your cleaning staff tackle this pandemic head on and stay ahead of the game going forward.

Tuesday, on the Daily Grind, Brad Shyver, CEO & Chief Growth/Innovation Officer, Royal Services Inc., discussed how to upgrade multi-site disinfecting practices, as well as how to enhance safety during COVID-19.

 

Royal Services is a program management partner for construction, facilities, and tech solutions in the U.S. retail space.

 

Brad opened by stating, “So four to five weeks ago we were in the same boat as everyone else. Everyone was trying to determine what COVID-19 was, and how could we defeat it. We contacted several industry partners to identify what they’re best practices were, and several retail partners had disinfectant misting or fogging in their playbook. So, that drove me to learn more about misting.  

 

After additional research we learned that misting was a gold-plated solution that retailers needed in their back pocket. We also learned more about the virus. On the molecular level it’s really on the weaker side, and we can defeat it. On the EPA website, there’s more than 350 disinfectants, if applied properly, are known to eradicate COVID-19. Why use misting? I researched SteraMist by Tomi, and found it a great option because:

1)      It’s mechanically applied, so lack of coverage due to human error is greatly reduced and the coverage is applied evenly.

2)      It can be applied over electronics, even while they are turned on, without harming them due to its quick evaporation time

3)      It is a great disinfectant approved by the EPA, and it even deodorizes, so it’s a win-win!!”

 

Brad also added “I have also developed five different ways to modify work requests during COVID-19 to ensure safety for both the service provider and the retailer. They are:

 

1.     Schedule disinfecting jobs during off-work hours to promote social distancing

2.     Provide more detailed location information to promote efficiency on-site

3.     Share supplies if you have them available

4.     Secure digital approval. It’s faster and easier

5.     Be flexible and communicate often.

We kicked off Monday with a look into an essential part of cleaning FMs should be concerned about right now—pest control in shuttered retail spaces. Carl Money, Business Development Manager at Terminix Commercial National Accounts, highlighted the need for a comprehensive commercial pest management program during COVID-19 to ensure your facilities are pest-free.

 

·        Pest don’t self-quarantine – they multiply

 

“As we all know – pest don’t quarantine, and they don’t practice social distancing,” joked Money. “They don’t know there is a global pandemic on right now. All they know is their world has changed. Their former food locations may have closed or become more restricted, and they’re adapting.

 

Take rodents for example; they’re looking for three major things: food, shelter, and a place to multiply. They don’t need much space to access abandoned buildings seeking shelter. Thanks to the last few thousand years, we’ve trained them well to live along side us.

 

They know there is food and shelter wherever we go. Ewe provide everything they need to survive and thrive. And, now that we’ve abandoned new areas, thanks to the pandemic, they’re becoming more brazen and invading quicker than ever.

 

·        Inspect facilities weekly

 

If you suspect pest issues are occurring at your facilities, don’t hesitate to contact your pest control provider to come out and perform an inspection. Its your property to protect, and rest assured the pests don’t respect landlords.

 

If a location is closed – make sure you go inside the building at least once per week. Bring a flashlight to do a thorough inspection. You should look under and behind things, with an eye for pest invasion such as spiderwebs, rodent droppings and chewed materials. Rodents love nesting materials so cardboard boxes, curtains, etc., are all fair game and signs your facility is under attack.

 

·        Ensure doors are closed tightly

 

You should also bring water with you to put into your floor and sink drains. This keeps the dew trap wet which prevents flies and roaches from infiltrating your location and creating new problems. If your location is open, do the same inspections, but do them more frequently.

 

Also ensure your doors are closed as much as possible and ensure good door sweeps are installed and work properly. A good way to determine if you need to replace a door sweep is to check to see if light comes through under the door while the door is closed. If you see light; it’s time to switch it out,” concluded Money.

 

Managing facilities during a pandemic is difficult. Establishing a routine pest control inspection and control program will enable FMs to protect their facilities more efficiently and avoid costs that could result from the damage pest can cause.  

Today on the Daily Grind, Ron Prager, Executive VP and COO, Brinco Mechanical Management Services, Inc., highlighted ASHRAE’s air quality COVID-19 guidelines, and provided actionable steps to keep HVAC systems functional now and after multi-site facilities reopen. Brinco Mechanical Management Services are committed to providing the highest quality of national HVAC and refrigeration management services nationwide.

 

“ASHRAE (American Society of Heating / Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers) is the ultimate authority and resource for all things HVAC,” Explained Prager.  “They perform base research, write papers and recommend base standards. Those standards are then adopted into almost every mechanical code world-wide. ASHRAE provides 5 broad recommendations for control of indoor air quality when pathogens are involved.

 

1.      Dilute contaminates by increasing ventilation rates. By bringing in outside air and exhausting indoor air, your dilute existing contaminates in the facility space.

2.      Increase air filter efficiency. Obviously if you can strain whatever pathogen out of the air, you create a healthier environment.

3.      Treat your space with ultra-violet light. We know UV light will kill pathogens and viruses

4.      Maintain humidity levels between 40%-60% to minimize airborne transmission of the virus. As recommended on an earlier session of The Daily Grind.  

5.      Ensure proper maintenance and operation of HVAC systems including the cleaning of coil services and any surface the air may pass over.

 

FMs need to examine possible measures and what makes sense for specific sites, based upon what we’re need to accomplish, both during and after the pandemic. We also need to look at the cost and practicality of those efforts versus real benefits.

 

So which measures make sense for closed sites versus ones that remained open?  What measures have a proven effect on indoor air quality and reducing the spread of the virus versus the steps needed to present the best perception to both employees and guests visiting those sites. That perception is real and will make a difference.

 

We also need to consider measures required by law and codes, both existing, and soon to be created and implemented as a result of the pandemic. It will all be locally and regionally based, and in an uncertain future, staying up to date as codes and regulations unfold will be crucial.

 

Lastly, we need to consider limiting liability. If you do everything according to the new codes and what is expected and required – gross negligence is not involved. If you do not comply with codes or do the bare minimum of what’s expected and there is an incident, you will be held to a very strict standard. We need to ensure we limit liability and project the perception that makes people feel comfortable when visiting or working in our sites.

 

And now we get to my favorite subject – proper maintenance. Most retailers have put maintenance on hold. If we’re looking at businesses re-opening sometime in June or July, some stores will have been without maintenance for up to six months.

 

This is a mistake I understand the need to minimize expenses. However, we are going to end up with a lot of equipment in very bad shape. You’re trying to convince guests coming into your space that you are doing everything you can to protect them, having multiple HVAC units offline when they visit is not going to do that.

 

I think we will experience a shortage of air filters as stores begin to reopen. Some of the air filter companies have shifted to produce PPE. We will also experience a contractor shortage as stores come back online. The workforce is already strained from the shutdown. I really think FMs and suppliers need to work with landlords and building owners to get maintenance up to standards 30 to 60 days before opening to ensure everything is ready to go when the doors open,” concluded Prager.