Global FMs Meet at PRSM European Exchange

The 2018 PRSM European Exchange was held September 12 in Amsterdam. Retail and restaurant facility management professionals gathered from around the globe to network and share best practices and insights on unique challenges in the European retail facilities management market. 

 

After the day-long meeting, held at Tobacco Theater, guests received a behind-the-scenes tour of Rituals Cosmetics corporate office, a relaxing sunset canal cruise and an amazing dinner at L’Osteria.  Discussions are already underway about the date and location for the 2019 PRSM European Retail Exchange.

New PRSM Community replaces X-Change

The ability to easily connect with other members is a primary benefit of PRSM membership. To make it easier to connect and share information, the new PRSM.com includes a new, enhanced, online PRSM Community.

The new PRSM Community: replaces X-Change, is more intuitive, easier to navigate and provides members an easy way to connect, ask questions, share solutions and solve problems.

Navigating the new PRSM communities is easier and it includes: an open forum where members can start discussions with each other and share documents, and communities for PRSM committees. It also includes micro-communities to address needs on a more segmented level.

A key feature of the new community is the ability to upload a document into a discussion thread, or search for documents using a keyword. Members can check out the latest discussion posts or library entries to find the information they need to present a business case or find new solutions for the FM problems they face.

The enhanced search function makes it easy to find other PRSM members or specific information.  Members can search by keyword to find documents or use the online member directory to find member contact information.

Basic searches for members can be done using: first name, last name, company name, or email address. A new, advanced search feature allows members to find contacts based on location or community.

Whether members need to connect with retailers, suppliers or even a specific retail market such as Luxury Retail, Banking, or Restaurants, the new communities will make it easy. PRSM now has a community to meet your specific needs.  

“We recognized the challenges of using-X-Change and wanted to provide members a world-class online community that exceeds expectations.” said Bill Yanek, PRSM Chief Executive Officer. “The new PRSM Community allows members to easily connect – even when they aren’t attending a PRSM event.”

Often it takes a community to solve a problem or answer a question. Log onto the new, improved PRSM Community today and discover just how easy it can be.

SMS Assist Named To Forbes Cloud 100 for Third Consecutive Year

CHICAGO, Sept. 13, 2018 — SMS Assist has been named to the Forbes 2018 Cloud 100, the definitive list of the top 100 private cloud companies in the world, published by Forbes in collaboration with Bessemer Venture Partners and Salesforce Ventures. This is the third consecutive year that SMS Assist, an innovative technology company that streamlines multisite property management, has earned the recognition.

Headquartered in Chicago, SMS Assist enhances how customers experience some of the nation’s biggest brands, streamlining dozens of facilities maintenance services with a network of more than 20,000 best-in-class contractors. The company’s technology platform offers real-time quality assurance and transparency across thousands of locations.

“Being named one of the world’s top cloud companies for three years in a row is an incredible honor, one made possible only through the tremendous work and vision of our team,” said Taylor Rhodes, CEO of SMS Assist. “We’ve always been focused on using technology to shake up our industry, and fully embracing the cloud is what’s gotten us here today. We look forward to pushing the technology — and our industry — even further.” 

As part of the rigorous selection process for the Forbes 2018 Cloud 100, Bessemer Venture Partners received submissions from the top cloud startups. The Forbes Cloud 100 judging panel, including top public cloud company CEOs, reviewed the data to select, score and rank the top 100 cloud companies from all over the world. The evaluation process involved four factors: market leadership (35%), estimated valuation (30%), operating metrics (20%) and people and culture (15%).

“For the past three years, the Cloud 100 list has identified the top cloud companies that are reshaping their respective industries,” said Alex Konrad, Forbes editor of the Cloud 100. “I am consistently impressed by the caliber of companies honored on the Cloud 100 list. It is an exciting time to be a cloud company and founder.”

 “The 2018 Cloud 100 represents well over $135 billion in private shareholder value — an astonishing figure that reminds us yet again of the power of the cloud,” said Byron Deeter, a top cloud investor and partner at Bessemer Venture Partners. “The way we do business will be dramatically different as a result of these companies, and I am honored to celebrate the remarkable accomplishments of the founders and teams behind each company on the 2018 Cloud 100.”

“The business opportunity for cloud companies is tremendous today as capital investment, customer demand and rate of adoption continues to grow,” said Matt Garratt, managing partner, Salesforce Ventures. “We’re excited to see the potential of these companies and look forward to seeing what innovative technology they deliver around the world.”

Each year the CEOs of the Cloud 100 and the 20 Rising Stars companies are honored at the exclusive Cloud 100 Celebration hosted by Bessemer Venture Partners, Salesforce Ventures and Forbes.

The Forbes 2018 Cloud 100 and 20 Rising Stars lists are published online at www.forbes.com/cloud100 and will appear in the September 2018 issue of Forbes magazine.

About SMS Assist

SMS Assist is a Chicago-based technology company providing multisite property management to a roster of Fortune 500 clients with a team of more than 800 dedicated employees and more than 186,000 service locations. Using its proprietary software platform to manage its network of more than 20,000 affiliate subcontractors, SMS Assist offers a suite of property management benefits including leveraged pricing of products and services, a $50 million insurance policy, real-time services validation, instant invoicing, automatic service audits, and data analysis to ensure quality and cost efficiency. SMS Assist is revolutionizing multisite property management services for clients including JPMorgan Chase (NYSE: JPM), O’Reilly Automotive, Inc. (NASDAQ: ORLY) and Invitation Homes Inc. (NYSE: INVH). To learn more, visit smsassist.com.

Shaun Kring of Walgreens Earns PRSM Association RFMP Designation

The Professional Retail Store Maintenance Association (PRSM) today announced that Shaun Kring, RFMP, Program Manager, with Walgreens, has earned the Retail Facility Management Professional (RFMP) designation, a mark of excellence achieved by an elite group of retail facility management professionals. 

Shaun started with Walgreens in 2005 in store operations, earned his pharmacy technician certification, worked his way up and in 2016, started as a program manager in StoreCare (Facilities).  He currently oversees landscaping, snow removal, and parking lot sweeping for all Walgreens locations (and many Rite Aid Locations).  Shaun also has experience with reactive service programs.  “I really enjoy the PRSM experience and all that comes with it – building relationships, knowledge enhancement, and benchmarking.” 

“It is an honor to have Shaun as the newest RFMP,” said Jonathan Bauer, Chair, PRSM Association 2018-19 Board of Directors Chair and Sr. Director Store Development at Gap Inc. “Earning the RFMP designation differentiates and elevates FM professionals. It is my pleasure to highlight PRSM members who excel in the industry.”

This achievement is considered a milestone in an individual’s professional development, and proof of the individual’s commitment to continuous improvement in the retail facility maintenance industry. For further information about the PRSM Association RFMP certification program, visit www.prsm.com. 

PRSM Activates Hurricane Florence X-Change Community

As Hurricane Florence bears down on the southeast U.S., PRSM has activated a Hurricane Florence X-Change Forum to assist facility managers who may be impacted by the storm.

The Hurricane Florence X-Change Forum is a quick and easy way for retailers to connect with suppliers and other retailers to find the resources needed before, during or after the storm. Retailers needing specific supplies or services can post on the X-Change and suppliers can respond and provide what is needed.

“PRSM has dozens of member companies located in the path of Hurricane Florence and we want to do whatever we can to assist. We encourage members to use the X-Change to share important information and to find the resources they need,” said Bill Yanek, PRSM CEO.

PRSM to Launch New Online Management System September 26

On September 26, PRSM will launch a new Association Management System (AMS). The AMS is the online system PRSM members use to register for PRSM events and webinars, update member contact information and select how they prefer to be contacted. To use the new AMS, members must log in September 26 and reset their password.

Known as Euclid ClearVantage, the new AMS allows members to use a single sign on to: easily access their account, the PRSM.com website, register for PRSM conferences, events and webinars, and review committees. The new system also provides a dashboard that displays basic member information and a recent activity summary.
 

The single sign-on feature also provides access to the PRSM communities (formerly known as PRSM X-Change), online membership directories, and the PRSM store, where members can download or purchase PRSM resources such as white papers, benchmarking reports, etc.
 

“The new AMS is the first step PRSM is taking to improve the technology we use to serve our members. The new system makes it easier for members to access and update their information, register for events and find the information they need to do their jobs better,” said Bill Yanek, PRSM CEO.

SMS Assist Focuses on Customer Service with New Office

Disruptive company strengthens workforce, customer service with expansion to suburban Naperville

CHICAGO, September 5, 2018 — SMS Assist, one of Chicago’s fastest-growing technology companies, today announced a major expansion with the opening of a second area office in suburban Naperville.

The expansion will allow SMS Assist, headquartered in downtown Chicago, to accelerate investments in its industry-leading workforce and business solutions, which bring efficiency to multisite property management. The company, which plans to build out the new office initially with dozens of customer service roles, has a global workforce of more than 800 employees.

“Our success is driven by our people,” said Taylor Rhodes, SMS Assist’s CEO. “They’re the reason we’re here today. This new office allows us to continue creating opportunities for the team while also strengthening what’s already the best customer service in the industry.”

SMS Assist, recognized for its internal talent development programs, chose Naperville for the new office because of the city’s strong business environment and highly skilled workforce. Naperville, with numerous colleges and top-ranked school districts, is regularly rated as one of the most educated, best places to live in the country.

The new office, which features free covered parking, an on-site gym, building food court and dedicated training space, will allow the company to accommodate up to 400 employees. The hiring process is already underway, with job descriptions available online.

SMS Assist enhances how customers experience some of the nation’s biggest brands, streamlining dozens of facilities maintenance services with best-in-class contractors. The company’s technology platform offers real-time quality assurance and transparency across thousands of locations simultaneously.

For two years running, SMS Assist has earned a spot on the Forbes World’s Best 100 Cloud Companies list.

About SMS Assist

SMS Assist is a Chicago-based technology company providing multisite property management to a roster of Fortune 500 clients with a team of more than 800 dedicated employees and more than 186,000 service locations. Using its proprietary software platform to manage its network of more than 20,000 affiliate subcontractors, SMS Assist offers a suite of property management benefits including leveraged pricing of products and services, $50 million insurance policy, real-time services validation, instant invoicing, automatic service audits, and data analysis to ensure quality and cost efficiency. SMS Assist is revolutionizing multisite property management services for clients including JPMorgan Chase (NYSE: JPM), O’Reilly Automotive, Inc. (NASDAQ: ORLY) and Invitation Homes Inc. (NYSE: INVH). To learn more, visit smsassist.com.

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DENTCO's Annual Spirit Week Raises Team Moral and Thousands for Charities

DEWITT, Mich. (August 30, 2018) There’s a reason Crain’s Detroit Business named DENTCO® one of their Cool Places to Work. Every year, this national company brings everyone together for a week of spirited events that boosts esprit de corps and delivers thousands of dollars to charities in need. 
 

According to DENTCO’s President, Scott Milnes, the annual DENTCO Spirit Week and the camaraderie it builds is only a part of what makes the first Exterior Services Management® (ESM®) Company such a desirable place to work. To pull off the most anticipated week each year, a team of volunteers spearhead the committee that selects the theme. This year DENTCO went “Back to School” and transformed the entire corporate headquarters to include a school library, faculty offices, locker rooms and more!

 

“The team really enjoys decorating the office and each year it seems to get more and more creative” says Milnes.

 

In addition to the fun and games, the DENTCO Quality Service Team gets a chance to learn about the latest industry trends through several training sessions. This year, two Michigan State University Horticulture Professors were brought in to train the team on the topic of weeds and pruning; a big part of nationwide landscaping services for some the world’s largest retail brands.

 

Every year a subcommittee selects several non-profit organizations and donations are collected throughout the week from employees during planned events such as: a pop can drive, 50/50 drawing, (this year the winner gave it all back), silent auctions, a photo booth and even a baby photo guessing contest.

 

“We believe in giving back to our community, we’re all in this together and that extends beyond the walls of our organization,” says Teresa Phelps, National Sales Director for DENTCO.

 

This year’s chosen organizations will each get an equal share in thousands raised by the DENTCO team. The charities include:

 

Lansing City Rescue Mission
The City Rescue Mission of Lansing was founded in 1911. As the largest shelter in Michigan’s capital area, they provide shelter to 140 women, children and men every night and serve about 100,000 meals every year. For more information: http://bearescuer.com  

 

Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs
Since 2010, Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs has trained medical service dogs to mitigate the challenges associated with several disabilities, including: PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), Traumatic Brain Injury, seizure disorders, glucose imbalance, mobility issues and more. Guardian Angels is proud to have paired more than 200 individually trained medical service dogs with deserving recipients with no recipient ever being charged for their service dog. For more information: http://www.medicalservicedogs.org

 

Bikers for Books
Bikers for Books is a network of bikers and other reading enthusiasts working together to raise reading awareness.  B4B works diligently to raise awareness and promote literacy by establishing a presence in the community and networking with others to do the same. For more information: http://bikersforbooks.com

 

The House of Promise
Human trafficking is a major issue in the world, with not enough being done to fight it or help its victims. Our goal is to disrupt the destructive patterns of slavery through education and care for the survivors. We do this through training, counseling, and helping the young girls/women relearn basic skills, so that they can rebuild their lives and reintegrate into society. For more information: http://www.thehouseofpromise.com

 

According to Phelps, the DENTCO team got to relive their old memories of school, and in addition to these great charities, many team members with teachers in their families got to hand-deliver donated classroom items to local schools in need.

 

About DENTCO
DENTCO is the first Exterior Services Management Company in the United States.  With over 41 years of experience with retail store and facility exteriors, they offer online portfolio management for snow and ice control, parking lot maintenance, landscape management, dark store management and various other ESM® needs.  Visit them at dentco.com or call (800) 993-3689.  

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The Right Kind of Clean

Choosing the best cleaning tool for the job saves time and money

Did you know there are three kinds of dirt in your store? Bob Robinson Jr., VP of Sales for the Hamilton, Ohio-based cleaning equipment manufacturer Kaivac Cleaning Systems, knows a lot about each of them, which is why he said facilities managers should choose the right kind of cleaning tool for the task at hand.

Loose dirt is the stuff that accumulates from everyday things like dust, foot traffic, opening doors and handling boxes. Stuck dirt is just that – a mess such as spilled soda that sticks to the floor. Embedded soil is the gross stuff that accumulates over time due to inadequate cleaning practices and can lead to the extensive cleaning projects that drain FM budgets.

Robinson said a daily cleaning program is essential for retail stores, but using cleaning equipment such as a floor scrubber based on a set schedule and not on need can lead to unnecessary floor damage.

“The auto-scrubber really isn’t made to remove loose dirt, so it will streak it or move it around, and it grinds away and scratches the floor finish. Then, it requires we burnish the floor, and all we were trying to do in the beginning was remove loose dirt,” Robinson said. “By using the proper tool for the soil that we’re trying to remove, we save a lot of money by not having to recoat floors.”

Here are two more tips for keeping stores clean:

• Stop the mop. Robinson said Kaivac’s “Stop the Mop” marketing campaign aims to make FMs aware that mops were invented for two things – and cleaning your store isn’t one of them.

Mops originally were used to swab the decks of wooden ships and to spread tar on rooftops, Robinson said. By spreading saltwater across the deck, a ship’s crew could keep the wooden boards swollen and tightly pressed together instead of allowing gaps to form as wood dries out. That’s a really good idea when you’re trying to cross an ocean, but since your store hopefully isn’t taking on water, Robinson said you should relegate the mop to the ash heap of history – just don’t expect it to clean it up.

“Somehow, we decided that this great spreading tool was going to be a great soil-removal tool, and it’s not,” Robinson said. “Mops give germs a free ride around the building, they stay wet, they harbor bacteria, and they move soil around but don’t remove it. They don’t work, they’re gross, and no one likes to use them, so let’s stop it and use tools that focus on recovery and removal of soil.”

Robinson said spray-and-vacuum systems, which use a cleaning solution that briefly settles on the floor before being vacuumed up, are preferable because they actually collect the dirt.

• Equip your employees and spread the responsibility. Store employees typically know they should clean up a spill in a busy aisle, but too often, store managers leave the cleaning to vendors instead of being more proactive, Robinson said. By providing employees with the proper cleaning tools, FMs can keep their stores sparkling from open to close.

“We rely on our contract cleaners, but most of the time, they clean at night, when no customers are in the store,” he said. “But what about when customers are there? The best practice is to use your staff to do light-duty cleaning functions because that’s when it matters most – when the customers are in the store – so give them simple and effective tools that they can use.”

By: Nick Fortuna

PRSM retailers could use tax law to save thousands on HVAC and security systems

PRSM retailers and suppliers should take advantage of a recently past tax law that could save thousands of dollars on HVAC or security system improvements. For example, under the new law, a retailer, in the 35 percent tax bracket, spending $150,000 on new rooftop HVAC units could potentially save $52,000.

The 2018 Tax Cuts and Jobs act expanded “section 179 property” to include improvements made to nonresidential real property for heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning property, fire protection and alarm and security systems.

To qualify as section 179 property, the improvements must be made to nonresidential real property and must be placed in service after the date such nonresidential real property was first placed into service.

Beginning in 2018 a building owner may be able to immediately deduct up to $1 million of all its section 179 property, including improvements made to nonresidential real property, e.g., HVAC property and mechanical systems, placed in service in a given tax year. The deduction phases out dollar-for-dollar if the building owner places more than $2.5 million of property in service.

Alternatively, building owners may be able to immediately deduct all improvements made to nonresidential real property for HVAC property and mechanical systems after September 27, 2017, referred to as “100% expensing” under section 168.

The 100% expensing is not subject to the limitations placed on section 179 property and is available to building owners regardless of the dollar amount of property placed in service in a given tax year. Note that 100% expensing begins to phase-out after December 31, 2022 and completely sunsets after 2026.

To access more information about section 179, click here. To access a potential savings calculator, click here.