Matrix Integrated Facility Management

Matrix's Shellville Facility Services Chosen to Clean Premier Center City Properties

2012-02-02T13:28:00.000-08:00

Shellville Facility Services, a division of Matrix, today announced that it has won two premier janitorial services contracts – Cushman & Wakefield’s 1601 Market Street, a 571,555 square foot premier Center City office property and Brandywine Construction & Management Inc.’s 456,922 square foot Stock Exchange building, a Class A office building located at 1900 Market Street.
These multi-year awards culminated an exhaustive competitive process that highlighted Shellville’s EcoSmart™ environmentally sustainable green cleaning program and its Cleaning Industry Management (CIMS-GB with Honors) certified service platform.
“These agreements underscore Shellville’s position as the most innovative and progressive facilities services provider in Center City,” noted Shellville President Peter Criville. “Our proprietary service platform consistently delivers superior service and our record of success at similar properties is a source of pride for our entire organization.”

Matrix CEO to Teach the Value of Cleaning

2011-11-21T16:34:00.000-08:00

Matrix CEO, Jim Peduto, will lead a free webinar: Leveraging the True Value of Clean on November 30, 2011 at 12:00 p.m.-12:30 p.m. (eastern time). The program dives into ISSA's valuable tool for calculating the financial impact and return on investment of a clean building.

Register now!

For more detials folow this link: http://www.issa.com/?m=events&event=view&type=&id=375&page=1&lg=

Trends shaping the Commercial Cleaning Industry

2011-09-26T11:35:00.000-07:00

Jim Peduto, CEO of Matrix Integrated Facility Management, and David Frank, founder of the American Institute for Cleaning Sciences, discuss trends shaping the cleaning industry.
http://www.cleanforhealth.com/documents/RaisingStandards-IndustryTrends1-10.pdf

Matrix achieves CIMS and CIMS-Green Building Recertification with Honors

2011-08-16T20:06:00.000-07:00

Matrix Integrated Facility Management proudly announces its recertification to ISSA’s Cleaning Industry Management Standard and the Cleaning Industry Management Standard for Green Buildings with honors (CIMS-GB). “Achieving recertification confirms our dedication to providing cleaner, safer, healthier buildings and assures our customers that we continue to meet the highest standard and accountability required by CIMS” Jim Peduto, Matrix’s CEO. He also noted that Matrix attained one of the two highest scores certification scores ever.

In addition, CIMS-GB recertification with honors validates Matrix’s EcoSmart program provides greener and healthier workplaces and delivers environmentally preferable cleaning services. By achieving CIMS and CIMS-GB recertification, Matrix continues to rank as one of the most innovative and advanced companies in its environmentally sustainable practices. “We have been distinguished among our peers and are committed to maintaining the highest level of effectiveness and responsiveness in achieving our goal of total customer satisfaction” added Peduto.

About Matrix Integrated Facility Management
Matrix Integrated Facility Management is Upstate New Yorks and the mid-Atlantic's premiere cleaning and maintenance firm employing over 1,800 associates who maintain over 45 million square feet with the goal of "greening commercial real estate" through a comprehensive green cleaning approach and related environmental best practices.

By achieving the CIMS-GB Certification, Matrix continues to rank as one the most innovative and advanced companies in its environmentally sustainable practices which are increasingly being demanded by the commercial real estate industry.

Matrix EcoSmart® Client Earns LEED Platinum Certification

2011-05-31T11:59:00.000-07:00

Matrix Integrated facility Management is proud to announce that its EcoSmart® Green Cleaning System helped King + King Architects earn Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) platinum certification for its headquarters at 358 W. Jefferson St. in Syracuse.
The achievement is especially notable because:

1. It is the first building in the city of Syracuse and Onondaga County to earn the highest level of LEED certification.

2. Of the 13 buildings in New York State that have been certified platinum, the King + King headquarters tied for receiving the highest score in the certification process.

3. Only eight other buildings in the country achieved more points than King + King in the LEED for New Construction category.

The property's sustainable features encompass air quality, natural lighting, heat reduction, ventilation, flooring, restrooms, and equipment, according to the firm. Matrix’s EcoSmart® Green Cleaning System is used to maintain the building and was instrumental in the certification process.

About Matrix and EcoSmart

Matrix is the region’s premiere cleaning and maintenance firm employing over 1,700 associates who maintain over 45 million square feet with the goal of "greening commercial real estate" through a comprehensive green cleaning approach and related environmental best practices. Matrix continues to rank as one the most innovative and advanced companies in its environmentally sustainable practices which are increasingly being demanded by the commercial real estate industry.

The EcoSmart® Green Cleaning System is a comprehensive strategy that encompasses training, purchasing, and operations. The company’s approach is built on the belief that green cleaning practices produce tangible client benefits. The EcoSmart® system even assists clients in qualifying for industry certifications, such as the USGBC’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Program (LEED).

Commercial Cleaning Company Invests in Western New York

2011-02-28T10:01:00.000-08:00

Matrix Integrated Facility Management, the region’s largest and most respected commercial cleaning firm, underscored its commitment to Western New York by opening a Rochester/Buffalo regional office at 1175 Mount Read Boulevard, Rochester, New York.

James Peduto, Matrix Chief Executive Officer, noted that “This office will act as our local operational headquarters to support continued growth as we progressively expand our Rochester and Buffalo client base.” He concluded that “We are excited to bring new and innovative building service solutions to Western New York. The market’s embrace of our personal support and our EcoSmart® green cleaning programs is very exciting.”

About Matrix Integrated Facility Management
Matrix is the region’s premier privately held commercial cleaning and maintenance firm. Each day our 1,700 associates maintain over 45 million square feet with the goal of delivering measurably “Cleaner. Safer. Healthier.” facilities.

For more information contact:
Mark Olbrys, Vice President
Matrix Integrated Facility Management
1175 Mount Read Boulevard
Rochester, New York 14606
800.338.5603
http://www.cleanforhealth.com/

Matrix Integrated Facility Management awards OSHA 30 Hour Outreach Certifications

2011-02-09T07:34:00.000-08:00

Matrix Integrated Facility Management, one of the nation’s leading and most progressive cleaning companies, today announced that Chris Smith, Director of Special Services and David Fowler, Special Service Operations Manager both earned OSHA 30 Hour Outreach Certifications following a week long intensive OSHA workshop.

“Chris and David’s certification serves to highlight Matrix’s commitment to safety through leadership development. The importance of Chris and David’s OSHA certification cannot be understated. The aggressive implementation of our Safety Program focuses on our industry safety processes, hazard recognition/elimination and, hazard prevention” noted Chief Executive Officer James Peduto.

Peduto concluded, “The OSHA 30 Hour Outreach Certification provides our Organization many short and long term benefits. Chris and Dave have gained essential skills to assess our current Safety Program’s effectiveness, identify existing compliance gaps, and access valuable OSHA resources through professional networking with other safety professionals. Most importantly, we will be protecting our employees, guests, and clients with safer workplaces.”

Cleaning Industry Leader to speak on Green Cleaning and LEED-EBOM

2011-01-29T14:10:00.001-08:00

Jim Peduto, one of the cleaning industry's leading authorities on green cleaning and the Cleaning Industry Management Standard for Green Buildings (CIMS-GB) will present “CIMS-Green Building: Elevate Your Green Cleaning and Prepare for LEED” at 9:00 am on Tuesday, March 15, 2011 at NFM&T’s 2011 Conference and Expo in Baltimore.

This presentation helps facility managers by:

Identifying standards to qualify cleaning services that are capable of delivering green cleaning services that support the LEED-EBOM certification process.
Presenting a framework for the development of a LEED-EBOM complaint green cleaning program.
Providing the key elements of a comprehensive green/sustainable cleaning program.

To learn more about this session follow this link to NFM&T's program:
http://www.nfmt.com/EducationEvents/sessiondescription.asp?id=1089

Jim Peduto, Esq., CBSE, is the Chief Executive Officer of Matrix Integrated Facility Management and Chief Operating office the American Institute for Cleaning Sciences

Toys for Tots 2010 Campaign

2010-11-16T09:01:00.000-08:00

Matrix Integrated Facility Management and several local businesses are teaming up with the United States Marine Corps Reserve to kick off the 2010 Toys for Tots campaign. Our goal this year is to collect 1,000 toys, creating 1,000 smiles.

Anyone may donate by placing a new unwrapped toy in the donation boxes posted. For more information, contact John Zalenski @ 315.349.0969, or visit www.toysfortots.org.

Cleaning Industry Leader to Address ISSA

2010-09-27T05:35:00.000-07:00

Jim Peduto, Matrix's CEO, will lead two training seminars at the cleaning industry's largest trade show (ISSA/Interclean) on November 8 and 9, 2010.

On November 8th, Jim and David Frank will conduct the CIMS: ISSA Certification Expert (I.C.E.) Workshop. CIMS is the cleaning industry's quality standard. Attendees will learn how to use CIMS as a tool for benchmarking, evaluating and improving operations.

Peduto's Workloading Made Easy will teach cleaning industry leaders how to easily, quickly, and reliably determine the amount of labor required clean a building. The program will take place on November 9th at 2:45pm. For more details visit: http://www.issa.com/?id=tuesday_nov9_245_345_5

Janet Collins Elected IFMA Greater Philadelphia Chapter President

2010-06-23T12:41:00.000-07:00

Philadelphia, PA – July 1, 2010
Janet Collins Elected IFMA Greater Philadelphia Chapter President

Shellville Facility Services, a division of Matrix is proud to announce Janet
Collins has been recently elected to serve as the International Facility Management Association’s (IFMA) Greater Philadelphia Chapter president. Janet has been an active member of IFMA for over 5 years serving as the Program Chair for two years and serving on the Executive Board as Treasurer this past year.

Janet is the Vice President of Business Development for Shellville Facility Services, a division of Matrix headquartered in King of Prussia, PA. Janet is responsible for the creation and implementation of marketing strategies that are compatible with Shellville’s vision and philosophy. Her background includes a facility management role with Campbell Soup Company where she spent several years managing contracted services for the World Headquarters. Her experience as a building services provider includes over 11 years in operations as well as
business development.

About Shellville Facility Services
Shellville Facility Services is a division of Matrix, the region’s premiere privately held cleaning and maintenance firm. Matrix and its subsidiaries providefacility services to Fortune 500 firms and leading regional clients comprising over 40 million square feet of space throughout Northeast and Mid‐Atlantic regions.

For more information contact:
Shellville Facility Services, a division of Matrix
780 Fifth Avenue, Suite 115
King of Prussia, PA 19406
610.584.0888
www.shellville.com

Shellville Facility Services Chosen For Premier Center City Properties

2010-06-11T07:12:00.000-07:00

Philadelphia, PA – June 8, 2010
Shellville Facility Services Chosen for Premier Center City Properties

Shellville Facility Services, a division of Matrix, today announced that it has won two premier janitorial services contracts: SSH’s 123 South Broad Street, an 892,000 square foot premier Center City office property and Brandywine Realty Trust’s 862,000 square foot Main Post Office building, one of Center City’s historic landmarks.

These awards culminated an exhaustive competitive process that highlighted Shellville’s EcoSmart™ environmentally sustainable green cleaning program and its Cleaning Industry Management for Green Buildings (CIMS-GB) certified service platform.

“These agreements solidify Shellville’s position as the most innovative and progressive facility service provider in the region,” noted Shellville President Peter Criville. “Our proprietary service platform consistently delivers superior results and our record of success at similar properties is a source of pride for our entire organization.”About Shellville Facility Services
Shellville Facility Services is a division of Matrix, the region’s premiere privately held cleaning and maintenance firm. Matrix and its subsidiaries provide facility services to Fortune 500 firms and leading regional clients comprising over 40 million square feet of space throughout Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.

For more information contact:
Shellville Facility Services, a division of Matrix
780 Fifth Avenue, Suite 115
King of Prussia, PA 19406
610.584.0888
www.shellville.com

Matrix Finds CIMS-GB: A valuable resource toward LEED certification

2010-05-16T06:56:00.000-07:00

A firsthand experience with the value of the Cleaning Industry Management Standard (CIM-GB)

Facility managers are increasingly requesting green cleaning programs. However, there still seems to be a lot of confusion in the cleaning industry and among facility managers about what truly constitutes “green cleaning.” Fortunately, standards are emerging that take the guess work out and provide contractors and facility managers with a tool to identify effective green cleaning programs.

Most facility managers want, and expect, more than a contractor to use a few green cleaning products – they frequently prefer that service providers’ green cleaning program meets the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED criteria to help them earn points toward green building certification. The ISSA Cleaning Industry Management Standard for Green Buildings (CIMS-GB) makes the LEED-compliant cleaning decision easy.

CIMS-GB is a standard and a certification for cleaning organizations. It parallels the LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance criteria (LEED-EBOM), making it a valuable resource for both cleaning organizations and their facility customers. Facility managers can rest assured that cleaning organizations certified CIMS-GB are positioned to deliver the maximum number of LEED points. Plus, managers have the added peace of mind that comes from choosing a CIMS certified contractor.

Third-party validation
As the founder/owner of a cleaning business, Matrix Integrated Facility Management, I directly experienced the benefits of CIMS certification with honors…superior quality, improved productivity, consistency throughout the company, and better performance. Matrix was one of the first companies certified CIMS when the Standard was launched in 2008.

We were also one of the first building service contractors in North America to develop a branded, focused green cleaning program, which we named EcoSmart®. Developed around green cleaning best practices, we knew EcoSmart® was a high quality, best-in-class program. But it wasn’t until we went through the CIMS-GB third-party assessment and certification that we were able to truly validate the program for us as a business, and more importantly, for our customers.

Earning CIMS-GB status could not have been better timed. Our customers were more determined than ever to earn LEED certification and with the alignment of LEED and CIMS-GB, we could now confidently assure them that we could help them accomplish their goals.

Business diagnostics
The process of going through the CIMS-GB assessment and certification process was especially valuable. Any organization that goes through the process will appreciate the results and the learnings that come from the process.

It is like taking your car in for a tune-up or going to a doctor for a physical. You obtain a thorough “check-up” on your business. You might find that regardless of the lack of symptoms, your organization could be doing better in one or more areas. This allows cleaning organizations to identify potential future issues that could one day hurt your business.

By going through this business check-up, we were able to identify and correct a few potential issues that we might not have discovered on our own.

One step ahead
Building service contractors that earn CIMS-GB certification today are one step ahead: A step ahead of potential business issues, a step ahead of facility managers seeking a green cleaning program, and a step ahead of the competition.

As facility managers continue to seek contractors that deliver green cleaning programs compliant with LEED, contractors with CIMS-GB certification will continue to win new customers and retain existing ones.

James Peduto first publised this article first appeared in the May 2010 edition of Cleaning and Maintenance Management

Matrix's EcoSmart Green Cleaning Featured In Magazine Cover Story

2010-04-13T10:21:00.000-07:00

"EcoSmart was developed based on best practices," remarks Matrix CEO Jim Peduto. "One of our biggest challenges was to ensure that these practices were being applied across our entire organization, and going through the CIMS-GB certification process helped to attain this goal."

Follow the link below to read article:

http://www.cleanforhealth.com/documents/GBMagazineArticle.pdf

Appointment of Brad Georgetti as Senior Vice President of Human Resources

2010-03-28T06:57:00.000-07:00

Matrix Integrated Facility Management announces the appointment of Brad Georgetti as Senior Vice President of Human Resources.

Matrix Integrated Facility Management and its Shellville Facility Services Division have announced that Brad Georgetti will join the company as Senior Vice President of Human Resources. Brad will assume his duties on March 29, 2010. He will be responsible for fostering higher customer satisfaction through human resource strategy and process alignment across the entire company.

Brad brings to Matrix more than 20 years of extensive human resource leadership experience in a variety of domestic and global companies such as BAE Systems and Honeywell.

Brad noted that, "Matrix is not only one of the nation’s leading facility service firms, it is also recognized as a superb place to work. I look forward to collaborating with my new colleagues to provide the innovative services and programs that a diverse, forward-looking organization needs in an era of rapid change in the workplace."

"Brad's expertise and broad knowledge will be an asset to Matrix as we continue to grow the Company. His proven human resource leadership skills coupled with his extensive business and operating background, align very well with our needs. His solid organizational and leadership development skills and track record of building strong teams will be important as we add esources and strengthen the team to take advantage of the potential we see in the markets," commented James R. Peduto, Chief Executive Officer. "We are delighted to have Brad on our team."

About Matrix
Matrix is the one of the nation’s largest privately held cleaning and maintenance firms. Matrix and its subsidiaries provide facility services to Fortune 500 firms and leading regional clients
comprising over 40 million square feet of space throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.

For more information contact:
Patricia Walsh
Matrix Integrated Facility Management
19 Avenue D
Johnson City, NY 13790
607.766.0700

Matrix and Shellville Featured in CIMS-GB Case Study

2010-03-05T08:34:00.000-08:00

Matrix Integrated Facility Management and its Shellville Facility Services division were recently featured in an ISSA case study. The study examines the company's innovative EcoSmart green cleaning program and how it was the cornerstone of thier CIMS-Green Building (GB) designation.
http://www.issa.com/data/File/CIMS-GB_CS_Matrix.pdf

Shellville Beats the Blizzard

2010-02-19T14:21:00.000-08:00

When the blizzard brought the city to a standstill, Shellville Facility Services, a divsion of Matrix, was there for its clients.
http://www.cleanforhealth.com/fs_parkinglot.htm

Jim Peduto Chosen to Speak at NFM&T’s 2010 Conference/Expo

2010-01-29T18:15:00.000-08:00

Jim Peduto, Chief Executive Officer of Matrix Integrated Facility Management and Chief Operating office the American Institute for cleaning Sciences will present “Taking the Guesswork Out of Contract Cleaning” at 3:10 pm on Thursday, March 17, 2010 at NFM&T’s 2010 Conference and Expo in Baltimore.

This presentation helps facility managers who are looking for an easier way to find high-quality providers that deliver consistent service at the right price. For in-house staff, facility managers need the tools to manage the department and champion it to upper management. In this session you will learn about the new ISSA Cleaning Industry Management Standard(CIMS) tool and how it can help identify key elements of a well-managed and customer-centered cleaning operation and evaluate other service areas that have similar management structures.

To learn more about this session follow this link to NFM&T's program: http://www.nfmt.com/EducationEvents/sessiondescription.asp?id=820

Toys for Tots 2009 Campaign

2009-12-17T13:23:00.000-08:00

Matrix Integrated Facility Management is helping to make a difference in the lives of many children this holiday season. Matrix LLC teamed up with several local businesses and the United States Marine Corps to kick off the 2009 Toys for Tots Campaign with Matrix donating the single largest contribution. As a result, over 840 toys were collected, creating over 840 smiles.

How to Lose a Customer in 5 Steps

2009-11-24T08:30:00.000-08:00

What not to do is just as important as what to do

Business owners often willingly invest tons of time and resources trying to attract new customers and grow the business. Meanwhile, they sacrifice valuable relationships through simple acts of carelessness and the failure to meet their current customers’ needs. As a result, many businesses lose existing customers faster than they can gain new ones.

While securing new business is essential to business growth, retaining customers is just as important, if not more so – your business is not growing if customers are leaving faster than new ones are coming in. And trust me; your competitors are working overtime to steal your key accounts. If you want to make it easy for them to do so, check out these five easy steps to losing your best customers.

Step 1: Don’t Listen.
Don’t bother learning as much as you can about the customer’s organization, facility and needs. Don’t ask open-ended questions to get the most information as possible, and when they talk, be sure to interrupt them and dismiss their comments. Shutting your customers down is a great way to make sure you miss out on what you need to do to deliver quality service. If you want to keep customers, ask questions, listen, and take notes.

Step 2: Don’t provide value.
Instead of providing what the customer views as valuable, assume what they want and deliver the services you think are best for the customer. After all, you are the expert and know what they want, right? Wrong. Find out exactly what they view is valuable and focus on delivering those things in the best way possible.

Step 3: Keep customers in the dark.
Customer relationships require constant communication in order to last. One of the fastest ways to destroy a customer relationship is to limit communication. This includes not letting the customer know when you’re making any changes anything from staffing to service levels to billing. Making changes with little or no notice just gives customers unnecessary feelings of uncertainty and adds strain to your relationships.

Step 4: Don’t treat customers with respect.
Sometimes, as the business owner, you might feel like the customer is being unreasonable. You may even be annoyed but, don’t have the luxury of letting the customer know it. The age-old adage, “the customer is always right” must live on in your mind and in the minds of your staff. If you are rude or disrespectful to your customers, they will your competitor’s customers tomorrow.

Step 5: Destroy trust.
Customers need to feel like they can trust you and your business or they won’t stick around. There are many ways to destroy trust and it doesn’t take one huge mistake; you can destroy trust little by little with small things. For example, don’t return their phone calls in a timely manner (within 24 hours), don’t follow up with them on issues or concerns or to see how they are doing, and be inconsistent so they just don’t know what to expect from you. Just like any relationship, customer relationships require trust or they won’t last.

Any of the above steps can easily send your customers packing. The key to keeping them from walking away is to do the just opposite of what the steps say: listen; provide what they define as valuable; communicate; treat them with respect; and work build and keep trust. Sometimes knowing what not to do is as important as knowing what to do.

EcoSmart™ Green Cleaning Program Earns CIMS-GB Certification

2009-10-21T12:08:00.000-07:00

Matrix Integrated Facility Management and Shellville Facility Services have achieved the major distinction of being among the nation’s first commercial janitorial companies to be certified to ISSA’s Cleaning Industry Management Standard for Green Buildings (CIMS-GB).

The companies earned certification following a rigorous and comprehensive independent third-party assessment. “Our success in achieving CIMS-GB certification underscores our commitment to cleaner and greener buildings. Certification assures our customers that we meet the highest standard and accountability required by CIMS-GB certification," said James Peduto, Chief Executive Officer.

CIMS-GB Certification validates Matrix’s EcoSmart™ comprehensive sustainability services platform and its green cleaning practices. Through EcoSmart™ Matrix and Shellville deliver greener and healthier workplaces across all types of commercial properties. Peduto noted, “With this certification, our customers can be confident that Matrix is dedicated to maintaining the highest level of effectiveness and responsiveness in achieving our goal of total customer satisfaction.”

Peduto concluded, “Our commitment to environmental stewardship, innovation, and healthy buildings is embodied in CIMS-GB and EcoSmart™. As an industry leader, we have a responsibility to be at the forefront of green cleaning. With this certification, our clients can count on us to be the leader in commercial real estate green cleaning programs.”

About EcoSmart™
The EcoSmart™ Green Cleaning System is a comprehensive strategy that encompasses training, purchasing, and operations. The company’s approach is built on the belief that green cleaning practices produce tangible client benefits. The EcoSmart™ system even assists clients in qualifying for industry certifications, such as the USGBC’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Program (LEED).

About CIMS
CIMS is a management framework designed to assist building service contractors and in-house service providers in developing quality, customer-centered organizations and is based on universally-accepted principles that have proven to be the hallmarks of well-managed, successful cleaning operations.

Certification with Honors is the highest designation available to those who comply with CIMS, indicating that the cleaning organization meets 100 percent of mandatory management requirements and at least 85 percent per section of recommended elements set forth in the Standard (see CIMS checklist at www.issa.com/standard for more details).

Growth without Growing Pains

2009-10-15T14:03:00.000-07:00

Avoid the pain of learning the hard way by following a business framework

We have all heard the expression “sometimes it’s better to learn the hard way.” Throughout our lives, there are many opportunities to learn things the hard way. These lessons lead to twists and turns, and stumbles and falls, or “growing pains.” I am sure you can think of a time or two in your life when you learned a lesson the hard way, and are glad (or not) that you did.

As a business expands, management may experience growing pains. For many building service contractors the challenge is not getting more business; it’s keeping it. All too often, we see businesses losing accounts as quickly as they win them. Taking your lumps may be part of life but it should not be part of growing your business. With your business at risk, it’s essential to create a framework for growth that enables you to build the proper foundation for managing growth.

A standard framework
Fortunately, our industry already has already developed a framework for growth that can be applied to all types of organizations, including BSC organizations. That framework is found in ISSA’s Cleaning Industry Management Standard (CIMS), which sets forth processes and procedures for achieving well-run, customer-focused businesses.

Following the CIMS structure ensures that your organization has the right pieces in place to operate efficiently as operations expand. The best practice is to use the CIMS five management principles as a “platform for growth.” Well managed BSCs conduct a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis to see where they are doing well and where they need to improve. Fixing the areas that shout “needs improvement” now prevent growing pains later.

Quality Systems – This first principle ensures organizations have an effective quality system. This includes defining cleaning service requirements, implementing a quality plan, measuring performance, obtaining relevant feedback from customers, and committing to continual improvement.
Service Delivery – To ensure acceptable service delivery, organizations must have a service delivery plan that outlines the organization’s customer-related processes, including workloading, staffing, purchasing, and handling of unexpected events.
Human Resources – A cleaning organization will only operate in an efficient and professional manner if its employees are well-trained, customer-focused and dedicated to delivering a quality service. From hiring to training to the actual delivery of service, an organization’s human resources must be prepared to upload its commitment to quality.
Health, Safety and Environmental Stewardship – Businesses have to comply with existing legal and regulatory obligations. Documentation of this compliance is important. This also includes any other processes and systems related to health, safety and sustainability initiatives. An optional “green” component is also available.
Management Commitment – BSCs should have a clearly defined vision for the future and an understanding of its mission. Well-defined organizational roles and responsibilities as well as an effective communication plan are also must-haves. All of this will prepare BSCs for times of organizational change.

When a business goes through growth spurts, its owners should experience exciting times not tumultuous ones. A framework that helps prepare BSCs for steady, organized growth ensures owners avoid the pitfalls and growing pains so they can reap the benefits of a well-run, thriving business.

Hiring a Subcontractor?

2009-08-28T08:03:00.000-07:00

Get it right and in writing.Hiring subcontractors takes care of your extra work and adds scalability to your business – but only if you protect your business with a written agreement.

Don’t do windows? Need some help with stone floor care? If so, it might be time to look into hiring a subcontractor or two.

Even the largest building service contractors do not always have on staff the skilled technicians necessary to handle the many special service tasks of our industry. Subcontractor experts in specialty areas bring that expertise to your business.

Moreover, if you have any regional and national contracts, you might have certain accounts that extend outside of your business’s geographic capability. Subcontractors can provide the extra coverage needed in those remote locations to secure more business.

Understanding how subcontractors can help you create a more scalable business is the easy part. The hard part is hiring a quality, reliable, honest individual or business. Keep in mind that the subcontractor is representing you and your business to your customer.

To protect your business and the subcontractor’s business, the working relationship mustn’t begin without a comprehensive, detailed written agreement.

Why a written agreement?
A written agreement should protect your business (and the subcontractor) in many ways. It goes far beyond the simple agreement to perform the work. First, you need to specify in writing that your subcontractors (whether they're individuals or other businesses) aren't employees and that they're responsible for paying their own taxes and benefits.

Second, the agreement must spell out the scope of work, including the subcontractor's responsibilities, and the payment rate (project or hourly) and deadlines. The agreement document also should contain a provision allowing your company or the contractor to terminate the contract within a certain amount of notice – 30 days, for example. Additionally, the agreement should include provisions in the event of non-payment or incomplete or substandard work. Also determine which party would be responsible for correction of substandard work.

Addendums to the agreement. The written agreement is the foundation of the subcontractor agreement. It is the base document in the file of documentation you will need to keep on each subcontractor you hire. There are three more key pieces necessary to obtain from subcontractors prior to the start of work.

Certificates of insurance. Include a provision in the agreement that requires subcontractors to obtain and maintain worker's compensation, general liability and automobile liability insurance. Ask for a certificate of insurance, which is a form issued by the subcontractor's insurer that details the coverages, expiration dates and limits of their policies. Requesting a certificate of insurance does not transfer any risk, but it does tell the contractor whether the subcontractor has adequate coverage.

Indemnification. Require subcontractors to sign a “hold-harmless” or indemnity agreement, which are non-insurance, contractual agreements used to transfer risk from one party to another. This basically means the subcontractor agrees to take responsibility in the case of a lawsuit against your business as a result of an incident related to the subcontractor.

Compliance with immigration laws. The third document to be obtained in tandem with the written agreement is a certificate of compliance with immigration laws and regulations. When signed, the subcontractor is disclosing that workers are legally allowed to work in the United States.

With a written agreement in place, including certificates of insurance, indemnity agreement and certificate of compliance with immigration laws, you can trust that you will not be risking your business to do business with subcontractors.

Jim Peduto to Address IFMA World Workplace

2009-07-27T18:48:00.000-07:00

Jim Peduto will lead an important and useful session at IFMA's World Workplace. Participants will learn how to use the Cleaning Industry Management Standard (CIMS) as a "pre-qualification" tool to help ensure that your cleaning organization is managed in a professional mannner and is dedicated to delivering quality services. They will also discover how the standard's key elements can be used as a tool for benchmarking, evaluating and improving operations.

Helping Facility Managers Take the Guesswork Out of the Cleaning and Services Equation will be presented at World Workplace on Friday, October 9, 2009 from 8:00AM - 9:00AM.

http://www.worldworkplace.org/2009/conference/sessions/ed_sessions_track.cfm?track=1&submit3=Search

More Than 400 CIMS Professionals Now Certified to I.C.E

2009-07-08T11:28:00.000-07:00

A new group of individuals has achieved certification as official Cleaning Industry Management Standard (CIMS) ISSA Certification Experts (I.C.E.). The addition of these 36 new I.C.E. professionals brings the total count to more than 400 experts representing 47 U.S. states and Canadian provinces as well as Mexico and the Caribbean.

An interactive map containing a full list of CIMS experts and their contact information is available at www.issa.com/?id=cims_ice_map&lg.

To read the full article click here

Pandemic Alert Raised

2009-06-11T15:12:00.000-07:00

The World Health Organization (WHO) raised its pandemic alert to phase 6, the top level on its six-point scale. WHO Director-General Dr Margaret Chan said the move reflected the geographic spread of the virus but did not indicate the severity of the influenza (A) H1N1 pandemic. She added that WHO's global assessment was that the pandemic was moderate.

For our clients, the move to phase 6 should not precipitate additional actions beyond those already taken. To learn more about how we can help protect you visit: http://www.cleanforhealth.com/flu.htm

New Video Outlines Benefits of Specifying CIMS

2009-06-01T08:23:00.000-07:00

Click here to see the benefits of specifying CIMS

This newly released video demonstrates how the ISSA Cleaning Industry Management Standard and Certification Program provides facility managers and purchasers with a powerful, pre-qualification tool that is both free and easy-to-use.

CIMS certification increases the odds of outsourcing success, offers a level of assurance that a cleaning organization’s management systems and operations are structured to deliver consistently high-quality service, and identifies a true commitment to meeting one's expectations.

Motivating Employees during a Recession

2009-06-01T08:05:00.000-07:00

Even with unemployment rates high, workers need motivation – and it won’t cost business owners anything

As the economy continues to stumble along, many businesses are pushing their employees to do more with less. Some organizations are operating with smaller staffs, yet expecting maximum productivity. While many business owners might expect employees, grateful to have jobs, to work harder in this environment, that is not always the case.

Working under a cloud of uncertainty, employees are feeling increased fear and pressure, which does not create an atmosphere conducive to productivity. That’s why it’s critical that business owners create a workplace in which employees not only want to be, but also one that inspires them to be productive.

There are a number of actions that business owners can take to inspire employees to stay productive and stay put.

Treat employees fairly. While pay raises and bonuses might be out of the question or at least reduced for this year, it is important to ensure that employees are receiving fair pay according to their job responsibilities. Research competitors’ pay rates and aim to match them or take the chance of losing good workers. Employees are not motivated on a day-to-day basis by what they get paid, but it is critical that they feel they are compensated fairly. When business (and the economy) is on an upswing, reinstate bonuses and merit raises, based on performance.

Recognize employees for high performance. Recognize employees frequently. There are many ways to motivate by recognition. Formal programs are great but take care to ensure that they are meaningful. However, even simple praise for good work gives workers a sense of worth in relation to the organization and its mission.
Offer opportunities for growth in responsibility. If you have high-performing employees and you want to keep motivating them to do well, increase their responsibilities or promote them to a new position. Just make sure you aren’t making them work more hours without compensating them for it; that can be a de-motivator.

Make work enjoyable. Find out what employees like most about their work, and help them do those jobs more frequently. If an employee enjoys working in teams versus separately, try to find a team for him or her. It is also important that workers have the right tools needed to complete their jobs. Make sure the tools are ergonomic, easy or even fun to use.

Keep communication lines open. Workers should feel like they can approach their supervisors and upper management with questions, concerns or ideas. Nothing is more unmotivating than feeling like owners and managers do not care about or want to hear from workers. Listen to their complaints and learn about problems in the workplace. Offer opportunities for employees to provide suggestions or comments.

Now more than ever, employees are looking for ways to dispel feelings of uncertainty in their jobs. By communicating with employees about everything from business performance to their individual performance, they will feel more connected to their work and their purpose. Add in an environment of fairness, opportunities for recognition, growth and some fun for a motivated work force geared toward productivity and growth for your business.

Matrix Develops Influenza Preparedness Plan

2009-05-14T09:08:00.000-07:00

As part of our commitment to healthy buildings, Matrix has created a comprehensive strategy to protect our clients during influenza outbreaks that include the following elements:

A detailed emergency response plan
Special cleaning procedures
Steps to build an effective response team with your janitorial service provider
Housekeeping considerations during an outbreak
How to approach cleaning and maintenance before, during, and after an outbreak

View our plan

Workloading Podcast

2009-04-29T16:52:00.000-07:00

Building service contractors continually search for an average price per square foot to charge their clients. But this number does not exist. There are too many variables to consider when calculating cost per square foot.

In this podcast, Jim Peduto explains how BSCs can determine their own workloading numbers for each account and what to tell customers if asked to provide an average cost per square foot.

Click here to listen to the free workloading podcast

Distributors: Bringing the bang back to the buck

2009-04-20T15:46:00.000-07:00

If products and equipment are all you’re getting out of your distributor, you’re missing out.

Many building service contractors (BSCs) rely on distributors for purchasing products and equipment. As the link between BSCs and manufacturers, one of a distributor’s traditional roles has been to sell and deliver products. However, that is only the beginning.

The best distributors offer so much more than products at competitive prices. They understand BSC challenges, and they want to be the BSC’s partner in finding and providing the best solutions. The ideal distributor-BSC relationship is a partnership that thrives on added value, service, and a common goal: business growth and success.

Consider talking to your distributor about some common yet effectual services they could provide in addition to delivering products at a fair price. Here are four topics to get you started.

1. Cost control
A good distributor partner knows BSCs operate in a very competitive marketplace, which means that BSCs must keep their costs down and still meet customer expectations. That’s why many distributors provide evaluations of cleaning procedures and workloading to ensure your cleaning operation is using the most efficient products in the most efficient way. If not, they will suggest different systems and cleaning techniques that can help increase efficiency and reduce labor costs.

Another way distributors help control costs is through inventory management. Your distributor has a wealth of information about your product usage patterns and consumption. That information can be used to build order forms and standardize your product mix. Many distributors can track your operation’s product use and time shipments accordingly to avoid shipping too much product and keep shipping costs at a minimum.

2. Training
Employee training on correct product use and cleaning techniques is probably the most common value-added service distributors provide. But don’t stop there. Some distributors offer management training, workloading how-tos, and more. The more you can rely on your distributors for training, the more time you’ll have to dedicate to customers.

3. Business growth
Your distributor is also your link to your next customers. If your distributor is not giving you customer leads, ask for them. A distributor’s sales force should be helping you grow by identifying opportunities in the marketplace. Remember, the more your business grows, the more your distributor’s business grows.

4. Certification
Do you plan on pursuing industry certifications to add credibility to your business? If your goal is to “go green” or to help your customers achieve LEED certification, find out if your distributor has a LEED AP (Accredited Professional) on staff. Moreover, if you are pursuing ISSA’s CIMS (Cleaning Industry Management Standard) certification, find out if your distributor has an ICE professional (ISSA Certification Expert) to help you through the certification process.

Distributing success
Progressive distributors are looking for ways to build long-term customer relationships. Any service or solution that contributes to the growth or prosperity of your business is going to benefit their business. If your business thrives, you order more products. And if distributors help BSCs improve their operations, increase efficiency, and make their jobs easier, distributors will get the long-term relationships they seek. It’s about time you ask your distributor to deliver more than just products.

Shellville Facility Services Chosen for Premier Center City Property

2009-04-03T06:23:00.000-07:00

Shellville Facility Services, a division of Matrix, today announced that it has won a janitorial services contract for 1700 Market Street, one of Philadelphia’s premier Center City properties. The multi-year award culminated an exhaustive competitive process that highlighted Shellville’s EcoSmart™ environmentally sustainable green cleaning program and its Cleaning Industry Management (CIMS) certified service platform.

“This agreement solidifies Shellville’s position as the most innovative and progressive facilities services provider in Center City,” noted Shellville President Peter Criville. “Our proprietary service platform consistently delivers superior service and our record of success at similar properties is a source of pride for our entire organization.”

About Shellville Facility Services
Shellville Facility Services is a division of Matrix, the region’s premiere privately held cleaning and maintenance firm. Matrix and its subsidiaries provide facility services to Fortune 500 firms and leading regional clients comprising over 40 million square feet of space throughout Northeast and Mid-Atlantic region.

Jim Peduto Presents at NFM&T’s 2009 Conference/Expo

2009-03-12T19:41:00.000-07:00

Jim Peduto, Chief Executive Officer of Matrix Integrated Facility Management presented “Removing the Guesswork from the Contract Cleaning Equation” at 9:30 am on Thursday, March 12, 2009 at NFM&T’s 2009 Conference and Expo in Baltimore.

This presentation will explain how facility executives, purchasing representatives, and other who are responsible for securing cleaning services can use the the Cleaning Industry Management Standard (CIMS) to distinguish between cleaning companies. The presentation will show how the Standard can act as a “pre-qualification” tool to help ensure that the cleaning organization that is awarded the job is managed in a professional manner and is dedicated to delivering quality services and meeting the customer’s needs. It will also provide real-world examples and describe how the Standard’s key elements can be used as a tool for benchmarking, evaluating, and improving operations, including those that are performed in-house.

To learn more about this session follow this link to NFM&T's program: http://www.nfmt.com/EducationEvents/sessiondescription.asp?id=620

The Sales Pay Scale: Weighing the pros and cons of commission vs. salary

2009-03-10T13:52:00.000-07:00

Finding the right balance to keep your sales team motivated to grow your business

Managing sales people is a tough. Figuring out how to compensate them is extremely challenging. The most successful businesses have competitive sales compensation plans that attract and retain the best talent, have a motivated sales team, and are positioned to achieve maximum profitability.

There are often two opposing schools of thought regarding sales compensation structures – one is the traditional commission-only plan and the other is the practice of paying straight salary. There are people who feel very strongly about focusing solely on one or the other, but I believe the key to a good compensation package is to create a balance of salary and commission. Each pay structure comes with its own pros and cons. It’s a matter of finding the mix that motivates your sales staff and is best for your business.

Commission pros and cons
The most common and traditional way to motivate and reward salespeople for closing big deals or meeting goals is through commission. The chief advantage associated with a straight commission compensation plan is that it gives salespeople major incentive to work very hard on behalf of the company. But commission-based pay leaves employees with compensation uncertainties, so when sales are slow during a downturn, they may be motivated to leave your company for a job with a more secure compensation program.

Business owners also lose a lot of control over compensation expenses with a straight commission plan. Commission-driven structures also can encourage an environment in which salespeople ignore non-sales-related tasks (customer follow up, maintaining accounts, collecting payment) and even take on bad business habits to get a sale.

Commission pros: motivates sales team

Commission cons: high turnover, less control over pay, non-sales-related tasks ignored, bad business habits

Salary pros and cons
Offering employees a base salary that ensures steady income is a good idea. A guaranteed salary provides salespeople with the security that, despite the ebbs and flows of business, they can maintain a certain lifestyle. However, a salary alone is not enough.

The biggest drawback of paying a straight, comfortable salary is that it fosters an environment of complacency, eliminating employees’ incentive to perform. Salespeople want to know that if they make the extra effort they will be adequately rewarded for their hard work. Commission creates a hunger among employees that salary does not.

Salary pros: steady income, security
Salary cons: complacency, no incentive to perform

Salary plus commission: the perfect combination
A compensation package that emphasizes salary over commission will allow you to make greater demands on how salespeople spend their time, but that will not drive them to go above and beyond their basic job responsibilities. A pay package that emphasizes commissions will motivate your salespeople to spend all their time selling and securing new accounts, while they ignore other crucial work. Either way, business owners can lose a lot of control over their salespeople and the performance and growth of the business.
Developing a compensation plan with the right pay mix is the best approach for weathering any market condition. A set salary guarantees a minimum level of pay for employees, which shows that you’re invested in them for the long haul, and the added commission incentive rewards employees for high levels of performance, making their hard work worthwhile.

Matrix CEO Peduto Addresses BSCAI

2009-03-07T11:46:00.000-08:00

Jim Peduto, Esq., CBSE addressed the Building Service Contractor's Association International on how to use the Cleaning Industry Management Standard (CIMS) to successfully manage a cleaning organization.

CIMS sets forth a framework for quality operations and continuous improvement and is centered on five universally-accepted principles of effective management. Attendees will learn how the principles can be used as a tool for benchmarking, evaluating and improving operations and how adoption of such principles leads to consistent, quality services that are designed to meet the customer’s needs and expectations.
http://www.bscai.org/annual_convention/BSCAI2009ACTSAP.pdf

The Time Is Ripe For Acquisitions

2009-02-25T07:18:00.000-08:00

The current economic climate offers opportunities for business growth. Are you ready?
The economy continues to challenge businesses of all types. While some building service contractors are struggling with declining revenue and surrendering to a projected future of impending doom, others are viewing this as a time of opportunity for growth. Now is the time when savvy business owners refuse to run for cover and instead choose to dig into their business, with a goal to take customers and build market share.

If acquisitions are part of your growth strategy, this is perfect time for you to position your company to make a move to purchase when the time is right. Start with the following steps:

Assemble your acquisition team: Whether you choose to work with a business advisor or go it alone, your acquisition team will need three key players: your attorney, accountant and banker. These advisors will help you review and verify all relevant information about any company you consider acquiring.

Secure funding: If you don’t have funding, you don’t have a deal. Bank financing has been tight and many financial institutions have become very risk adverse. Nevertheless, there are a number of alternative financing options. Tough markets can spawn creative solutions.

Put potential businesses under the microscope: Whether your company is positioned for an acquisition or you’re just assessing targets, work with your acquisition team to conduct a preliminary analysis of all potential acquisition targets. This analysis includes a series of basic questions: Why is the company for sale? Are the target’s financials sound? Does their account profile complement yours or provide an entry into a new market?

Find out the company’s reputation and the strength of its business relationships. Talk with existing customers, suppliers and vendors about their relationships with the company. Check credit-reporting agencies for additional background data.With deeper research, you can gather information on a company’s financial health, earnings history, growth potential and intangible assets such as brand and market position.

Be disciplined: When considering an acquisition, make sure it’s not just because you’re blinded by a low-price, quick-growth opportunity. Having clearly defined the objectives for an acquisition will help keep you focused. Are you looking to acquire a company to expand the services you currently offer? Do you want to extend your geographic reach? Are you hoping to grow your sales or management team? With goals in mind, you can easily set measurable objectives to justify the acquisition.

The success of your business is not about this year, but the next 20 years. Businesses that plan for growth today and lay a solid foundation will have an edge on competitors

Immigration Law: Change is Coming

2008-12-15T11:11:00.000-08:00

Though the topic of immigration reform has cooled off for now, BSCs still need to be sure they are following the law

The composition of the American work force is changing and, for a multitude of reasons, the changes are magnified in the building service contracting industry. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the percentage of nonwhite workers continues to increase each year, and cleaning workers are definitely no exception.
The work force’s changing demographics have also brought attention to immigration reform. Immigration reform was a major issue during the recent presidential election. Although both presidential candidates supported somewhat similar positions, the economy has taken center stage so we will have to wait at least until later this year to find out what happens in regard to reform.

With the spotlight temporarily off the issue of immigration reform, it is a perfect opportunity for BSCs to ensure that they are fully compliant with current employment laws. Under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), employers may only hire workers who can legally work in the United States. Employers are required to complete an I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification Form) for each employee, and keep that form on file for at least three years, or one year after employment ends, whichever is longer.

The I-9 includes three important sections you and your employees must accurately complete.
Section 1: Employee Information and Verification. Employees are responsible for completing this section, which includes name, address, date of birth and Social Security number. You must make sure your employees fill this out accurately and completely, including the employee’s signature and date of completion.

Section 2: Employer Review and Verification. This section calls for documentation that provides proof of employee identity and employment eligibility. The I-9 includes a list of acceptable documents employees can provide that will satisfy the requirements of this section. You may not tell employees what forms to provide, but you can guide workers by showing them the list of acceptable documents.

You must physically examine the documents provided by employees, but you’re not required to know with absolute certainty whether the documents provided are genuine or false. The law does require employers to make a good-faith determination that 1) the documents provided are included in the list of acceptable ones; 2) the documents appear to relate to the employee; and 3) the documents appear to be genuine.

Section 3: Updating and Verification. You’ll need to complete this section when updating and re-verifying employment authorization for employees whose previous authorization has expired. This section does not apply to employees who are U.S. citizens.

To ensure employees maintain employment eligibility, set up an electronic reminder schedule 90 days before each employee’s work authorization expiration date. This will give you and the employee enough time to renew authorization.

For more information about the INA, or to download I-9 forms or guides, please visit the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services site at www.uscis.gov. Complying with the INA should be business as usual for all BSCs. So when the time comes for change or reform, you will be ready.

Matrix Teams for Toys for Tots

2008-11-12T06:42:00.000-08:00

Toys for Tots 2008 Campaign
Novelis Corporation and Matrix Integrated Facility Management are teaming up with the United States Marine Corps Reserve to kick off the 2008 Toys for Tots Campaign.

Donation boxes will be at each guard gate and various locations throughout Novelis, 448 County Rt 1A, Oswego, NY 13126. Anyone may donate by placing a new unwrapped toy in the donation box. For more information contact John Zalenski @315-349-0969, or visit http://www.toysfortots.org/.

Safety Pays

2008-11-07T17:14:00.000-08:00

How safety can put a cap on workers’ compensation costs.

Along with death and taxes, workers’ compensation is something that every business owner with employees must face. To make the matter worse, the cost of workers’ compensation continues to rise – the cost per claim has risen 27 percent in the last four years.

Workers’ compensation premiums are based in part on things over which you have little control, such as the type of industry you work in, and the state or region of the country where your business is located. The good news is that you have far more control over your rates than you realize. Your company’s rate is heavily influenced by factors over which you do have some control, such as your company’s number of workers’ compensation claims and payments.

Well-managed BSCs understand that safety is fundamental to their success. In fact, ISSA’s Cleaning Industry Management Standard (CIMS), includes health and safety as one of its five major sections. In addition, the cleaning industry is focusing more and more on safety with products and equipment designed to be safer and healthier for workers to use. These innovations and guidelines can help reduce workers’ compensation claims; but first, BSCs need to treat safety as a management issue.

With that thought in mind, I have developed a list of five safety-related tips that I have compiled based on many years of work with insurance carriers, risk managers and leading firms throughout the industry.

Make a commitment to an accident-free workplace and mean it. Make safety a common goal and get your managers, supervisors and employees onboard. Begin with the mindset that every injury is preventable. Don’t treat minor injuries as though they are unavoidable and simply accept them. Lots of minor injuries can have as much or more impact on your rates than one major injury. With this commitment, no accident is acceptable, no matter how big or small it may be.

Know and understand your risks. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires that businesses keep logs of all accidents, injuries and incidents. Your insurance carrier also can provide a report of your past claims. Review that information regularly and analyze the data. Use the 80/20 rule and focus on those few things (20 percent) that happen to be the causes of most accidents (80 percent). You will find that a large percent of your accidents come from similar causes. Eliminate the highest probability first and you’ll see a decrease in incidents as a result.

Train your workers and managers. Many BSCs do not conduct meaningful and ongoing safety training because of high worker turnover. While turnover may be an issue in our industry, it is not an excuse for not training people. Training is essential to a culture of safety and lower insurance costs.

Be consistent. Keep your safety program front and center. Your efforts will take time to produce results. The key to safety is to stay focused. Make safety part of everyone’s daily activities. Compensate and reward managers based on their safety performance, including how well they train and motivate workers to adhere to safety policies. Include safety as a component for annual manager bonuses.

Look for danger signals. Safety is a barometer of other operating issues. A failure in one area is often a warning sign. If one management component fails, chances are, other areas are suffering as well. For example, if your business’s turnover rate is high, it is likely that the level of safety is poor – and the reverse could be true. Conversely, poor safety is frequently a reflection of a weak manager. Recognize low-performance areas of your business management and fix them before they start to impact other areas.

Safety is about accountability. It is up to BSCs and their management staff to commit to safety, not only because it is the right thing for employees, but because it’s the right thing for business.

Employee retention is critical – especially in today’s economy

2008-11-06T13:23:00.001-08:00

Here are some effective and low-cost strategies for keeping your best workers

During an economic downturn, unemployment rates rise and the working population cling to their jobs – right? Not necessarily, especially if we’re talking about your best cleaning workers. These are the people who are producing, pushing the hardest and making your business look good. Your competitors know who they are. In fact, they might be trying to hire them.

By using some strong retention strategies, you can help ensure that your top performing workers will want to stick around through any economy. As a bonus, many of these strategies will not cost you anything.

Communicate expectations. Are your employees’ goals aligned with your business goals? Are these goals and expectations consistent? Changing expectations only keep employees on edge, create stress and make them feel unsuccessful. Make sure employees know what is expected of them in a clear way so they can easily recognize whether or not they are accomplishing the work effectively.

Provide the tools and equipment needed to do the job right. No one likes to report to a job that doesn’t include working tools and equipment to do the job. Make it possible for workers to do what they do best every day.

Recognize and praise employees for doing good work. It takes one to two seconds to say “well done” or “good job today,” but it could make an employee’s entire day. Your workers should receive some kind of praise at least once every seven days.

Show you care about your workers. All of your employees are individuals and have lives outside of this job. Ask how they are doing. Offer reasonable flexibility and support when needed.

Encourage employee development. Workers are happiest when they feel challenged and are given opportunities to develop new skills. You can encourage employee development by offering a mentoring program and extra training programs for new skills.

Value their opinions. Show that you value your employees’ opinions by offering a forum for discussions in employee meetings. Offer e-mail addresses or other contact information for company leaders and encourage workers to contact leaders with ideas or questions. Distribute employee surveys, post the results and follow up with discussions around employee feedback.

Offer opportunities for workers to learn and grow. Employees commit to companies if they know there’s the possibility of a promotion or positive job change for them in the future. Adopt a policy to promote from within and create career maps or plans for employees so they know what it will take to get where they want to be.

Retaining your key employees is critical to the long-term health and success of your business. Keeping your best workers on hand ensures customer satisfaction, business growth and a deeply imbedded organizational culture. Satisfied workers who are committed to your business have a more positive attitude, work harder, and want to be a part of the business success.

Standards Can Elevate Your Organization

2008-11-01T17:41:00.000-07:00

The Cleaning Industry Management Standard and certification program is designed to do just that.

The cleaning industry finally has a standard for identifying high-quality, high-performance cleaning operations. Certification to the Cleaning Industry Management Standard is a way for both building service contactors and in-house service providers to differentiate their operations and demonstrate their professionalism. In addition, facility managers and purchasing organizations are already incorporating CIMS into their requests for proposals.

To prepare for what’s ahead, BSCs and ISPs should have an understanding of the standard, its benefits and what it takes to get certified.

What is CIMS?
The Cleaning Industry Management Standard (CIMS) and certification program was spearheaded by ISSA and was developed through a true consensus-based process. Ultimately, development of the standard brought together a group of organizations representing more than 100,000 professionals from the cleaning, facilities management, and purchasing communities.

CIMS is a framework of management principles designed to assist cleaning organizations in developing quality, customer-centered organizations. It sets forth processes, procedures, and supporting documentation that are universally recognized as the hallmarks of a well-run and customer-focused building service contractor (BSC) or in-house service provider (ISP).

The standard, which is available for download at www.issa.com/standard, does not specify products or cleaning techniques that must be used, but instead outlines five areas of best-management practices that are the cornerstones of well-managed and customer-centered cleaning organizations: Quality Systems; Service Delivery; Human Resources; Health, Safety & Environmental Stewardship; and Management Commitment.
1. Quality Systems – Quality is the cornerstone of a successful, customer-centered cleaning organization. But how does an organization develop itself and run its operations to assure customers that it is positioned to deliver quality services? The key is the implementation of a quality system -- a framework for effectively running operations.
An effective quality system includes: defining cleaning service requirements, implementing a quality plan, measuring performance, obtaining relevant feedback from the customer, and committing to continual improvement.
2. Service Delivery – Having implemented a quality system, a cleaning organization also needs to institute processes and procedures that foster the effective delivery of services. Meeting customers’ requirements is the foundation of successful service organizations.
To ensure acceptable service delivery, an organization will need to implement a service delivery plan that outlines the organization’s customer-related processes, including workloading, staffing, purchasing, and handling of unexpected events. Each organization will follow its own unique business processes, but such processes need to be structured to make certain that the customer’s needs are met and service is provided as expected.
3. Human Resources – It has been said that a cleaning organization’s most important asset is its people. A cleaning organization will only operate in an efficient and professional manner if its employees are well-trained, customer-focused and dedicated to delivering a quality service. Therefore, an organization must ensure that it efficiently and effectively manages its “human capital” in a way that enhances organizational performance. From hiring to training to the actual delivery of service, an organization’s human resources, including both management and cleaning personnel, must be prepared to uphold the organization’s commitment to quality.

4. Health, Safety & Environmental Stewardship – Quality cleaning and maintenance services are safe, healthy and sustainable. They also should positively impact the built environment. This section addresses the processes, systems and documentation as they relate to an organization’s commitment to health, safety and environmental stewardship.
Because the majority of this section requires an organization to meet existing legal and regulatory obligations, compliance with most of the provisions is mandatory. Certain provisions, however, are specific to organizations operating within the United States and, therefore, international organizations seeking to meet the requirements of this section should comply with all parallel laws and/or regulations that apply in their specific jurisdictions.
5. Management Commitment – Effective management and the implementation of appropriate management systems is key to ensuring the delivery of quality service that meets customer expectations. An organization needs to have either a clearly defined vision for the future or an understanding of its mission, should actively plan for the future, and should be prepared for times of organizational change. A well-managed organization should also have well-defined organizational roles and responsibilities and an effective communication plan. Finally, an organization should ensure that it is in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations and has secured all necessary insurance and licensing.
What are the benefits for BSCs and ISPs?
CIMS not only provides a reference guide for quality operations; it is a performance standard. As such, CIMS provides third-party recognition and therefore credibility to BSCs and ISPs that achieve certification.

BSCs can use this certification to set their business apart from competitors and demonstrate their commitment to customer satisfaction. CIMS certification distinguishes leading firms by furnishing facility managers and purchasing professionals with an easy-to-use quality measurement resource. BSCs can also use CIMS certification as a valuable marketing tool to demonstrate their firm’s commitment to delivering quality services and achieving customer satisfaction.

Similarly, CIMS certification provides custodial, environmental services and facilities managers with proof of improved efficiency and offers documentation to evaluate and elevate operations. The standard also helps ISPs face the pressures of increasing service demands and shrinking budgets by providing the answers administrators, board members, executives and occupants are seeking.

The elements of the CIMS standard identify the characteristics of high-performance cleaning organizations and set forth the framework for operational success. CIMS is a touchstone resource around which BSCs and ISPs can gather and work toward achieving an unprecedented level of professionalism and excellence.

What’s next?
CIMS is currently in the case study phase. Following an open application process, 23 organizations were selected to participate in the CIMS Certification Case Study Program and become charter certified organizations. The case study participants represent a cross-section of organization size and geographic location. Organizations range from having as few as 20 full-time equivalents (FTEs) to 5,000 FTEs and service a broad spectrum of facility types.

Nine cleaning organizations, including BSCs and ISPs, have already achieved CIMS certification while the remaining organizations are expected to complete their assessments by late September. Detailed case studies documenting each of the case study assessments will be available this fall. Initial feedback from the certified firms indicates the certification process has been very rewarding and has produced tangible benefits.

In October ISSA will open certification to the industry at large. Applications for CIMS certification have already been received and those contemplating certification are encouraged to apply early. People are recognizing the need for truly standardized cleaning operations and management and it might not be long before customers (whether they use a BSC or an ISP) require CIMS certification.

Steps to certification
Organizations that wish to apply for CIMS assessment should start by obtaining a copy of an application, the standard and a compliance checklist, which are available at www.issa.com/standard. The next steps include careful review of the standard and self-assessment. CIMS certified experts and consultants are available to guide organizations through this process and are listed on the ISSA Web site.

Once an organization is confident that it is complies with the standard, it must demonstrate compliance with the standard’s five elements through a combination of documentation and performance. An independent third-party assessment verifies that the organization has successfully implemented its processes.

Following review of documentation and an on-site evaluation by an independent CIMS-accredited, third-party assessor, an organization may be recommended for CIMS certification.

We finally have a tool that distinguishes firms that consistently deliver what they promise. CIMS has the potential to elevate our industry and our businesses by recognizing firms that truly perform.

Effective Training Involves Understanding

2008-11-01T14:22:00.000-07:00

Training is the cornerstone of productive and effective cleaning operations. In light of that fact, it is ironic that most training is ineffectively delivered. Employees are rarely instructed in fun and meaningful ways as to why they must follow specific steps or how each step or task applies to the overall organizational mission.

All too often cleaning education consists of lectures in a classroom setting, a video screening, or a live demonstration from a colleague without much discussion or follow-up. Unfortunately, those techniques are not very effective. The National Training Center estimates that adult learners retain just 5 percent of what they hear. Add a video and the retention rate increases to only 20 percent. Even a demonstration has a retention rate of only 30 percent.

What does work? Practice by doing has a retention rate of 75 percent and teaching others results in 90 percent retention.
The most effective training programs require focus on deeper understanding through discussion and hands-on education. The challenge is to achieve all of the above while making learning fun, explaining its relevance and tying it back to your organization’s mission. That said, I am offering the following suggestions:

Allow employees to enjoy learning. It is OK to use humor when explaining the serious topic of cleaning, including tasteful jokes, cartoons, entertaining video clips, or anecdotal stories. Trainers should try to “guide” learning rather than dominate the discussion with lectures.

Use examples the general population can relate to. Comparing tasks to those performed at home will help deepen understanding. The statement, “To fill the bucket, you simply attach this hose to the dispenser just like you would a garden hose to a fertilizer dispenser,” provides a visual and audio picture.

Explain how the task applies to the cleaning mission. Talking through the steps included in cleaning a restroom is much more valuable to the learner when they can understand why each step is required. Include the health and safety elements of each task and how it all aligns with the organization’s mission as well.

Demonstrate tasks and then supervise trainees as they do them. Adults learn most by doing, discussing and seeing, so this step is crucial. Allow employees to make mistakes and use them as a discussion point. Invite questions and conversation during demonstrations and hands-on learning.

Repeat and review the curriculum. Revisit key points to emphasize their importance and offer further discussion. Repetition is an important component of adult learning. In most cases, the message needs to be repeated five to seven times for it to “stick.” Your challenge is to keep it fresh.
With this combination of steps, you will no longer be simply providing training. You will be more effectively helping your employees better understand the importance of cleaning

Gain a Competitive Edge by Creating a Unique Selling Proposition

2008-10-23T10:26:00.000-07:00

Define what makes your business favorably different and send the message through sales and marketing

When a property manager asks you, “Why should I choose your company?” What is your answer? Touting the fact that you’ve been in the cleaning business for more than 25 years is not going to cut it. Proclaiming that your company has “the best customer service” is meaningless. There are hundreds of building service contractors (BSCs) that can say the same things, and if every BSC is the same, the only thing that would matter to the customer is price.

Successful, leading businesses offer more than competitive prices. They offer a service that is unique and appealing to the customer and sets their business apart from competitors. Then they communicate and market their differentiators in one clear statement called a unique selling proposition (USP). Crafting your company’s USP can dramatically improve the positioning and marketability of your company as long as it fills a need in the market and is communicated properly.

Find your niche
When developing your company’s USP, you should ask yourself the following questions:
· What are the three biggest benefits my business provides to customers?
· What aspect(s) of my business is/are totally unique?
· What do I provide that no other competitor does?
· Does my business fulfill a gap or solve a pain point within the industry?
Once you’ve come up with some clear differentiators, eliminate the generalities to come up with the crispest, clearest, most specific promise to your customers. Your USP need not be longer than a sentence. Integrate your USP into every marketing aspect of your business, including display advertising, direct mail, and field sales.
Develop an elevator speechWhen it comes to describing your USP to customers, you should be able to express your proposition to a property manager in 60 seconds, compellingly stating the benefits and explaining examples. I recommend writing and memorizing an “elevator speech.”
An elevator speech is short, concise, carefully planned summary of your USP that is easy to understand in the time it takes to go from the top floor to the first floor in an elevator, and vice versa. You may or may not meet your next customer in an elevator, but no matter where you are, you only have a few precious minutes to make an impact.
It is best not to “wing it” when delivering an elevator speech. Write a script that briefly describes the company, the market, the competition and your competitive advantage (USP). Have your sales team memorize and practice the script and set an example by knowing it yourself.
Stand out and deliverDeveloping and marketing a USP is no good unless you honor it. If you promise a 24-hour emergency hotline or a money-back guarantee to customers, make sure you provide those things.
Finally, when your competitors catch onto what you’re doing and start duplicating you, don’t be surprised. That just means it’s time to revise your USP so you can continue to hold your company’s competitive edge.

What is quality? Ask your customers.

2008-10-06T08:15:00.000-07:00

Understanding and meeting your customers’ requirements makes up the foundation of a quality plan.

Do you use the word “quality” when describing your business? Can you prove it? How do you assure customers that your organization is positioned to deliver quality services? Having a quality system in place is a must. But no matter how simple or complex, the quality system must be built around the customer. The system is a framework that includes defining customer requirements, implementing a quality plan, measuring performance, obtaining customer feedback and committing to continuous improvement.

Obtain key requirements
Quality is often defined simply as “meeting or exceeding customer requirements.” Therefore, defining the requirements is an essential first step.

For each customer, you should have a site-specific written scope of work or performance outcome that defines the customer’s expectations for the facility. The document should include tasks and frequencies and a description of how the customer defines clean. It might be necessary to meet with other stakeholders within the organization to better define expectations.

Write a quality plan
Once you know what customers expect, you then can start building a quality plan. This plan will help determine whether or not cleaning service requirements are met. It will also help identify improvement opportunities. The quality plan accurately describes the level of service defined by the customer, scope of work, implementation plan and performance outcomes. In short, it describes how to get from Point A to Point B.

Measure performance and gather feedback
The next step is measuring what is spelled out in the plan. The measurement system does not need to be complex. It can include surveys, inspections, records of complaints and customer evaluations. Maintaining a constant cycle of customer feedback helps consistently gather and track positive and negative results. It should also help you proactively identify opportunities for and drive continuous improvement.

Evaluate progress and commit to improvement
Analyzing performance results and determining whether or not your organization is delivering the service that the customer expects is fundamental to the delivery of quality service. Upon review of results, put together a written corrective action plan that describes how your organization will measure, report and implement improvements.

Redefine quality
The customer is at the center of every component within a quality system. The customer provides key requirements, drives the quality plan, supplies relevant feedback and determines areas for improvement. It is the customer that ensures that your business is positioned to deliver quality services. Next time you mention the word “quality,” you better be asking your customers “what does quality mean to you?”

Training vs. Understanding

2008-10-02T17:46:00.000-07:00

An education in cleaning requires hearing, seeing, discussing and doing tasks.

Training is the cornerstone of productive and effective cleaning operations. In light of that fact, it is ironic that most training is ineffectively delivered. Employees are rarely instructed in fun and meaningful ways as to “why” they must follow specific steps or how each step or task applies to the overall organizational mission.

All too often cleaning education consists of lectures in a classroom setting, a video screening, or a live demonstration from a colleague without much discussion or follow-up. Unfortunately, those techniques are not very effective. The National Training Center estimates that adult learners retain just 5 percent of what they hear. Add a video and the retention rate increases to only 20 percent. Even a demonstration has a retention rate of only 30 percent.

What does work? Practice by doing has a retention rate of 75 percent and teaching others results in 90 percent retention.

The most effective training programs require focus on deeper understanding through discussion and hands-on education. The challenge is to achieve all of the above while making learning fun, explaining its relevance and tying it back to your organization’s mission. That said, I am offering the following five suggestions.

1. Allow employees to enjoy learning. It is OK to use humor when explaining the serious topic of cleaning, including tasteful jokes, cartoons, entertaining video clips, or anecdotal stories. Trainers should try to “guide” learning rather than dominate the discussion with lectures.

2. Use examples the general population can relate to. Comparing tasks to those performed at home will help deepen understanding. The statement “To fill the bucket, you simply attach this hose to the dispenser just like you would a garden hose to a fertilizer dispenser,” provides a visual and audio picture.

3. Explain how the task applies to the cleaning mission. Talking through the 10-14 steps included in cleaning a restroom is much more valuable to the learner when they can understand “why” each step is required. Include the health and safety elements of each task and how it all aligns with the organization’s mission as well.

4. Demonstrate tasks and then supervise trainees as they do them. Adults learn most by doing, discussing, and seeing, so this step is crucial. Allow employees to make mistakes and use them as a discussion point. Invite questions and conversation during demonstrations and hands-on learning.

5. Repeat and review the curriculum. Revisit key points to emphasize their importance and offer further discussion. Repetition is an important component of adult learning. In most cases, the message needs to be repeated five to seven times for it to “stick.” Your challenge is to keep it fresh.

With a combination of teaching, visual examples, demonstrations and discussion, along with some fun, you will no longer be simply providing training. You will be helping your employees better understand the importance of cleaning...and doing it more effectively.

What is the average cleaning cost per square foot?

2008-09-15T20:17:00.000-07:00

Finally, an honest answer to a burning question

Over the years, I have led numerous staffing, workloading and benchmarking seminars for distributors, manufacturers, in-house service providers and building service contractors. No matter where I am presenting, someone asks, “What is the average cleaning cost per square foot?”

I liken this inquiry to the “Search for the Holy Grail” because finding the one mystical number is nearly impossible. Actually, finding a number is easy. Finding the correct number is an altogether different matter. The reality is that the answer does not exist. There is no universal cost average or standard cost per square foot because so many variables go into calculating it.

Industry-specific associations, such as IFMA, BOMA and APPA, among others, publish average cleaning costs. However, once you consider the variables related to cleaning and square footage, the exceptions swallow up the rules, making the average numbers difficult to rely on.

Let’s take a closer look at the cost-per-square-foot calculation that is often used in our industry. The numerator, or the number on the top of the fraction, is cost; the number of square feet is on the bottom (the denominator).

Starting at the top, let’s consider the cost variables. Cost includes the provision of basic cleaning services and that raises a host of questions. What cleaning tasks and frequencies make up the scope of work? If the tasks or frequencies change the scope – the time it takes to do the work changes. What else makes up the cost figure? Are porter services included? What about window washing and carpet cleaning? Plus, the productivity and labor rates vary widely depending on how fast people work, the tools and products used, the labor market, and the customer’s needs. Ultimately, cost depends on a multitude of variables that are as unique as each facility.

Now, consider square footage. Although there are industry-specific definitions[1], too few cleaning professionals are familiar with them. This number varies because everyone measures it differently. Some calculate gross square footage while others focus on net, or cleanable square feet. Commercial offices often identify only “rentable” square footage. The bottom line is that the calculation of square footage varies widely.

The result of this cost-divided-by-square-foot formula is a prescription for numbers that are at best a starting point and more often than not misleading. No wonder so many BSCs are scratching their heads in search for the magic number.

While there is no magic, there is an answer. The best way to calculate your costs is to base them on your operation and the facilities that you service. The following steps will give you a good start:

Identify the area. Start with one area of the facility, such as offices, and measure the cleanable square footage. You can take physical measurements, use to-scale architectural drawings, or use electronic CAD drawings to measure and categorize each area. Whichever method you choose, your objective is to determine the amount of space that needs to be cleaned.

Conduct a space inventory. In addition to square footage, it is essential to count individual items and surface types in each space to be cleaned, such as floor surfaces, fixtures, fountains and other cleanable items.

Define the scope of work. The scope of work is going to determine how many labor hours are needed to complete the work. Scope includes a task list plus the task frequency. Make a detailed list of each task (i.e. collect trash, vacuum carpeted areas, etc.) and its frequency (i.e. daily, once a week, monthly, etc.).

Apply production rates. Once you have a scope of work, you need to determine how long it will take to complete the work. Organizations such as BOMA, APPA, and ISSA have published average production rates that you can use or you can create your own based on time studies.

Repeat for each area and combine for the entire facility.

By following these steps, you can accurately determine your cost per square foot. Own these numbers and make sure that if you use them for other areas that you are comparing apples to apples. Knowing these numbers is the BSC’s key to the Holy Grail.

[1] BOMA Office Standard (ANSI Z65.1), BOMA Office Standard (ANSI Z65.1), IFMA Standard (ASTM E 1836-01), REBNY Standard, GWCAR Standard, NAHB Standard, AIA Standard

Differentiation Defined

2008-09-15T10:35:00.000-07:00

When a property manager asks why your company should be chosen, what is your answer? Touting the fact that you’ve been in the cleaning business for more than 25 years is not going to cut it. Proclaiming that your company has “the best customer service” is meaningless. There are hundreds of building service contractors that can say the same things, and if every BSC is the same, the only thing that would matter to the customer is price.
Successful, leading businesses offer more than competitive prices. They offer a service that is unique and appealing to the customer and sets their business apart from competitors. Then they communicate and market their differentiators in one clear statement called a unique selling proposition (USP). Crafting your company’s USP can dramatically improve the positioning and marketability of your company as long as it fills a need in the market and is communicated properly.
When developing your company’s USP, you should ask yourself the following questions:
· What are the three biggest benefits my business provides to customers?
· What aspect(s) of my business is/are totally unique?
· What do I provide that no other competitor does?
· Does my business fill a gap or relieve a pain point within the industry?
Once you’ve come up with some clear differentiators, eliminate the generalities to come up with the clearest, most specific promise to your customers. Your USP need not be longer than a sentence. Integrate your USP into every marketing aspect of your business, including display advertising, direct mail and field sales.
When it comes to describing your USP to customers, you should be able to express your proposition to a property manager in 60 seconds, compellingly stating the benefits and explaining examples. I recommend writing and memorizing an “elevator speech.”
An elevator speech is short, concise, carefully planned summary of your USP that is easy to understand in the time it takes to go from the top floor to the first floor in an elevator, and vice versa. You may or may not meet your next customer in an elevator, but no matter where you are, you only have a few precious minutes to make an impact.
It is best not to “wing it” when delivering an elevator speech. Write a script that briefly describes the company, the market, the competition and your competitive advantage — your USP. Have your sales team memorize and practice the script, and set an example by knowing it yourself.
Developing and marketing a USP is worthless unless you honor it. If you promise a 24-hour emergency hotline or a money-back guarantee to customers, make sure you provide those things. Finally, when your competitors catch onto what you’re doing and start duplicating you, don’t be surprised. That just means it’s time to revise your USP so you can continue to hold your company’s competitive edge.

Employee retention is critical – especially in today’s economy

2008-09-09T13:23:00.000-07:00

Advertising Vs. Marketing: How To Reach Customers

2008-08-23T10:31:00.000-07:00

The definitions of advertising and marketing are somewhat similar. Advertising is actually part of the marketing plan.
Business owners consider spending time and money on advertising and marketing for a variety of reasons. Maybe your business is new or maybe you’ve been around awhile but want to reach some new customers. Or maybe you’re noticing that your competitors are advertising and it seems to be working for them. These are all good reasons to consider investing some time and money to increase visibility and attract new clients. But what’s the difference and what’s better — an advertising campaign or a marketing plan?

Consider the difference between advertising and marketing. Advertising is a paid, non-personal, public announcement to promote a company, product, or service. Marketing is the planning and implementation of strategic business activities that bring together buyers and sellers for the exchange of products and services. One example of these strategic business activities is, in fact, advertising.

That’s why the definitions of advertising and marketing are somewhat similar. Advertising is actually part of the marketing plan. A business owner might choose to advertise their product or service, but without a full marketing plan, he or she is missing out on many other opportunities to connect with customers.

Some of the other key pieces of the pie are market research, competitive analysis, public and media relations, promotions, community involvement, and customer support. The following basic marketing tips will help you start to fill out your marketing pie:
· Survey the market by starting with your customers. They are why you’re in business. What are their issues and challenges and how does your business and cleaning service meet them? This will be the focus of all of your marketing efforts.
· Study competitors. What are their strengths and weaknesses? How are they positioned in the market? Industry associations and publications, media coverage, information from the financial community and competitors’ own marketing materials and Web sites may be good resources.
· Work on media and public relations. Highlight your business in free trade magazine guides and post your best customer testimonials to your Web site.
· Get involved in the community and promotions. Make your business visible within the community by getting involved in events and sponsorships. You’ll be able to capture contact information for potential customers with giveaways and other promotions.
· Build and maintain relationships. Create an editorial calendar of topics to stay in touch with customers about whether it’s through phone calls or a newsletter.
Marketing can also include a variety of business activities. In addition to advertising, other marketing initiatives help to further grab customers’ attention, motivate them to buy your service, get them to actually buy and make them want to continue to work with you.

Are Your Purchasing Practices Costing You?

2008-08-22T17:38:00.000-07:00

Build a standardized procurement program to gain better pricing, better service, streamlined training and easier compliance.

A closet full of slow-moving or obsolete products and equipment poses many concerns to building service contractors (BSCs) and their employees. Cash tied up in idle inventory not only creates a negative impact on the company’s profitability, but creates safety concerns for employees as well.

With a standardized purchasing program, BSCs can have a better managed product inventory, better service from suppliers, a simplified training program, and easier-to-manage compliance program. Building an effective purchasing program is a three-step process: evaluation of products and equipment; standardization of products and equipment; and implementation of an inventory management system.

Step 1: Evaluate products and equipment
First, determine what products and equipment perform well and which ones do not. Start by reviewing purchasing records and come up with a current inventory of all products and equipment. Conduct a walkthrough survey to validate your initial findings. Make note of product/equipment cost, manufacturer, and/or vendor information, MSDS, where the product/equipment is used, for what application and the frequency of which it is used. Identify any products or equipment that have been linked to worker injuries and/or staff or customer complaints – you will eliminate these later.

Conduct and document performance evaluations. Ask the following questions: Does the product perform the same function as another in the inventory? Does it perform well?

Step 2: Standardize product and equipment selections
Product and equipment evaluations will help you make a short list of what works best for your business. Edit this list to include only the products and equipment that perform well and are necessary to the work. This list will be your “approved” equipment and supply list.

Next, evaluate your inventory to ensure that it is consistent with your approved list. By using only approved products and equipment, you should see a significant reduction in storage space, fewer MSDS and labels to manage, and better and more consistent product performance. Employee training programs should reflect the standardization and become simpler and more streamlined as a result.

This standardization process provides the opportunity to evaluate product suppliers as well, especially if you have multiple vendors or are unsatisfied with a current supplier. Keep in mind that distributors prefer to make large deliveries. By consolidating your purchases with fewer suppliers you are a more attractive customer. Higher-volume orders make you a more important customer in suppliers’ eyes, leading to better service. Remember better customers usually get better pricing. Step 3: Implement inventory management systems
Selecting the right products and equipment is important but even more crucial is ensuring there is enough (but not too much) on your shelves. Too many of one item is like storing money in a warehouse, but at the same time, it is essential that you have what you need to complete work assignments.

Manage inventory better by evaluating order history and inventory control sheets. Inventory management and supply control systems, whether provided through your supplier or an in-house system, can also help you keep the right amount of cleaning chemicals and supplies in stock.

With these three steps, you will have a purchasing program that will fit into your organization’s quality plan, lower costs, and help you to focus your energy on delivering exceptional customer service.

Matrix Achieves CIMS Certification

2008-08-19T18:04:00.000-07:00

August 18, 2008 — Matrix Integrated Facility Management, one of the nation’s premiere cleaning, maintenance, and consulting companies, has reached a milestone achievement in becoming certified to ISSA’s Cleaning Industry Management Standard (CIMS) with honors. CIMS is the universally accepted standard for quality in the cleaning industry.

Matrix underwent a stringent independent third-party evaluation that included assessment of its quality systems; service delivery; human resources; health, safety, and environmental stewardship; and management commitment.

In addition, the Matrix team was required to provide thorough documentation of compliance with each of the five core sections of CIMS and demonstrate implementation of best practices through on-site evaluations by an independent, third-party assessor.

“With this certification, our customers can be confident that Matrix is dedicated to maintaining the highest effectiveness and responsiveness in achieving our goal of total customer satisfaction” said Jim Peduto, Chief Executive Officer.

Peduto added, “CIMS certification confirms that we have successfully instilled the corporate values and best practices that allow us to achieve service excellence throughout the organization. Our customers can be certain that Matrix will continue to provide the high quality services they have come to insist on well into the future”

About Matrix
Matrix Integrated Facility Management, one of the country’s largest privately held cleaning, consulting, and maintenance firms provides facility services to Fortune 500 firms and leading regional clients comprising over 35 million square feet of space. Matrix is headquarted in Johnson City, New York with offices in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania; Syracuse, New York; and Rochester, New York. The company employs 1,500 people serving upstate New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia.

About CIMS
CIMS is a management framework designed to assist building service contractors and in-house service providers develop quality, customer-centered organizations and is based on universally-accepted principles that have proven to be the hallmarks of well-managed, successful cleaning operations.

Certification with Honors is the highest designation available to those who comply with CIMS, indicating that the cleaning organization meets 100 percent of mandatory management requirements and at least 85 percent per section of recommended elements set forth in the Standard (see CIMS checklist at www.issa.com/standard for more details).

Matrix Achieves CIMS Certification

2008-08-18T09:01:00.000-07:00

Matrix Achieves CIMS Certification
August 18, 2008 — Matrix Integrated Facility Management, one of the nation’s premiere cleaning, maintenance, and consulting companies, has reached a milestone achievement in becoming certified to ISSA’s Cleaning Industry Management Standard (CIMS) with honors. CIMS is the universally accepted standard for quality in the cleaning industry.

Matrix underwent a stringent independent third-party evaluation that included assessment of its quality systems; service delivery; human resources; health, safety, and environmental stewardship; and management commitment.

In addition, the Matrix team was required to provide thorough documentation of compliance with each of the five core sections of CIMS and demonstrate implementation of best practices through on-site evaluations by an independent, third-party assessor.

“With this certification, our customers can be confident that Matrix is dedicated to maintaining the highest effectiveness and responsiveness in achieving our goal of total customer satisfaction” said Jim Peduto, Chief Executive Officer.

Peduto added, “CIMS certification confirms that we have successfully instilled the corporate values and best practices that allow us to achieve service excellence throughout the organization. Our customers can be certain that Matrix will continue to provide the high quality services they have come to insist on well into the future”

About Matrix
Matrix Integrated Facility Management, one of the country’s largest privately held cleaning, consulting, and maintenance firms provides facility services to Fortune 500 firms and leading regional clients comprising over 35 million square feet of space. Matrix is headquarted in Johnson City, New York with offices in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania; Syracuse, New York; and Rochester, New York. The company employs 1,500 people serving upstate New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia.

About CIMS
CIMS is a management framework designed to assist building service contractors and in-house service providers develop quality, customer-centered organizations and is based on universally-accepted principles that have proven to be the hallmarks of well-managed, successful cleaning operations.

Certification with Honors is the highest designation available to those who comply with CIMS, indicating that the cleaning organization meets 100 percent of mandatory management requirements and at least 85 percent per section of recommended elements set forth in the Standard (see CIMS checklist at www.issa.com/standard for more details).

For more information contact:
James Peduto, CEO
Matrix Integrated Facility Management
19 Avenue D
Johnson City, NY 13790
607.766.0700

Want Good Employees? Stop Hiring ‘Bodies’

2008-07-14T10:40:00.000-07:00

The success of your cleaning business depends on the performance and achievement level of each employee. Put simply, you are as good as your worst employee. Unfortunately, there is a tendency for managers to take a shortcut in the selection process and fill vacant positions with “bodies” as quickly as possible. As a result, businesses experience a high turnover and go through multiple bodies as they constantly work to fill staff openings. High turnover attacks service levels and your bottom line. The best thing you can do for the company, your staff and customers is to be disciplined when hiring. Resist the urge the fill the position with the first applicant. Every hire is important, so the focus should be on finding the right fit for the job and for the company. Finding the right employees can be as simple as 1, 2, 3. Consider the following steps as an easy way to weed out the wrong people and find the best candidates for the job.

Step 1: Screening interview. The screening interview is the first stage in the hiring process. This short conference, which can be conducted over the telephone or in person, only needs to take about five to 10 minutes. The purpose of the screening interview is to quickly assess the applicant’s qualifications for the position. Questions should focus on skills and knowledge associated with job responsibilities. You should also paint an accurate picture of the job duties in order to avoid unrealistic job expectations that cause disenchantment, dissatisfaction and turnover of new employees. If the hiring process includes a background check or drug test, this is an ideal time to ask, “Are either of these an issue for you?”

Step 2: Second interview. Applicants that score relatively well during the screening interview should be given a second interview, usually conducted in person and ideally at the job site during operating hours. If possible, the second interview also should include a tour of area to be cleaned. Recruiters also should explain the scope of the work and encourage the applicant to ask questions. The site manager and team leader to whom the applicant will report to should conduct the interview.

Step 3: Orientation. First impressions are everything. Since the outcome of your new hire’s first day on the job sets the tone for the employment relationship, you have to engage the employee from the moment that they arrive on the job site. It is quite common for new employees to walk off the job on their first or second day. This is not an employee issue; it is a management issue. It is the manager’s responsibility to welcome, effectively orientate and train new employees. Most people are at their best on their first day — are you? Managers need to quickly set clear expectations and bond with new hires.

The key to breaking the cycle of bad hires is focusing on getting the best fit by implementing a rigorous hiring process. Spending the time hiring often is the key to your success.

Coping with Increasing Fuel Costs

2008-06-10T17:58:00.000-07:00

What BSCs can do to cope with the rising cost of gasoline.

Just like the rest of the country, I am sure building service contractors (BSCs) have helplessly observed gas prices as they increased rapidly in recent months. Unfortunately, it sounds like it’s only going to get worse before it gets better – government sources estimate prices will go even higher ($4/gallon) this summer.

The situation
While BSCs are likely feeling the pinch, their employees – especially part-timers – are taking a bigger blow. For example, consider that a part-time worker gets paid approximately $8 an hour and works four hours a night. That’s $32 in gross pay. Now figure that this person drives approximately 15-20 minutes to the job location. According to online fuel cost calculators, it costs this person $4-$5.34 to make the roundtrip with a fairly efficient vehicle (30 mpg). Ultimately, the cost of gas is guzzling up to 25 percent of their paycheck.

In a situation like this, BSCs either have to address this issue or prepare for employees to address it. This means increasing employees’ wages, providing fuel allowances or offering other incentives. However, these tactics pose another problem: Who pays for them – the BSCs or their customers?

For many BSCs with tight margins, absorbing the cost is not a feasible choice. The only actions can take in the current market is to cut costs, operate more efficiently or pass the cost onto customers.

Action 1: Cut costs
Costs can be cut in any area of the business to make up for increases in fuel and will vary by company. Regarding fuel- and travel-related costs, evaluate the efficiency of company vehicles and get rid of the high-maintenance, low-mpg ones. Also, eliminate unnecessary trips.

Action 2: Operate more efficiently
Know where and when employees and company vehicles are at any given time. Find out how long it takes for each trip, then map and consolidate routes. Schedule a meeting with employees to discuss the issue of gas costs and encourage them to car pool (if they drive to work or the job site) and make intelligent decisions with company vehicles (like take alternative routes instead of sitting in traffic).

Action 3: Pass costs onto customers
If you have no choice but to turn to customers to help manage your cost increases, there are few ways you share cost increases:
.
Increase prices – charge more for your hourly rate or rate per square foot
Add on a fuel surcharge – this charge would cover the cost of each trip to their facility
Service call fee or mileage fee – these charges would be added on a case-by-case basis for additional trips or emergencies

Your customers are already well aware of the increase in gas prices; however, they may not always be as understanding as we would like. Be honest and straightforward regarding any price increase or fee and make the charges as small as possible. Losing a customer is costly but continually loosing employees and delivering inconsistent service may produce the same result.

Choose Tomorrow’s Leaders Today

2008-03-03T17:45:00.000-08:00

Successful succession planning includes career pathing for all employees.

Succession planning can be a sensitive topic for business owners. You could say it’s an admission of their individual mortality. Owners might ask themselves, “Am I getting too old to continue running my company?” and “Should I pass my business along to my adult children or should I look outside the family?”

While these are reasonable questions, business owners need to plan beyond their own succession because unexpected and unpredictable departures at any level of the business can affect its success. And attracting and retaining talented employees at all levels is a chore regardless of organization size, taking time and resources away from the core business mission.

Succession planning should no longer begin the moment an employee leaves the company. Adopting a “bottom-to-top” mentality, considering employee skills organization-wide, ensures that talented employees are not left behind and helps organizations build a work force from which recruiters can promote.

Start with organization chart
With your organization chart as a resource, evaluate the current leaders within the organization. Is there an employee who comes to mind that could be a fit for each leader’s position? Where possible, you could simply write in the names of each successor below the current employee. Some positions are going to be more challenging to fill than others, requiring additional research and documentation, such as career histories, skill assessments, job descriptions, career pathing and training plans.

Collect career histories for all employees. A work history on each employee will give you a better sense of experience and education levels, regardless of what level they are currently at within the company. Human Resources should have resumes on file to give you more background.

Assess employees’ skills. Document the skills of each employee in regards to leadership, customer relations, marketing, finance and operations. It might also be helpful to have each employee conduct a self-assessment of his or her skills, highlighting strengths and weaknesses. When you compare notes with employees, you can easily identify assessment matches and/or skill gaps.

Collect job descriptions. If HR does not have copies of job descriptions, ask employees and/or their supervisors to write them. In addition to these descriptions, a log of weekly or daily responsibilities is helpful. Also, include a statement describing the value each position brings to the organization.

Create a career path and training plan. Prepare the employees who are next in line for each position by first sharing your succession plans with them. Make sure workers understand the organization mission and vision for the future and their roles in its success. This can help show employees just where their future potential is within the company in terms of career growth and promotion potential. It is important that each employee understands and agrees with his or her career path within the company and what it will take to get there. Include a training plan that will give employees the skills required for their next roles.

While it is clear that succession planning is vital across the organization, the benefits are significant for individual employees as well. A comprehensive succession plan monitors their performance and development initiatives, at all levels, and ensures key recruits do not slip through the cracks.

Whether it’s a search for a new chief executive, or an effort to fill an unmanned junior position, an organization that takes advantage of succession planning will maintain or even increase productivity, morale and ROI.

Businesses Need a Solid Foundation to Take Root

2008-03-01T13:37:00.001-08:00

Big or small, weak or strong, structure is needed to support organizational growth.

When grand skyscrapers are built observers rarely focus on their great foundations. But without that strong support system the rest of the building would not sustain itself for long. The same goes for businesses. Regardless of size, lack of structure or a weak foundation could put a business in jeopardy.

It doesn’t matter if a business consists of two employees, 200 or 2,000. To ensure consistent service and a promising future in the cleaning business, organizations need to implement and follow a scaleable organizational framework. This framework consists of five key elements:

Quality Systems – Quality is the cornerstone of a successful, customer-centered cleaning organization. A quality system includes defining cleaning service requirements, implementing a quality plan, measuring performance, obtaining relevant customer feedback and committing to continual improvement.

Service Delivery – Effective customer service requires a service delivery plan that outlines the organization’s customer-related processes, including workloading, staffing, purchasing and handling of unexpected events. Each organization has its own unique business processes, but they need to be structured to ensure that customers’ needs are being met and service is provided as expected.

Human Resources – A cleaning organization will only operate in an efficient and professional manner if its employees are well-trained, customer-focused and dedicated to delivering a quality service. Therefore, an organization must ensure that it efficiently and effectively manages its “human capital” in a way that enhances organizational performance. From hiring to training to the actual delivery of service, an organization’s human resources, including both management and cleaning personnel, must be prepared to uphold the organization’s commitment to quality.

Health, Safety & Environmental Stewardship – Quality cleaning and maintenance services are safe, healthy and sustainable. Organizations should have processes, systems and documentation covering their commitment to health, safety and environmental stewardship. This includes implementation and compliance with an environmental policy.

Management Commitment – Organizations need management commitment to help demonstrate that they have effective management systems in place to meet customer expectations. This includes a clearly defined vision for the future and/or an understanding of its mission, actively plan for the future and be prepared for times of organizational change. Organizations also should have well-defined organizational roles and responsibilities and an effective communication plan. Finally, they should ensure they are in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations and have secured all necessary insurance and licensing.

The key to building a sustainable business and moving to the next level is to use these five elements as an organizational model for your business. As you grow the only thing that changes is how the organization executes in each area. By building on this foundation and adopting a highly scalable framework every organization can reach the highest heights.

Businesses Need a Solid Foundation to Take Root

2008-03-01T13:37:00.000-08:00

Cash Flow: Don’t Just Go With It. Manage It.

2008-02-21T13:33:00.000-08:00

Understanding and managing the ins and outs of cash flow will help prevent a tidal wave of financial problems.

Every organization experiences ups and downs when it comes to cash. This has nothing to do with whether or not a business is profitable – even profitable businesses experience cash flow issues. While standard financial reports include valuable information, they frequently do not indicate whether or not there will be enough cash at a given time to pay suppliers, creditors and employees. And if you can’t afford to cover these costs, you’re out of business. For this reason, cash flow management is essential.

What is cash flow?
Cash flow is simply the movement of money into (inflows) and out (outflows) of a business. Inflows for the most part include the cash from the sale of services to your customers. The money from a bank loan is also a cash inflow. Outflows are generally the result of paying expenses such as products and equipment, fixed assets, paying back loans and funding accounts payable.

Cash inflows and outflows should not be confused with sales and profits. Cash flow reflects the timing of the inflows and outflows. The result of poor timing is gaps in cash flow when you have more cash outflows than inflows. To prevent these gaps requires cash flow management, starting with learning to predict cash flow.

Predicting cash flow
A cash flow forecast is planning tool that results from weighing factors such as your customers’ payment histories, upcoming expenses and your suppliers’ payment flexibility. This projection can cover the next year, next quarter or next week, depending on the ebbs and flows you experience.

Start with adding the amount of cash that’s on hand at the beginning of the period with other cash to be received from various sources. Then consider the amounts and dates of upcoming cash outflows, including when money will be spent and on what. This forecast will help you plan for the use of cash and prepare to avoid gaps.

Update the forecast and adjust it frequently depending on business activity, payment patterns and supplier demands. The goal is to speed up cash inflows and delay outflows of cash as long as possible.

Improving inflows
If your customers paid you immediately or even before you provided services, you could avoid cash flow worries. But because rapid payment like this rarely occurs, you’ll have to develop other ways to improve cash inflows. You can speed up payment by getting invoices out earlier, offering discounts or incentives for customers who pay their bills early, requiring credit checks for non-cash paying customers and, following up with slow-paying customers.

Managing outflows
The opposite rule applies when it comes to disbursing cash. You want to keep cash in your hands as long as possible and pay bills close to their due dates. Use business credit card accounts for travel and small expenses to buy time. Meanwhile, invest the cash on hand or use it to pay down debt. The key is to keep little money sitting in the bank.

Eliminating cash flow concerns allows you to focus on what is most important for your business – delivering the best service to your customers. The influx of cash will follow Remember…cash is king.

Better Budgeting

2008-01-01T17:49:00.000-08:00

NewYear’s resolution time is coming. Resolve to take some time to brush up on budgeting basics to make 2008 your best year ever.

Yogi Berra once remarked “If you don’t know where you are going, you might wind up someplace else.” Each year many potentially successful businesses have unpleasant surprises or experience hardship because of poor financial management. For business owners, the knowing how to prepare budgets and accurate business forecasts is essential. The ability to set financial goals for sales, expenses and profits gives entrepreneurs the ability to succeed in business.

Businesses typically have three separate budgets: a capital budget, a cash budget, and an operating budget. The capital budget accounts for major expenses such as the purchase of a building, building equipment such a boiler or roof and office equipment such as computers. The cash budget consists of estimates of the business cash spend for the year. The operating budget, which includes everything else needed to run a business, can sometimes be the most complex area in budget planning. This budget is best understood by breaking into categories: projected sales and revenue; projected total costs of achieving that level of sales and revenue; operating expenses; and the cumulative total of profits and losses over time, or the operating income.

The complex task of developing an operating budget can be simplified by breaking it down into six key steps. These steps can be adapted to other budgets for planning those as well.

Review prior years’ data.Collect historical data on sales and costs as a starting point. If possible, review results for the past two or three years. This data could provide a good indication of future sales and costs. However, it is essential to consider sales plans, how sales resources will be used and any changes in the competitive market.
Develop reasonable assumptions. After reviewing historical data, develop assumptions about the future. Trust personal experience and that of colleagues and employees and make educated guesses. Estimate sales growth, the market for services, effectiveness of the current marketing program and competitors’ next steps. Gather information about the market and the competition from trade journals and other news sources.
Determine expected revenues.The first and most important number is the top line – the estimated sales. This number should be the result of a complete analysis of marketing and sales activities. Some companies establish an easily attainable target while others prefer a more difficult yet not impossible target. Make sure this figure contains high, medium and low sales estimates. Expected revenues include not only the number of products and services you expect to sell, but also at what price you will sell. If prices will increase (or decrease) in the next year, consider whether or not sales will be affected by the change.
Calculate all expected costs involved in producing and delivering products and services to customers. When calculating the cost of goods sold, be sure to include all direct and indirect costs including materials, labor, taxes, and insurance. This also includes sales and marketing costs and business administration costs.
Calculate expected operating expenses.This includes fixed costs such as rent, salaries, utilities, office supplies, financing costs, payroll expenses, insurance, and legal and accounting costs.
Calculate expected operating income. Operating income is the revenues minus costs and operating expenses (before interest and taxes).

An operating budget is an essential tool for every contractor. Each month you should compare your actual results to your plan (the budget). If your actual results vary significantly from the plan, you need to step back and ask “why?” Does your budget need to be updated or are there operating issues that you need to address? The key is to consistently analyze your progress and use the budget as a compass. Studying these numbers will continue to improve the bottom line. Businesses that follow that course wind up exactly where they would like to be.

Lowering Workers’ Compensation Costs

2007-11-12T14:06:00.000-08:00

Safety is a barometer of other operating issues — a failure in one area is often a warning sign
Workers’ compensation is something that every employer must face. Unfortunately, the cost of workers’ compensation continues to rise — the cost per claim has risen 27 percent in the last four years.

Workers’ compensation premiums are based in part on things over which you have little control, such as the type of industry you work in and the state or region of the country where your business is located. The good news is that you have far more control over your rates than you realize. Your company’s rate is also influenced by your number of workers’ compensation claims and loss experience.

Well-managed building service contractors understand that safety is fundamental to their success. Even though the cleaning industry is designing safer products, BSCs still need to treat safety as a management issue. With that thought in mind, I have developed a list of five safety-related tips based on my many years of working with insurance carriers, risk managers and leading firms throughout the industry.
1. Make a commitment to an accident-free workplace and mean it. Make safety a common goal and get your managers, supervisors and employees onboard. Begin with the mindset that every injury is preventable. Don’t treat minor injuries as though they are unavoidable and simply accept them. Lots of minor injuries can have as much or more impact on your rates than one major injury.
2. Know and understand your risks. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires that businesses keep logs of all accidents, injuries and incidents. Your insurance carrier also can provide a report of your past claims. Review that information regularly and analyze the data. Use the 80/20 rule and focus on those few things (20 percent) that happen to be the causes of most accidents (80 percent). You will find that a large percent of your accidents come from similar causes. Eliminate the highest probability first and you’ll see a decrease in incidents as a result.
3. Train your workers and managers. Many BSCs do not conduct meaningful and ongoing safety training because of high worker turnover. While turnover may be an issue in our industry, it is not an excuse for not training people. Training is essential to a culture of safety and lower insurance costs.
4. Be consistent. Keep your safety program front and center. Your efforts will take time to produce results. The key to safety is to stay focused. Make safety part of everyone’s daily activities. Compensate and reward managers based on their safety performance, including how well they train and motivate workers to adhere to safety policies. Include safety as a component for annual manager bonuses.

Look for danger signals. Safety is a barometer of other operating issues. A failure in one area is often a warning sign. If one management component fails, chances are, other areas are suffering as well. For example, if your business’s turnover rate is high, it is likely that the level of safety is poor. Recognize low-performance areas of your business management and fix them before they start

Workloading Video

2007-11-07T18:10:00.000-08:00

Workloading: Strength in Numbers

2007-11-07T17:50:00.000-08:00

Using facility data to analyze staffing levels and identify opportunities for improvement.

For nearly any type of organization cleaning represents 20 percent to 35 percent of the total maintenance and operations budget. In other words, the cleaning department is a big piece of the budget pie...and often a big target. Within that slice, labor costs account for the largest share of total cleaning costs.

If your organization is constantly under pressure to do more with less you must be prepared to justify staffing needs. Your cleaning business or department is only as good as your work force and cleaning managers are only as good as their task management skills. It is essential to have accurate answers to the following questions: How long does it take to complete a task or clean an area? How does changing task frequencies affect cost and cleaning results? What happens to the bottom line when adding or subtracting square footage? What would a change in wages do to the overall budget? What is the best cleaning plan?

The process of workloading a facility, building, or cleaning job helps establish a scope of work, staffing level and an accurate estimate of cost to perform the work. Workloading also can help identify productivity strengths and weaknesses and help support or justify a bid for building service contractors (BSCs). Understanding the fundamentals of workloading and using the right tools will help you identify improvement opportunities and get the most out of your work force.

Clean the slate
Many people in our industry believe that they can walk into a facility and, using their experience, quickly determine how many hours or employees are needed to clean the building. This guesswork is not a reliable or an accurate method for developing a staffing plan. Neither is relying on the way you’ve always staffed the building. Even if you do produce estimates that appear correct, your figures cannot be relied on or defended because they are not data driven.

Before starting the workloading process, you must forget everything you know for now. Forget your staffing numbers, labor hours, and current scope of work. You may come back to these numbers later to see if you’ve improved after following four workloading steps.

Step 1: Take inventory
Determine the facility’s or building’s total amount of cleanable space. Not to be confused with gross square feet, cleanable space is only the area that is actually cleaned. The best ways to get an accurate measure of cleanable space is to look at the building’s architectural drawings (assuming that they are correct) or to walk through each area and physically measure and categorize each one. Your goal is to get a precise number of square feet for each cleanable surface by floor type for each area (i.e. 15,000 square feet of carpeted general office space).

Also make note of cleanable objects in each space that may not be accounted for within the square footage, such as desks and chairs.

Step 2: Determine tasks and frequencies (scope of work)
Break tasks down into three categories – daily, detail, and project. Examples of daily tasks include cleaning restrooms, emptying trash, and vacuuming. Detail work, including high dusting and spot cleaning, is usually specifically scheduled. Project work occurs less frequently – weekly, monthly, or annually – and includes carpet and upholstery cleaning and floor stripping.

Next, assign a frequency to each task. The frequency is the number of times per year that the task needs to be performed. For example, a task that is performed five days per week is performed 260 times per year (five times per week multiplied by 52 weeks).

Together, your task list and annual frequencies make up the scope of work.

Step 3: Calculate labor hours
Once you have a scope of work you can determine how many labor hours are needed to clean each area by assigning a cleaning time or production rate to each task. You can calculate cleaning times by conducting your own time motion studies or by consulting resources from associations such as ISSA that have published average cleaning times for the industry.

For example, let’s say the task of vacuuming all carpeted floors in a 15,000-square-foot area is to be performed 260 times a year and its production rate is 10,000 square feet per hour. If you divide the area square feet by the task production rate (15,000 square feet /10,000 square feet per hour) you will get the task time, which is 1.5 hours. Calculate annual time in hours by multiplying the task time by the annual frequency (1.5 hours x 260) to get 390 hours per year. Next, repeat this process for each task and each area of the building.

Step 4: Determine labor cost
Once you have figured the total annual time in hours needed to clean each area you can then find out your labor cost by multiplying the total hours by the wage rate. You may like to include an additional percentage for taxes, insurance, and benefits. Final cost also will include supply costs, equipment depreciation, miscellaneous job costs (background checks, drug testing, mobile phones, uniforms, etc.), overhead, administration, and profit.

Simplify with software
Whether you manage an in-house cleaning operation, outsource services or head up a cleaning business, knowing the number of labor hours is the key to effective management. Calculating these numbers faster and more easily is even better. Many software tools are available today to streamline the workloading process while providing much more. Software can help build a cleaning plan, work the plan, measure results and help your organization continually improve. Some tools track supplies and equipment, capture employee training, work history, and schedule cleaning tasks as well.

Software can also help BSCs win more bids by creating professional bid documents with a detailed breakdown of how the numbers are calculated. It can ensure that jobs are estimated properly so BSCs do not lose money (underbid) or customers (overbid). Jotting down a few numbers on a piece of paper is no longer sufficient.

Software also is configured to calculate everything automatically for you, taking into consideration traffic patterns and types of equipment used, providing more accurate results. Customers looking for answers to questions such as “What if we reduced this task frequency to one less day per week?” can find out accurately and quickly from a BSC with software.

Make better decisions
There are many ways cleaning managers can use the data collected during the workloading process. With square footage, cleaning times, and tasks calculated, managers can note areas where their facilities or cleaning jobs might be overstaffed or understaffed. If necessary, they can shuffle staff to increase performance and reduce labor hours. Even if managers find they already have a pretty accurate number of workers in each area, the workloading process helps validate staffing levels, especially when they are under scrutiny.

Workload reports, in addition to building data, are excellent tools in the boardroom for justifying a budget request or backing up the need for an additional FTE. This data also is great for explaining to workers why one employee might be cleaning twice as much area as another employee. It may even keep another employee from walking out the door.

Again, your cleaning business or department is only as good as your work force and cleaning managers are only as good as their task management skills. By putting proper workloading to use, you can be a great cleaning manager, get the most out of your work force, and improve your cleaning business or department.

Power in Numbers

2007-11-01T14:08:00.000-07:00

Use financial ratios to identify and leverage your company’s strengths and weaknesses

The year 2007 is behind us, and while it’s great to look forward to another year in business, we first need to look back – specifically, at your financial statement. Yes, it’s essential to take a close look at the balance sheet and the statement of income, but that’s only the starting point for successful financial management for the future. The true meaning of figures in financial statements emerges only when they are compared to other figures using financial ratios. Financial analysis using ratios is the most effective method for assessing a company’s strengths and weaknesses.

Using data from the balance sheet and income statement, various ratios can be calculated, which can then be compared directly to those of competing companies of varying sizes. Industry trade associations including BSCAI also have industry standards available for comparison. In addition, comparing changes in a company’s ratios over a few years’ time can highlight improvements in performance or a problem needing attention.

Ratios are very simple to calculate – sometimes they are simply expressed in the format “x:y” and other times they are one number divided by another with the answer expressed as a percentage. The following ratio types explain how each of the financial ratios is calculated and what it tells you about your business’s financial health. They can help provide a clear picture of your business’s ability to generate profit, pay its bills on a timely basis and utilize its assets efficiently. For ratios, having a higher value relative to a competitor’s ratio or the same ratio from a previous period is indicative that the company is doing well.

Profitability ratios assess a business’s ability to generate earnings as compared to its expenses and other relevant costs incurred during a specific period of time. Net profit margin, return on assets, and return on equity are the three types most widely used profitability ratios

Operational Efficiency/Employee Productivity ratios measure the efficiency of employees and corporate resources in earning a profit. Three commonly used ratios are revenue, gross profit per full-time employee, and asset turnover.

Liquidity ratios measure a company’s ability to pay off short-term debt. They reflect your company's ability to cover its expenses. The current ratio and the quick ratio are two ratios that provide an indication of the company’s liquidity.

Leverage (capital-structure) ratios reflect the extent to which the company uses debt to finance its operations. The debt ratio and the debt-equity ratio used for this purpose.

Put ratios to work
Calculating financial ratios are important, but the real value in these numbers comes when they are fully understood. Knowing what it means when your company’s numbers are lower or higher than others is essential. That’s when you can stop looking back on the past and start looking forward to a strong financial future.

Cleaning System Design

2007-07-07T17:53:00.000-07:00

“The Difference between Thriving or Surviving?”

Businesses, institutions, schools, universities, and commercial facilities are continually challenged by a dynamic business environment characterized by increasing higher internal and external customer expectations. At the same time, facility managers are rarely provided with additional resources. This situation directly affects facility managers who must learn to not only survive the budget cuts that often result from economic pressures, but also be able to do more with less.

Because of these challenges, facility management mangers find themselves in a precarious position. Resources have been reduced, equipment and supply funding has been slashed and preventative maintenance tasks have been cut back in an attempt to save money. In order to thrive, as opposed to survive, managers must define their critical cleaning values (CCVs), evaluate cleaning systems, and find innovative ways to do old tasks more productively.

CCVs: Remembering the Crucial Role of the Cleaning Professional

In the midst of any difficult situation, it is imperative to stay focused on critical values. Returning to CCVs helps facility managers maintain their perspective, place the appropriate value on services they provide, and properly access the needs of their locations.

These are the four major CCVs:

1. Clean for health and safety. Cleaning professionals help keep the people that use their facilities safe and healthy by removing dust, bacteria, particulates and situations that can cause injury or illness.

2. Clean for appearance. Facility managers are responsible for providing and maintaining a pleasant place to live, work, and learn.

3. Preserve building assets. Proper cleaning procedures play a major role in maintaining a facility and delaying or eliminating costly repairs and replacements.

4. Build positive self-images and improve productivity. People do better, feel better, work harder, and learn more when they are proud of and comfortable in the facilities they use.

When struggling with budget cuts and other funding issues or when working with other departments who may not fully value their services, managers must hold fast to these critical-cleaning values.

Explore the Options: Cleaning System Design

Managers can take a variety of steps to manage costs while still maintaining critical cleaning values in their facilities. Most of these measures are applicable to both in-house operations and those that work with outside contractors, helping them deliver the highest service levels while managing to a tight budget.

One of the first steps that must be taken is to thoroughly evaluate current operations, staffing and cleaning systems. The traditional concept of one cleaner cleaning the same area and working with the same cleaning tools used for decades is fast coming to an end. New cleaning systems have evolved, such as day cleaning, skip cleaning, specialist cleaning, blended cleaning and collaborative cleaning that have been proven to increase productivity, reduce staffing, and lower workforce costs.

Staffing

Managers must evaluate their services to see if some might be better handled by outsourcing them to private contractors. Instead of maintaining a staff of window cleaners, for instance, an educational facility might find it less expensive to contract this service out, reducing both staffing and the often hefty insurance costs for this type of service.

New Technology

Finally, an evaluation of the latest methodologies is imperative. Cleaning techniques, methods, and strategies have changed dramatically over the past five to ten years and they can significantly reduce costs, maintain CCVs, and improve productivity.

New Ways to Perform Old Tasks

Assessing new cleaning equipment and technology requires managers to look beyond the "bells and whistles" of new equipment and see if the new tools can really increase productivity and help lower costs.

For example, let us examine floor care. When it comes to floor maintenance, 85 percent of all expenses can be attributed to labor costs. One new technology— cylindrical brush technology—appears to be making significant inroads lowering costs, decreasing training time and improving productivity.

Instead of one brush, cylindrical machines have twin-rotating brushes that float over a floor area. This makes these machines extremely easy to operate and learn to use, reducing training time and costs.

They rotate at 1,000 to 1,500 rpms, six times faster than a conventional buffer, and provide excellent edge-cleaning ability, eliminating the need to hand clean difficult-to-reach areas.

Cylindrical machines provide six times more contact pressure than similar- sized rotary machines, which creates more cleaning power. Moreover, they are more environmentally preferable, requiring 20 percent to 30 percent less water use. In addition, because cylindrical brushes can deep clean grouted areas around tiles, hand scrubbing these areas is eliminated; further reducing labor time and costs.

"Do the Math"

Whether you manage an in-house operation or contract for services, determining the number of labor hours needed to maintain your facility is ground zero. If you outsource, knowing the number of labor-hours, helps you determine whether the contactor is adequately staffed. If you are in in-house operation, you need to know the correct staffing level.

Many people in our industry believe that they can walk into a facility and, using years of experience, quickly determine how many hours are needed to clean the building. Another common technique -- dividing the square footage by a "theoretical productivity rate" may occasionally produce a correct number but it is more often than not inaccurate.

Workloading is the only reliable method of determining how many service hours are needed for your building. Workloading answers the question; how long should it take to clean my building? By systematically applying time standards to each task and area within a facility, workloading embodies the cliché, “time is money.” It is the realization that every task takes time, and “dollarizes” that time.

Looking at the Big Picture

In the early 1990s, the state of Texas was facing a massive state budget deficit. Finding few options to solve the financial crisis, then-governor Ann Richards assembled a variety of analysts and number crunchers with a single mission: to get the state out of its financial mess.

Within five months, the team presented the governor with more than 1,000 recommendations that could save the state $2.4 billion.

A similar situation exists today for facility managers. Every aspect of cleaning must be examined, different cleaning systems must be considered, and possibly most important, new cleaning technologies and equipment must be evaluated.

Thriving under a tight budget requires serious examination of the many possibilities and options available and then implementing them.

- Specialist cleaning’s focus is on a division of labor. This form of cleaning, using four cleaning "specialists" (vacuum, restroom, trash and utility), evolved from traditional contract cleaning and was designed for custodians to work three- and four-hour shifts in locations such as office buildings.

- Day cleaning allows managers to choose workers from a usually untapped demographic. Often, the people performing day cleaning are retired people or stay-at-home moms who can work while their children are in school. It appears to be most successful in single-tenant locations.

- Blended cleaning combines specialist and zone cleaning and other forms of cleaning systems. In blended cleaning, instead of four "specialists" performing separate duties as they would in specialist cleaning, one custodian may be responsible for several functions such as trash collection, dusting and vacuuming, while another worker handles restroom and utility or project work.

- Collaborative cleaning puts both the custodian and the building’s tenants to work. Collaborative cleaning is often found in school and single-tenant situations. An example is having the entire building’s occupants place their trashcans in the same area, allowing for quick and easy pickup by the custodian.

- Skip cleaning eliminates or reduces some cleaning activities altogether. In skip cleaning, tasks are prioritized. It may be determined that some areas of a facility may need to be cleaned only once or twice per week. Having them cleaned nightly is costly and time-consuming.

Understanding Generation Y: Part 2

2007-06-06T13:57:00.000-07:00

How to entice the newest crop of employees and make them want to stay

Last month, we defined the characteristics of Generation Y workers. We now know that these "millennials" tend to be high maintenance, impatient and skeptical. But we also recognize that Gen Yers are the most educated generation ever, are ambitious, hard-working and communicative. They also have high expectations not only for themselves, but for their employers.

With that in mind, there are some strategies that you can use to stand out among your competition to attract the very best Gen Y workers and make them want to stick around.

Reaching Gen Y
It takes technology and advertising to reach Generation Y. These prospective employees rely on online job boards and company career sites to research and find jobs. Use key words and phrases in job postings such as "fast-paced," "work/life balance," "flexible," "opportunity for growth," and "state-of-the-art technology" (as long as you offer the same) to appeal to millennials.

Gen Y doesn't have patience for "snail mail" and appreciates the option to apply immediately by submitting their resumes electronically. These candidates need to feel valued during the recruitment process and expect contact, respect, consideration and prompt responses.

Addressing their needs
Gen Y will comprise an increasingly large percentage of the work force so you will not have the luxury of refusing to address their unique needs. Employers that are sensitive to the following Gen Y needs will have a distinct advantage and the opportunity to reap the benefits of A-level talent in the increasingly competitive marketplace.

- Flexibility. Work/life balance is no longer a buzzword among Generation Y workers. Happy to be held accountable to results, this generation wants to have control over when and how they go about doing their work. They desire true balance in their lives and seek flexible work schedules. They relish the option of being able to telecommute or work from a home office.

- Career-pathing. Millennials seek upward mobility. They want to not only know what is expected of them in their current job, but more importantly, what skills they need to develop to move onto the next position. Employers that can demonstrate detailed career-pathing have an advantage in recruiting and retaining the best talent among this group.

- Feedback. The annual review is no longer enough for Generation Y. This generation expects feedback and validation more often. This may require some manager training to help define performance review criteria and ensure recognition to keep the new work force motivated. Gen Yers want employers to notice and react to their performance. They want the opportunity to show off their skills and be recognized for a job well done. Show them how they are making an impact and how their work will contribute to the bottom line.

- Training and mentoring. If you want a job well done, employers need to tell these workers how to do it. Complete training programs and the availability of answers are key. Provide a mentor to help bridge gaps and build understanding. Don't just give orders, give the reasoning behind them. If you want them to do something, tell them why in a way that lets them know the importance of the task to the company.

- Access to technology. Many Gen Yers are used to having the newest and best technology at their fingertips. E-mail and Internet access are musts. They also might expect to be allowed use of iPods and PDAs on the job.

- Honesty and open communication. Showing these workers appreciation for individuality and letting them be expressive will keep them around. Allow them to have input in the decision-making process. They want to be heard and they want to be involved in all aspects of the organization. While they are skeptical, Gen Yers value fairness and ethical behavior.

Generation Y, ready to make a meaningful impact, brings unique attributes, new ideas and value into the workplace. Understanding and being sensitive to the needs will be a key factor in recruiting and retaining them. Like any generation of workers, if you want your Gen Y workers to care about the prosperity of your business, show them that you care about them.

Understanding Generation Y: Part 1

2007-05-01T13:54:00.000-07:00

The largest generation since the baby boomers, Gen Y-ers are different from any that have come before. And they’re coming to work for you.

There is a new (and huge) generation of workers invading the work force. They’re ambitious, they’re demanding and they question everything. Unlike generations before them, they have been pampered and nurtured since they were babies, which means they are high-maintenance. The good news is that they are also high performers. They are members of Generation Y, the fastest-growing segment of the work force. And as baby boomers retire, business owners and managers are going to have to learn how to manage this new generation of workers.

The first step in managing Gen Y is understanding who they are.

Who is Gen Y?
There is no consensus over the exact birth dates that define Generation Y, also known as “echo boomers,” “millennials,” iGeneration,” “Generation Next,” among others. According to the Census Bureau, which defines Gen Y as those born between 1977 and 1995, there are 79.8 American millennials. Outnumbering the baby-boomer generation by 1.3 million, Gen Y will have a dramatic impact social and economic impact on the business world.

Employment analysts, generation experts and researchers have identified many unique characteristics of Gen Y to help employers better understand this segment of the work force:

· High-maintenance/needy: Generation Y has grown up in a culture of praise, where every effort is rewarded. Their parents believed it was part of their job as a parent to build self-esteem and keep children at the center of the household. These children, now grown up, expect the same treatment from their college professors, managers and bosses.
· Speak their mind: This praised, self-confident generation favors self-expression over self-control. While generations before them might fear approaching the CEO, Gen Y workers go out of their way to get the CEO’s ear. It is very important that they get their point across and they are not afraid to do so.
· Impatient: Raised in a world dominated by technology and instant gratification, Gen Y does not have the patience to deal with outdated technology or slow-moving projects. This generation likes tight deadlines and fast-paced work.
· Skeptical: Generation Y grew up witnessing the scamming, cheating, lying and exploitation highlighted in the media, involving everyone from sports figures to politicians. They also watched parents and other family members lose their jobs to mergers and downsizing.
· Adaptable, yet demand flexibility: Gen Y-ers are used to adapting to various situations and are comfortable in a variety of work environments. However, they demand flexible schedules, work/life balance and put their family and friends before work.
· Goal-oriented/ambitious: While these workers usually put their non-work life first, they focus on output and getting the job done. Gen Y-ers are also efficient multi-taskers.
· Technology-savvy/able to learn new concepts: Gen Y grew up in the age of technology, take advantage of it and can’t live without it. Surrounded by the latest gadgets, this is a “plugged-in” learning-oriented generation.
· High expectations: Generation Y workers have high expectations for themselves and for their employers. They aim to work better and faster than their colleagues and they expect respect, a decent salary and professional development from their employers.

Understanding and appreciating the qualities and values of Gen Y workers is essential if you want to successfully recruit and retain them. Tune in next month to find out how to attract and manage Generation Y, the work force of the future.

Customer Service: A BSC's 'X Factor'

2006-08-06T13:39:00.000-07:00

The X Factor: The secret to staying ahead of the competition

Some people have a knack for staying ahead of their competition. In his book, The X Factor: A Quest for Excellence, author George Plimpton asks, “What is it that enables an individual or team to outperform equally gifted competitors?”

For building service contractors, the X Factor is not a new, innovative cleaning process or technological wizardry. We all know that operational excellence is a prerequisite for surviving in the cleaning business – it’s the ante to stay in the game. What, then, is a contractor’s X Factor? Exceptional customer relationships.

Customer relationships are so important that respondents to a recent survey conducted by Outsourcing Journal rated relationships as more than twice as important than any other factor regarding successful outsourcing. Think about it: In a business where the customer can always find dirt, the strength of your relationship determines the customers desire to find it.
Characterizing successful relationships.
Relationships are built on expectations. Successful relationships are characterized by reasonable and healthy expectations. The challenge is to manage each customer’s expectations in a way that is both reasonable and healthy for everyone involved.
Many of my clients use this three-part test:
Are expectations …1. Fair to the customer? 2. Fair to my employees? 3. Fair to my company?

If you answer “yes” to all three questions, expectations are both reasonable and healthy. If not, the question that was answered with “no” is the starting point for negotiations.

Going beyond expectations
Your customers have established certain expectations. At a minimum, they expect you to meet their expectations. However, merely meeting expectations is not the basis for a great relationship. The key, then, is to exceed those expectations.

For example, let’s say it has been agreed that your crew is responsible for emptying trash daily. If your crew empties the trash every day would your customer consider your operation excellent? Probably not. It is when you go beyond expectations that you exceed in customers’ minds.

Going above and beyond does not necessarily requires additional time and effort. Consider these guidelines for exceptional customer service:

Offer convenience and options.
Every facility is different. Some facilities prefer day cleaning while others prefer night cleaning. Special events and activities may call for cleaning schedule changes and unique requests. Your customers will appreciate your accommodating attitude and remember it when referring new business or renewing their contract.

Turn complaints into committed customers.
The best way to handle a complaint is look at it as an opportunity to impress the customer and occupants. For example, when a customer complains about lack of paper towels in the restrooms, do not just restock the supply. It may be an opportunity to introduce the customer to higher capacity paper dispensing systems that improve service and make you job easier. The way you respond to negative feedback will make or break the relationship.

Treat customers and building occupants with courtesy and respect.
If you strive to be a successful business owner, act the part. Look customers in the eye, smile and maintain a professional attitude. Respect their time by scheduling meetings rather than dropping in on them.

Customers might not always be right but they are always your customers. If a customer complains and the complaint stems from an issue that is not your fault, take care of it anyway. In any case, it is best to leave your personal feelings out of the equation and keep the customer by maintaining a professional approach.

When running a cleaning business, BSCs have the propensity to get caught up in day-to-day activities. Exceptional business owners do not need to invest any extra time to be courteous, respectful and professional. The key to differentiating your business in a hyper-competitive market is the X Factor – the exceptional way you treat your customers and build strong relationships.

Matrix Leads in Commitment to Green Cleaning Practices

2005-01-07T08:00:00.000-08:00

EcoSmart Leads Matrix's Commitment to Green Cleaning Practices
Syracuse, NY – January 7, 2005 – Matrix Integrated Facility Management, the region’s leading privately owned and operated facilities services outsourcing company, underscored its commitment to healthier buildings by launching the EcoSmart Green Cleaning System. EcoSmart™ brings environmentally sensitive practices to facility maintenance.

Through EcoSmart Matrix helps clients create healthier workplaces. The program combines Matrix’s best practices and the guidelines set forth by organizations such as the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), the EPA, and Green Seal. “EcoSmart is an extension of our commitment to Cleaning for Health,” said James Peduto, Matrix President. “Our research indicates, and experience confirms, that EcoSmart produces healthier buildings for our clients.”

The EcoSmart™ Green Cleaning System is a comprehensive strategy that encompasses training, purchasing, and operations. The company’s approach is built on the belief that green cleaning practices produce tangible client benefits. The EcoSmart system even assists clients in qualifying for industry certifications, such as the USGBC’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Program (LEED).Peduto concluded, “Our commitment to environmental stewardship, innovation, and healthy buildings is embodied in EcoSmart. As an industry leader, we have a responsibility to be at the forefront of green cleaning. To that end, we have committed substantial resources to accelerate implementation of Green Cleaning practices through EcoSmart.”

EcoSmart is a registered trademark of Matrix LLC