Savvy BSCs (Building Service Contractors) know that there will be ups and downs in the economy and the company that is prepared can take a negative and turn it into a positive.  Knowing the facility is a great advantage to any BSC willing to think outside the box.  It is wise to develop a Plan B (and possibly Plan C) in anticipation of downturns that will cause many current customers to consider rebidding or simply eliminating your services.  Consider the following points:

•    Who knows the account better than you and your staff who have been onsite during good times?  If anyone could develop a Plan B and C, you could know how to prioritize so that cleanliness while reducing labor in less essential areas.
•    Take a hard look at every task and identify areas that could use less service without impacting appearance or health.
•    How much time could be saved if the customer converted all toilet tissue, hand soap and paper towel dispensers that required less servicing?
•    How much labor could be saved on floor work if all entrances had extensive, quality walk off mats to capture more soil before it gets into the building?
•    How much time could be saved if all equipment was evaluated and replaced with more productive units?
•    How could enhanced training be more effective and productive in a reduced statement of work?
•    After observing current operations, what tasks could be combined or eliminated?

Inspect, Correct, Observe, Correct, Inspect until it is right:      The key person in this endeavor is the on-site supervisor.  He/she must unlearn old habits and assumptions while acquiring new skills.  We will take a look at the differences in Plan A, B and C in future articles.

Your comments and questions are always welcome. I hope to hear from you soon. Until then, keep it clean...

Mickey Crowe has been involved in the industry for over 35 years. He is a trainer, speaker and consultant. You can reach Mickey at 678.314.2171 or CTCG50@comcast.net.


posted on 4/21/2014