Fairclough will be presenting to instructor James Downing’s Family Business Management class. The class will cover the difficulties of turning a small family business into an institutionalized company while maintaining stability throughout generations, a topic that Fairclough can relate to very well. Having started his own business, Resicom, ten years ago in the basement of his in-laws’ home, he has experienced the challenging task of expanding a small, family run business into a successful nationwide organization.

Fairclough will present on September 22nd, 2010 at 9am in room 216 of Taft Hall.

Every company has a distinct culture- the history, the creativity, the ingenuity behind what keeps the company growing and moving forward. We call these legendary stories.

Thanks, in part to Resicom, my brother and I have been able to buy a beautiful home.  The company is about consistency.  Consistency with what we offer clients, but also consistency with employees.  Resicom believes in offering a level of stability to technicians that normally aren’t used to having consistent incomes that can be counted upon.  Resicom doesn’t hire technicians just in the busy season, only to lay them off in the slower months.  I don’t know many other companies in the trades industry that offer salary positions to employees.  But because of this stability offered, I’ve been able to purchase a home, enjoy vacations, and experience a quality of life that I have worked hard to achieve.   I would like to think that I have grown up with Resicom, and I look forward to many more prosperous years.

It should be normal for companies to help its employees fulfill their need to give back to the community.

Let’s face it.  We call it work because it’s time spent away from family, friends and personal interests.  But what if you can find a job for which you have passion, interest and inspiration?  Suddenly, achieving a work/life balance becomes more feasible.  Now factor in the company’s responsibilities to help you find fulfillment in addition to your daily responsibilities.  Companies which provide their employees outlets for community involvement, social interaction and volunteer opportunities report a greater morale among their workforce.  Companies are recognizing that promoting these endeavors is more than a self-serving PR boost.   Such activities encourage employees to engage in interaction that perhaps they wouldn’t have considered finding on their own, but once involved find incredibly rewarding.  Skills are often developed and hidden talents even rise to the surface that perhaps aren’t utilized during the flow of a normal workday.  People who have never had the opportunity to participate in a leadership role may find they are in fact quite savvy at organizing a volunteer activity for the department. People who are shy often emerge from their comfort zone when interacting with co-workers in a non-work environment. 

Companies need to think beyond the structured team building activities of picnics or retreats.  Though enjoyable and a tried and true component of employee interaction, it doesn’t necessarily provide the same sense of satisfaction that comes from participating in altruistic activities.  When employees work side by side at volunteer efforts, a relaxed and easy camaraderie emerges.   A company recently hosted a picnic.  But this picnic had a twist.  The guests of honor weren’t the employees, but underprivileged children right before back to school.  Employees played games with the children, prepared their food, and sent each smiling face home with a backpacks filled with supplies for the new school year.  The response amongst employees?  ”One of the best company picnics I’ve ever attended.”   

Every company has a distinct culture- the history, the creativity, the ingenuity behind what keeps the company growing and moving forward. We call these legendary stories.

Resicom has had countless family-oriented gatherings outside work with some of the best food you have ever eaten.   I think the people of Resicom truly enjoy each other’s company.   These gatherings don’t have the feel that it’s an obligation;  more work really disguised as a picnic.  One fun occasion that comes to mind is when the owner of the company invited everyone down to his farm for a family friendly weekend.  We had organized games, campfires, scavenger hunt, canoeing and ATV races.  These activities helped us really get to know one another outside of work.  The teams that worked together and found out each others strengths and weaknesses seemed to do better- not just that weekend during competitive games, but also back in the office on Monday.   Of course, I’ll never forget that weekend as the one where my brother flew off the back of the ATV and was sore for a week!

Power or influence is earned. It is three dimensional, connecting the mind, body, and soul. People will go through walls for powerful leaders. It’s important to understand power does not come from an authoritative title, a relationship with business leadership, nor the amount of money one makes.

Consider a parent that smokes that is telling his teenage child not to smoke. Although the parent has authority, they will not have much power in this situation. The interesting thing about power is it usually develops by reducing self defeating activities. Consider the difference in power that a parent that does not smoke versus the parent that does.  All three dimensions of power are vulnerable.

Attitude. One who seeks power must maintain control over their attitude and cannot be a victim of their insecurities. They must overcome them. A few examples of violations include avoiding conflict, being controlled by a fear, and not taking making the tough decisions when required.

Body Language. Their physical presence must have a calming effect on others. The must be able to accept difficult information and remain in control. This is easily violated when someone becomes sunken, animated, violent, and/or intimidating.

Interconnections. The people you aim to follow must trust you, believe you care about them, and believe in your abilities. These make up the soul of relationships. Violations typically develop through poor communication. When one’s actions may appear to put pressure on one of the three interconnections, the decisions made must be properly communicated.

If your authority level is not matched by the level of your influence, your team will be disengaged.

I hope you internalize what I have shared here and apply it to boost your influence.

Resicom sponsor and attendees, represented by CEO John Fairclough (pictured on the far right) and national business developer Marty Durkin (pictured second to left) had the opportunity to meet with keynote speaker Justin Doak and PRSM Presdient Paul Walsh.  Doak discussed the importance of sustainability and how to use leaders in the industry to measure, plan, and achieve success.

Resicom CEO, John Fairclough, was recently asked to join the IES Advisory Council. Fairclough’s three-year term includes attending formal meetings of the council, serving as an advisor to the executive director, and participating in IES events and programs.

A successful entrepreneur of a facility maintenance company, Fairclough is constantly looking for new ways to reach entrepreneurs. Fairclough believes that clear communication and learning from experience are necessary to succeed in any industry.  Passionate about empowering others and assisting future business leaders, Fairclough actively volunteers his time as advisor and mentor for various networking and entrepreneurial advisor boards.

Resicom CEO, John Fairclough will join a group of 18 accomplished business owners and industry leaders.  All speakers will share personal stories of a time when they had their back to the wall, and how their response to the situation propelled either a personal or professional breakthrough/ achievement.

Fairclough recently published a similar account entitled “The Moment I Thought We Might Not Make It” as part of a collection of entrepreneur stories for Sometimes You Have to Look Over the Edge and Not Blink featured on About.com.   Fairclough is the founder and president of Resicom, a national facility maintenance provider that believes in the bold pursuit of what normal should be.

Every company has a distinct culture- the history, the creativity, the ingenuity behind what keeps the company growing and moving forward. We call these legendary stories.

We asked our employees to share in their own words what makes Resicom unique.

“Resicom harnesses cutting edge technology to its fullest potential. Resicom doesn’t shy away from incorporating technology in a variety of useful ways. The entire office is completely Mac Based. IPhones are issued to both office staff and field technicians so that video and photos can be sent to clients to verify project status or completion. This has also enabled Resicom’s Kansas City branch to go completely green. By running the entire satellite office via iPhone’s email, documents do not need to be printed and are instead updated via web based project management software. The iPad can be used to receive real time project signatures for technician sign-off sheets onsite. Video clips are created and uploaded on the web to train technicians and clarify procedures on upcoming, onsite projects. It’s cool to show clients our cutting-edge project management tools and how we create project scopes and action plans that look nothing like anyone else in the industry’s.”

Every company has a distinct culture- the history, the creativity, the ingenuity behind what keeps the company growing and moving forward. We call these legendary stories.

We asked our employees to share in their own words what makes Resicom unique.

“Resicom is a pretty big operation but at its heart, it still has a small company feel. I feel I can still meet and interact with the CEO. I’m able to go to him with feedback of what’s happening in our company. Not only does he appreciate it, he invites it. Resicom is small enough to be able to go to the CEO with feedback. He set up mentoring meetings and in these he would come up with solutions for me. Being as busy as he is, that really means a lot to know that he takes the time to do something like that when he doesn’t have to.”

Every company has a distinct culture- the history, the creativity, the ingenuity behind what keeps the company growing and moving forward. We call these legendary stories.

We asked our employees to share in their own words what makes Resicom unique.

“It is refreshing to work for a company dedicated to bringing its staff together to create an environment where employees are given the proper tools to reach their maximum potential. The constant emphasis on learning and developing as an individual and as a team is one of Resicom’s strongest assets.

It’s one thing to say you are committed to growing people’s careers and development. But there needs to be something concrete in that statement. The Emerging Leaders Program was created to tap potential future leaders within the company. This group was given direct access to the CEO of the company, John Fairclough. Members of the group are able to learn from his insight and experience. John shared his thoughts and knowledge on company history along with his outlook and vision for Resicom’s future. John empowered the emerging leaders to take on company initiatives and projects. This provided the proper tools and structure for the group members to see themselves as true entrepreneurs within Resicom, building the business. John challenges the emerging leaders to think and act as not just employees but entrepreneurs within their own roles in Resicom.”

Every company has a distinct culture- the history, the creativity, the ingenuity behind what keeps the company growing and moving forward. We call these legendary stories.

We asked our employees to share in their own words what makes Resicom unique.

“The Director of Operations and I had a rather heated discussion regarding a pending project. Sometimes sales and operations don’t necessarily agree on how projects should be completed, (classic Yin/Yang). Resicom always encourages clear and courageous communication- that it is the only way to build trust. We were both comfortable enough with one another and this expectation to voice our somewhat rigid opinions. Even though we were both passionate about our position, we knew we could speak openly and honestly. Two weeks later when we were in the same city, we were at Cog Hill bonding over a few buckets of golf balls; and the client awarded the project the very next day.”

Every company has a distinct culture- the history, the creativity, the ingenuity behind what keeps the company growing and moving forward. We call these legendary stories.

We asked our employees to share in their own words what makes Resicom unique.

“Resicom is a environment where a group of type A personalities can thrive and flourish, without imparting physical harm to one another! Resicom’s CEO has surrounded himself with a wide variety of Type A personalities. The good news is, we are all driven to succeed, and have a degree of competitiveness amongst ourselves. Traditionally, Type A’s don’t function well as a team. Individuals don’t recognize that the same traits they possess, are what make other Type A’s tick. These traits that we pride ourselves upon are sometimes seem as a negative in others. The goal at Resicom has been to to channel this Type A energy into something useful, which is what we at Resicom do best. We strive to communicate with one another in a clear and courageous way. Within 10 years, these type A’s will exceed a multi-million dollar organization, personality traits and all.”

Open Position :: Dispatcher

The Dispatcher role in Operations is responsible for logistics coordination of all in-house resources including manpower, fleet, warehouse and stock.  This role reports directly to the Director of Operations.

Ideal candidate skill set

• Solid understanding of work scope within trades industry
• General knowledge base of various trades disciplines
• Familiarity with state labor laws
• Communicates well within different levels of organization
• Excels at relationship management and conflict resolution
• Ability to produce multi-media technician training resources
• Ability to coach technicians and promote development
• Demonstrates company culture, policy and procedure
• Thrives within and produces exemplary results in high pressure situations

Dispatcher is responsible for holding technician team accountable and tracking performance.  Dispatcher KPIs include revenue per technician, capital management and  project expediting.

Interested candidates should send resume and cover letter to likemindedpeople@resicomonline.com.  No phone calls please.

A national retailer needed a systematic inspection of their facilities.  During these visits, it was determined including a procedure to check the battery in the exit door alarm system could prevent a more costly on-demand work ticket when the battery failed.

Scope of the Work

1.  Technicians should carry a supply of 9-volt batteries when conducting preventative maintenance at each location. 

2.  Attach piece of masking tape labeled with date onto battery.

3.  Open battery case for exit alarm system and inspect battery.  Batteries older than a set timeframe should be exchanged. 

Challenges 

1.  Typically a project meets obstacles during preparation or in delivery.  However, in this instance, the challenge of how to cut costs was the issue. This project became a solution to a client need.       

Solutions

1. The solution relied on company differentiators to make the project a success.  
2. Accountability – The client set the standard for at what interval the battery should be changed.  
3. Structure – The procedure was incorporated into the existing Preventative Maintenance Plan so the battery swap was not overlooked.  Checklist documentation ensures that details of systematic inspections are not forgotten.  
4. Communication – A simple piece of tape with the date communicates when to replace saving the client hundreds per location

Summary

By simply checking the shelf life of a battery, the client was protected against a more costly on-demand repair.  When the 9-volt battery fails, the system emits an alarm that must be turned off by an electrician.  This on-demand service cost approximately $200.  Being proactive during PM’s and having a checklist of items to inspect saves the client aggravation and expense.

If you ask anyone in the facility management “What is the most important key to success?” – The resounding answer will be Communication.  This one word is the key ingredient in all successful partnerships.

It is an indisputable fact – poor communication costs time, money, and occasionally even sanity. But how does the concept of good communication become tangible?  The answer is documentation that is relevant and clear.

Action Plans  Accessible information for project execution

Project Scopes can be incredibly detailed- but not all information is relevant to different parties involved.  For example, on-site facility managers need to know where technicians will be working and when.  Resicom has created one-page, color-coded action plans that can be easily posted within the facility.  This keeps everyone on the same page – literally.

Smart Sheets  Real time updates available online

Updates required hourly, daily or at pre-determined intervals can be easily accessed through web-based smart sheets.

Before and After Photos  Picture worth a thousand words

Technicians equipped with iPhones are able to send detailed before and after photos and video of project completion.  Supplemental information can be directly displayed on photos using geo-tagging and Jing programs

Resicom CEO, John Fairclough’s featured article on About.com recalls the moment he 

thought the company might not survive.  Many businesses, with Resicom being no exception, 

felt the strain of the economic downturn.  In May of 2009, two critical clients for the national 

facility maintenance company cut spend by 80% and 90% respectively.  The effect could have 

been catastrophic to Resicom forcing the company to close its doors. 

What could have been a devastating blow instead became Resicom’s finest hour.  From self- 

awareness came a structured recovery plan that addressed all areas of the company. 

Transparency within all levels of the company was key, and with full visibility, employees 

became part of the solution.

To view the entire story visit Business Cliffhangers on About.com.

At employee reviews, one of the biggest sources of tension is when an employee feels misunderstood and that efforts and results have not been acknowledged.  When someone is blindsided in terms of performance, it is more likely that they will defend themselves aggressively. By communicating well and establishing a process on which people can depend diminishes misunderstanding.

Establishing a scorecard helps provide clarity when an employee begins a new position.  Each position within a company needs a scorecard.  It is a tangible that provides parameters for how an employee is expected to perform. A scorecard removes subjective conversations and discussions such as “I feel like you are not doing a great job”. Basically it helps manage without emotion.

Every other month employees meet with their coach (one’s supervisor).  A fixed agenda included scorecard review (the objective side of management) and the core value evaluation (where the coach provides feedback related to our core values). The coach’s role is to give feedback and find out how to remove obstacles that are hindering performance.

On the opposite months, employees meet with a mentor (an upper management person to whom the employee does not directly report, preferably someone from a different area of the company – for example, head of sales mentors operation project managers). This meeting agenda is set by the mentee and the conversation can cover current challenges, career development or other pertinent topics.

By executing the above items well, the employee is informed and engaged regarding their performance. This diffuses any misunderstandings about performance and “blind-sided” reviews.  When a situation arises where a person is under performing or a policy is violated, we execute the following “Performance Improvement Plan” strategy:

o      Outline improvements needed and what a successful improvement will look like

o      Set clear expectation for amount of time given to make the improvement

o      It is clearly outlined what consequences will be if not met

o      It is clearly outlined what benefits will be experienced if they are met

o      PIP delivered by head of HR and manager

o      Follow up – manager and HR touch base with the person independently at pre-determined intervals.

If someone is released, the discussion is not about them not performing well – they are well aware

A strategically innovative entrepreneur and business owner, Fairclough enjoys a level of success that transcends monetary reward and instead empowers both communities and individuals.  Fairclough is motivated to experience share with other first-level entrepreneurs in assist catapulting their business to the next level. Fairclough is excited to witness employees and peers become better leaders.

At 24, Fairclough launched the first Resicom office from the basement of his future in-laws. By age 30, Resicom had earned substantial, continuing to surpass set benchmarks.   Today, Resicom has leap frogged in size and revenue, now occupying a 15K square foot facility in Lemont.  Fairclough measures true success at providing opportunities and options for both client and employees that other companies can’t.

Nominees were selected because of having demonstrated exemplary traits in entrepreneurship, perseverance, business creativity, and determined drive and risk taking.  Award recipients will be honored at a reception on September 16^th, 2010 at the Danada House in Wheaton.  Honorees will be featured in a special business section of the October 18^th issue of the Business Ledger.  Judges are comprised from a selection committee from representatives of event sponsorship, local business associations, and members of the Business Ledger editorial staff.

There are three basic tenets of the program:

-Accountability. The plan is dependent on establishing what success looks like – we call it setting the standard. Here is where we learn what triggers action items, what the proper communication methods are, and how we will be graded. All of this needs to be understood up front.

-Communication. If the Standard is misunderstood, full benefits will not be realized. Proper communication involves using multiple tools, including video, documentation, emails, and phone calls. Poor communication costs time, money, and occasionally even sanity.

-Structure. A successful program requires the right structure. Knowledge must be gained at each project and stored in a hub that is accessible for technicians completing projects. We call this hub a “Knowledge Bank”. Material specifications, how to repair instructions, and the other “setting the standard” information is stored here. This is leveraged in the different plug and play components of the program listed here:

SMARTvisit: 

This component answers the question “How can I get more value from each on-demand work order?” It should be normal for a company to maximize value delivered on each interaction.

SMARTscope:                                                                                                                                           

 This component answers the question “How can I gain visibility of the condition of my stores and bundle the repairs cost effectively?” It should be normal for a vendor to understand its clients needs and provide a report designed around the client’s standards.

SMARTplan:

This component integrates SMARTvisit and SMARTscope. It combines the preventative, bundled approach to the on-demand component, effectively absorbing work orders into on demand visits.

SMARTfit:

This component answers the question “How can I complete a roll-out project cost effectively, with the right visibility?” It should be normal for clients and vendor partners to collaborate on the most effective way to execute a project.

This program creates a framework that helps leverage accountability, communication, and structure, boosting effectiveness. Protecting brands requires balancing the needs of Marketing, Finance, and Operations. SMARTspend simplifies this.

Aruba, Jamaica- Ooh, I wanna take ya.  Key Largo, Montego, Baby why don’t we go?

Congratulations to Resicom Employee Contest winner Paul Romanowski.  Paul and his fiancé won their choice of a domestic Starwood vacation destination with airfare.  The winning entry was randomly chosen from all Resicom employees who entered the marketing campaign “Fun in the Sun” contest.  Each entry required idea submissions for Resicom legendary stories and “It Should Be Normal” taglines. 

Stories submitted included funny, inspiring and determined recounts from over a decade of Resicom’s history in commercial facility maintenance. 

Paul is one of Resicom’s newest technicians, with a background in paint & fine arts execution and professional graphic design.  Resicom is honored to be able to present a honeymoon option to Paul and his fiancé for their milestone event.

Building this hub of information requires a clear plan with disciplined execution. Here is a basic outline:

1. Organize a client discovery call where you learn how to properly interact with the client (cannot hit a home run if you do not know what one looks like). Topics here include communication, escalation triggers, and accountability/scorecarding.
2. Create step by step processes for each type of project completed. NOTE – Must set goals around this to ensure it is added to each day.
3. Share this knowledge (give access or provide instructions) to necessary parties.
4. Review results and tweak processes.

Once this information is gathered, it should be continuously built. It becomes a library, or as we like to call it, a Knowledge Bank. Its a bank we need to make “deposits” into regularly.

This approach helps our company leverage our self performing expertise in markets where we hire outside vendors. We can prepare any technician with the right material and equipment in advance, speeding up the procurement phase. Plus, providing the step by step process helps the technician be more effective at executing the project, allowing them to be more aggressively priced, while driving up consistency. In this case, less can deliver more.

Experience should be gained, shared, and act as a foundation for further growth.

Building this hub of information requires a clear plan with disciplined execution. Here is a basic outline:

1. Organize a client discovery call where you learn how to properly interact with the client (cannot hit a home run if you do not know what one looks like). Topics here include communication, escalation triggers, and accountability/scorecarding.
2. Create step by step processes for each type of project completed. NOTE – Must set goals around this to ensure it is added to each day.
3. Share this knowledge (give access or provide instructions) to necessary parties.
4. Review results and tweak processes.

Once this information is gathered, it should be continuously built. It becomes a library, or as we like to call it, a Knowledge Bank. Its a bank we need to make “deposits” into regularly.

This approach helps our company leverage our self performing expertise in markets where we hire outside vendors. We can prepare any technician with the right material and equipment in advance, speeding up the procurement phase. Plus, providing the step by step process helps the technician be more effective at executing the project, allowing them to be more aggressively priced, while driving up consistency. In this case, less can deliver more.

Experience should be gained, shared, and act as a foundation for further growth.

Sponsored by OnlineMBA.com and AwardingTheWeb.com, a panel of judges reviews nominees that have been submitted or sourced by the panel’s research team.  In the case of Entrepreneur Café, the award comes as a pleasant surprise as the nominating team found Entrepreneur Cafe during independent web searches.

Topics on the blog range from staff accountability to risk management and structural clarity. Fairclough uses the format to experience share personal stories of obstacles and best practices.   Often asked to present on business strategy, Fairclough began Entrepreneur Café as a means to communicate lessons learned while building Resicom, a national facility maintenance company.

At 24, John launched the first Resicom office from the basement of his future in-laws.  By age 30 Resicom had earned over $1 million in revenue and has since passed the $10 million benchmark.  Fast forward to today, Resicom has leap-frogged in size and revenue, now occupying a 15,000 square foot facility in the southwest Chicago suburbs.  The strategic vision to surpass the $35 million in revenues benchmark should be realized in under 2 years before John turns 40.

John is passionate about providing guidance, mentoring and other resources to assist first-level entrepreneurs in catapulting their business to the next level.  Helping entrepreneurs become better business leaders has been personally rewarding.

Weekly guests discuss entrepreneurship, arts, entertainment, food and wine with host and Finesse Catering Company founder Jon Wool.

Other guest include Deborah Hall, founder and president of hospitality executive search firm, Hall & Associates.

To set reminder & read more click

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/finessecuisinehour/2010/07/29/the-finesse-cuisine-hour

Local entrepreneur Andrea Herrera, founder of Amazing Edibles Catering, credited John Fairclough as the mentor that assisted in propelling her business over the $1 million in sales mark.

In 2006, Herrera joined the Accelerator program of the Entrepreneur’s Organization, a group that offers networking and mentoring for businesses in the 250K to 750K range to help them advance to the seven-figure sales level.  Encouraged by her mentor, John Fairclough, Herrera boosted profit margins, created metrics for accountability, and hired a marketing manager to attract new clientele.

“I enjoy giving back to the participants of the program,” says Fairclough. My real motivation is witnessing the excitement and passion other entrepreneurs have for their businesses.  One of my favorite ways to learn is through interaction and this role gives me the opportunity to interact with some great business owners.”

For the full story click

CNN Money- Amazing Edibles

Resicom is both attending and sponsoring the Chicago development program.  This hometown event is an ideal opportunity to catch up with colleagues and meet new professionals.   More importantly, Resicom looks forward to learning about what is keeping facility managers from normal.

It is official! The company that boldly pursues what normal should be has formalized its R&D department. It is headed by the curious Michael Fairclough, Executive VP that has yet to find a challenge he didn’t like. Most people prefer working on things they know. Michael is one of those rare people that gets energized by the things he does not know. His ideal day includes researching, testing, and discussing other people’s challenges. He believes it should be normal for our company to be a ready resource to solve our clients’ challenges.

Michael is armed with the support from every division of the company. Please send over any situation that has to have a better solution than what is currently in use.

See if your challenge can stump him. Warning! Mike may help you dream bigger.

Scope of Work

1. A power source was needed for the televisions where no outlet existed.
2. Televisions needed internet access.
3. Televisions had to be wall mounted.
4. Client provided wrong size TV mounting bracket and work was performed after hours with no source to exchange materials.

A facility required the aluminum window mullions on the building exterior painted. What made the project scope unique is that execution needed to be completed during normal business hours.  Traditional spray equipment would be too disruptive during regular hours of operations, as the overspray could not be contained.  A durable product to prevent pealing and color fading against the elements was also a prerequisite. Resicom presented the option of using electrostatic spray equipment. The benefits of this system featuring low paint overspray and mess, cost effective use of material, and the “wrap” effect in which the paint appears to bend around corners.

Scope of Work

1.  Paint aluminum window mullions on building exterior.

2.  Prepare surface so that paint adheres properly.

Challenges

The constraints of the project include:

1. Paint needed to be applied during business hours, making overspray of paint a concern.

1. Paint needed to bond to to aluminum which typically is not an ideal surface to paint.

An entertainment company owns movie theaters throughout the country, many of which were purchased from original owners. While each theater has unique characteristics and nostalgic styling, few meet today’s ADA compliance standards. The client needed a sliding tray installed in a ticket booth and counter access retrofitted to meet current height guidelines.

Scope of the Work

1. Install an ADA compliant sliding tray in the ticket booth to meet height requirements.

2. Position tray so that it does not alter the function of the cash drawers, ticket dispensers or computer systems.

3. Reposition access for electric and computer system wiring.

Challenges

The constraints of the project include:

1. Cabinetry within the booth needed modification to accommodate the sliding counter tray.

2. In order to install the new tray, access repositioning for computer system wiring was needed.

3. The positioning of the cash drawer itself was an obstacle.

Solutions

1. Cabinet doors were shortened to provide the additional access space under the counter top.

2. Tile work was required so that an access hole for the wiring could be cut. A diamond tip grinding wheel was used to make the precise cut needed. New grommet holes we created so that the entire system could be re-wired.

3. Although the location of the cash drawer was cumbersome, it was determined that the system could be installed underneath.

4. Once the drawer was installed a security panel was fabricated and installed to deter theft.

Summary

This specialty project was unique because each ticket booth had different specifications and measurements. The overall integrity of the booth needed to be preserved while meeting modern compliance metrics. Each retrofit required astute examination of cabinetry placement, technology systems and security issues. Providing options to the client is critical when involved in speciality projects. It should be normal that the company hired to complete the retrofit presents effective approaches for a solution.

I believe it should be normal to ask questions and people answer them without their defenses up. It takes effort and trust to overcome this societal mindset. One of the ways we can help remove defenses is adjust the way we ask questions.

When understanding is the goal, clarifying questions can open up a conversation.  These questions are disarming. It is a way of saying to someone “You are worth understanding, so please help me understand you”. Examples include – “Can you please help me understand why you feel that way?” and “Can you help me understand the factors you weighed when making your decision?”

Interrogating questions have the goal of verifying information with little, if any, explanation. For example – “Did you complete that project that was due yesterday?” It’s a yes or no question. No explanation is required unless requested. The risk with this type of question is people can feel misunderstood or misrepresented, weakening relationships. Use them with caution.

Another risk is the question that hides a lecture. These “questions” almost always destroy relationships. Usually they are condescending and insulting. I cannot think of a situation where these “questions” are effective.

Choose your questions wisely! They can make or break everything.

It should be normal that learning drives growth, and a growing business prospers.

Our core value is to be an organization of individuals committed to development.  This mind set will drive us toward to our corporate and personal goals.  To achieve this objective, Resicom is committed to helping our employees propel their careers through individual development.  We want Resicom to be the last place that our talented professionals and technicians ever work.   As we continue to expand and increase our scope of services, we realize that we must continually refine, advance and challenge our employees.  Resicom encourages employees to evolve with the company, assuming new responsibilities and endeavors.

Resicom is rolling out an improved career development program.  Working with management, each employee will identify key targets and initiatives that comprise current roles.  Attributes that can be strengthened and areas for increased challenge will also be addressed.

The old adage, if it’s not documented it’s not done will play a key role in the new career development plan.  Tangible, streamlined strategic plans will be created for each employee as means to track metrics and keep defined goals top of mind.

It should be normal that the companies you hire make you better.

It should be normal that the people you bring into your organization strengthen your company.

This purpose breathes throughout the company and directs how we approach both client relationships and recruiting talented professionals.  This message needs to resonate in not only our actions, but also our strategic marketing goals.

Resicom is now actively recruiting marketing interns to help us expand projects as defined by our current marketing objectives.  The purpose of the internship program at Resicom is to provide an authentic work environment in the profession as an enhancement to the student’s academic instructions. Interested applicants should send letter of interest and resume to likemindedpeople@resicomonline.com.

A secondary journalism internship is also available to help with writing efforts for press releases, blog posts, and copywriting for support materials.

“Our expanded internship program is something about which we are very enthusiastic,” says Laurie Ledonne.  “Resicom is able to position students and recent graduates to gain valuable insight to not just our industry, but marketable business skills.  In turn, the students provide members of Resicom’s team the opportunity to strengthen their team leadership and project management skills, while offering fresh perspective to our marketing projects and materials.”

It should be normal that the companies you hire make you better.

It should be normal that the people you bring into your organization strengthen your company.

This purpose breathes throughout the company and directs how we approach both client relationships and recruiting talented professionals.  This message needs to resonate in not only our actions, but also our external communication.

Resicom is now actively recruiting journalism interns to help us write press releases, blog postings, marketing support materials, and other communications.   Interested applicants should have an academic background in Journalism, English, and/or Communications.  Letter of interest, resume and writing samples should be sent likemindedpeople@resicomonline.com.

A secondary internship is also available in the marketing department.

“Our expanded internship program is something about which we are very enthusiastic,” says Laurie Ledonne.  “Resicom is able to position students and recent graduates to gain valuable insight to not just our industry, but marketable business skills.  In turn, the students provide members of Resicom’s team the opportunity to strengthen their team leadership and project management skills, while offering fresh perspective to our communication projects and materials.”

I believe the focus of management needs to be on removal of obstacles. It should be normal for companies to provide their people with the resources needed to be successful. If the right tools are given to the right people, great things can happen.

Equip them, then get out of their way!

It should be normal to give yourself the time needed to think to make smarter decisions. I am not suggesting that every decision needs to be pondered, rather I believe that if there are added risks or lost opportunities if a task is underperformed, then take the time to do it right.

Admittedly this is nothing new. But then again, what really is new? Taking time to do things well gives us a sense satisfied accomplishment, rushing through can leave us feeling unfulfilled. Make yourself happy, and smell the roses.

Where confusion lives, costs are high. Many times the price paid is financial and mental. Relationships can be weakened. Faith in leadership can wane. The benefits of clear and courageous communication are obvious. When leadership asks a question that is really a directive manipulated to look like a question, the culture suffers.

There are times when questions are needed, and others when direction is required. It should be normal to know the difference and use the appropriate one. Build strong relationships. Keep the lines of communication clear.

Gandhi put it this way “Interdependence is and ought to be as much the ideal of man as self-sufficiency. Man is a social being. Without interrelation with society he cannot realize his oneness with the universe or suppress his egotism. His social interdependence enables him to test his faith and to prove himself on the touchstone of reality.”

Pride can cause us to view needing others as a sign of lacking. This view is limiting. Interdependence allows us to do more of what we are great at. It should be normal to embrace our need for relationships and realize our critical role in moving them forward. Dig deep and find your strengths.

Alone you can survive. Together we can thrive.

This current downturn in the economic cycle is necessary and healthy. It gives great companies the opportunity to be compared more closely to their competitors, allowing them to capture market share. Companies that shed good employees to save money end up losing all of the money invested in the person and as well as the goodwill with the remaining employees.

It is times like these when entrepreneurs have the opportunity to prove their commitment and faith they have in their team and business by working towards strengthening themselves. Upgrade talent where possible. Spend more to improve the infrastructure and sales teams. Protect the investments made in development of great members of the team.

Resicom believes one of its biggest assets is its people. This is the best opportunity for growth that we have ever experienced. Many of our competitors are closing or weakening themselves through layoffs, while our potential clients are re-examining existing relationships, looking for better solutions. We want to be positioned to service them.

Objective

Find creative ways ways to lower our costs without cutting staff. Our strengths as a company are our people, capital, processes, and reputation. With that in mind, come up with ways of improving each.

Rewards

There will be rewards given to everyone that comes up with improvements that are implemented. Value of reward will depend on the impact the initiative has on the company. The grand prize is a trip to Hawaii.

Requirements

The entry must have a name that summarizes the initiative. Give a clear description of how you would like to go about gathering date to analyze and project impact. Send an email to me to review. I also instituted a deadline.

Summary

These economic times are tough. We need to utilize this pressure as a catalyst for creative ways of managing costs and creating new revenue. We need to look at other opportunities to cut costs, not people. Remember our strengths.

Lets look a common scenario.

The leader of a business is in the middle of working on something important for the future of their company. They are interrupted by a team member who throws a fire into their lap that requires immediate guidance. The leader gives a quick answer that helps put out the fire. The fire is put out and things resume to normal.

The fire was put out. Things are normal again. Until the next fire…

This situation is scary and frustrating to the leader. What would have happened if they were not available to put out the fire? Who created the fire? How could this fire have been eliminated before it started? These are the standard questions the leader would ask. They are important and should lead to improved processes and training that help lessen the frequency of the fires. But this is not enough.

The other necessary question, which often goes unasked, is “What would I have done if I would have had more facts and a few more minutes to think this through”. The results of these snap decisions often do not get reviewed as thoroughly as other decisions. Management does not hold itself as accountable with these situations. It is these decisions, though, that they should be held most accountable for. Managers have the built-in excuse of the circumstance, but that excuse does not show up in the Balance Sheet.

This is why Workplace Reconnaissance is so important. Getting facts together for your leader so that they can make intelligent decisions despite the conditions. This helps limit downside risk, and lets the leader start at a higher point then ground zero. This builds the habit of making informed decisions.

The important process for gathering Reconnaissance should be part of the training program of all direct reports of company leaders. The impact can be significant. It can include saving time, money, and raising the overall level of the company.

I imagine my child is watching me and learning from me and I ask myself “Do I want her act in the way that I am about to act?” This relates to everything. If I am disciplining someone, training them, everything. Do I want my child to learn and mimic my actions. Think about it, this approach makes you break down justifications and leads you to make a deliberate choice of doing the right thing or the wrong thing.

This “Child Test” has helped me work through countless situations. I hope it helps you do the same.

1. Confirm that the business is operating in a risky manner.
2. Estimate the potential loss if the employee was to get sick, injured in an accident, or quit?
   
3. The owner estimated this exposure at $8,500.
   
4. The owner took that risk and deducted it from the costs associated with hiring the part time person and he realize the actual increase of costs is $6,500, not the initial $15,000 that the owner assumed.

Armed with the actual costs the business owner was better able to make his decision. He was now informed and could properly manage his risk.

As business owners and managers, we need to manage this risk. The owner determined that the $6,500 additional investment was affordable so he hired the person. In addition, he understood the investment needs to yield a return. He set forth additional tasks for the two person team to complete to help get more value out of the investment.

This approach will help you make decisions that are based on risk adjusted numbers. This outlook has helped me lower my risk and strengthen my company. I hope it can do the same for yours.

It is arrogant to assume that you have the answer to someone’s complex problems after briefly hearing about the story. There are so many nuances to a situation that one could not possibly understand in a short briefing.

Through experiencing sharing, one is able to help see a route taken and use it to help them develop their own solution to their problem that addresses all of the nuances. This type of thought process is found in the major entrepreneur and president organizations, such as Entrepreneurs Organization.

I have learned many things and created many solutions to my challenges through experience shares of people within my professional circle. I encourage all entrepreneurs to join an organization such as EO and establish a trusting inner circle that will openly share experiences and help sharpen your skills.

A mentor relationship can add accountability to the entrepreneur or business manager. Picture your business if someone was checking YOUR work. You probably spend a lot of time checking your team’s work. Even the best qualified members of your team can use the tips you give them and perform better when they are kept accountable. Imagine the most important role in the company being improved.

A good mentor will help you approach situations, deal with the things that you may not want to deal with head on, and keep you to your plan. This accountability is crucial in executing your plan. It makes you answer to someone else. It creates a board of directors type of relationship where one may not exist.

I have mentored many entrepreneurs and helped them strengthen their businesses. My mentor has helped me strengthen mine. I recommend giving it a try.

The first thing I try to do is verify the information. Too often the information is based on inaccurate assumptions, even when the correct information is nearby. The second thing I do is to try and wrap my arms around the information and get a complete understanding of it. Many times I find holes in the information or find it incomplete.Please see Workplace Reconnaissance post for more information on that.

Anyway, I feel much more comfortable when the person providing the information has a quality I call “Completeness”. This is where the person approaches any topic and examines it from many Perspectives before passing the information on to me. These people tend to look at components of something independently then as one. This helps me perform at a higher level because I am able to spend less time questioning whether or not the person ran it through a bunch of internal tests and more time on thinking about how to use this information.

The good news is that Completeness is something that can be trained. It takes time and there needs to be a consistent approach that everyone can get used to following, but in the end, it is well worth it. I created Perspectives to bring more people inResicom to have a higher level of Completeness. By staying firm in my approach and by demanding verification of information, I have been able to successfully raise the level of performance of my team. I hope you can do the same.

1. I pay bills faster than terms. This is not what most people would teach because it has the potential to negatively impacts your rate of return on investment, however, it creates a safety valve that you may need to employ. Consider this situation: If I typically pay my bills within 15 days of 30 day terms, my business becomes accustomed to it. If cash becomes tight, I could slow down my payments and pay within 30 days and boost my cashflow without violating my vendor terms. Benefits of the quick pay approach are potential discounts, usually between 1 and 3%. So this conservative approach can actually create more aggressive returns.
2. The company needs protection, not my lifestyle. The company needs to be protected and strengthened. Many people bleed their company of its earnings and to support a consuming lifestyle. If that business faces a downturn, the business becomes exponentially more at risk of closing down. This can become extremely stressful, which only makes failure even more likely. I believe in building the business and keeping it financially strong. I do not think of the company’s money as money for my own personal use.
3. I build a safety net. Many companies take on added risk and use their safety net to do so. This compounds the risk the company takes on. When I add risk, I want to make sure I strengthen my safety net. I am not always able to do so, but I recognize it and try to get to my comfort level as quickly as possible.

These three points may not be glamorous, but they have helped me weather a couple of storms. I almost went out of business because I did not have a safety net in plan in the first few years. I worked hard to position Resicom to be financially stable. We are now in the position of leveraging our financial position to take advantage of this dire economic climate.

Throughout the years, I have had to come to terms with different things. I used to think it was my right to have the company pay for personal cars, meals, etc. When I really understood what it meant to want to lead my people to greatness, I recognized that these things I did hurt my intentions. I needed to change my approach to things. Even though I owned the company, it was not right to have my wife drive a company car nor pay for my personal dinners. As time went on, I was able to identify other little “perks” that negatively impacted the company and the people in it. The Ugly Truth was that I was hurting the company and the team’s morale. I am the driver of the business and while I was pushing the company to be better, I was weakening it. This is not a comforting feeling.

I now view the company and run the company as if I was not the owner. This mindset helps me keep in clear focus the things that are unnecessary. My team now sees firsthand that I do not bleed the company of its money and I do not treat it as if it were my own. I now aim to protect the company from all predators, including myself. It is the best opportunity I have to build a sound financial future and I will not weaken this opportunity by making it bleed to satisfy my lifestyle. Many business owners do not understand this line of thinking, but it is this thinking that helps push businesses to greatness.

The company is on the best track to success that it has ever been on. I hope this pushes everyone to take less liberties in their business and treat it as the best opportunity they ever had for success.

Hiring is one of the riskiest things we can do in our business, yet many entrepreneurs spend an hour or less bringing someone into their business. They base it on a “gut” feeling. So much effort is put on driving down exposure within the company, such as safety training, purchasing new equipment, etc. but without someone properly guarding the front door to the business, all of those efforts can become wasted. Why take the chance on a gut feeling when there are so many readily available, low cost background and credit checks. It is incomprehensible.

Here is a blog that I read that has great tips on this topic as well as hiring in general. It was written by Adam Robinson of Illuma, Inc. He is in the business of hiring and has absolute command of his craft. His blog drills down on many topics and provides many best practices and gives a different perspective on hiring.

It is a must read for anyone looking to add to their team.

In this environment, there are a lot of questions floating around, job losses are sweeping through the country, and most everyone is nervous. With the economy in the cycle it is in, I have chosen to take more steps to keep everyone in the company current on the state of the company. I circulated a message that ensured my team knows the current status of things so they can properly prepare and know what to focus on.

Send out the information. Make them aware. Give them the opportunity to be a difference maker. If you lead them well, they will follow you wherever you go, so make sure you know where you are going. I sent mine out early Saturday morning and received positive responses from multiple people within 20 minutes. Your team will appreciate your candor and feel more comfortable knowing you have a plan.

Mark is a successful person and businessman that mentors me. First thing he did was push for greater accountability of me. I had always viewed myself as an accountable learner that worked continuously to improve my skill set and prepare the company to be better, but he recognized that I although I was improving myself and the company in different areas, all of these improvements lived inside my comfort zone. I was refining skills rather than learning new ones. He was right.

Through Mark’s perspective, I was able to clearly see my shortcomings. There were things I was doing that broke down the vision of the company. I created a fragmented company by not saying things that needed to be said and not pushing for things I needed to push for. I was not leading well. I needed to demonstrate a willingness to face difficult situations and lead the company.

Once I started to assert leadership, everything started to fall into place for me. The company unified around an inspiring vision and silos were torn down. I was executing Mark’s statement, “Do the hard things first”.

I am now in the process of building an Advisory Board, thanks to Mark’s suggestion This will create an ongoing process of accountability for me. This will lead to even more scrutiny, but I welcome it. Scrutinize me as much as possible. I want to be great, and by acknowledging my shortcomings, I am better equipped to fix them.

I am grateful to Mark for pushing me to be great. I hope this inspires you to push yourself to be great.

On-boarding programs are a vital component to every organization whether hiring an hourly technician or a top level director. In fact, onboarding timelines and program depth for executive level onboarding should increase exponentially accordingly to responsibility.  Onboarding programs that only encompass one day shortchange the new hire.  At minimum, a full week should be dedicated to onboarding.

Purpose and core values must play an important role each day and need to be incorporated into subsequent Training Modules.  It’s one thing to have your organization’s mission statement and core values on posters scattered throughout the company, it’s much more effective for new hires to learn from day one how these core values are incorporated into daily activities, operations and the KPIs for which they will be measured.

A successful onboarding session has several different components to ensure the employee enjoys a thorough integration into the organization, and often begins prior to the actual first day of work.  A welcome basket or card sent to the employee’s home and touch-base emails from an assigned coach inviting the new hire to view the company’s blog and website help set an inclusive tone.

Once the employee arrives at the organization, set structure and session times are key, while providing the employee a road map of what to expect.   Being the new kid on the block is stressful enough without added anxiety of not knowing where to go or what to do.  The initial day(s) of onboarding should primarily revolve around general transition and “housekeeping” issues – (agenda, handbook, paperwork, benefits, tours, etc.).  Employees need the vitals and want to know to whom they report, who will be their mentor and who is a “Buddy” to whom they can direct initial questions.  New hires given the company history and current corporate structure will understand how the company has developed into the organization it is today.  Key policies and procedures must be addressed to put employees at ease as to what is generally expected.  All these items should be interspersed with engaging, even lighthearted exercises, such as “2 truths, one lie”  or career goal drawings  to introduce employees to one another and veteran employees orchestrating the onboarding.

Department specific break out sessions should also include meeting with department directors and/or team members so that logistical questions can be fielded.   Exposure to other departments is effective in providing a well-rounded introduction to the organization.  After any break-out session, the entire group should collectively return for brief experience share to report to the group what was learned.

Guest speakers, clients or other industry specific personnel are valuable resources to an onboarding session.  Clients and industry partners can provide unbiased insight to a company’s strengths and culture.  Guest speakers can facilitate lively round table discussions and prompt thought provoking questions, allowing new hires to view the organization from a completely different perspective.  Another valuable tool is a panel discussion that puts new hires in contact with key executives or members with whom they might otherwise not have daily interaction.

Whether your organization opts for a one week, one month or an incremented program throughout the first year, the benefits to a structured, detailed onboarding program help acclimate employees to the culture, and position  employees on the right path for personal and organizational success.

After essential components have been decided upon (discussed in On-boarding- Necessary Program or Waste of Time), HR or other team development coordinators need to map out a strategy to ensure that nothing is overlooked and slips through the cracks.    “Project Perspectives” is a resourceful tool to outline ideas and organize tasks.

Each day should be broken down on the Project Perspectives outline.  Granular details would include:

1. General overview for each day
2. Itemized sections by subject heading
3. Materials needed for distribution
4. Lead instructor for each section
5. Start/stop time for sessions

So that all associates involved can plan their days accordingly, a master calendar broken down by participating associates leading sessions should be included.

A similar agenda highlighting day overview and session titles/times should be provided to each new hire to increase comfort levels as to what the program entails.  Delegation to support staff who are not involved in teaching sessions can involve printing distribution materials and booklets, and also organizing practical logistics of the program such as meals and snacks.

On-boarding is often a company-wide endeavor for small to medium business, and relies upon an entire HR/Education department for larger organizations.  On the surface, a comprehensive on-boarding program may appear to be an overwhelming responsibility and consume much of associates’ valuable time.  However, the benefits to providing a comprehensive program and facilitating a smooth transition will pay dividends in the company’s overall stability.

Companies that have been successful in building a dynamic team of members in alignment with the organization’s core values and purpose, could eventually run the risk of lack of perspective.  When all your cooks are preparing the same recipe, who do you get to taste test it?  How do you know when you need to add a little more spice?

Every so often, companies need to invite an industry expert to dinner.  You set out your best china- your company structure, your differentiators.  They bring the wine- their expertise and experiences, and you sit down to a meal.  The result is not only an opportunity to measure your organization’s role within the industry, but as often happens during good conversation over a meal- you find yourself engaged in thought provoking topics.

Having an industry expert present at an occasional strategic meeting provides an energetic perspective that solidifies into action plans.  Participants in the strategic meeting should come prepared with questions and a basic agenda.  The invited expert should be provided with key points to address prior to the meeting.  Some possible ideas include:

• What do you believe are pain points for (key members) in our industry?
• What type of growth have you witnessed in the industry?
• What are the best practices you see being used collectively in the industry or by the competition?
• What are the latest industry trends?

Having a dialogue with an industry expert within the structure of a strategic meeting, is an invaluable tool to have an impartial observer qualify and possibly direct your organization’s strategic objectives and initiatives.

Few phrases elicit as many groans in a company as the dreaded “Let’s schedule our quarterly meeting”.  The most effective quarterly strategics should take place over the course of 1 to 2 days.  When participants learn quarterly strategics will encompass at least a day, they aren’t just groaning at the prospect, they are now gnashing their teeth!  Corporate America has come to correlate “marathon” strategic meetings as synonymous with boring, unproductive, and even a waste of time.   Many employees actually see these meetings as a chore that’s simply a formality, with the real decision-making happening afterwards.

It’s a shame that strategic meetings evoke such negative connotations.  What is more vital and exciting to a company than determining where the company is going, how it’s going to get there and how the team knows if it got there or not?  Too often, companies fail to schedule the appropriate amount of time needed to generate and debate these questions.  Instead, meeting organizers bow to the misconception that less is more.  To delve past surface issues, dive into poignant objectives and then outline concrete action plans, strategic meetings can’t be rushed.  Trying to compress strategic meetings will only result in ineffective discussion where little is resolved.  Making the time investment of a strategic meeting is actually investing in a company’s future.

Setting aside the appropriate amount of time ensures the participants can achieve four key objectives:

1. Review corporate strategy
2. Review industry trends and competitive landscape
3. Review key personnel
4. Review team development

Pitfalls to avoid when scheduling strategic meetings include:

1. Not scheduling the meeting offsite is inviting disruptions and distractions
2. Including social activities and inviting spouses/family dilute focus
3. Over-structuring topics burdens the schedule
4. Poor planning leads to poor execution

In order to find the right task for the right person, it’s important to identify 4 components of each individual team member’s abilities.

*The four components to abilities are broken down as:

Unique Abilities – those tasks which almost no one else in the company can do, and the employee truly excels

Very good – tasks which are performed at a consistently high level

Good – tasks which are performed at an acceptable level

Not a strength – tasks that are not the most productive use of the employee’s time

(*loosely based on Dan Sullivan’s approach)

Identifying where a employee excels and attempting to structure his or her responsibilities according to strengths is not only of benefit to the employee but to the whole organization.  Ideally, a 10%, 50-60%, 20%, 10% breakdown between the four quadrants promotes individual job satisfaction and ensures that tasks are allocated to the best internal resources.

When the business manages through its strategy, the team goals are clear, and
management is able to keep the team accountable to them. It is important for
the core values and purpose to come through in the way the business
operates. It can become the thing that energizes employees to excel.
This must be the central piece that unifies the company. This needs to be the
common thread shared by all employees, and all things need to align with it.

1. Examine the purpose of the business. Why does the company exist? Ask “Why?” multiple times and when you cannot ask it anymore, you are close to your purpose. This is typically the purpose of the founder of the company. This is not an easy thing to identify. There will need to be a lot of reflection by the founder and revisit the things that helped shape their perspective. The critical junctures in their life helped influence this purpose. Once identified, it will become magnetic to the people you need to attract.
2. Identify your vision – what you are trying to become. Here is an example: Dell computer’s was “To become the IBM of the 21st Century”.
3. Identify your core values. Be careful to not focus on marketing catch phrases. These need to be things that will not change, and that you would be willing to suffer financial losses to hold true to them. You also must be willing to fire someone because of violation of them. They should be a couple of words each. Simple statements of a theme. You can support it with information, but the statement needs to be fast. Examples can include “Keep promises”. Then support that with “We keep promises to each other, to our vendors, and to our clients…”
4. Document it.
5. Preach it, teach it, post it, live it, and reinforce it. The strategy needs to be visible everywhere in the company, in the way it operates, manages, markets, etc.
6. Hire people who have the desired skill set and align with the strategy.

This approach to strategy will give the company a sense of direction and deliver organizational clarity. This will allow the company to look at action and structure and measure it against the strategy, helping keep the company focused on what it is trying to accomplish.

• When the company measures something, it tells employees it is important (customer satisfaction, policy adherence, etc.)
• When the company rewards something, it communicates that the action is in alignment (recognition, awards, commissions, etc.)
• When the company disciplines an action, everyone learns that it conflicts with the company goals (write up, probation, termination, etc.)

It is similar to body language, coupled with words. If they line up, things are clear. When they are not in unison, there is confusion, doubt, and angst.

Why Do I Need to Do This?
The way a company communicates internally needs to be just as effective as the way it communicates or markets itself publicly. There must be organizational clarity for the company to reach its potential. Growth and profits will be limited and there will be more issues arising from the team acting outside of what the company promises.

A company risks its viability and the management risk their sanity when organizational clarity is missing. A small company may be able to endure this because the leader has a pulse on everything going on, however, as the business grows, the company has a higher likelihood of imploding.

• Review your discipline and reward processes to see if they are consistent with what the company goals and values.
• Mention the components of the strategic plan when rewarding or disciplining an action. This reinforces how important they are and work towards weaving this importance into the culture of the company and its employees.
• Measure the things that line up with the values and mission. For example, if one of your core values is around customer satisfaction, figure out a way to measure it. This will reinforce that this is so important to the company that management tracks it.
• Celebrate when people act in accordance with the values and purpose.
• Make this a part of your management discussion. Ask questions related to the values. For example, when someone does something questionable, ask them “Does that line up with our core values?” or “Does that bring us closer to our goals?”

This approach to internal communication will prove to be key in reinforcing the company strategy and deliver organizational clarity. This will help the company capture opportunities and avoid dangers.

• Sales/Marketing
• HR
• Operations
• Technology
• Finance/Admin

Businesses may have some of these broken out separately, or combine others as their business size and needs dictate. These roles are typically filled by people with strong organizational skills, as they are responsible for reporting verified information to the CEO. These are present in most every organization, even companies with under 5 employees.

What’s Missing?
Most companies, however, miss the role that I call the “Creative Thinker”. This is a responsibility that goes to someone that is curious and can ponder and think outside of ordinary thought lines. They are usually the person or team that the CEO delegates R&D projects to. Here is a sample of what this role would play in a company:

• The company wants to expand its offerings by exploring different opportunities. The Creative Thinker researches the market, assesses the opportunity and provides a report to the executive team on their findings.
• The company wants to improve one of its processes. The CreativeThinker can research the dangers of keeping things as is, assess the opportunities for improvement, and provide a report to the executive team on their findings, without the bias of having to execute the changes.
• The sales team wants to present its offerings to a potential client.The Creative Thinker can demonstrate expertise in an area of focus without pushing the services offered. This unbiased expertise presented strengthens the presentation.

This role has the ability to provide a true differentiation in the marketplace.

• Identify the traits and skill set needed for this role
• Create the initial project list for this role by identifying opportunities and dangers the company would like to research.
• Review your current personnel to see if anyone can fill the role. If nobody is capable, look to hire someone for the role.
• Once hired, include this person on your executive team so they can be up to speed on everything within the company, giving them insight on things that will help them be more effective in their responsibilities.
• Ensure this person lives and breathes your values, mission, and purpose.

This structure will prove to be a key in developing a world class organization. It reinforces organizational clarity, helping keep the company on its desired course.

Laying the Foundation
The purpose of the first phase of building my company was to set the right foundation to build on.
The steps included:

1. Defining the purpose of why we were in business
2. Establishing our core values
3. Determining out current mission/goals
4. Building a strategy to meet these goals

This helped articulate who we are and where we wanted to go. This self examination helped us
become self aware, a critical component to establishing clarity.

Building the Structure
Once the base was set, I needed to establish a structure that would meet the items established in
the foundation.

1. Building the organizational chart
2. Establishing key performance indicators “KPI’s”
3. Establishing business processes

This is the “how” of our company. This is our structure that keeps us clearly focused on where we
are trying to go, with consistency and order.

Adding the Reinforcements
The right base and structure created the framework. These reinforcements intertwined with the
foundation and structure, strengthened the company.

1. Policy
2. Meeting Structure
3. Internal Communications
4. External Communications
5. Hiring
6. Training
7. Improvement Initiatives
8. Performance Reviews

These items strengthen the company. Hiring is an example of this. Once we knew what our
foundation and structure were, we were able to establish the traits and skills required to help us
achieve our goals.

1. Recruitment
   1. Establish a scorecard to rate each resume, with the intention of removing 70% of applicants, giving us the ability to spend more time with the most likely fits
   2. Building a job profile, with KPI’s for each role
   3. Reach out for referrals within our network
2. Interview
   1. Phone screen (30 minutes)
   2. Face to face discussion (1 hour)
   3. Full day interview (6 hours)
   4. Hiring – Job Offer or letter within 48 hours
   5. On-Boarding
      1. Minimum two days of on-boarding (most roles require one week or more)
      2. Training for tasks that the employee will be responsible for
         1. Written materials provided
         2. Instructor
         3. Shadowing instructor
         4. Instructor shadowing trainee
         5. Testing

In the beginning, I had my friends and family, and they were people I could count on. Life was easy and predictable. My life was a routine that my friends and family could relate to. As I started to have some success and dream bigger, my confidence built. I realized that my life could change dramatically if I could reset my course. I had never experienced financial success – I was always between poor and lower middle class, and although it was not what I wanted, I had been comfortable in that range.

The first step for me was to become more self aware. Diving deep to learn about myself was not fun. I was open minded about it, but I realized that I was the person holding me back, and it was hard to accept. I had been comfortable in pointing out what other people’s faults were and pointing blame towards them. Now I realized that even if it was someone else’s fault, if it made an impact on my life, it was my responsibility to make it right. I did not have the luxury of putting an explanation next to my status. This is when I stopped blaming other people and adopted the mindset that everything is my responsibility (it does not make my situation better knowing that I did not achieve what I wanted to achieve because of myself or others – either way, I am in the same spot).

Many changes were happening in the way I dealt with things – with my wife, family, co-workers, friends, everybody. This is where my relationships began to suffer. I was a different person and the people around me were not ready for it. I took responsibility for my environment and stopped doing and thinking in ways that were destructive to my desired outcome. The effect this has on others was something I completely missed. My approach made people feel guilty about things, triggering some anger towards me. From my perspective, I made myself vulnerable, accountable, and pushed myself to be the best I could be. Others, though, had a different view. Theirs was that I was self-righteous, arrogant, and not the person I used to be. They developed all kinds of reasons for it – “He only cares about money; He forgets who he is; He is all business all the time;” amongst other things not fit for print.

Most every one of my relationships suffered. There was a loneliness, a feeling of being misunderstood, that came with it. I found myself with very few relationships that I really cherished. I had been let down or betrayed by people that were close to me, and it hurt. I never knew that trying to become better and pursuing my dreams would leave so many relationships damaged or ruined. It was a high price to pay.

Back to accepting responsibility for outcomes, if I could do it all over again, I would do things a little different. I would spend a lot more time sharing with other people how I felt, how scared I was, and ask them to help me accomplish what I was trying to do. I would give them the opportunity to support me in my quest, rather than going at it alone. My rationale of going at it alone because they were my issues does not withstand scrutiny. It should be normal for people to be able to count on the people that care about them to help them accomplish their dreams. It would have been easier, and better, had I brought people close to me more into it.

I shared my experience in hope of helping you save some great relationships. Good luck!

Qualifications Needed

1. Desire to be a future leader
2. Ability to commit the time required
3. Love for the company
4. Executive sponsorship

Program Commitments

• 12 month commitment required
• Meet weekly for project reviews
• Outside of workday researching and learning
• Attendance at Quarterly Training Days

Program Components

• Quarterly Training
• Project Initiatives
  • Sales and Marketing
  • Finance
  • Strategy
  • Operations
• Assigned Reading
• Full Integration into Company

This program serves as a platform for innovation.

The team takes on a 360 degree view of each department of the company and assesses their current culture, capacity, and internal/external interactions. They produce recommendations and options that will assist the company’s growth and stability goals.

Promoting global business growth while maintaining a healthy organization is a significant challenge. Members meet weekly to brainstorm, research, and learn from one another and create a list of action items. The team members are kept accountable for both their personal and group achievements.

Keys To Success

• Executive Sponsorship. It is critical that their is a key person in the company pushing this forward and managing the feelings that each department head may have with a team assessing its condition.
• Member Buy-In. The team must meet their commitments.
• Celebrate Success. Each meeting needs to have some accomplishments made between meetings. It builds momentum that cannot be overstated.
• Accountability. The team must hold eachother accountable. This is one of the most important lessons of leadership, therefore must be reinforced every meeting.
• Diversity in Group. It is important that the group is well rounded, much like an executive team. The team needs to be made up of people from different areas of expertise with different personality types represented. This helps the group develop better options and allows strengths to shine through.

I hope this overview shows the opportunities that are possible in helping people dream bigger and giving them the opportunity to evoke change. It is game changing.

I am in pursuit of having every position in our company be able to have this daily feedback. We have recently adopted it with a certain role within the company, and within the first two weeks, we have made significant changes.

I will share an example of the sales since it is the easiest to explain in a blog post. Our sales team is measured based on revenue, number of clients invoiced, and types of services sold. We measure these three things because they are critical to our company’s health and growth.

Quick Notes

1. Revenue by itself can be deceiving. If we only see that number, we may miss the risk associated with it if we do not know the number of clients that comprise that revenue (if it is one big client, rather than multiple smaller ones there may be a higher level of risk of those revenues).
2. Number of clients ensures that the revenue is spread amongst multiple treasuries as well as creating more opportunities for growth. If we can continue to add new clients each month, while improving relationships with existing accounts, our company will grow.
3. Types of items sold shows us opportunities to sell clients other services, creating opportunities for growth. It also shows us a level of risk with a client. If they are only buying one type of service, then decide to suspend all spending for that type of item, our revenues are more at risk. This provides insight to both growth and protection goals of the company.

How We Share It

• Everything is goal versus actual. This provides feedback without subjectivity.
• It is reported on daily, with weekly, monthly, and quarterly recaps. Providing the information in a timely fashion.
• They are reported side by side, so that management can show correlation of all numbers.
• The question asked when the numbers are missed is “How can I help you achieve your goals”. This is a much different discussion than discussing the fact that the numbers were missed – that is easy to see and does not require a discussion. That already happened. The only thing relevant to that is to learn how we were derailed and how can we get back on track. Autopsy without blame.

This type of approach can help your management team can manage without emotion.

I am in pursuit of having every position in our company be able to have this daily feedback. We have recently adopted it with a certain role within the company, and within the first two weeks, we have made significant changes.

I will share an example of the sales since it is the easiest to explain in a blog post. Our sales team is measured based on revenue, number of clients invoiced, and types of services sold. We measure these three things because they are critical to our company’s health and growth.

Quick Notes

1. Revenue by itself can be deceiving. If we only see that number, we may miss the risk associated with it if we do not know the number of clients that comprise that revenue (if it is one big client, rather than multiple smaller ones there may be a higher level of risk of those revenues).
2. Number of clients ensures that the revenue is spread amongst multiple treasuries as well as creating more opportunities for growth. If we can continue to add new clients each month, while improving relationships with existing accounts, our company will grow.
3. Types of items sold shows us opportunities to sell clients other services, creating opportunities for growth. It also shows us a level of risk with a client. If they are only buying one type of service, then decide to suspend all spending for that type of item, our revenues are more at risk. This provides insight to both growth and protection goals of the company.

How We Share It

• Everything is goal versus actual. This provides feedback without subjectivity.
• It is reported on daily, with weekly, monthly, and quarterly recaps. Providing the information in a timely fashion.
• They are reported side by side, so that management can show correlation of all numbers.
• The question asked when the numbers are missed is “How can I help you achieve your goals”. This is a much different discussion than discussing the fact that the numbers were missed – that is easy to see and does not require a discussion. That already happened. The only thing relevant to that is to learn how we were derailed and how can we get back on track. Autopsy without blame.

This type of approach can help your management team can manage without emotion.

I learned this exercise in London. It was quite revealing to me. Its about preparing your team for situations that may come up where they will feel under extreme pressure. By practicing it, they will be better prepared to handle pressurized situations that may arise.

How To Do It

1. Need a room with a white board and a group of your team.
2. Write out a scenario on the board.
3. Write out the list of the resources the person will have to work with.
4. Set a timer to a short amount of time (2 minutes or less usually works out well).
5. Present the situation to one person and have them solve the situation, with no work allowed after timer sounds.
6. Have the person explain what they did and why.
7. Ask the rest of the group what is right and wrong with it, then define what the ideal solution would have been.

This is a simple process, but can be used in most situation. How can you help prepare your team for success in pressure filled situations?

Lemont, IL

Resicom Project Coordinator Brian Perla and Technician Arnulfo Cantu headed north to Edmonton Canda to attend comprehensive training on electrostatic painting techniques. The training was conducted by a leading expert in the field and hosted by a prominent manufacturer of the electrostatic painting equipment.

As modern science as electrostatic painting may seem, this technique for painting metal was actually invented in 1938.  During the process, a high voltage is applied to paint inside the sprayer gun. The paint particles become negatively charged, as when released from the sprayer search for a surface (such as metal) that has a positive charge to which it then bonds.  The benefits of this system feature low paint overspray and mess, cost effective use of material, and the “wrap” effect in which the paint appears to bend around corners.

One of its downsides is that it traditional has only been successful with solvent based paint products. As new VOC regulations are becoming more prevalent, most traditional paint products are eliminated from electrostatic paint use.

The training addressed both current limitations and new advancements in both equipment and product that can make water-based electrostatic painting possible.

“I am excited about the new developments,” said Perla. “It is ironic how this technique went from one of the more toxic methods of paint applications to the greenest. You combine the low overspray application with the VOC compliment paint and you have a breakthrough in the industry.”

Resicom believes in the bold pursuit of normal.  It should be normal that the companies you hire make you better.  It should also be normal that we strive towards innovations that promote environmentally sustainable solutions.

Resicom has been invited by Benedictine University and Professor Jerry Pasierb to present an interactive dialogue with undergraduate students regarding strategic planning and aligning marketing initiatives with core values.

Next Thursday, Benedictine students will meet with Resicom’s marketing team at the Lemont corporate headquarters for a facility tour and presentation.  Students will be encouraged to ask Director of Marketing Laurie Ledonne, Project Coordinator Nicolette Malewski and marketing intern Carly Strama how Resicom puts applied theories into sound practice.

Reiscom structures marketing efforts to mirror purpose.  Whether offering brand and asset protection through facility maintenance or venturing into new endeavors, Resicom’s cause doesn’t change.  All decisions and actions must reflect our purpose- the bold pursuit of what normal should be.  It should be normal that the companies you hire make you better.

Lemont, IL

Resicom and its employees are once again proud to support Little Beans Foundation at the 3rd annual fundraiser, Bowling for Beans on July 10.

Join us for a fun-filled evening of unlimited regular and “wacky-game” bowling, pizza, soda, drink coupons, and raffles to raise money for the foundation’s annual Back to School Picnic held the following month.

Proceeds from Bowling for Beans are used to purchase school supplies and backpacks for the southwest suburbs economically disadvantaged children who are the picnic’s guests of honor.

“Our goal is to provide children with positive experiences and life’s basic needs,” says foundation Director Laura Fairclough.  “…to improve their quality of life and build a better future.”

Donation ticket price is $40.00 per person.  Organize your team and reserve your lane early as space is limited at Willowbrook Lanes, 735 Plainfield Rd in Willowbrook, IL.  All bowlers must be 21 to attend.  Don’t have a team? No worries; we’ll organize a team for you to meet new friends!  Individual and team reservation entries must be turned in no later than July 1st.

Forms are available at the Little Bean Foundation office, 12305 S. New Avenue in Lemont at or by contacting laura@resicomonline.com.

In the competitive auto dealership environment, it makes sense to maintain optimal conditions and inviting appearances.   A client decided to overhaul their showroom with new floor tiles to maintain appearance standards.  What made the situation unique is that the client wanted the project completed within an expedited deadline that would require working during normal business hours.

Scope of Work

1. Map out grid of showroom floor.  Coordinate day-by-day action plan and schedule to rearrange cars.
2. Control sectioned work area with plastic Visqueen zip barriers.
3. Keep supplies in separate area to minimize clutter on showroom floor.  Tile is transported to sectioned areas as needed.
4. Remove existing flooring, install tile and grout.  Clean area and begin on new section.

Challenges and Solutions

1. Work needs to be completed during normal business hours.
   • Work areas were sectioned off with Visqueen zip walls to minimize dust and disruption.
2. Client requested that cars remain on showroom floor during project execution.
   • Resicom worked in a specific pattern so that demolition and installation occurred in small sections making shifting of cars easier.

Project Summary

Coordination is key when executing a demolition/installation project during normal business hours.  Allowances technicians normally have such as room to layout tools and supplies is greatly curtailed.  Technicians working systematically behind a plastic screen, importing materials to the work area as needed was an added challenge.  Although set/grouted tile was secure enough to walk upon the following day, it was not ready to be driven upon.  This required detailed project management of shuffling cars on the showroom floor.

How do you improve car dealership service areas that are traditionally dingy,

dark and dull?

A dealership decided that their service area misrepresented the overall brand image.  Car fumes, dirt and  open bay doors exposing the area to the elements left the service area looking dull and dingy.  The area was a stark contradiction to the bright, well-appointed showroom.   Options were needed to improve the overall appearance.  Resicom presented solutions as to how to best execute a project within the confines of these conditions while achieving the desired look.

Purchasing a shiny, new car is an exciting event.  A dealership wanted to highlight that memorable moment when the keys are turned over to the new buyer by having it occur in a special area.  The client requested the conversion of an extra mechanic bay in the service area into the new car preparation / presentation area.  Resicom’s role in the transformation was to create a new “personal” showroom.

Scope of the Work

1. Assess current bay area, noting electrical, build-out, storage and flooring needs.
2. Determine accessibility to presentation room without having to enter service area.
3. Build out new interior walls and install interior windows visible to hallway.
4. Install additional electrical lighting so room reflects brightness, comparable jewelry store showcase lighting.
5. Utilize additional vertical space by creating mezzanine storage level.

Challenges and Solutions

1. The flooring presented a unique, aesthetic problem.

• A decorative epoxy was poured over the concrete that had a unique pebble affect.

1. The concrete of the maintenance bay while visually unappealing was a requirement so that cars could be repeatedly driven in and out of the room.

• While contemporary and attractive, the floor maintained the strength needed to support weight of cars.

Summary

An elegant restaurant is chosen for an engagement proposal because the surroundings compliment the occasion itself.  So why should a new car be presented in a dingy service garage or in the middle of a dealership parking lot?  Resicom’s client saw the importance of creating a distinct and appropriate space for such an event.  Resicom was able to springboard the client’s idea into options for lighting, access, decorative walls and flooring and even storage.

Project Overview

A client currently owns a large industrial space that is comprised of various warehouse rooms.  In the event of an emergency, the client wanted to ensure that teams could rapidly locate operational panels to shut off power, gas or water.  The client also needed to make sure that the solution was OSHA compliant and met all municipal safety requirements and codes.

Scope of the Work

1. Discuss client’s needs and create detailed floor plan of client space indicating exits and access panels.
2. Research current OSHA compliance and municipality guidelines.
3. Prep, clean, and tape off area floor to be painted.
4. Source appropriate epoxy paint that will uphold under heavy warehouse traffic.

Challenges and Solutions

1. Painting a line in the middle of the warehouse to each access panel and exit meant possible interference to the normal course of operations.

• Therefore, painting was completed during non-business hours to limit disruption

Summary

A large warehouse can be difficult to navigate in normal circumstances.  But add in the confusion of an emergency situation and a typical warehouse suddenly becomes a labyrinth of twists and turns around shelving and storage.  The client needed a solution that was both cost effective and meant current safety standards.  Resicom was able to turn around a rapid solution to ensure safe passage to employees and access to response workers in the event of an emergency.

Marathon runner and Resicom National Business Development Manager Marty Durkin participated in the “Fun Run” as part of this year’s national RFMA conference held in Dallas.  Its doubtful that the runners expected to be running through snow in Texas!  But Marty and the rest of the group didn’t let cold dampen spirits.

Last year, John was quoted as saying,  “To fulfill our quest of continuing to innovate the industry, we need to continue to push ourselves to do things that seem nearly impossible.   Accomplishing this will require a commitment to development, and I look forward to our team solving this challenge.”

Resicom now has the ability to audit what was learned from the project, the obstacles overcome and the future course of action.  Resicom will continue in the bold pursuit of what normal is, regardless of to what location that takes us.

One of the most cost effective energy efficiency measures is controlling unwanted air infiltration through caulking and sealing.  Caulking and sealing the building envelope of your facility allows you to minimize unwanted air flow through cracks and holes in walls (particularly around windows and doors), ceilings, and floors. An inadequately sealed building not only causes uncomfortable drafts for occupants, the building uses 25-35% more energy to maintain appropriate temperatures.  As an added benefit,  when caulking and sealing is properly performed, it can reduce the amount of dust and dirt that enters a building that causes indoor air quality.

Draft Detective

In order for air infiltration and leakage to be properly addressed, first determine the source.  The areas at joints where different materials meet are the usual suspects for air infiltration issues. Examples of these areas are where the building foundation meets walls, where walls meets floors, or where wood siding meets brick or stone. Other common trouble areas include: areas around ventilation systems, outdoor faucets, cable and phones lines, electric and gas lines, and of course the most common area for air infiltration – around windows and doors.

Hiring an experienced technician to assess the air infiltration issues in your facility can pay huge dividends.   Experienced technicians usually perform what is known as a blower door test, which allows the technician identify issues regarding air leakage, infiltration, moisture condensation, and air quality.  A blower door test depressurizes a facility by using a powerful frame-mounted fan.  Positioned on an outside door, it then gauges and quantifies the air pressure differential and amount of air flowing in and out of a facility.   The fan essentially draws all of the air outside of the home, lowering the pressure inside the facility and causing the higher pressure outside air to come in through any leaks.  Air leaks can then be detected by using a smoke pencil, and remedied with caulk, sealant, and other measures.

Let’s Talk Caulk

Caulks and sealants are comprised of a number of materials such as polyurethane, polysulfide, acrylic and silicone.   All act as barriers that prevent water penetration, allow thermal insulation, and protect against the penetration of other items ranging from unwanted dust to noise.  One main difference between construction caulk and a silicone sealant is that construction caulk is applied in places where movement is not expected to occur between the joints being sealed.  On the other hand, a silicone sealant is usually made of an elastomeric material that allows movement to occur between the joint.  Most construction caulks are usually able to be painted with a wider variety of painting products whereas silicone sealants are typically not able to be painted except with special oil and water based paints products.

Sweeping and Stripping

One way to stop the unwanted warm or cold air from getting into a facility is through the installation of a door sweep. Another easy way is through proper installation of weather stripping around the perimeter of the door.  One last thing to keep in mind: interior doors also serve an insulation barrier, allowing an occupied area of a building to be heated or cooled while preventing heat loss into an unoccupied area.  A well insulated interior door used to cordon off an unoccupied space can be a huge saver when it comes time to pay the utility bill.

How can a service maintenance provider protect property appearances while eliminating safety concerns?

Project Overview

A property management group has a high profile property in need of exterior repair.  Large slabs of limestone are deteriorating under the windows.  The high profile client needs a strong, reliable partnership with their property service provider for expedited, high quality results.  The location poses a challenge as it is situation in one of the most contested metropolitan areas.  Resicom has been entrusted to work around the obstacles to return the property to normal conditions as quickly as possible.

Scope

The scope of work needed to execute this project included:

1. Properly survey the area and the work that needs to be completed.
2. Determine strategy for how to label work area and block off necessary sections of street and sidewalk.
3. Remove 25 to 30 damaged sections of limestone sill facing the busy street.
4. Source and install 23 pieces of 3” limestone sill each measuring 23.5” x 10” each.
5. Match new limestone and smooth face to existing area.
6. Caulk and grout newly installed blocks.
7. Remove barricades and debris.  Clean the sidewalk and glass returning area to pre-project conditions.

Challenges

The constraints of the project that were overcome included:

1. Multiple laws and city codes must be in compliance during completion of work order on exterior side of building.
2. Determine if the limestone pieces are set under the glass and how this impacts work scope.
3. The spec limestone can only be purchased in Dallas, TX.
4. A scheduled walk through by the company CEO is scheduled in three weeks, and the project must be completed.

Solutions

1. Have experienced tiler assess project to recognize constraints and set parameters.
2. Determine measurements, style, and quantity of the tile needed.
3. Office based project manager procures tile from Dallas, TX and places rush order, continuing to track progress.
4. Contact city municipality to determine work zoning and laws.
5. Establish plan to block off sidewalk during construction, and route traffic to opposite lane on street.
6. Resicom technicians complete necessary demolition preparations with onsite supervisor present.
7. Once the tile is installed, project manager will audit delivery and supply photos for client approval.

Summary

A maintenance servicer provider should understand the importance of protecting property appearance and addressing safety concerns.     Exteriors in disrepair can detract from the property’s overall image and appeal.  Deteriorating exterior tiles are not only unsightly, but also present a safety risk to pedestrians.   Resicom restored the property to normal with consistent processes and a thorough follow up plan.

Resicom Executive VPs Rick Detres and Michael Fairclough will be in attendance along with National Business Development Manager Marty Durkin and Project Developer Brian Perla.

“PRSM is the largest Retail Facility Management Conference that offers robust both educational programs and excellent networking opportunities,” says Durkin.

Resicom is committed to the bold pursuit of what normal should be.  It should be normal that the vendors retail facility management hires make their company stronger.  Resicom will continually strive to clarify objectives for our retail clients by providing solutions and options that other companies can’t.

From an engineering and energy perspective, exterior doors are simply holes in a facility structure that allow outside air access, while allowing ambient air to escape.   If you detect a summer breeze or winter chill sneaking through the area around the perimeter of a door-  it may be time for a door replacement or insulation project.  Proper installation of a new door is essential to maximizing the energy savings potential.  By examining insulation and replacement options, energy loss will cease to be a facility challenge.

A New Set of Hinges

When considering major facility renovations, don’t skimp on the doors.  Choosing the most energy efficient doors available is a wise investment which saves up to 15% on both heating and cooling costs while increasing comfort.  Consider the energy performance rating of a door relative to climate, while keeping in mind facility design and southern exposure.  If southern facing, adding a door with high efficiency windows allows more natural light to penetrate the space.

Door s are made out of a wide variety of materials.  A common model of energy efficient exterior door available today has a metal outer shell (often steel) with poly foam insulation.  A magnetic strip is used as weatherstripping, creating a firm, lasting seal – as opposed to the traditional rubber and metal types found in older doors.  Steel and fiberglass doors tend to have much higher R values (insulating capacities), when compared to wooden and glass doors.  A common 1 1/2 inch thick steel or fiberglass door can be up to five times more energy efficient than a wooden door of a similar thickness.

Round and Round We Go

In larger facilities there is a large pressure differential between the inside and outside air, making the building susceptible to extreme drafts of air penetrating a building when an exterior door is opened to the outside.  The addition of a revolving door saves energy by preventing drafts of warm or cool air from penetrating a building.  A revolving door allows heavy traffic flow in and out of a building while only permitting small pockets of outside air to enter the facility.

Room with a View?

Any type of glass door will likely result in reduction of insulating qualities as compared to a metal, wood or fiberglass door. Sliding glass doors are the poorest insulators of all because it is very difficult to get a tight seal when closed.  However, facilities that require this type of door do have the choice of contemporary models offer great improvements over older versions.  New models with three or more panes of glass, low-e (emissivity) coatings, combined with insulating gases such as argon placed in between the panes of glass are an excellent investment. Over the life of the door, the energy savings gained over older glass doors, will pay for the new door many times over.

Resicom believes in the bold pursuit of what normal should be.  It should be normal that the companies you hire make your business better.  And it should be normal that new employees make an organization stronger.  Therefore, Resicom is always looking to add great people to its team.

We are pleased to announce the addition of Peter Baklashev to our Chicago Operations crew.  Peter brings tremendous painting, EIFS, and carpentry experience.

With the warmer spring temperatures arriving, companies are looking to Resicom to restore normalcy to their properties and facilities’ exteriors after a harsh winter.   Peter was an ideal fit to help the busy maintenance season begin.

An avid reader, Peter has committed himself to continued education with local community college classes and offerings.

“Resicom needs team members who are looking to grow with the company.  That Peter already demonstrates such a desire to develop both personally and professionally mirrors Resicom’s core value of “committing to development,” says Resicom Team Development Manager Laurie Ledonne.

“I look forward to the great possibilities available through Resicom,” says Peter.

We are pleased to announce the addition of Bruckner Chase to our newly expanded east coast consultant/solutions team.    Bruckner brings 19 years of retail experience having started on the sales floor for a performance bike retailer.  His tenure in various roles of sales, visual display, special projects manager and director of store development has provided him solid insight into the specific needs and demands placed upon facility maintenance management.  As managing partner for two successful enterprises, Bruckner has developed and managed nationwide projects for high-end, high-profile restaurants, retailers and property management.  His most recent endeavor has been in the public sector, working to integrate bike parking facilities and requirements into existing transportation systems.

Bruckner’s keen commitment to client brand protection made him the ideal fit for the Resicom team.

“His wealth of experience will strengthen the company,” says Resicom CEO John Fairclough.  ”Bruckner has a passion for finding a better way, and this perspective will both challenge us and help achieve our collective goals.”

A marathon open water swimmer and ocean advocate, Bruckner is the founder of the OC Swim Club in Ocean City, NJ.  He enjoys a role as both a motivational speaker and a writer as the Swimming and Ocean Sports Editor for Liberty Sports Magazine.

The average air conditioning unit requires more than 3,500 watts of energy while in use. Compare that to a typical ceiling fan that uses only 60 watts at the highest speed setting, and you’ve got a prime opportunity for significant energy savings.  Ceilings fans are rarely relied upon exclusively in our comfort conscious society during extreme temperatures because they don’t actually reduce air temperatures.  However, through proper installation, operation, and maintenance fans efficiently circulate comfortable air temperatures within a given space and offer facility cost savings.

A Summertime Solution

In the summer, using a ceiling fan on a high speed setting circulates cool air resting near the floor in isolated pockets.  Nearly all modern ceiling fans have a clockwise and counter-clockwise setting on the base of the motor – in the summer the setting should be on counter-clockwise. The rotation direction pushes air down through the center of the room while cool air is distributed throughout the space.  This mixing effect increases circulation of the cool air in a room, thereby reducing the burden on the A/C unit.

Hot Air Rising

A common misconception is that ceiling fans only provide benefits in warm months, but converse logic applies during cold winter days.  As learned in Mr. (insert your teacher’s name here) science class – hot air rises. It’s a shame (not to mention expensive) that much of the warm air created by a furnace or other heating source is wasted hovering high above our heads.  On cold days, a ceiling fan can be run in the clockwise direction on a low setting.  The chillier air at floor level is drawn upward, dispersing pockets of warmer air throughout the room.  The inverse air movement stabilizes ambient temperature in a room.  The thermostat can then be set at a lower temperature while maintaining the desired degree of comfort, thus reducing the amount of energy needed to heat a space by a primary heat source.

Blade Runner

The angle of the blade is an important factor when selecting a ceiling fan.   To provide effective circulation, the blade angle should be greater than 12 degrees.  Consequently, any blade with more than a 16 degree angle could great a windy effect, causing papers to blow about the room and create a general nuisance.    A 14 degree blade falls right in that ideal sweet spot where air circulation meets energy savings for facility managers and customer comfort.

The Resicom warehouse was transformed to sales space with racks of clothing and tables filled with toys, shoes, household and decor items.  The large enclosed space made it possible to proceed with the sale despite the chilly spring temperatures.  Resicom employees volunteered alongside community members to coordinate and arrange the abundance of merchandise, set up displays, promote the event and work the sale.

“It was great to see all of our volunteers pull together.  We were all excited to give back to those in our community – helping families and seeing the excitement in their faces,” said Little Beans Director Laura Fairclough.

Proceeds from Little Beans fundraisers support economically disadvantaged children through Chicago’s communities.  Outreach programs combine providing children with basic necessities with uplifting, interactive experiences such as the Back to School Picnic and holiday parties.  At last August’s Back to School event over 50 new backpacks filled with fresh school supplies were distributed to the small guests of honor.

The sale was deemed such a success that another sale is already in the works for May.  Additional items planned include a vast selection of paints, ideal for craft and school projects or home decorating.  For more information on the upcoming sale or to volunteer for Little Beans- contact nicolette_malewski@resicomonline.com or call the Resicom office at 630-257-9207.

Resicom believes in the bold pursuit of what normal should be.  It should be normal that the companies you hire make your business better.  And it should be normal that new employees make an organization stronger.  Therefore, Resicom is always looking to add great people to its team.

We are pleased to announce the addition of Paul Douthit to our newly expanded St. Louis Operations crew.  Paul brings years of remodeling, painting and carpentry experience.  Although Paul has a degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management and worked with Hyatt Corporation for several years, he found his real passion lies in creating beautiful living spaces.  However, even after leaving the hospitality industry, Paul is able to apply the skills learned towards disciplined project management.

“For Resicom, the best fit goes beyond experience and industry expertise.  It has to be the right cultural fit,” says Team Development Manager Laurie Ledonne.  “Paul exemplifies our core values of honoring our promise and providing clear communication.  That makes him the ideal person to grow with our company.”

Paul enjoys spending time with his wife and small son when not working.  He can also be found at the gun range shooting skeet and getting in target practice.  “I especially love sitting in the bleachers at Busch Stadium watching the Cardinals beat up on the Cubs,” says Paul.  “GO CARDS!!!”

Remember a time when you opened up a utility bill, then wished you hadn’t because of the shock?! Improvements in facility energy efficiency can result in more advantages than a smaller bill.  Energy efficiency also increases employee productivity, customer comfort.  Not to mention choosing energy efficiency exhibits social responsibility and environmental stewardship – two valuable public relations components in today’s business world.  For facilities, this means enhancing customer satisfaction and improving customer loyalty, which ultimately adds significant value to a brand.  There are a number of low cost measures readily available to enhance energy efficiency that can allow building owners and facility management to realize both savings on energy costs and improve their sustainability profile.

Thermostatically Speaking…

A great deal of savings can be found by having a little electronic gadget known as a programmable thermostat professionally installed.  The benefit of a programmable, digital thermostat as opposed to a traditional analog is that the former provides exceptional control with regard to timing and temperature management.  By installing a programmable thermostat, adjustments for the amount of time that the HVAC units are active are based on a pre-determined schedule.  Energy savings of approximately 10% per year can be realized on heating and cooling bills by simply altering your thermostat 8–14 degrees (F) for eight to ten hours (bringing it closer to the outdoor temperature), when an area is unoccupied.  The newer versions of programmable thermostats can remember multiple daily settings which can be temporarily overridden with ease, without later disrupting the daily programming schedule.

The numbers don’t lie

One common myth is that it takes a disproportionately large amount of energy to raise or lower indoor temperature relative to exterior temperature, thus negating energy savings that is realized by a reduction in the relative temperature differential.  In other words, doesn’t it cost more money to have to warm up the room and cool it back down rather than keep the temperature constant?  This has been discredited by a number of studies, as well as the laws of thermodynamics.  For example, the amount of energy needed by a furnace to raise the temperature 8 degrees (F) is roughly equal to the savings gained by allowing the temperature to lower and re-stabilize by 8 degrees (F).   Simply stated: the less your heating and cooling systems have to work in order to maintain a given temperature, the more energy (and money) you save.

Good on ya, mate!

If you already have a programmable thermostat, nice work!  But remember, it’s important to make adjustments for seasonal changes and calibrate thermostats on an annual basis in order to ensure temperature readings are accurate.  In addition, the importance of educating your work force on energy management cannot be overstated.  Successful energy management requires a collective effort.  Team members should be educated on basic energy management strategies and then empowered to make a difference.

Ever wondered why incandescent bulbs get so hot to the touch? It’s because they create excess heat energy that isn’t converted into light. What a waste! Compact florescent light-bulbs (CFL’s) are an alternative option that use 50-70% less energy.  In fact, if everyone in the U.S. replaced just one incandescent bulb with a CFL in their home, the energy saved would be equivalent to amount used to power all the homes in Delaware and Rhode Island combined.

Federal legislators have finally gotten the message on this ‘low hanging fruit’ of the energy efficiency game and implemented a phase out of incandescent bulbs, to be complete by 2020. As you can probably tell, the potential savings for businesses, homeowners, and tenants is significant with low upfront expenditure, short payback periods and high returns on investment.

Bright Ideas in Energy-Efficient Lighting
Fluorescent lights are probably the most popular energy efficient indoor light source because of long life span, cost about 50-70 percent less to run, and most closely mimic the output of incandescent bulbs.  High-intensity discharge (HID) lights are also a similar energy efficient option. Examples of HID lights are metal halide lamps and high pressure sodium lamps.  Until the last few years, these lights were available only in high wattages and primarily for outdoor fixtures. However, a number of lower-wattage lamps have recently been introduced to the market, making them viable options for indoor facilities with high ceilings such as warehouses and gymnasiums. Energy Savings: 30-70%, Payback: 1-3 years

Sensing a New Trend
Occupancy sensors reduce wasted energy by taking over the job of the manual light switch, providing a trigger against our human tendency of forgetting to turn off lights when not in use.  Sensors detect when someone enters a room or area and activate lights on.  Consequently, the sensors will shut off lights after a pre-determined time or when occupancy is no longer detected.  Sensors can easily be mounted in an unobtrusive area like the corner of a room or on the ceiling.  There are three types of sensors that can adequately regulate light usage: motion-detecting (ultrasonic and microwave), audio-sensing, and infrared (heat sensing). These sensors are best suited for spaces not in continual use such as bathrooms, storage areas, conference rooms, private offices, or even classrooms.  The size and layout of the area and the types of surfaces in the space helps determine which sensor would be most effective.

Energy Savings: 20%, Payback: 1-3 years

Exit Here for Cost Efficiency

Energy Star rated LED exit signs now operate on as little as 5 watts of electricity compared to the 40 watts of conventional signs.  That’s a whopping 87.5% reduction in energy usage.  When installed properly throughout a building that can add up to thousands in savings.
Energy Reduction: 80%+, Payback: 1.5-2 years

Good Old Fashioned Sunlight
Adding southern facing windows and skylights draws more daylight into a facility or building.  Adding natural light reduces the dependance on heating systems, the need for artificial lighting, and has been shown to increase overall mood and worker productivity!

Therefore, Resicom is pleased to announce the expansion of our self performing reach with the opening of our St. Louis Operation team expansion.   By positioning talented, experienced members of the Operations & Technicians team in the area, Resicom is even better equipped to develop industry innovations and deliver consistency.

At Resicom, we understand the constraints and demands facing facility and property management.  We feel it should be normal that when management hires a vendor, that vendor should make their business stronger.  Resicom’s ability to service multiple trades and manage projects in an efficient and effective manner creates value and brings normalcy to the lives of our facility and property partners.

Resicom now has satellite offices and key team members in St. Louis, Kansas City, San Diego, Columbus, Tampa, Dallas and Chicago.

We are pleased to announce the addition of Jeremy Knight to our newly expanded Kansas City operations crew.  Jeremy brings years of trade experience in general carpentry, finishing, and trim work. Jeremy has been working as a finish and trim carpenter since he was fourteen years old, and previously managed a residential carpentry crew in the Kansas City area.

“When the opportunity to grow with an innovative company like Resicom came along, I realized this would allow me to focus on my trade,” says Jeremy.

When not working, Jeremy is enjoying and watching sports, especially the Jayhawks.

Proceeds from Little Beans fundraisers support economically disadvantaged children throughout Chicago’s communities.  Outreach programs include a back to school picnic where new school supplies and backpacks are purchased for the small guests of honor.  Little Beans also hosts holiday parties where gifts and toys are distributed.

“Our goal is to provide children with positive experiences and life’s basic needs,” says foundation Director Laura Fairclough.  “…to improve their quality of life and build a better future.”

This weekend’s rummage sale will be held rain or shine.  For more information contact nicolette_malewski@resicomonline.com or call the office at 630-257-9207.

It should be normal that the companies you hire make you better.

Therefore, Resicom is pleased to announce the expansion of our self performing reach with the opening of our Kansas City office.

By positioning talented, experienced members of the Operations & Technicians team in the area, Resicom is even better equipped to develop industry innovations and deliver consistency.

At Resicom, we understand the constraints and demands facing facility and property management.  We feel it should be normal that when management hires a vendor, that vendor should make their business stronger.  Resicom’s ability to service multiple trades and manage projects in an efficient and effective manner creates value and brings normalcy to the lives of our facility and property partners.

Resicom now has satellite offices and key team members in Kansas City, San Diego, Columbus, Tampa, Dallas and Chicago.

Lemont, IL

Resicom CEO John Fairclough has been asked to speak as part of a peer panel for the DePaul University Coleman Entrepreneurship Center.

The event is being held Friday, March 12, 2010 at the Naperville campus.

At this event, four seasoned business owners offer their insight to company issues in a town hall-style discussion by integrating their experiences, best practices, ideas, and recommended resources.  Business owners in the audience are encouraged to share their own experiences and thoughts in this open discussion.  The objective is that participants will leave with new ideas and approaches to not only address the challenges you currently face, but also to resolve future issues that may arise.

“Beyond a consultant’s expertise, a professor’s wisdom, and a thought leader’s acumen, most entrepreneurs believe they get the greatest value learning from the experience of those who have “been there and done that”.

John is the entrepreneurial founder of Resicom, a dynamic and successful company that believes in the bold pursuit of what normal should be.  It should be normal that the companies you hire make you better.  Resicom embraces its role in client brand and asset protection through facility maintenance and repair.

John continues to evolve in his own role as CEO and company visionary for Resicom.  Since founding the company in 1996 John drives the team to continually examine and fine-tune performance, while providing insightful options and experience upon which clients have come to depend.

Resicom team members Marty Durkin and Michael Fairclough have returned from Dallas after attending the annual RFMA (Restaurant Facility Management Association) conference earlier this week.   National Business Development Manager Marty Durkin judged the conference as an overall success, having had the opportunity to network with top restaurant facility management while taking part in educational seminars and discussions on industry trends.

“The focus of the restaurant industry is maximizing their facility spend,” says Durkin.  “It’s a universal truth that everyone is asked to do more with less.  But especially for restaurant facility managers who are feeling the pinch, those choices become critical to boost market share.”

At Resicom, we understand the constraints facing restaurant facility management in the current economic environment. We feel it should be normal that when a restaurant facility manager hires a vendor, that vendor should make their business stronger.  Resicom’s ability to service multiple trades and manage projects in an efficient and effective manner creates value and brings normalcy to the lives of our facility partners.

Resicom representatives recently returned from the Painting and Decorating Contractors of America and SSPC (The Society for Protective Coatings) annual conference in Phoenix Arizona. The premiere paint and coating show provided Resicom Project Developer Brian Perla the chance to participate in hands-on educational demonstrations and seminars, while meeting with industry colleagues.
Resicom is committed to exploring innovation that helps facility maintenance management make savvy spending decisions. Perla believes the conference was invaluable providing applicable insight regarding new green technologies in coatings, advancements in waterborne dye stains and urethanes, and new sprayer technologies. Perla found the experience share regarding and general industry trends in response to the current economic climate extremely beneficial.
“It’s always exciting to see painting industry experts together in one place,” says Perla. “The new technologies being developed are unlike anything seen before. Being informed and educated on new coatings and applications is a service we can then provide to our clients to help solve their facility challenges.”

Resicom is committed to the bold pursuit of what normal should be. It should be normal that the vendors facility managers hire make their business stronger. Therefore, Resicom is completely committed to development. Resicom believes that only through our own training, education and self-awareness can we be of greater value to our clients.

Project Overview

A client determined that the damaged wallpaper in a high traffic area was distracting customers from their shopping experience.  The need to return the facility to normal was paramount to the client in that they specifically requested the work to be conducted during regular business hours rather than overnight.  However, the project had to be completed without disrupting the normal flow of business.

Scope

The scope of work needed to execute this project included:

1. Remove damaged sheet of wall paper in a high traffic area.

2. Repair damaged drywall under the existing paper prior to replacing the wall paper.

3. Install section of new wall paper, while integrating it with the old wall paper.

4. Execute the project during business hours.

Challenges & Solutions

The constraints of the project that were overcome included:

1. Avoiding additional damage to wallpaper surrounding area that needed to be replaced.

1. • The seams had to be carefully removed so that the older paper surrounding the damaged piece was not torn or damaged.

2. Ensuring repaired section of wallpaper is indistinguishable and new seams are tight.

1. • Resicom verified that the new section of wallpaper matched the existing section exactly, and that all seams were aligned in perfect coordination.

3. Completing the Project During Business Hours without disrupting the flow of business.

1. • Days known for slower retail traffic were scheduled over high-traffic weekends.
   • The crew systematically worked in marked off sections to have the least impact on the customers’ ability to access merchandise and move freely through the store.

4. Keeping customers out of the area being painted.

1. • Project Manager remained onsite to ensure that customers were protected from any potential hazards and to stay in constant communication with both management and Resicom technicians.
   • Project management also coordinated the relocation and protection of the large amount of breakables and delicate merchandise.

Summary

The execution of project was unique because we were working during business hours.  Resicom is confident that detailed project management and execution will not have adverse effect on a retailer’s daily revenue.  Regardless of working conditions or environment, Resicom is able to execute project completion that is consistent with our standards.

Lemont, IL

Known as the nationwide company to experience normalcy, Resicom strives

ways to bring clarity and options for solutions to facility maintenance

challenges.

We are pleased to announce that Executive VP Michael Fairclough has again

been published in Retail Facility Business. His article “Voc”abulary discusses

how volatile organic compounds affect the environment, and what that

means for the painting industry. The abundance of chemical compounds in

our atmosphere and oceans, mixing through the soil has created an

unsustainable cycle. In response, regulations to reduce the amount of VOC

allowed in a given gallon of paint have been enacted. A can of paint from

1989 is much different in application and aesthetic from one purchased

today, and facility maintenance providers must plan accordingly.

With a background in chemistry coupled with a project specific approach to

solutions, Michael has written and implemented solutions for hundreds of

projects- ranging from historical preservations to the latest retail concepts.

As Executive VP, Michael focuses on research and development and

information systems to create and audit the unique processes which drive

Resicom’s business structure. Michael is equally insightful in researching

and implementing new technology systems that promote our ability to

leverage innovative programs and communication tools into knowledge for

our clients.

Though the terms are often used interchangeably, they are in fact different. To add to this confusion, Ceramic is also the term used to define the entire set of inorganic materials prepared by heating and cooling, which includes ceramic tiles and porcelain tiles. For sake of clarity, when the term ceramic is used to reference the tile type (subset), it will not be underlined.

Constituents of Ceramic & and Porcelain tile types-

Much like concrete, tiles are a mixture of materials found in the Earth’s crust.

Clay + sand + feldspar + minerals + water comprise the bulk of the mixture for both ceramic and porcelain.

Differences between Porcelain tile and Ceramic tiles-

Porcelain tile contains a higher ratio of feldspar and lower ratio of clay than ceramic. Feldspar (pictured) is a silicate mineral which is both hard and can withstand high temperatures. Another difference between ceramic and porcelain are the pressures used to prepare them. Porcelain tile types are made using higher pressures – resulting in a harder surface. As a general rule, porcelain tiles are harder than ceramic. In addition, the porosity of the porcelain tile is less, providing better stain resistance than ceramics. Porcelain tiles are ideal for exterior applications.

To glaze or not to glaze-

Both tile types come in glazed and unglazed finishes. Glazing is an added step in the manufacturing process which involves the coating of the unbaked tile with a glass like film. To do this, extreme temperatures are used, and the glaze penetrates into the bulk of the unbaked tile (bisque) – sealing and encapsulating the tile, rendering it relatively impervious. The higher the luster of a tile, the greater the stain resistance. Although a performance benefit, glazed tile can be an end use disadvantage as it is slippery and will highlight an uneven floor or wall surface.

Mortar and grout-

Mortar is the term used to describe the cementitious compound in which the tiles are set. Once the tiles are set in the mortar, the mortar cures and mechanically locks the tiles in place. The width between each tile is the grout line. In America, these are spaced between 1/16” – 3/4”. Grout selection is made based on the desired width, as well as environment. For small widths (less than 1/8”), a non sanded grout should be used. Between 1/8” – 1/4”, a finely sanded grout works best and coarser grouts for widths greater that 1/4”. In harsh environments, epoxy resins can be added to the grout to provide sealed and chemically resistant spacing.

Ben Bodell

Lemont, IL

Resicom brings normalcy to facility maintenance by opening possibilities with smarter spending, transparency and brand wide consistency.  We are always looking to add great people to the team to provide objective clarity and solutions to our clients.

Therefore, we are pleased to announce the addition of Ben Bodell to the position of Project Developer.  Ben will work in a hybrid role where he will largely split his time between expanding our national client base with our Business Development Team, and lending his copywriting talent and project management experience to the Marketing Team.

Ben brings a diverse background in the building retro-fit and clean tech fields. He recently worked developing and marketing energy management initiatives for the City of Boston, and has previously worked as a consultant on energy performance contract negotiations as well as structured finance for project development.  Resicom looks forward to Ben lending his expertise as we expand our national client base, in-house marketing, and sustainability (green) offerings.

“Our facility management partners look to Resicom to provide not just maintenance solutions, but to provide innovative green and sustainable energy options too,” says Team Development Manager Laurie Ledonne.  “Ben will be a vital part of these endeavors and dialogues with clients, as Resicom moves towards LEED and other certifications.”

“Resicom has a dynamic, visionary team with a solid foundation for growth.  I’m delighted to join Resicom at a such an exciting time as we work to expand our services throughout the nation,” says Bodell.

CASE STUDY

How can you coordinate and execute multiple bathroom remodels in numerous locations nationwide within a tight deadline?

Project Overview

A retail client slated bathroom remodels throughout their nationwide locations.   Needing a quick turn around on a comprehensive scope and project completion, Resicom was ready to take on the challenge.  Relying on our structure helped deliver greater nationwide consistency for each facility restroom needing a face-lift.

Scope

The scope of work needed to execute this project included:

1. Plan site visits to each location to complete assessment and provide accurate pricing to client.  Accurate measurement is key considering all sourced material would need to be based off of these calculations.
2. Secure all material including partitions, tile, countertops, drywall, paint, mirrors, toilets, sinks, etc.
3. Assign thorough, specialized crews for multiple locations.
4. Coordinate travel so that teams are effectively dispatched to grouped regions.
5. Procure support items for project including dumpsters at each facility.
6. Complete all demolition and build back each individual restroom.
7. Provide client with customized schedule for rollout and real-time updates on project progress.
8. Complete a final walk through with the client providing before and after photos.

Challenges & Solutions

The constraints of the project that were overcome included:

1. Sourcing all of the materials needed in each city.
   • Suppliers were immediately contacted to begin the ordering phase of all material.
   • Measurements and drawings were submitted for partition orders two weeks in advance to ensure timely arrival.
   • A single floor tile supplier was contacted to coordinate delivery of all floor tile material needed nationwide.
   • Plumbing suppliers were contacted in each city to place necessary orders.
   • Countertops were ordered near home office and driven to each facility along with necessary tools and equipment to minimize shipping costs.
2. Coordinating technicians crews to maximize delivery.
   • In order to complete work by the clients deadlines, crews were scheduled in shifts to work around the clock.
   • Day crews complete demolition, followed by nights crews responsible for flooring installation.
   • Following day, shift crews return to fully complete restroom remodeling.
3. Nationwide remodeling project of all locations must be executed within tight scheduling deadlines.
   • Supervisor remains onsite at all times to provide status updates and detailed communication to home office.
   • Supervisor ensures crews operate effectively within schedule constraints, and to coordinate all material delivery.

Summary

Completing this project beyond the client’s expectations required detailed planning and project management to ensure each restroom was completed with minimal disruption.  Resicom listened to the client’s need for customized updates and verified information that each stage of the project was running smoothly.  Resicom creates options for our clients using our structure and communication, and in doing so opens possibilities.

Case Study

How do you respond with quick thinking solutions and resources when a car crashes through a storefront?

Project Summary

A national client who relies on Resicom for routine maintenance and exterior painting called us with a critical facility emergency.  At one of the client’s retail locations, a car had driven right into front of their building, causing tremendous damage to the structure.   The store facility was now exposed to the elements, with the merchandise left unprotected.  The client needed Resicom to react expeditiously so that the store would be sealed, with the facility ready to reopen and resume business in only a few days.

Scope

The scope of work needed to execute this project included:

1. An emergency crew had to be immediately assembled for briefing of project logistics, and to arrive onsite no later than that evening.
2. Crew had to acquire a cargo van to acquire and deliver all the proper material and tools.
3. Crew needed to remove, replace and dispose of damaged metal panels on storefront exterior.
4. Entire storefront needed to be repainted since the new panels are not the correct color.
5. All project execution had to be completed by 10 a.m. the following morning.

Challenges & Solutions

The constraints of the project that were overcome included:

1. At 8 am technicians had already been assigned jobs and were on the road.

1. • The operations department reacted quickly to identify which two technicians are best suited for this particular job.
   • Currently running projects are reorganized with additional manpower reallocated so that project delivery is not sacrificed.

1. The metal siding that is needed can only be sourced from Dallas, Texas.

1. • Our local technician in Dallas picks up the material and drives it to the project site to expedite turnaround.

1. The paint that is needed for the storefront is only available in St. Louis, MO.

1. • The storefront paint was picked up by the crew while in transit to the project location in Little Rock, AR.

1. All company cargo vans were currently assigned to other projects.

1. • The travel department acquired a cargo van for two days from a rental company.

Summary

At Resicom we understand the frustrations that a client may experience from emergency situations. We understand that the execution of projects often requires quick thinking, and flexible, creative options to offer the best possible solution to our client. Taking the initiative to find innovative solutions, particularly in emergency situations, is what we strive to do so that our client can get back to normal with their facility re-opening as planned.

How do you move a 400 pound eagle that doesn’t fly?

Project Summary

A client had a large concrete tree statue, with interior steel pole supports, in the middle of corporate headquarter lobby that needed to be dismantled and discarded.  However, a large, 400 lb. bronze eagle perched atop the tree holds special significance for the client an