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ARTICLES
Take
Care of Them and They'll Take Care of You
Equipment
Replacement and Retrofit Planning
Maximize
Combustion Efficiency
One
Link of the Chain
ISS
Trivia Machine
Employee
Spotlight
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Comfort
Zone – Winter 2005
Take
Care of Them and They'll Take Care of You
Smart building owners know that their employees are an investment in the
success of their businesses. Therefore it makes sense to ensure that your
employees are comfortable and satisfied, and as dedicated to your company
as you are dedicated to them.
The direct link between employee comfort and productivity can be seen
in buildings all over the country. When office workers are satisfied with
their environmental conditions, and can work in greater comfort, they
will be more productive. In fact, studies have shown that increases in
productivity of up to 20 percent can be achieved by improving employee
comfort.
In the United States alone, billions of dollars are lost each year due
to decreased productivity resulting from employee discomfort. This reduction
in performance can have a drastic affect on your bottom line. And although
an exact number may be complicated to determine, if you know roughly what
you're paying for the square footage occupied by each employee, you can
calculate how much you would reduce your expenditure per square foot if
you gained one minute of productivity per hour for each employee.
According to the International Facility Management Association (IFMA),
comfort complaints are consistently the number one and number two tenant
complaints, and have been since 1991. Because workers' salaries constitute
the major cost of operating a commercial building, even a small increase
in employee productivity can substantially increase a company's financial
return. In fact, energy savings and an increase in productivity can in
some cases save building owners millions of dollars each year.
But the effects of poor comfort reach beyond productivity losses. An improperly
maintained system can cause employee dissatisfaction, even increasing
employee turnover. And since the costs involved in gaining new employees
greatly outweigh the costs of keeping them happy in the first place, you'll
see even greater losses. In fact, an increase in retention of just 5 percent
can result in an increase of at least 10 percent to your bottom line.
Your HVAC system plays a major role in overall operating expenses and
occupant satisfaction. A well-chosen HVAC system and service provider
can pay off in real energy savings and superior employee comfort and productivity.
It is also critical to the long-term comfort and performance of your building.
With technology and improvements in performance, organizations can see
a considerable reduction in the expenses that they incur over the life
of a system. But the key to realizing this reduction is employing an HVAC
contractor who is familiar with your needs and has the capabilities to
achieve them.
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Equipment
Replacement and Retrofit Planning
The goal of an HVAC system is to provide comfort and safety, and to maintain
conditions for any process function while keeping operating costs reasonable.
There does, however, reach a time in every piece of equipment's lifetime
when replacement must be considered.
HVAC systems need replacement or retrofit for three essential reasons:
One - they simply wear out. This is common but in many cases may occur
sooner than necessary. If a machine is properly maintained, its life expectancy
can be increased two to three times. Two - new technology creates better
ways to achieve results. And three - the system doesn't perform well,
either energy-wise or comfort-wise. This may be due to deficiencies in
the initial design or installation, or inadequate or improper maintenance.
To determine whether a system needs to be replaced or retrofitted, the
following need to be considered: the general appearance of the equipment;
how much down-time has been experienced; a review of all maintenance and
repair records; a review of all maintenance and repair costs; and the
level of occupant comfort.
Once these items have been addressed, you can define the problem areas
and the resultant opportunities if the equipment is replaced or retrofitted.
Prioritize your replacement or retrofit project these six ways:
- Financially:
Increase revenue, reduce or eliminate an existing expense, avoid future
expenses.
- Energy
Usage: Evaluate the energy used by the HVAC systems, the building envelope
and the people.
- Comfort
Condition: Evaluate the comfort level of the facility.
- Scheduling:
Some work may need to be accomplished before other projects are started.
Schedule for a convenient time of the year and/or typical weather concerns.
- System
Interaction: Some replacement or retrofit measures may be cost effective
when viewed by themselves, but become counterproductive when analyzed
in relation to the other systems.
By following
these steps, and working with a qualified commercial contractor, you have
all the tools necessary to make an informed decision and execute your
plan.
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Maximize
Combustion Efficiency
One of the more costly repairs to an HVAC system typically involves the
replacement of a compressor. While some contributing factors (age of equipment,
usage patterns, lightning and power problems, etc.) cannot be avoided,
some can. Here are some things you can do to minimize the possibility
of a compressor problem:
- Clean
condensers on a regular basis
- Keep filters
and evaporator coils clean
- Check
contactors and all related electrical connections
- Replace
worn or loose belts
- Verify
that the crankcase heater is operating properly
- Verify
proper refrigerant charge
- Check
controls for proper operating sequence Investing a small amount of time
and money upfront can go a long way to saving thousands of dollars down
the road.
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One
Link of the Chain
ISS Has No Customers :: Customer vs. Client
Customer: Someone who buys goods or services.
Client: Someone who is under the care, protection and guidance of an expert.
Think about these definitions. How do you want to be treated? At Innovative
Service Solutions, we no longer have customers. We have clients.
The definition of a client starts with care. Our clients speak to the
same Client Service Coordinator (CSC) every time they call the office.
The trust starts here, but care doesn't stop with the CSC. The client
is serviced on site by the same technician every time. If that technician
is unable to provide timely service, his back-up (who is part of the same
client care team) responds. This back-up reports to the same field supervisor
who knows and visits the clients in his area on a regular basis. The field
supervisor's responsibility is to understand the client's operating conditions
and to ensure that the location is serviced by the right technician with
the knowledge and skills required to resolve any equipment situation.
The next term in the definition of a client is protection. ISS believes
client protection starts with safety. Our field supervisors routinely
inspect the safety equipment assigned to each service technician and check
for proper usage. Our service technicians must attend monthly classes
on safety awareness. By instilling a "safety attitude" in our
teams we are also protecting our clients, their staff and their property.
Safety is followed closely by professionalism. The professional image
starts with the initial call, but is demonstrated in the field by every
team member. Through continuous training each technician is given the
skills to efficiently navigate through today's complex equipment. Our
installation crews handling equipment replacement or modification demonstrate
the same professional image as our service professionals. Each member
is trained in client relations: the truck, the uniform, and the paperwork
all reflect the professional image our client expects.
We look to our clients for feedback and guidance to better service them.
It's our policy that every service call must receive a follow-up call
from the CSC, the Vice President of Operations or the President within
48 hours after its completion. We also offer our maintenance clients an
opportunity to meet with team members quarterly to review the history
and status of the equipment. We seek the feedback and guidance from our
clients to evaluate our care, protection and expertise. After all, it's
our expertise and professionalism that our clients rely on to protect
their Health, Safety and Welfare.
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Employee
Spotlight
Name: Stacie Martucci, Client Service Coordinator
Years in the HVAC industry: 2.5
Years working with the Bodwell Family: 1
Major job responsibilities: Daily interaction with clients,
technicians and vendors. Scheduling service and maintenance with the client.
Performing follow-up calls to review performance.
For me, a perfect day at work is: Making sure all of
my clients are taken care of.
Most challenging part of my job: Working with different
personalities and handling all of the fires.
Hobbies/past times: Roller skating, dancing, crafts and
shopping
Achievement I am most proud of: My family and house
My very first job was: Pizza making/order taking
Town: Orlando, FL
Family: Nicholas (one year old)
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ISS
Trivia Machine :: Allstar Game Trivia
1. Who was the first designated hitter?
2. Who is the all time leading rusher in the NFL?
3. How many Superbowls have the Pittsburgh Steelers won?
4. Who won the Stanley Cup in 2005?
5. Who was the 2004 Cy Young award winner in the American League?
6. Who was the 2004 Superbowl MVP?
If you know the answers to all six questions, call 407.296.5211
and ask for Paul or e-mail: pcoveney@iss-svc.com and win a prize!
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The
Unified Group
We are an independent association of the country’s elite HVAC commercial
contractors. We help our members increase productivity, profitability
and customer retention, and we also provide a network for national and
regional customer business solutions. Visit us at www.theunifiedgroup.com
or call 888.714.5990.
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