Strong maintenance contracts can make all the difference in the attractiveness, efficiency and productivity of your centers.
If you want a high-volume, high-production center, your location and facility design can only go so far. You also need to maintain the facility properly to maximize the donor and employee experience.
1. Maintenance contracts are a critical investment in your success
Having maintenance contracts with trusted vendors for your interior, exterior, and infrastructure pays off in the long run. Most problems can be solved more cost-effectively sooner rather than later. A small issue becomes a crisis when not addressed.
Janitorial
Cleanliness is important to efficiency, as well as the donor and employee experience.
Regulatory Compliance
Not keeping your center in compliance with the FDA’s rules for hygiene and cleanliness can be a very costly gamble. In addition, maintaining hygiene and cleanliness ensures the efficacy and purity of your product.
Property
Contracting with a firm you trust to
- mow,
- weed,
- pick up trash,
- maintain the integrity of fences around your retention ponds,
- blow out your irrigation systems in the Spring and Fall and
- keep debris out of your storm sewer traps
will not only keeps your property looking attractive, it can help you avoid unnecessary costs.
You don’t want to have to deal with flooding or burst frozen pipes because you neglected to conduct routine maintenance.
Your parking lot should be
a. Inspected and cleaned on a regular basis.
b. Cracks should be filled and sealed as soon as possible, and oil and gas drippings should be removed to lengthen the life of your lot. Resealing your asphalt lot every 2-5 years will reduce costs over the long run, and keep your lot looking good.
c. Stripes should be repainted every 2 years.
Roofing
An annual roof inspection is important to prevent small holes from becoming big headaches.
Plumbing, lighting, electrical and HVAC
Beyond changing filters, you should have your HVAC system should be inspected quarterly to ensure the filter is changed and the system is running efficiently. With regular service, you can get simple repairs made before they become expensive propositions. Plus, your system will use less energy and you will spend less on electricity.
Keeping your plumbing, lighting and electrical systems in good working order will also reduce the cost of running your facility.
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2. Providing a donor experience that leads to repeat visits
Poor upkeep tells donors 3 things:
- You don’t care about them.
- You don’t pay attention to details.
- You are trying to cut costs; this is not a thriving center.
Keeping it clean
Many donors, upon seeing a dirty or disheveled collection facility, will immediately head to your nearest competitor. Even if the state of your facility has nothing to do with how well you serve your donors, an unsanitary and unpleasant atmosphere creates negative impressions and can lead them to dismiss you out of hand.
Poorly kept facilities also make customers uncomfortable. For example, if a lobby has filthy windows, ripped seats or stale air, donors aren’t going to wait long, and if they do, they’re not going to be optimistic about the experience of donating plasma with you.
Failing to make your facilities presentable primes customers to expect a bad experience, which could permanently damage their perception of your customer service.
They may come back if they need the money, but they are not going to tell their friends what a great place your center is to donate plasma.
Keeping it comfortable
In addition to keeping your facility clean, maintaining assets such as plumbing, HVAC, lighting and electrical systems impact the customer (donor) experience. No one wants to be too cold or hot, find the light too dim to read their magazine during plasma collection or not be able to wash their hands in the restroom.
Preventing injuries
Obviously, the last thing you want is an injury in your center. Keeping sidewalks and the parking lot in good repair, and removing obstacles inside can save you an expensive lawsuit.
When your facilities are in order, your donors know you’re in control of your business and that you pay attention to the details. A pleasant atmosphere puts donors in an optimistic mood, improving their perception of your brand and your customer service.
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3. The impact of good maintenance on employees
Your employees are your most important customer. If they encounter difficulties in their work because of facility maintenance issues, they are not going to be able to provide a delightful donor experience.
If these barriers to functioning efficiently persist, your employees are going to look for a different job.
It is just too frustrating to not be able to do your job well because of lax maintenance. As with donors, how well you keep up your center sends a message to employees about their value to you.
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4. Maintenance is easy with Stough
Stough tenants enjoy an excellent partnership with us when it comes to facility maintenance. We provide:
- A clear delineation in the Lease Abstract outlining which maintenance jobs are our responsibility and which are yours
- Regular inspections of major systems such as roofs and HVAC
- Spring and fall checklists with our standards spelled out to put in your maintenance contracts
- Work order sheets so you can clearly communicate with us when things need to be repaired. This provides a paper trail if necessary
- Sample janitorial and maintenance contracts