Operations?

[Jordan Berry]

I’ve hears some podcasts and read through this forum and others in the past. I find it interesting that not too much time is spent discussing business operations or challenges. Most subjects focus on the business, revenue, potential revenue, purchasing, benefits, how great the industry is, etc..

Operations are a key component. This is a service industry that puts mat owners in a position where the right mind set needs to be used for a basic shot at success. The wrong owner or staff personality can break a business. What about the inevitable point in the business where things stagnate or get old. How many owners have decided to exit the business due to new laws, regulations, customers, behavior, crime, lack of respect and / or common courtesy? These are all real factors.

How about all of the maintenance issues? Easy low hanging fruit type of stuff down to significant repairs or issues that arise that result in the owner making unplanned trips or being at their location for 14 hours straight resolving issues, cleaning leaks, addressing back up drain lines, plumbers, emergency calls, waiting for service, no call backs, last minute cancellations, rising utility rates, equipment, suppliers that lack motivation. The list goes on.

Or how about some feedback of what owners do or should do when the go to their location. How many sets of keys do you have? Where do you keep them? What is the first thing you look for when you enter your place of business? Are you scanning your floor, the customers, and the equipment? Or do you just walk in making light conversation with the customers and remain oblivious to the water leak, the items left in dryers or washers, Washers that done but customer not around to remove articles, dryer and washer codes etc How many of you walk around the inside and outside of your buildings? What do you look for besides the obvious trash that hopefully gets picked up automatically etc.. How often are the main drains cleaned? When was the last time that was done? What happens if you don’t? What about washer drains? How many of the folks have a PM system in place to keep all of the equipment up and running? Spare parts?

I think that would be a great topic.

Thanks.

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