03.17.15
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Floor Mats As A Prevention Strategy By B&T Janitorial Services


Floor matting selection and maintenance steps are an important part of any hard floor care program.

Matting Zones

Exploring the concepts of slip and fall prevention in kitchens and restaurants, the white paper offers the following suggestions for breaking up a facility into matting zones.

  • Entrance Zones
    According to the Institute of Industrial Launderers, 80 percent of dirt is tracked into a building from outside. Therefore, the essential first line of defense is to have maximum coverage at the entrance to absorb contaminants including dirt and water. The Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) recommends that a minimum of 12 to 15 feet of mat coverage should be provided to remove 90 percent of tracked soil (or moisture). Mats should be placed at the front entrance, back doors, side doors and employee entrances.
  • High-Risk Zones
    High-risk zones are areas with a high probability of attracting contaminants such as dirt, moisture and grease. These areas include transitional walkways such as from the bathroom to the hallway or walkways leading from the kitchen or dishwashing areas. Additional areas to consider include around ice machines and prep sinks in the back of the house. Placing mats in high-risk zones will protect the floors from becoming slick to help eliminate slips and falls.
  • High-Traffic Zones
    High-traffic zones are areas with the most foot traffic. These include hallways and areas in front of time clocks, leading out of the kitchen and check-out stations. Properly protecting these areas with mats will reduce wear and track patterns and will also enhance your organization’s image and reduce housekeeping costs.
  • Productivity Zones
    Mats protect floors, but they can also improve productivity. By using the right type of matting such as anti-fatigue mats or massage mats at work stations or customer service areas, you can help reduce fatigue and improve employee morale.

Safety Checklist

Next, the white paper offers this list of floorcare steps to help guarantee safety.

12 Steps to Safe Floors — A Checklist for floor safety

  • Protect entryways
  • Position mops for easy access
  • Assign someone to overse the effort
  • Clear exterior walkways
  • Consider microfiber
  • Protect high traffic and transitional areas
  • Focus on puddle zones
  • Increase mat rotation frequencies
  • Educate staff
  • Recognize star performers
  • Deep clean
09.06.12
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12 Common Mistakes in Project Management By Marian Woods


Some organization’s projects have been unduly criticized for being poorly planned, managed and having unrealistic cost and time projections assigned to them. The reason behind these problems or mistakes is said to be down to a lack of communication through the different levels within the project team. However, I believe communication barriers are in fact only one of many possible mistakes a project team can make.

For this article I have gone back to basics to highlight the most common mistakes in project management:

  1. Matching resources to the wrong projects: The matching up of resources to projects is one of the most important elements within project management and is viewed as being a critical stage for success. The matching process should ensure the resources skills and/or abilities are able to reach the goals and expectations set.
  2. Project manager lacks the necessary experience required: Controlling a project is hard and it’s even harder if the project manager doesn’t have the experience to put behind the project. Experience in running project status meetings, managing risk and dealing with the project stakeholders is very important for the successful development and execution of a project.
  3. Project scope isn’t managed well: It has been noted that at times there does tend to be no set procedure in place to manage a change in scope. A project manager should have a process in place if a change in scope is being proposed. This process should follow a set criteria for example: the individual requesting a change in scope needs to give details of the changes he is proposing, from there the project manager needs to examine the impact this change in scope will have on the budget and time constraints and then give his backing (or not) to the change in project scope.
  4. Poor scheduling: A schedule is there for a reason and that is to ensure a project doesn’t overrun and have a knock on effect on subsequent projects. However, this situation can arise if the project manager sets unrealistic time schedules against projects. To avoid this domino-effect outcome a project manager needs to set a time schedule that will ensure there is enough time for the project to reach its defined goals whilst ensuring quality.
  5. I am the boss: Not advisable for a project manager to go on a power trip and discourage his project team from making suggestions, however, this situation does happen in organizations. Team members are probably the most aware of impending challenges or issues with a project through their day-to-day, hands-on involvement. By practicing the notion of “I am the boss” the project manager could ultimately end up with the project failing.
  6. Underestimating: It is very important to start as you mean to go on when managing projects. By this I mean to have enough resources, time and budget assigned to a project before it gets off the ground. You need to be realistic in your thinking and ensure you are not underestimating your needs from the get go.
  7. Overlooking smaller details: At times the smaller details within projects can be overlooked and focus is put solely on the bigger ones. These smaller details could cost you and should be as important as the bigger ones to the project manager.
  8. Ignoring problems: Ignoring problems will only make them worse, so it is advisable to make room for these problems and develop a practical solution. It’s very easy to put off dealing with difficult issues, leaving them for another day. As project managers we should ‘eat that frog’ and tackle important problems head-on.
  9. S.O.S: If you don’t know something it is important that you ask for help. When you are project manager for a $1,000,000 project you need to put your ego to one side and call on others. You are not expected to know every detail about everything, so don’t be afraid to stop and ask for help. Overconfidence could severely damage your reputation and your project.
  10. Being a yes man or woman: You don’t always have to say yes, saying no every so often is allowed and acceptable. A project manager and team members need to know when enough is enough and say no! Nobody can be expected to do everything they are asked. Work hard and concentrate on what you’re able to do.
  11. Not implementing and following a process: Having a process in place will give you structure and organization and decrease the chances of projects running into risk. Being aware of what needs to be done and in what order will ensure the project is well executed.
  12. Not dealing with mistakes: Projects go wrong and sometimes fail; this may be your fault, however, it is important as a project manager to not dwell on the past and have it affect your current projects. You need to forgive yourself, learn from mistakes and ensure they won’t happen to subsequent projects.
06.26.12
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Pak skilled workforce losing competitive edge by The Express Tribune


Pakistanis are increasingly finding it difficult to compete in the international market of skilled labourers as workers from India, Sri Lanka and Nepal continue to replace the country’s workforce on the basis of a better skill set.

“Pakistani labourers failed to match the standards of skilled workers worldwide,” observed Senate’s Standing Committee on Professional and Technical Training Chairman Senator Abdul Nabi Bangash during a meeting on Monday.

“Labourers from other South Asian countries, holding technical certificates from certified institutes, have surpassed the country’s skilled professionals,” he added.

It was noted that vocational training institutes in rural areas have been totally non-functional to address the weaknesses in this regard.

Skilled workers from the Philippines, Nepal, India and Sri Lanka continue to displace Pakistani labourers, which is a remarkable turnaround since Pakistani labourers used to dominate the market in the region as well as the Gulf in the past decade.

The recent cut in funds of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) also came under discussion and the panel urged HEC’s linking with the ministry for parliamentary business and interaction. The committee expressed its disquiet over the delay in release of funds to the HEC which had stalled the remuneration of employees, unanimously recommending that immediate steps be taken to address the matter.

Recognising the importance of education for the future of Pakistan, Bangash said that the only way to defeat terrorism was through imparting education to the masses.

06.10.12
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7 Proven Strategies To Turn Every Customer Interaction Into A Sale


“It is four times harder to sell a new account than an existing one. Existing customers are invaluable to your company because as they grow, your business can grow with then.They are a gateway to other prospects through referrals, word-of-mouth advertising, testimonials, demonstration sites and articles attesting to the successful use of your product or service. The following strategies for retaining and growing your customer base apply to all customer contacts, whether they emanate from the Customer Service, Sales, Repair, Collection or Installation department of your organization.”

1. MAKE A COMMITMENT

Make a genuine commitment to raise the level of customer satisfaction. Turn it into a mission statement.  Each and every employee from the receptionist to the CEO has an obligation to “walk the talk.”

2. BE PROACTIVE

Your customer is your competitor’s prospect and is bombarded with offers to switch allegiances. Don’t wait for accounts to notify you they are leaving. Profile the accounts who are most likely to leave, i.e., reduced number of transactions, complaints or declining purchasing: volume and develop “pre-attrition” or “or early warning” programs to increase usage. These programs include expressing appreciation for their business, asking if there are any problems, soliciting suggestions for service or product improvement and offering special discounts, merchandising or mileage awards based on increased purchases.

3. ATITUDE IS EVERYTHING

Selling is a. combination of “how to‘s” and “want to’s.” The “how to’s” can be learned, but the most important determinant of your cornpany’s success is the attitude or “want to’s” of your people.

4. INCENTIVES

Develop incentive programs for all levels of personnel responsible for on-going customer satisfaction and retention. Base these programs on specific criteria such as saved accounts, complimentary letters, new sales, greater improvement and “going the extra mile.” Incentives work best when they are short term. Reward the behaviors that you want repeated. Everyone likes recognition and appreciation.

5. SELL VALUE

Use every single customer contact, no matter the reason, to get feedback on the customer’s feelings about the company, to re-affirm the company’s interest in the customer, and to “re-sell” the benefit and value of remaining a customer.

6. CHECK SATISFACTION

Regularly check for customer satisfaction. It is customary to get a call from your dentist after a visit to see how you feel, or from your car dealer after a repair, to make sure you are satisfied. Find ways to show customers that you are concerned about them.

7. TRAINING

All personnel who have more than a casual contact with the customer should receive training on appropriate business etiquette as well as skills such as rapport building, listening, questioning, presenting benefits, handling difficult customers and delivering value.

06.10.12
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Exercise Introduces Students To Negotiating Tactics By Jason Tudor


Trucks filled with food and medical supplies rumble and bump over a road in the Balkans. Before the cargo can be delivered, a warlord stops the convoy under the guise of weapons smuggling, and will turn whatever he can find into profit.
 
With lives at stake, negotiators begin talking, trying to find the best compromise to move the humanitarian aid to starving and injured citizens without getting anyone on the convoy hurt. Will the warlord let them pass? What will he take? Only students in this class taken at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies here know the outcome for sure.
The elective at this Department of Defense Regional Center is one of a handful offered to complete the Program in Advanced Security Studies, a 10-week look at international law and the framework for the program’s namesake. The elective’s 12 two-hour sessions last four weeks.
Ten of the students chose to take Professor James Wither’s course titled “Negotiations in International Conflict.” Participants get a range of basic negotiating tactics, plus insight to what Wither called “conventional wisdom.”
“A short elective like this won’t make them experienced negotiators,” said Wither, a Marshall Center professor. “We want them to appreciate the kind of skills negotiators need and to give them insights into the role that negotiators can play.”
In this exercise, students were given the task of “confronting a hard bargainer.” Tamir Sinai, who builds exercises like these for the Marshall Center, played that role. Four students were selected using four separate styles, and others observed. Sinai said they all understood what was happening.
“The fear is that my soldiers and I might loot the convoy,” Sinai said, adding that the key to the exercise is human interaction. “There’s so much subtext.”
As an added degree of difficulty, this is the first time the elective has been conducted in English only.
“There are lots of linguistic and cultural differences in how individuals from different countries approach negotiations,” he said. “Negotiating across countries, language and cultural differences will always be difficult.”
Sinai said participants were given four separate negotiation styles to appease the warlord — some would work, and others would not. As the warlord, Sinai set the ground rules.
“I established that I am in charge, but I am open to negotiations,” Sinai said. “I was in command of the area, and nothing was going to get in without my consent.”
Pakistani army Lt. Col Fiaz Khan was one of the negotiators during the exercise. A former United Nations observer in the Congo, Khan said the elective offered him the opportunity to more detailed information about negotiations.
“There are many circumstances in which we interact with armed rebels, … sometimes with terrorists, where you need to negotiate,” said Khan, citing Pakistan’s role as an ally to the United States in attempting to thwart terror as well as work in Afghanistan and Iraq. “In different scenarios, you have different techniques. You cannot apply one technique to all the scenarios.”
Wither praised Khan and others who went through the exercise. “They did very well. They had a plan of what they thought they would say to the individual, and they were also warned that their plans might not work when they encountered him.”
Khan gave the exercise the highest marks. “It was a wonderful litmus test of what we learned.”