Back to blog 06/30/2022

Recognize Complacency in Customer Service: Is Your Facility Maintenance Partner Promoting Employee Development

Contributed by Cindy Fetters, Regional Sales Executive

“Employee training is a program that helps employees learn specific knowledge or skills to improve performance in their current roles. Employee development is more expansive and focuses on employee growth and future performance, rather than an immediate job role.” – AllenComm (Corporate Training Firm)

A high-performing facility maintenance program requires careful planning, custom scope of work, alignment of customer expectations, and several other considerations that facilitate a positive customer experience. However, with the ongoing contract period, some day-to-day operations undergo diminished quality standards over time but somehow remain unnoticed by customers. In fact, many businesses adapt a complacent attitude toward their service provider by accepting the low quality standards delivered without pressuring them to raise their bar and keep the commitments made at the start-of-service. In most situations, the most typical cause for decline in service standards is the quality of the on—ground workforce.

Essentially, facility maintenance services are as good as the employees providing them to customers. Disengaged employees struggle to complete their daily tasks and do not perform up to par. On the other hand, employees that are engaged and driven strive to give their best on a daily basis. One of the key factors that promotes efficiency, productivity, and motivation is the company’s training and development program. While all janitorial and facility maintenance companies provide basic training to their workers, the ones that stand out as successful also focus on employee development through in-depth training topics, methodologies, and strategies. For instance, cross training is an employee development strategy that enhances the knowledge and skills for employees and improves customer experience as well.

“Cross-training is the practice of training your people to work in several different roles, or training them to do tasks that lie outside their normal responsibilities. You could then move people from one team to another when there’s a staff shortage, or when one department is exceptionally busy.” – MindTools (Learning Resources)

Cross training in facility maintenance is crucial for reacting promptly to changing conditions and unforeseen circumstances. The employees gain the skills and self-assurance needed to manage workflow fluctuations, perform as team players, and continue to be active participants in their existing job roles as well other new responsibilities that they learn through the program. Diversified Maintenance, for instance, offers extensive training and cross-training modules for new and existing employees. The programs prioritize complete understanding of scope of work, critical operations, safety measures, best practices, and additional skills to take up responsibilities outside of their regular job description. The content and methodologies for the program are designed to promote employee engagement, satisfaction, efficiency, problem-solving, and customer experience. To learn more about the impact of employee development through cross-training program on service quality standards, send me a note at: Cindy Fetters cfetters@diversifiedm.com.