OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE PROFESSIONAL RETAIL STORE MAINTENANCE ASSOCIATION

LEADERSHIP | MENTORING | PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT | CHARTER MEMBERS Q&A

september•OCTOBER 2015

sit ’n Sleep

PROFESSIONAL

MAINTENANCEwww.prsm.com

www.prsm.com I SEPTEMBER • OCTOBER 2015 I 9

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

One of my greatest passions within our industry is elevating the FM professional within their organiza-tion, and elevating the FM industry as a whole. Like many of us, I came to Facilities Management from another segment of retail support – Construction and Store Planning, in my case – and have now found my home in the FM industry. I’ve seen FM from the outside as well as from within, and know that all too often, facilities is viewed as a necessary but costly function, and the true value of facilities professionals is not always recognized.

The question becomes, though, “What are you doing to build your professional brand?” Building personal credibility within our organizations is just as important as doing so in the outside professional arena. You may know what you and your depart-ment are doing to reduce costs, build strong and loyal relationships with your peers and vendors, and to strengthen your knowledge within the industry. However, what are you doing to ensure that the total value you provide to your company is understood and supported inside your company?

For example, every dollar we save – by bench-marking costs and services, ensuring that our maintenance programs are strong, competitively bidding smaller projects – is worth much more than a dollar of store sales. Every dollar we bring back in to the company – through equipment or utility rebates, for example – multiplies this effect even more. Understanding and utilizing data and analytics, assessing the total cost of ownership, and diligently budgeting expenses are skills that enhance our value, and ensure that we are truly serving the company’s best interests.

BRYAN WALKER, STORE FACILITIES MANAGER, THE CONTAINER STORE

2015-2016 PRESIDENT, PRSM ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS

a seat at the table

iF wE wAnT TO elevate FM to a new level within our own orga-nizations, we need a respected seat at the table where important decisions are made. securing that seat begins with each of us and the teams we manage.

Fortunately, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Chances are, someone else in the industry has faced the same challenges that you face, and through the PRSM organization and our network of peers, valuable information and education are available to assist. Young Professionals in particular have a great opportunity to learn from the successes and mistakes of those who have served our industry for years. The PRSM Mid-Year Conference and Canadian Conferences are wonderful opportuni-ties to network and gain valuable knowledge and continue to “Elevate Your Game.”

Building credibility is the key to advancement, whether that’s personal promotion or advancement of a department or a company. If you are able to attend a PRSM conference or other event, then your employer is already putting a great deal of inherent trust and faith in you as a FM professional.

Taking things to the next level, however, requires far more. For example, are you regularly updating your executive management team regarding your successes? How you have reduced costs, improved vendor selection or problem solving decisions, and any other actions you take to improve your com-pany’s bottom line? Do you have standard KPIs and benchmarks in place, to compare yourselves to your peers? Are you able to demonstrate ROI for the larger-scale decisions that you make? And perhaps most importantly, do you have any input in your company’s new store program, including the ability to inspect existing equipment and systems that you will be responsible for when the new store has opened?In order to truly have “a seat at the table,” we must do our part in educating ourselves, connecting with others in our industry, and stepping up to accept the challenge and responsibility for our own careers. I would love to hear your thoughts on this topic. You can email me anytime at bwalker@prsm.com. l