Pitching energy…Loss and…
Pitching energy…Where it matters
Selling energy savings is a great sales idea, but it can also be tough to do. Moreover, there’re areas where it’s a strong idea (like laundries) and where it’s practically nonexistent (housekeeping). But there’s a kind of irony there: Where an energy pitch is weak, promoting labor savings is strong … and where energy savings is a big idea, saving labor can be relatively less important.
But in the laundry, saving energy is a big idea and selling the idea of it is pretty straight forward. Quantifying it is another matter however. It might even be impossible to do if the meters on which the gas and / or the electric are measured also serve the rest of the account.
But one area that’s a lot less subjective is hot water availability. If that laundry (like many lodging operations) has a hot water shortage issue, that energy pitch needs no quantifying to show its’ value. All that manager needs to see is that they aren’t running out of hot water before the days’ work has been finished!
And the solution to delivering that benefit may not be any more complicated than a low pH detergent and with it the elimination of one or more of the rinses that their high alkalinity approach requires. By eliminating those extra rinses and maybe even going to a split temp suds cycle, chances are you’ll solve their problem while delivering improved results- especially for those last loads of the day that weren’t getting any hot water!
Next up: Selling labor savings.
Loss and …dealing with it
As operators we understand that we have to be prepared to deal with the unexpected departure of an associate – especially a trusted and long serving one. But, while we accept that fact intellectually, we’re seldom prepared to deal with the vacancy in a timely fashion. But even more critically we struggle to cope with the hole that departure leaves in the fabric of our businesses.
After all, that key employee was a part of what made the business what it is and with that unexpected resignation leaves part of that culture. That’s why just plugging the hole left behind isn’t really enough to address the loss of that valuable team member.
Of course, the person recruited, or promoted from within, has to be able to be able to perform the operational duties of the job. But perhaps even more importantly they must replace part of the special contribution the departed associate made to the business.
The truth is that the special touch of our lost associate left with them and is gone for good. But if we do it right, the replacement chosen will deliver a new set of values that both synch with the culture of the operation and add something new and valuable to make us even better.
Next up: The old bullpen.