National MarketingWith Jake Smith
Our business partners, like our team members, have faced new challenges and exceeded expectations over the past several months. Jake Smith, Vice President of Operations, shares some insight on how Asset Services has been working with its vendors and service providers, and how current conditions present an opportunity to take our business to the next level.
Q: What advantages does Transwestern bring to the table when it comes to Asset Services?
Jake: Transwestern has always believed its success is due to the strong collaboration among team members, clients AND partners. We carefully choose service providers and vendors that share our commitment to excellence – which includes a willingness to adapt when the situation warrants. COVID-19 put these commitments to the test, and our partners delivered. We have been flexible at the owner, geographic and asset levels, and as a result are receiving very positive feedback from clients.
Q: What have been the areas of biggest concern?
Jake: A global pandemic obviously shines a spotlight on cleaning procedures. In addition to following CDC guidelines, we are closely aligned with BOMA and have partnered with an industrial hygienist to develop an enhanced cleaning protocol to tackle that element of building management – but that is just the tip of the iceberg. At this juncture, everyone in the industry has been presented an opportunity to innovate and, in some cases, shift our thinking about healthy buildings.
A few weeks ago, we put together a Transwestern Talks on what this involves from a tactical sense – what variables should be tracked, and how do companies know if they’ve achieved their stated goals? Air quality, for example, is a hot topic, and we know that this is something tenants have the capacity to self-monitor. We want to be ahead of the game. Our business partners from Arc Skoru and International WELL Building Institute explained how their frameworks align facility procedures with the real-life experiences of building occupants. If you missed it, there is a playback available here.
Q: Where else do you see potential for big changes in indoor workspace?
Jake: Emerging technologies are evolving rapidly to meet current demands and we are strategically evaluating vendors, systems and processes that allow for a more touch-less office environment. One system, for example, leverages UV light emitters mounted to a small autonomous vehicle used for disinfecting spaces in the building – an industrial “Roomba” of sorts. Despite an influx of creative new ideas, many are not CDC or UL approved, and we are focused on verifying their efficacy – not just offering the illusion of safety. In many cases, these are uncharted waters, and there is obviously a cost-benefit analysis that must be considered for every solution. Some will work; some won’t. But by doing the legwork, we’re demonstrating to clients that we are informed and prepared to make recommendations that align with their goals.
Our team is very excited about a new partnership with a technology company that has developed a Transwestern-branded tenant experience and integrated building systems platform, along with a mobile app, called the Transwestern Hub. You’ll be hearing more details about this soon.
Q: You brought up expense – is all of this cost-prohibitive for property owners and for Transwestern?
Jake: Not necessarily. In many cases, we can leverage our supplier relationships for better enterprise-level pricing. We’ve also successfully formed new vendor partnerships to economically procure supplies like hand sanitizer and face masks because the supply chain from the traditional suppliers had been severely disrupted by the massive increase in demand. And by sharing best practices, we not only keep costs down, but also boost efficiencies.
Currently, our team is undertaking a survey to gather input on a variety of different building technologies, including access control, elevators and other elements related to the tenant experience. Finding out what works well and sharing that information across the organization saves time for everyone, and allows us to provide the most appropriate, cost-effective solutions at our properties. We are fortunate that because of the good work Transwestern has done for many years, our clients trust our recommendations.
Jake Smith
Vice President/Director – Operations
Asset Services
Phone: (713) 231-1577
Email: jake.smith@transwestern.com
