Sometimes, simpler is better. This is why James Peel, Associate Director of Custodial Services at Texas Tech University, is helping the university transition to Team Cleaning with (OS1) — and they have selected the ProTeam Super Coach Pro 6 as the vacuum of choice.
Peel is responsible for 75 of the many buildings on the 27.5-acre campus. With more than 40,000 students and 4,500 employees coming and going each day, Peel’s staff of 120 have their hand’s full cleaning more than 5 million square feet. Peel joined the Texas Tech custodial staff three years ago, and in 2019, the university made the decision to find a way to improve its cleaning process.
A Total Cleaning Overhaul
When Texas Tech chose to change its approach to cleaning, the university did not take the decision lightly. Seeking out best practices for systemized cleaning, Texas Tech landed on (OS1), a high-performance management system for cleaning operations. (OS1) utilizes in-depth training of all staff members on best practices and prescribes standardized tools and processes. This evidence-based approach to cleaning means crews who use (OS1) can do more with their resources, but training comes first.
“We started the transition in 2019,” said Peel. “So far, we have 12 of our large buildings fully converted to (OS1). This means the cleaning staff for those facilities are fully trained and have moved from using uprights to the Super Coach Pro 6. It has been a total overhaul, but it’s worth it.”
While a change of this magnitude takes time, the evidence supporting OS1 speaks for itself: http://managemen.com/case-studies/
Progress from the Beginning
Shifting away from familiar equipment and implementing new standards can be a scary process, but confidence in the decision builds quickly when you see a difference right away. Texas Tech is about two years into its (OS1) journey, but they didn’t have to wait two years to realize the benefits.
With each building added to the (OS1) list, Peel sees progress across the board. He said, “Ninety percent of employees are happy with the changes right away, especially with the Super Coach Pro. When we get complaints from the other 10 percent, it’s generally because they are wearing the vacuum wrong. It doesn’t take long to retrain those individuals to get things right.”
Employees aren’t the only ones happy about the change to (OS1) and ProTeam — building occupants have noticed a difference. Peel said, “In the buildings, we have converted to (OS1) and ProTeam, we saw an immediate decline in work orders to address complaints of things not being cleaned. People could see the difference right away.”
The Best Kind of Cost Savings
A cleaner environment is a great reason to shift to (OS1) and ProTeam backpack vacuums, but it’s not the only reason. When Peel first introduced the Super Coach Pro to his staff, they loved the comfort of the harness and ease of use of the backpack unit compared to uprights. But the added comfort soon led to increased productivity.
“It wasn’t long before we noticed more getting done in less time,” said Peel. “It’s one thing to be told to expect a difference; it’s another thing entirely when you witness it.” More square footage cleaned in less time has led to cleaning crews being able to task more and provide a more comprehensive clean to each building.
“It’s a great feeling when you can equip your staff with the tools they need to do their job the best they can,” said Peel.
Decades of Experience Embrace the New
With any change comes resistance. It’s just the way things work. Peel’s staff has a lot of history at Texas Tech, with some individuals having multiple decades of experience there. So, when new tools and processes came their way, it’s safe to say they were skeptical. But their skepticism didn’t last long. “Everyone has reacted well to the changes,” said Peel. “Even the folks who have been here for 20 years or more. They may start out suspicious or uncertain about such a big change. But it isn’t long before they are converts.”
It turns out that when you can increase productivity and comfort, change is easy to embrace.
A Better Version of Clean
Peel can point to a variety of benefits of switching to (OS1), but one of the most significant advantages is in the Super Coach Pro. “It’s easy to see why (OS1) recommends ProTeam’s Super Coach Pros. These vacuums are incredible; with ProTeam, we’re actually cleaning.”
Learn more about the benefits of Team Cleaning here!
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