The holiday season can present an existential challenge for retailers, testing the skills and endurance of marketing and sales teams in a six-week race to reach revenue targets by the end of the year. It is not a time to inconvenience customers and staff with building maintenance or repairs. “There’s a reason they call it Black Friday,” says Bill Schaphorst, vice president of business development at MaintenX, a commercial facility maintenance and repair company. “Because of the surge in traffic and sales on the fourth Friday in November, that typically …
Sarah Daniels
Protect Your Retail Space from Car Damage
By the time you finish reading this article, somewhere in the United States, a car will have run over the curb of a busy road, crossed the sidewalk and crashed into a retail space. “There’s not a doubt in my mind that somebody is driving into a storefront right now,” says Jessica Suazo, regional service manager for Colt Facility Maintenance, based in Dallas. Suazo’s company specializes in systems of bollards that protect buildings from these collisions. Also, for buildings not properly protected from collisions, companies like Colt provide emergency services. …
Smart Roofing Strategies Help Retail, Restaurant Facility Owners Trim Costs
For retail and restaurant facility owners, a proactive roofing maintenance strategy is essential to prevent costly issues down the line, says Bill Earl, director of roofing operation at MaintenX. “You just spent $200,000 on a roof. Preventive maintenance is about protecting that investment,” he explains. Many roofing issues are not caused by material failures but by external factors like mishandling equipment or damage from storm debris. Earl emphasizes that routine maintenance can prevent small problems from escalating into major repairs. For restaurants, where foot traffic on roofs is common, damage …
The Magic of Balancing Maintenance Costs
Running a retail or restaurant facility requires balancing costs, maintenance and operational uptime — a challenge that is further compounded when dealing with multiple stores. Facility owners and operators face the challenge of keeping their properties in top condition while managing expenses and minimizing disruptions to business. In the retail and restaurant industries, any downtime at all can be costly. A malfunctioning bathroom or a broken HVAC system can lead to customer dissatisfaction, lost revenue and temporary closures. Preventative maintenance and proactive scheduling can address these concerns by managing costs, staggering …
Prep Now for HVAC Manufacturer Backlogs, Service Delays in 2025
An approaching shift in refrigerants for heat pumps and air-conditioning systems will have far-reaching implications for restaurant and retail operators, potentially delaying the availability of new equipment, replacement parts and access to the service providers needed to install or repair them. “In the months before a rule change like this, everybody starts to scramble to get ready,” says John Brightwell, regional project manager at facilities repair service provider MaintenX. “We’ve budgeted for this and have adjusted our equipment, tools and training to install and service the new systems; but if …
Retailer Disaster Planning Speeds Timeline to Restored Operations
The increasing frequency and intensity of natural disasters pose a growing threat to many restaurants and retailers. All too often, unprepared businesses struggle to contend with property damage, power interruptions and repair delays that can plague communities for months in the wake of a catastrophic wildfire or storm. “Businesses that have stores operating in hurricane-prone areas like Florida or other regions threatened by natural disasters need to have a plan in place, with committed assets or a vendor to support them in an emergency,” says Bill Schaphorst, vice president of …
Checklist for 2024 Hurricane Preparation
People and businesses across the United States are bracing for what could be the most active hurricane season on record. Forecasts predict that the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season alone is predicted to have five major hurricanes — those of Category 3 or greater, with sustained winds of at least 111 miles per hour. Compare this to 2023, when there were only three major hurricanes in the United States. The potential for storm damage to homes and businesses is greater in 2024’s especially active hurricane season. “While the development of technology …
Keep Facility Maintenance on Track
Business owners have a lot on their plate; it’s a full-time job to survive in the ultra-competitive fields of restaurants and retail. In this challenging environment, facilities management often takes a back seat. Yet, diligent maintenance not only showcases a business’s care for its premises but also fosters opportunities for success by attracting clientele. Plus, a proactive maintenance strategy can identify necessary repairs long before they escalate into significant issues. A clean, well-maintained facility can bring customers to a store or restaurant, says MaryAnn Velez, a sales executive at Colt …
Find the Right Maintenance Model for Your Business
Physical maintenance in the retail industry is as unavoidable as taxes and sometimes as expensive. To keep net operating income (NOI) and uptime as high as possible, building owners, operations groups and retail tenants need optimum strategies to ensure work happens when needed. For many, having a self-performing third-party maintenance partner — one with the in-house resources to do the necessary work — is an efficient and economical move. There are two business rationales for continuous maintenance, which can include services like carpentry; plumbing; heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC); …
Slash Costs with Better Facility Maintenance
It’s another thing for restaurant operators to worry about: all the costs of doing business, including food, rent, labor and energy are increasing, according to the National Restaurant Association’s 2024 State of the Restaurant Industry survey, released in February. It’s bad news for any business operating on razor-thin margins. Restaurant operators complain that they have little control over food and rent costs, while the need to remain competitive often blocks operators from making cuts in staffing and food. The situation forces restaurant owners, and other businesses such as retail, to …