Features

To Every Season

by Katie Lee April 17, 2024

— By Amanda Anderson — Turn your landscaping into a reason customers keep coming back via seasonal preventative maintenance. The goal for preventative and routine landscaping is about more than the initial visual impact. At first glance, services are tailored to provide a clean and welcoming environment. Lush green grass edged neatly along sidewalks and curbs, healthy mulch beds free of weeds and filled with blooming flowers, full and neatly trimmed bushes and shrubs. A truly impactful landscaping service is going to provide down-the-road savings, with a focus on maintaining …

April 17, 2024

construction and design Industry Voices retailers signage software/technology vendors

Beyond Transactions

by Katie Lee April 10, 2024

— By Jaime Bettencourt — Creating destination stores for lasting connections. The meteoric rise of e-commerce has forced traditional brick-and-mortar retail to reckon with a new reality: physical stores must provide immersive in-store experiences. Retailers failing to integrate digital channels and offer the best of online shopping offline will struggle to stay competitive in this omnichannel environment. Major brands have learned the hard way that simply having a physical location won’t suffice, with some closing hundreds of underperforming stores because they weren’t offering customers experiences beyond mere product displays and …

April 10, 2024

energy management green building/LEED HVAC/R Industry Voices vendors

Deadline 2025

by Katie Lee April 10, 2024

— By Ron Prager — HVAC: Major changes in the industry have arrived. There are major changes occurring in the HVAC industry and they are going to affect both HVAC contractors and end users in a significant way. We anticipate that these changes will also impact building codes, cost of construction and cost of equipment installation. Some of what is presented below is established fact and some is based on my best guess as to what we believe the impacts will be. I will identify which items fall into which …

April 10, 2024

Cover Story From The Magazine retailers

Cooperative Growth

by Katie Lee April 8, 2024

— Interview with Jason Hipskind — With a retail cooperative model similar to franchising, Ace Hardware is uniquely able to continue its historic expansion with more than 200 new stores planned in 2024. Globally, Ace Hardware has opened more than 1,100 stores in the last 5 years — quite the impressive feat considering nearly half of that timeframe included a global pandemic. But as an essential business, the more than 100-year-old retail cooperative continued to open new stores, evolve its product offerings, expand its omnichannel presence, and refresh its physical …

April 8, 2024

construction and design Industry Voices kitchen equipment restaurants vendors

Equipped For Efficiency

by Katie Lee April 2, 2024

— By Herschel Pazornick — Turning to design and technology to streamline restaurant operations. There are numerous reasons restaurant operators prioritize streamlining operations. The main reason being that efficient and effective operations are crucial to long term success. Staying ahead of technology, incorporating the latest innovations and being mindful of space layout can lead to faster service and reduced wait times for customers. Here are a few ways operators can streamline operations: Keeping Design in Mind To optimize speed of service, kitchens should be designed mindfully to allow chefs to …

April 2, 2024

Industry Voices kitchen equipment restaurants software/technology vendors

Gear Up

by Katie Lee March 28, 2024

— By Sabina Campbell — The trend-driven revolution in modern kitchen equipment. The landscape of the culinary industry in 2024 remains fundamentally anchored in the time-honored tradition of crafting delicious dishes; however, the methods and tools at the disposal of chefs and restaurant owners are transforming at an unprecedented pace. Smart technology, artificial intelligence (AI) and a steadfast commitment to sustainability are at the forefront of this revolution, leading to significant advancements in operational efficiency and culinary prowess. In the modern restaurant’s kitchen, what was once the realm of hands-on …

March 28, 2024

HVAC/R Industry Voices restaurants vendors

Let’s Heat

by Katie Lee March 28, 2024

— By Jaime Tuinstra — How to find the right heating solution for your restaurant. After a few rough years, the restaurant industry has quickly recovered from the turbulent business environment that took hold from 2020-22. According to the National Restaurant Association, 2023 sales were forecast to reach $977 billion in the United States. In addition, it is projected that 500,000 new jobs entered the industry in 2023. That is a testament to the recovery of a resilient industry that was devastated during the COVID-19 pandemic. This winter, it will …

March 28, 2024

facilities management Industry Voices restaurants software/technology vendors

Managing Multiples

by Katie Lee March 21, 2024

— By Katie Fairchild — 9 steps to managing multi-location restaurant businesses. The dynamic world of running multi-units, multi-brands and franchises offers many advantages. From full-service to fast food and everything in between, having the efficiencies that come with an existing brand, business model and established infrastructure can be an advantage for operators. However, with these advantages comes unique challenges. One of the major issues for operators of multiple entities is that the individual businesses or locations may have their own goals, processes, software, language and more. The final goal …

March 21, 2024

energy management HVAC/R Industry Voices vendors

Do More With Less

by Katie Lee March 21, 2024

— By Scott Stewart & Jack French — Reduce energy usage this winter without leaving your customers in the cold. As the cold months of winter set in, restaurant owners and chain store facility managers are tasked with the dual challenge of maintaining a warm and inviting ambiance in their establishments and managing energy costs effectively. This balancing act is essential for creating a comfortable customer environment while ensuring operational efficiency. This article offers a winter weatherization guide with practical tips designed to help prepare your restaurant for the colder …

March 21, 2024

Peter Tsanacas Facility Maintenance quote

Colt Facility Maintenance Content Partner disaster recovery energy management facilities management Features green building/LEED Industry Content kitchen equipment plumbing property management restaurants retailers

Slash Costs with Better Facility Maintenance

by Sarah Daniels March 18, 2024

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 …

March 18, 2024

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