The 5 key offerings of a national paving partner.
By B.J. Schlageter
Managing a portfolio of properties means dealing with a number of different vendors, tenants and professionals on a daily basis. When you’re managing each property with the help of a different maintenance team, you’ll find that you’re repeating yourself — again, and again, and again — as you schedule the same services one at a time. This approach is inefficient, unproductive and, frankly, exhausting. When it comes to the managing the maintenance of your parking structures, you can easily streamline the process by partnering with a national provider who can do it all, with just one phone call.
Make sure it’s the right one. Before pulling the trigger on a provider, confirm that they can do the following:
Keep the Project On-Track and On-Budget
To stretch your maintenance dollars and avoid potential liabilities, look for a paving service that offers comprehensive pavement maintenance plans. Mapping out and following a pavement management plan is by far the most effective strategy for pavement upkeep — especially a management plan custom-designed to suit your company’s various maintenance needs, from concrete and asphalt to sport surfaces and parking structures. A good pavement management plan, or PMP, takes into account long term preventative measures, cosmetic upgrades and emergency repairs, and uses a combination of strategies to extend the life of your pavement. In the best-case scenario, a single paving company will design a custom, comprehensive plan that meets your needs and budget, and then manage every aspect of maintenance and rehabilitation: from site inspection to monitoring the overall effectiveness of the PMP.
Provide One Point of Contact Over Multiple Properties
When you are juggling multiple locations nationwide, look for a paving partner that can provide one point of contact across all your properties. This makes it easy and convenient to execute paving projects across company locations, while being mindful of your bottom line. A paving company with national reach has the volume of work and manpower to achieve economies of scale. This allows them to establish relationships with suppliers and contractors around the country, and pass the savings off to you. A national model not only cuts down on costs and streamlines operations, it ensures consistent quality of service, no matter where your property is located.
Maintain Relationships with Local Partners
As mentioned above, a national model with a single point of contact is a great way to streamline operations nationwide. But what about last-minute emergencies and unforeseen repairs? Find a paving company that can get to your jobsite in a timely manner, on demand. Look for businesses that augment their national reach with a network of local contractors. That way you get the benefits of a large national company’s competitive pricing and range of expertise, paired with the benefits of a smaller, localized company’s prompt service and specialized market knowledge.
Provide A Wide Range of Expert Services
Companies with locations nationwide are likely to have a variety of paving maintenance needs. Choose a paving service that has not only a wide range of experience in the field but also expertise in each category of service. A company that can take care of all your pavement maintenance needs can streamline operations and reduce costs. If your current paving company is a one-trick-pony, it might be time to consider a more comprehensive option. Look for a client-oriented company with expertise across multiple industries and experience in property management nationwide.
Earn Unparalleled Trust Within the Industry
We know that paving is so much more than concrete and asphalt; it’s serious business. Now more than ever, maintaining proper upkeep of your facilities is critical, and will set you apart from competitors. You take pride in your properties; work with a company that takes pride in their work.
— B.J. Schlageter is the director of national accounts at Rose Paving LLC. Headquartered in Bridgeview, Illinois, Rose Paving is a nationwide paving contractor with a division dedicated to servicing national accounts. For more information, visit www.rosepaving.com or email [email protected].