NOVEMBER 2013
In this issue: 1 2014 Strategic Planning 2 Octoberfest 4 Holiday Mail for Heroes 6 Top 10 7 Chart Toppers, Personal Best 8 Kudos 10 Advertising Resource 11 Words of Wisdom
SUN
T HE
SERVPRO® of Southern New England and New York
The local news station was interviewing an 80-year-old lady because she had just gotten married for the fourth time.
2014
The interviewer asked her questions about her life, about what it felt like to be marrying again at 80, and then about her new husband’s occupation.
Use the information gained from your ongoing Business Analysis as a platform to create your 2014 Business Plan.
This is what you call strategic planning
“He’s a funeral director,” she answered. “Interesting,” the newsman thought. He then asked her if she wouldn’t mind telling him a little about her first three husbands and what they did for a living. She paused for a few moments, needing time to reflect on all those years. After a short time, a smile came to her face and she answered proudly, explaining that she had first married a banker when she was in her 20’s, then a circus ringmaster when in her 40’s, and a preacher when in her 60’s, and now – in her 80’s – a funeral director. The interviewer looked at her, quite astonished, and asked why she had married four men with such diverse careers. (wait for it) She smiled and explained, “I married one for the money, two for the show, three to get ready, and four to go.” From Funny Stories
Strategic Planning
Achieving a vision is moving toward the desired outcome with a relentless focus on continuous priority improvement.
A business plan is a formal (or informal; we’re all friends here) statement of a set of business goals, the reasons the goals are attainable, and the plan for reaching those goals. The business plan may also contain background and current information about the organization attempting to reach those goals. Business plans are inherently strategic. They start at a specific place and time: today – here and now, and move toward another: the future – there and then. At the conclusion of the plan, your organization will have a different set of resources and abilities. The business will have grown, the customer base will have grown, and public awareness of your organization will have grown. All these will lead to increased revenue, increased profitability, and increased success. There is no fixed content for a business plan, but an effective plan will include an executive summary, a company description, a market analysis, financial projections, a listing of services and products, and a plan for marketing and sales. Business plans are generally three to five years in scope and address both long and short-term goals. Your Business Plan should be updated annually to reflect changes in business environment, personnel, and business goals. In addition to the overarching multi-year plan, a more focused annual plan should be used in conjunction to more effectively accomplish short-term goals. In addition to the basics, and other material considered relevant by the business managers, business plans can also address changes in perception or branding, and when the business will expand or contract. Do you intend to purchase an additional Franchise License? Has there been an increase in production equipment, Continued on next page
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Continued from cover the purchase of specialized equipment, or a change in location? Is there anything new and noteworthy that can be used to facilitate improvement in your business? All these factors can be included in your Business Plan in an effort to best capitalize on advancement and growth. Business Plans in the SERVPRO® System are internally focused and should target the immediate goals required to reach external goals. Your Business Plan should not be made public and as private organizations your Business Plan will not be subject to Municipal oversight or public scrutiny. It is for the benefit of your organization and to help during the Annual Associate Review and Franchise Financial Analysis. Business plans can be created in conjunction with a scorecard of a list of critical success factors. This allows the success of your Business Plan to be measured using nonfinancial measures. The first quarter of 2014 might not show an increase in revenue from the first quarter of 2013. However, if there is an increase in service calls, and a reduction in expense for supplies, these are positive factors. They may indicate increased awareness about SERVPRO® in your community and a more efficient use of supplies. This can lead to more volume in service calls throughout the year, higher revenue generation, and better profit margins. Without a business plan, or at the very least, a comprehensive outline, your business is directionless and Robert Tedone’s grandson, flying blind. Learn from history HENRY ELIJAH LEE and from those who have succeeded born 7:23 pm on September 17, in thisatindustry. 2013. Your Business Plans will provide the Henry Elijah weighs lbs 1 oz and is necessary structure for7your business 19.1 inches tall! to turn potential success into realworld growth. is very proud! Grandfather
OKTOBERFEST
Guilford, Connecticut on October 18, 2013 Herman and Catalina Glaser, SERVPRO® of Branford/Shoreline, volunteered to provide “gratis” clean-up at the Oktoberfest held in Guilford, Connecticut on October 18, 2013. Allstate, a formidable account partner was a sponsor and participant in Oktoberfest and Jim Plunkett, the Allstate Quality Assurance contact out of Connecticut, wrote to Herman and Catalina that Oktoberfest “was a very festive event and was met with some very positive feedback.” “Let me just say THANKS so very much for your buckets with soap and towels, which helped us, stay ahead of dirty tables as well as for the hard work of Robert, Steven, and John. I cannot tell you how many comments I received about "those guys from Servpro". Members of the group commented on how pleasant they were and how hard they worked. Personally if it wasn't for your guys I would still be there cleaning up!! They were so gung-ho in helping that I felt overwhelmed by their contributions, they really saved the day.” “The best compliment that I can give you is one I received from the vice president of the club, ‘When those guys are done it looked it did before the event started’. I second that!”
NOVEMBER 2013 - 3
R R O A D E N Y E E V H T F O “SERVPRO ® of Kendall County is very appreciative of the level of service and commitment your team has provided our staff and office...could not be more cooperative and helpful.” -Steve Pearson ® SERVPRO of Kendall County
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Holiday Mail for Heroes Supporting Our Military by Giving Something that Means Something Each year the American Red Cross provides assistance to more than 2 million service members and many of our nation’s 24 million veterans. We support military families, military and veterans hospitals and provide emergency communications across the globe. And once a year, we get the joy of delivering holiday cards to veterans, military families and active-duty service members at hospitals and installations around the world. The cards and personal messages, sent by tens of thousands of Americans, provide a welcome “touch of home” for our troops during the holiday season. Visit our YouTube channel to see Red Cross volunteers distributing cards and messages in previous years: Holiday Mail for Heroes YouTube playlist. Each year we collect cards between October and early December and then distribute them at military installations, veterans’ hospitals, and in other locations. Throughout the year, you can make a difference with a monetary gift to Help Military Families through the Red Cross. Your donation can help change a military family’s life. Donate Now. There are several ways to be part of the Holiday Mail for Heroes program. In addition to sending cards on your own, you may want to start making plans to host card signing parties or card making parties. Here are a few guidelines to help you on your way: Card Guidelines: Every card received will be screened for hazardous materials by Pitney Bowes and then reviewed by Red Cross volunteers working around the country. ✓✓ Please observe the following guidelines to ensure a quick reviewing process: ✓✓ Ensure that all cards are signed. ✓✓ Use generic salutations such as “Dear Service Member”. Cards addressed to specific individuals cannot be delivered through this program. ✓✓ Only cards are being accepted. Do not send or include letters. ✓✓ Do not include email or home addresses on the cards: the program is not meant to foster pen pal relationships.
✓✓ Do not include inserts of any kind, including photos: these items will be removed during the reviewing process. ✓✓ Please refrain from choosing cards with glitter or using loose glitter as it can aggravate health issues of ill and injured warriors. ✓✓ If you are mailing a large quantity of cards, please bundle them and place them in large mailing envelopes or flat rate postal shipping boxes. Each card does not need its own envelope, as envelopes will be removed from all cards before distribution. All holiday greetings should be addressed and sent to: Holiday Mail for Heroes P.O. Box 5456 Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456 The deadline for having cards to the P.O. Box is December 6th. Holiday cards received after this date cannot be guaranteed delivery.
NOVEMBER 2013 - 5
Electronics Cleaning with the Morantz Ultrasonics Super System orantz Ultrasonics, the leading global manufacturer of Ultrasonic Cleaning Systems, introduced its new “Super System” last year to great acclaim. Praise for Morantz has been so widespread that it attracted the attention of the United States military’s Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) in Hawaii. In February, Morantz’s client, a SERVPRO ® Large Loss Team, was called upon by PMRF to clean and restore their computers and other el ectronic items that were damaged by smoke. Co-located with the Sandia National Laboratory’s Kauai Test Facility, PMRF is the leading range for large parts of the Ballistic Missile Defense program and utilizes state of the art instrumentation and communication networks (along with other Top Secret equipment). Due to the sensitivity of these electronics, the entire restoration process was scrutinized prior to the job being it was the awarded. Ultimately, professionalism of the Large Loss Team and Morantz’s reputation and experience that won over the project’s decision makers.
For this job, a Morantz Super System was moved on site and set up in a large trailer. The three stations (Prewash, Wash and Rinse) along with a Morantz Drye Rite drying cabinet were wheeled into the trailer for quick and easy processing.
without risk of injury from repetitive lifting or back strain. Morantz continued, “While other companies have offered line cleaning systems, none have truly adapted them to the real working environment of a restoration job, especially a job like this one.” Once the electronics were clean, they were dried with a powerful, two-speed heated blow dry gun, sprayed with a non-conductive dielectric chemical and placed in the Morantz Drye Rite Drying and Ozone Cabinet for four hours to dry.
The contaminated electronics were placed both in stainless steel baskets and directly on each of the machine’s pneumatic lifts, then lowered into the respective (Prewash, Wash and Rinse) tanks for approximately 30 seconds to 1 minute (depending on the item) for cleaning. “Processing for this job was fast and easy. The operators were thrilled to be able to simply push a lever to clean six baskets full of computer parts at a time,” said Lisa Morantz, President of Morantz Ultrasonics Inc. and third generation owner. The benefit of the pneumatic lift is that technicians work
“There’s a lot of misinformation about cleaning electronics with Ultrasonics,” Morantz said. “But once again, our Morantz Super System and methodology proved to be the key to the job’s success. The entire PMRF team was thrilled with the results.” Lisa Morantz added, “We introduced the process for electronics cleaning to the restoration industry over twenty years ago. Nothing cleans as fast, as as efficiently or as safely Ultrasonics.”
Morantz Ultrasonics Inc.
9984 Gantry Road, Philadelphia, PA 19115 (800) 695-4522 or (215) 969-0266 | www.UltraSonicMachines.com
|
info@morantz.com
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Top Ten Volume Leaders GROSS VOLUME LEADERS SEPTEMBER 2013
PER LICENSE AVERAGE VOLUME LEADERS
SEPTEMBER 2013
1
Dave Kluger
1,032.352
Michael Geria
294,670
2
Allen & Susan Randolph
645,530
Kenneth & Rebecca Matejek
281,015
3
John Maughan
523,538
Ralph Rimualdo
229,199
4
Lou & Michelle, Danielle, Justin Sepe & Nicole Travis
415,732
Thomas & Lyn Braun
191,893
5
Joe Pelli
354,634
Scott O’Donnell
173,033
6
Patrick Jones
316,107
David Kluger
172,058
7
Charles & Donna Vingoe
314,146
James Gibbs
165,425
8
Michael Geria
294,670
Allen & Susan Randolph
161,382
9
Kenneth & Rebecca Matejek
281,015
Patrick Jones
158,053
10
Gil & Sheryl Morrissey
278,752
Frank & Daria Solano
146,240
Chart Toppers
March 2013
NOVEMBER 2013 - 7
PERSONAL
BEST
Personal Best Volume Month August 2013
Chart Toppers June 2013 Associated Revenue
R. Citrangola & R. Kluger Morrison & Spinner Cleaning Commercial
Johnson
PERSONAL BEST VOLUME MONTH SEPTEMBER 2013 Michael & Megan Geria SERVPRO® of Bordentown/Pemberton # 9260 $294,670.98
Cleaning Residential
Mattos Fire Commercial
D. Kluger O’Donnell In-house Construction
Randolph Mold Commercial
D. Kluger
PERSONAL BEST VOLUME MONTH SEPTEMBER 2013 Kenneth & Rebecca Matejek SERVPRO® of Plymouth/Wareham # 9799 $281,015.74
Mold Residential
Maughan Fyrberg Mattos Resale Rookie
Randolph Rookie
DiCristofaro Subcontract
PERSONAL BEST VOLUME MONTH SEPTEMBER 2013 Ralph & Noemi DiCristofaro SERVPRO® of Bloomfield/Enfield # 10121 $113,472.37
Halko D. Kluger Water Commercial
Mattos Luzzi Water Residential
D. Kluger Mattos Total Volume
D. Kluger Mattos Halko
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From: Don Turner [DTurner@servpronet.com] Sent: Friday, September 27, 2013 To: Fred Cohn Subject: Fwd: Big thank you from Boulder Great job by Team Luzzi: From: J Stein Sent: Friday, September 27, 2013 To: Darlene Bearden; Luzzi, Dion & Lynn Subject: Big thank you from Boulder Hello Dion: I wanted to send you a follow up email thanking you for your fantastic, professional job in cleaning up our home in Boulder. Your supervisor Fred, was so confidence instilling that we quickly just went about our business and let him take care of all aspects of this job, and there was never any doubt that it would not be done completely and thoroughly to the end. He took charge, communicated clearly and often, and made this stressful situation as good as it could possibly be. If there’s anything we can do to provide references, please don’t hesitate to call us! We would DEFINITELY hold out for Servpro next time, but here’s hoping there won’t be a next time! I also want to thank Darlene for getting you here quickly! When I made the phone call to Tennessee it was out of desperation, but I’m so glad I got hooked up with the fabulous Rhode Island crew that I got! Everything worked out perfectly. J and M Stein Boulder, Co 80302
Congrats to Servpro® of Bridgeport A Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for Joe Pelli’s, Servpro of Bridgeport, was held on Thursday, October 24, 2013 in Bridgeport. The Mayor celebrated our new Servpro facility in Bridgeport with Joe Pelli, owner of Servpro Franchises, covering Trumbull/ Monroe, N. Bridgeport, Westport, Fairfield, Norwalk/Wilton, Stamford, and Greenwich, who has been in the Fire, Water and Mold-Cleanup and
Restoration business for over 30 years. The new Bridgeport facility gives Servpro of Bridgeport the opportunity to continue to grow in the community and assist at an even quicker rate to help the customers feel "Like it never even happened ™"
NOVEMBER 2013 - 9
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2013 Advertising Resource Guide • • • • • • • • •
Facsimiles transmitted via telephone or data lines E-mails, e-mail addresses, Web pages or Websites Vehicle decals, building decals or lettering Signs and billboards Apparel or uniforms Letterhead, envelopes and business cards Invoices or forms Fax cover sheets Checks
WHAT IS THE AD APPROVAL PROCESS? Typical Advertisement Approval Procedures
Refer to the new Advertising Resource Guide when planning any type of Franchise advertising, letterhead, business cards, envelopes and/or any other form of advertising media, including, but not limited to, vehicle decals, building lettering, electronic and Web-based advertising. Please take a moment to review your current advertising and verify all forms of advertisements have been submitted to and approved by the SERVPRO® Legal Department and your Trainer. The Legal Department urges you to review all of your advertising and correct any noncompliant advertising at this time. Make the necessary changes and corrections to your advertising and follow the Advertising Approval Procedures set forth in previous pages.
ADVERTISING DEFINED Advertising is defined as any form of communication between the Franchise and any customer, potential customer or the general public through any means to include but not limited to: • • • • • • • •
Telephone calls Directories of any kind (i.e. Yellow Pages, Claim Pages, etc.) Memberships in clubs, associations or organizations Newspaper or other printed media Radio or television Trade shows Events such as golf tournaments, classes or courses Flyers or brochures
Contact is made with local publication or organization about advertisement placement. Let your Trainer know about the opportunity in case of territorial policy issues. Choose ad size and placement that fits your budget and have publication provide you with ad specifications (size, color, file type, etc.). Choose advertisement from stock templates that best fits size and specs of ad. • Download ad template and send to publication so they can customize ad with your Franchise information. • If publication cannot customize ad then contact Marketing Services for customization. Once customization has been made, ad proof should be sent to Legal Department for approval. • If ad is compliant, Legal Department will forward the ad back as “Approved”. • If ad has branding or information issues, Legal Department may forward the ad back as “Not Approved”. These revisions will need to be made and a second proof be submitted to the Legal Department for review. If revised ad is compliant, Legal Department will forward the ad back as “Approved”. Once ad has been approved by Legal Department forward final ad proof or approval to publication for their use.
NOVEMBER 2013 - 11
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Words of Wisdom Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success. Stephen A. Brennan The discipline of writing something down is the first step toward making it happen. Lee Iacocca Strategic Planning is a process by which we can envision the future and develop the necessary procedures and operations to influence and achieve that future. Clark Crouch If you don’t know where you are going, you will wind up somewhere else. Yogi Bera Few people have any next, they live from hand to mouth without a plan, and are always at the end of their line. Ralph Waldo Emerson It amazes me that most people spend more time planning next summer’s vacation than they do planning the rest of their lives. Patricia Fripp Many people spend more time in planning the wedding than they do in planning the marriage. Zig Ziglar The wise man does at once what the fool does finally. Baltasar Gracian If you have accomplished all that you have planned for yourself, you have not planned enough. Edward Everett Setting a goal is not the main thing. It is deciding how you will go about achieving it and staying with that plan. Tom Landry Strategic planning for the future is the most hopeful indication of our increasing social intelligence. William Hastie The essence of strategy is choosing what not to do. Michael E. Porter To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires some of the same courage that a soldier needs. Ralph Waldo Emerson If you are planning for one year, grow rice. If you are planning for 20 years grow trees. If you are planning for centuries, grow men. Chinese Proverb