 |
 |
|
|
Articles
...back to articles
Exterior Services Management (ESM)®
Exterior Asset Inventories
By Kevin Dent
Be Prepared
With winter just around the corner, it's time to begin making preparations for snow and ice removal. While winter precipitation removal may seem straightforward, a significant amount of logistical consideration and preparation must be exercised. A key method of preparation is conducting an exterior asset inventory to quantify and document site boundaries and specifications, and identify potential problems or hazards. Understanding the composition and condition of your exterior assets could be the deciding factor in successfully maintaining your property and the safety of your valued customers through the season.
Getting Started
The first step in this process is the development and transferal of a "clean list" from the retail store or facility manager. The clean list clearly identifies which sites are active and within the store's responsibility and which are subject to lease terms, franchising or non-customer ownership and responsibility. Leasing and ownership situations may vary widely throughout a company's property portfolios, making it necessary to ensure that your clean list is up-to-date before transferring it to your ESM.
Once your clean list is complete, you are ready to have an exterior asset inventory prepared, but what exactly is it? It's a physical inventory of your property's exteriors for which you are responsible for maintenance, such as landscaping, turf areas and sidewalks. The inventory typically includes:
- Lawn - Definition of lawn type (fine or rough), type of grass (warm or cool season) and measurement of square footage
- Fence Lines and Retaining Walls - Identification and measurement in linear feet.
- Hedge Rows - Plant identification, measurement in linear feet and pruning specifications
- Irrigation - Documentation of the number of irrigation zones, clock location and manufacturer, and backflow positioning
- Organic Mulch - Identification of quantity and type
- Parking Lot - Measurement of asphalt, gravel and concrete square footages, including loading docks areas
- Patios - Dimensions of asphalt and concrete
- Cart Corrals - Identification and measurement of square footage
- Planting Beds - Identification of the square footage of organic planting beds and beds with stones
- Retention Ponds - Measurement and identification of grass and gravel specification and retention purpose (holding or gathering) including the measurement of any surrounding fencing in linear feet
- Seasonal Color/Flowers - Documentation of rotation schedules and square footage
- Lot Striping - Measurement of crosshatching, number of spaces , painted curbs, lettering, painted pole bases, speed bumps, stop bars, arrows, bollards and painted bumper blocks
- Trees - Documentation of the number of trees, type (Deciduous, Evergreen), species and the number of palm trees on property
- Walks - Definition of materials and square footage for private, municipal and special walks (ramps and loading dock stoops)
- Dumpster Areas - Measurement of square footage
The exterior asset inventory will also include photographs of each asset identified accompanied by a note describing any special circumstances. These notes play a critical role in maintenance during the snow and ice season, as ground coverage obstructs visibility. It is crucial to document and measure every aspect of your exterior in order to develop an accurate maintenance budget for the winter and throughout the year.
Looking to the Professionals
When deciding who should conduct the exterior asset inventory, you might want to consider contacting a national ESM company. These professionals have the knowledge and experience to provide you with the most accurate assessment of your property. An ESM company can complete your inventory efficiently and precisely, concurrently identifying potential problem areas, safety concerns or renovation techniques of which members of management may not be aware. Additionally, an ESM can intelligently compare the current condition of your locations' exteriors to your expectations and the service specifications in place. If no specifications exist, your ESM will work with you to develop a standard that will fulfill all your needs. Once the exterior asset inventory for your locations has been completed, your ESM will provide you with a comprehensive proposal.
That's Why They're the Experts
Early detection is the best defense against potential dilemmas. Unfortunately, we aren't all qualified to identify problem areas before they become disasters. However, a well-developed ESM working with you has the training necessary to pinpoint the first signs of trouble and remedy the situation, ultimately saving you time and money. Here are a few reasons why outsourcing your exterior asset inventory to an ESM may be beneficial for you.
- They will provide the most accurate inventory, thereby allowing you to develop a precise budget for your exterior maintenance
- Extensive horticultural and landscaping training allows them to identify diseased plants and trees and immediately provide a solution
- Safety concerns on your premises, such as holes in the ground or sidewalk cracks, can be easily recognized and resolved.
- Site surveys and staking can be conducted to help you prepare for the upcoming snow and ice
- They can ensure accurate responsibility for any damages or faults occurring on the property
- An ESM can get your property up to spec prior to maintenance to ensure the best possible results
- Nonfunctional or damaged irrigation systems can easily be detected and repaired
- Your ESM will make recommendations for renovations and keep all your exterior needs up-to-date
- Budgetary impact can be alleviated by an ESM through cost analysis, service selection, and often result in savings
If any of these tasks seem beyond your scope of duty or knowledge, an ESM could be just what you need to get through the season successfully. While it may seem easier to go on with business as usual and simply deal with problems as they occur, or cut corners to save a buck, these decisions will only lead to headaches and extra costs down the road. Proper preparation and expert advice are the best ways to start up the season.
Ready to Evaluate Your Exterior Maintenance Services?
If your retail stores or facilities are struggling with curb appeal, quality assurance issues, or simply have trouble completing landscaping specifications for national formats, you might want to consider calling a national ESM company. A management program could improve your current landscaping and customer appeal, reduce your overall expenses, eliminate the worries of liability and provide fluid service to the exteriors of all your facilities and stores.
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
