Time Waits for No One
Time Waits for No One
The correct phrase is actually “Time waits for no man,” but nowadays we say No One. It’s an old proverb coined by Saint Mahere somewhere around 1225. The saying has also been attributed to English poet and author Geoffrey Chaucer in the 1300s. The entire proverb is: “Time and tide wait for no man.” Tide refers to a period of time, like Eastertide. Or, with a stretch, Buildingtide.
So what does that have to do with Performance Point? Good question. Actually, time is a critical element of what we do. It’s because we know construction projects are set to strict schedules, with each step tied to the next step. You can’t skip steps. It also adds meaning to another old axiom: “Time is money.” Construction delays can torpedo project deadlines, some can include hefty late penalties. Or, homeowners are likely to have closing dates that require them to move out of a property and into a new one.
We get that. And most likely your only point of reference is your contact with our field representatives. There’s a lot going on behind the scenes that you aren’t aware of. So, we are shining a light on two parts of our team in the office.
For example, our office team makes a big deal of scheduling. We make sure that our field inspectors show up at the appointed time. They work quickly and efficiently to get their jobs done.
That means our scheduling team stays on top of every project for every customer. Josh Owens plays a key role here. He started scheduling single-family programs and has moved into a multi-family area. “I am the scheduling team leader, but I genuinely look at it as a collaboration between myself, Kathy Baisley, and Pamela King. To look at it from a “bird’s eye” perspective, Kathy handles all of our single-family energy testing scheduling, Pamela handles the multi-family scheduling, and I work with all of our QI (Quality Inspection) scheduling. That is how we generally frame it, but I have experience in all of these areas, and can certainly jump in to help either of them if they have any issues or concerns. I try to be a help to them whenever possible, but I genuinely do view it as a team effort, and a team that I am certainly glad to lead.”
There’s a lot to consider before our field rep shows up. “For me, the first thing is to make sure that we have all of the requests that come into us, on the schedule,” Owens notes. “We may not always be able to get a job on schedule immediately, but we do make every effort to get the job on schedule for the next available time. We also prioritize getting all of the correct info from the builder, or developer. We try to get the correct street address, home heated square feet information, and any other pertinent information that will be important for our field staff to find the location and then be able to complete the task.”
Owens believes taking care of our customers is Job One. “I have always said that I view scheduling through a lens of “setting the table” for the field staff. Ideally, we have gathered all of the information that helps the inspector find the neighborhood, project, or house that they will be working in that day. We will have the correct contact information available for the builder, in case the inspector needs to contact someone about an issue on-site. We will also try to have accurate heated square foot numbers available so that the inspector can accurately interpret their testing results. The goal is certainly to make it as simple of a process as possible for the field staff, as they are certainly giving it their all on the job sites, and we want to provide as much help as we are able.”
OK, so our field staff shows up. What’s next? We know that the construction industry is very complex, with building codes that change all the time. On top of that, the industry is constantly creating new, more energy-efficient building materials and HVAC systems.
That means our field staff doesn’t waste a minute. As noted early, time is money and they know their stuff. How? We heavily invest in training and certification. Russell Brown explains his role in these programs: “Certifications for field (and office) folks all depend on their roles,” Brown says. “Multifamily energy raters/Inspectors require NGBS (National Green Building Standard) Green Verifier Designations and/or HERS Rater Designations. Some of our Multifamily Leadership Members are also Master Verifiers and QAD’s (Quality Assurance Designees), which are some of the highest attainable certifications from Home Innovation Labs and RESNET. Most single-family Energy Raters/Inspectors have RFI (Rating Field Inspector) or HERS Rater Certifications which are required to do Energy related work. Quality Assurance Inspectors do not have any formal certifications, but some are crossed trained in energy work and carry the energy-related certifications.
We have moved training and certification in-house. It’s the best way to ensure we are in sync with all the industry changes. In the past, training has been a group effort of a few office folks and the regional market manager, says Brown. “However, we have recently doubled down on training by investing in a full-time Training and Quality Assurance Coordinator whose primary responsibility is coordinating Field QA and Training. This team member is tasked with heading up training for consistency, getting people certified, maintaining training (CEU’s), and keeps an eye out for publicly available enrichment opportunities like webinars, conferences that we can utilize to broaden our team’s exposure and knowledge.”
Brown explains the payoff for you.” This (in-house training and certification) allows us to always ensure no one is put in a situation that is over their head and makes sure that someone’s growth in exposure to our customer base is in conjunction with the knowledge and expertise they can provide. With this model, we are able to provide confidence to our customers that the information coming from the individual they are working with at Performance Point is accurate and up to date.”
So, call us then next time (there’s that “time thing” again) you’re looking for a quality or code inspection. Hopefully, we’ve given you just a few reasons why choosing Performance Point will be time well spent.
Posted in Building News, New Construction
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