SERVPRO Team Zubricki can arrange for cleanup, repair and construction service needs in the wake of fire- or water-damage incidents. Jennifer Olson, the company’s director of commercial national accounts, is set to attend Hotec Operations, an annual conference presented by Questex, the parent company of Hotel Management. At the conference—scheduled this year for June 11-14 at the PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.—buyers meet one-on-one with hospitality-focused suppliers to learn about new products and services and to keep up to date on emerging trends. Ahead of the event, Olson talked about how hoteliers can prepare for emergencies and why they should have plans in place.
1. How has your segment of the industry changed over the past year?
We are preparing hoteliers now for the unknown. Disasters strike without notice and emergency services need to be started as soon as possible to prevent secondary damage and to get your hotel back to pre-loss condition, your employees back to work and heads in bed sooner rather than later.
2. Can you share some ways you and your company have adapted to these changes?
We meet with hoteliers across the country and provide them with a no-cost Emergency Ready Profile. We educate them on the importance of being prepared, having one point of contact across their portfolio and making sure they are on our top priority list. While others may be waiting for service, they move to the top of our list.
A few benefits of having an ERP in place:
- You can stay a step ahead of unexpected events by having a plan of action in place before you need it.
- No-cost assessment of your facility.
- A concise profile document that contains only the critical information needed in the event of an emergency.
- A guide to help you get back into your building following a disaster.
- Establishes SERVPRO Team Zubricki as your disaster mitigation and restoration provider.
- Identification of the line of command for authorizing work to begin.
- Provides facility details such as shut-off valve locations, priority areas and priority contact information.
3. What are some trends you think will have staying power beyond 2024?
Preparing now. It's crucial to have a plan in place ahead of time. With SERVPRO Team Zubricki's ERP, hoteliers will know who to call and what to expect AND my team will know the hotel/layout, point of contact and expectations before we arrive. Hotels have an emergency plan; most do not have a plan in place ahead of time of who to call to help with emergency services. Having a plan in place will result in faster recovery. When hoteliers understand this no-cost program, they are eager to sign up. Our ERP program continues to grow as more learn all the benefits of having one in place.
4. What is the biggest challenge you have overcome over the past year?
A personal challenge for me has been reaching the decision makers. Once decision makers understand how important it is that we know the hotel before we arrive, we know who's in charge, and we know your expectations, we can better service that account. Recovery is faster when we have a plan in place. My goal is to reach as many decision makers as possible, explain the process and benefits and help them prepare for any size disaster. Most importantly, I want to put them on our top priority list. While other may have to wait for service, having an ERP puts them on the top of our list.
5. How have you incorporated environmental, social and governance efforts into your hospitality operations?
We strive to follow industry standards on every job we respond to, in addition to specific structural needs and concerns provided by the owner/management company. This includes working at historical properties, Green-certified facilities and more.
6. What are you most excited about accomplishing over the next year?
I am very excited to help each hotel become a top priority, giving them one point of contact across their portfolio and minimize business interruption. Working with hotels across the country, some with an ERP and some without an ERP, I have firsthand experience knowing preparing now is the key to a faster recovery.
7. What is the value of meeting hospitality buyers one-on-one?
In case of fire, flood, mold, or storm, businesses with Emergency Ready Profiles are our top priority. With an ERP hoteliers can expect fast emergency response even during storms and disasters while others may have to wait. It's simple. Hotels should prepare now for the future. Our ERP app will contain all the info they need to respond to an emergency, and it provides us with the details we need to provide fast service before the emergency happens. It's an insurance policy for the hotel to get heads in beds faster.
Hotec Operations will take place June 11-14 at the PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. Applications are open for buyers and suppliers.