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SweetWater Restoration Helping Revitalize a Downtown Park How Can I Reduce A/C Service Calls?

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CoastLINES: The Official Publication of The First Coast Apartment Association 9456 Philips Highway, Suite 4 Jacksonville, Florida 32256 Phone: (904) 292-1345 • Fax: (904) 292-1291 E-Mail: info@fcaaonline.com Website: www.fcaaonline.com Executive Vice President & Editor: Peggy Queen

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SweetWater Restoration Helping Revitalize a Downtown Park

By Ben Zeigler IIt has h been b an exciting i i year for f SweetWater Restoration, Black Sheep Restaurant, and Hemming Park in downtown Jacksonville.

Phase 1 will be completed in the SweetWater warehouse and will consist of prepping the containers: cutting/welding, framing, rough-in plumbing and electrical. They will perform as many of the modifications in their warehouse as possible so that, when they set the containers in Hemming Park, there will be little left to do on site.

P Phase 2 will require site work at the actual park itself, inc cluding running all the underground utilities, building b bathroom facilities, installing a grease trap, and pouring the foundation that the containers will be installed on.

Everything comes together in Phase 3 when the containers are hauled to the park, set in place, and welded together. The plumbing, electrical, and installation of kitchen equipment will then be completed. Painting the exterior will be the final step.

At the start of 2016, Coastal Reconstruction, Inc., went through a company split, and the Jacksonville Office was rebranded This Kiosk will play a role in revitalizing Hemming Park as SweetWater Restoration, Inc. and help propel the vision that Vince and his group have SweetWater Restoration is the for Jacksonville. same company that has served Jacksonville for the past 30 years, just with a new name.

To follow the progress of the containers, please follow SweetWater Restoration on Facebook. If you haven’t reSweetWater Restoration was recently approached by Jon cently been to Hemming Park, visit their website for a Insetta, owner of BlackSheep Restaurant (a long-time cli- schedule of events. If all goes according to schedule, you ent), and Vince Cavin, CEO of Friends of Hemming Park, might find yourself downtown at Hemming Park eating to join the efforts to revitalize downtown’s Hemming unique and delicious food and listening to the excellent Park. This was an opportunity to take part in a movement sounds of Jacksonville’s local music scene. that was already well on its way and included major support from companies like Design Cooperative, Southwest Airlines, CSX, Crowley Marine, and many more.

Over the last decade, Jacksonville has grown and developed as a city. New restaurants, breweries, food trucks and One Spark brought more energy and local culture to the city. Jon Insetta, owner of Black Sheep and Restaurant Orsay, has been in the middle of the restaurant growth. SweetWater Restoration is a strong believer in Jon’s brand and in the efforts he is making in the culinary movement in Jacksonville. As a result, when approached about building a Kiosk for Black Sheep, they were excited to take part in the community enhancing project.

The Black Sheep Kiosk will feature a full commercial kitchen and bar at Hemming Park. SweetWater Restoration is building the kiosk out of two 20’ shipping containers in a one-of-a-kind design by Design Cooperative, LLC. The construction process will be done in three phases.

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Ben Zeigler, Account Executive at SweetWater Restoration, Inc. (formally known as Coastal Reconstruction, Inc of Jacksonville). If you would like more information about SweetWater please visit us on the web at www.sweetwaterrestoration.com, e-mail benz@swrestoration.com, cell 904.254.8053.

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How Can I Reduce A/C Service Calls?

By Mark Cukro, CAMT, CAMTII, CAPS

Preventive Maintenance = Savings!

Take care of your HVAC system, and it will take care of the residents and result in fewer service calls.

For many of us it is a hot and hectic summer and we want fewer A/C calls and for some reason they often seem to come in all at once. For anyone on call it can seem as if it is at 4:59 pm every Friday.

An effective way to reduce the amount of A/C calls is to check the entire system during the make-ready process and label the outdoor units/condensers to identify which unit it is actually connected to.

How many times have you found a unit that had the wrong number on it? Whether it was a unit that had a different number on the electrical disconnect compared to what is written on the actual unit itself or if the outdoor unit was completely on a different side of the building with no unit number identifying the units is time wasted and can be very frustrating.

One way to solve this is to use vinyl stickers on the disconnect box and unit. They are inexpensive and do not fade in a short time period like magic markers and paint pens. In my experience if the sticker ever does get peeled off, one can almost always make out the numbers and letters.

Check the Difference in Temperature The difference in temperature between the air going into the return grill and coming out of the supply vent should be around 15-20 degrees. In other words, if it is 100 degrees in someone’s home, the coldest the supply air will be is 8085 degrees. If it is 80 degrees in a home the coldest the air coming out of the vents should be is 60-65 degrees.

If the difference is too high that means something may need to be corrected such as airflow or the charge is either too high or low.

Make Sure All Coils Are Clean If an A/C unit doesn’t has excellent airflow it cannot and will not operate at its maximum capacity or efficiency and as a result will give incorrect gauge pressures.

Cleaning the indoor and outdoor coils during a turn doesn’t take too much extra time and the time is well worth the reduction in A/C calls, unnecessary overtime, and most of all it will prevent an over-worked Service Team.

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Check the Refrigerant Level Check the refrigerant charge during every turn in the summer or warm months.

Condensation Leaks Well for many of us we have just finished getting bombarded with the first wave of A/C calls and corrected more than our share of undercharged units.

Whew!

Historically what happens next when the A/C systems are up and running is condensation leaks. Condensation leaks can wreak havoc in your ceilings, on the carpet, and really make a mess while frustrating a resident.

Cleaning out drain pans and adding something as simple as a Sludge preventing drain tablet can save a fortune in time and frustration and prevent you from making a return trip. Let’s face it, the last thing a technician wants to do is make several trips to the same home for the same or similar problem.

Keep in mind that condensation water is absolutely filthy and should be treated whenever it leaks. It has been known as a source to cause Legionnaires Disease, so please be sure to disinfect any area that has come in contact with condensation.

Many reports show that is carries more harmful bacteria than raw sewage.

An ounce of prevention will save you a pound of work so install the tablets and they will make a difference. Clean coils whenever you get a chance, and of course, the best time to install the drain tablets is during the turn process. If you make it a habit I guarantee you’ll get fewer condensation leaks.

Checking the charge is one of the best ways to determine in an A/C is functioning but it should also be one of the last checks made. The reason, if the coils are clean, the airflow is correct then the gauges will give a much more accurate and telling measurement.

Train the Team Teams that continuously train perform better than teams that don’t. Whether it is a refresher class for an experienced technician, trouble-shooting, or an introduction for a new and upcoming technician, training always costs less than one resident with no A/C for a few days.

Mark Cukro, CAMT, CAMTII, CAPS, is the President of Plus One Consulting, Inc. and founder of ServiceTeamTraining.com. Prior to starting his own company, he was the Director of Service Team Development for a national management company with over 48,000 apartment homes. Mark is a national speaker and a leading resource in the field of service team development and training. He can be reached at mark@serviceteamtraining. com or 704-363-6236.

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Adapting Your Workforce to a Changing Rental Housing Industry

By Tim Blackwell | May 10, 2016 Just as renter demographics and styles of apartment living have changed in recent years, so has the makeup of employees and personnel for property managers, owners, and developers. This has called for more creative ways to recruit and train staff to manage today’s assets.

As the economy has rebounded, so has the workforce.

At the root is a transforming workforce that is affecting not only the apartment industry but all walks of business. Baby Boomers are increasingly retiring, allowing many younger employees to move into leadership roles far sooner than previous age groups have.

Provide millennials with tools for success Apartment industry leaders are being proactive in securing future workforces and learning how to manage Millennials and others who are candidates for leadership. At Crittenden in Dallas, panelists from Lincoln Property Co. and Monogram Residential Trust said good talent is available but securing it may require non-traditional means. One panelist also offered insight on managing Millennials.

Investing in the next generation is essential

Margette Hepfner, Senior Vice President Client Services at Lincoln Property Co., said working with and managing Millennials are frequently discussed topics around the conference table.

The Workforce Institute at Kronos says that among the top five workplace trends for 2016 will be leadership development, succession planning and training programs that tackle the skills shortage as Baby Boomers retire and Millennials are summoned as replacements. With over 10,000 Baby Boomers retiring annually, succession plans are critical. An increasing number of organizations are expected to invest in middle management to ensure they can properly hire, coach and motivate employees.

“Millennials want to be treated with respect but also crave recognition for their accomplishments. If they are putting in the hard work and their equal is slacking off, they don’t believe they should receive equal treatment.”

Money isn’t always the driver. Millennials are all about the experience; they want employers to provide the necessary tools and training to do their jobs better and increase their chances for advancement. Hepfner says Lincoln Property Co. strives to give employees the tools they need to succeed.

Last year, the workforce was expected to see Millennials holding 27 percent of management positions the U.S., according to Retail Info Systems News. But that age group presents its own challenges for employee retention.

A generation known for job hopping, Millennial workers stay just two years on the average at a company.

Seeking talent outside the industry is an option

The average cost of recruiting and hiring a worker is $20,000. Needless to say, there is a huge incentive for employers to develop a culture of loyalty and promote from within to build and maintain workforces. Some industries are turning to retired Baby Boomers to be consultants to prepare younger workers for leadership roles and other mentoring and development.

Meanwhile, companies are also have those difficult conversations with owners because pay demands are rising. In some cases, properties are finding employees outside of the apartment and real estate industries who are willing and able to transition into multifamily housing.

Houston, which has had a number of oil industry-based layoffs, has been a fruitful market for Lincoln.

“In light of the recent layoffs, we’re actually onboarding professionals that have never been in real estate or multifamily,” Hepfner said. “It’s a great employment base for us to tap into to as we continue to grow our Continued on page 16

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Continued from page 10

Adapting Your Workforce to a Changing Rental Housing Industry

By Tim Blackwell | May 10, 2016 team.

Candidates even willing to makeSpeaker the move Charles Marshallare Humorous Motivational from Houston to Dallas to start a new career; It has been surprisingly easier than expected.”

Changing careers isn’t unusual in this day and age. While the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has never tried to estimate the number of times people change careers during their working lifetimes, it’s not uncommon for some to have 4-7 careers, says one career specialist.

Certainly, all workers – not just Millennials – have a history of changing jobs often. Last year, BLS found that people born from 1957-64 held an average of 11.7 jobs from ages 18-48. A mobile supply of labor could open more opportunities for multifamily housing leaders to staff new and existing properties as the industry continues to flourish.

Recognize and recruit talent any time, any place

Leadership should just be prepared to recruit any time, or anywhere. But it doesn’t necessarily have to be rocket science. Panelists at Crittenden agreed that a trusty supply of business cards helps companies attract new talent discovered from other verticals, even the retail sector.

Simply, when you see someone in a restaurant or shop doing a good job, hand them a business card to see if they would consider employment with your company, said one executive.

Great talent is lurking outside the apartment industry and may very well be a fit. And multifamily executives may just have to be a little more creative than they have been in the past to find those hidden gems.

Reprinted from Property Management Insider, May 10, 2016. Tim Blackwell Contributing Editor, Property Management Insider President, Ballpark Impressions, LLC Tim Blackwell is a long-time publishing and printing executive in the Dallas/ Fort Worth area who writes about the multifamily housing and transportation industries. He has contributed numerous articles to Property Management Insider, and worked as a newspaper reporter in the D/FW area. Blackwell is president of Ballpark Impressions, and publishes the Cowcatcher Magazine.

He is a member of the Fort Worth Chapter/Society of Professional Journalists.

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The Risks of PCI In-compliance

By Steven Foster • If a prospective company or Processor is SAS 70 certified, this will tell you that your prospective Processor is a step ahead of the industry standard and not only ensure PCI data transmission security, but also financial and accounting reporting standards as well.

What is PCI Compliance?

The Data Security Standard (DSS) for the Payment Card Industry (PCI) is the framework established to set an actionable security standard for all involved in the payment card industry to protect consumers and merchants alike against threats such as hackers, fraud, identity theft, and financial liability.

The Security Standards Council (SSC), the general authority on the PCI, established the basic standards for data security but each card brand also has its own program for compliance and validation levels. The SSC and credit card networks like MasterCard Worldwide (MasterCard), Visa U.S.A. Inc. (Visa), and American Express Company (AmEx) work around the clock to monitor threats and security violations by in-compliant processors. The DSS process outlines key steps to ensure payment security including prevention and detection of violations. It is crucial that all Acquirers and Processors not only comply with the PCI DSS policy, but they must also formally certify compliancy by undergoing a validation audit via a recognized program such as Visa’s PCI Compliance Acceleration Program. A Processor or Acquirer may only become PCI Compliant Validated after they have undergone an audit process ensuring that the 12 Data Security Standards have been met and will be enforced.

The Goals of PCI Compliance are:

• Build and Maintain a Secure Network • Protect Cardholder Data • Maintain a Vulnerability Management Program • Implement Strong Access Control Measures • Regularly Monitor and Test Networks • Maintain an Information Security Policy

How do you know if your platform is compliant?

1. While the pitfalls and prevalence of in-compliant Processors are all around us, there are also great resources available to help companies and merchants understand PCI standards and recognize which companies are compliant. Check out these resources and tips if you are on the hunt for a processor or want to confirm your company meets the security standard:

3.

Tokenization- eCommerce Merchants • Yet another step ahead of the Data Security Standard is the technology known as Tokenization. Roughly, 18 months old, currently in use by Type 1 Processors (Processing volume > 6 Million) and eCommerce merchants, this is the cutting edge technology ensuring payment card confidential transmissions.

• In Tokenization, payment card information (name, numbers, SEC codes) is received and then converted into tokens (miscellaneous set of values) used to transmit and store the card data onto servers that process payments.

After each payment is completed, the corresponding token is destroyed. Therefore, the consumers direct card information is never stored.

4.

Ask to see proof of PCI Compliance.

• Do your due diligence and ask your processor to verify compliancy by providing a copy of their PCI Compliance Certificate. Each validated processor has this documentation available for consumer reference.

The best way to ensure good business practice is by doing preliminary research and taking the time to find a PCI Compliant Processor. Protecting the payment confidentiality of Consumers, Merchants, and Partners is of critical importance and should not be overlooked when choosing the payment processor that is best for your industry.

Three Rivers Consulting, Inc. is a Florida-based consulting firm that leverages its proprietary software, associates broad payments industry experience and insights to help all types of businesses manage their payment processing costs and improve their bottom line.

Our consulting commitments are focused on making lasting and substantial improvements to the performance of merchant services for our clients. We define our success by the First and foremost, go to the largest payment card net- impact we make on our clients’ bottom line. work in the industry, Visa U.S.A. www.visa.com/cisp • Download: Global List of PCI DSS Validated Service Providers • This is a publicly furnished list of all PCI DSS Validated Service Providers

2.

Look for companies with SAS 70 Type I and Type II certification • Statement on Auditing Standards (SAS) No. 70 is a widely recognized auditing standard developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). This audit standard has become even more instrumental to financial reporting post the SarbanesOxley Act of 2002.

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Steven Foster is the Founder & CEO of Three Rivers Consulting Inc. He has been in the payment industry for 16 years and in the Multi-Family space for 9 of those years. Steven can be reached at steven@ threeriversconsultants.com or by phone at 904-599-2794.

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INDUSTRY ACCESS/CONTROL GATES Frattle Stairs and Rails ............................(904) 384-3495 ADVERTISING AGENCY mbpr ......................................................(904) 424-6641 JOE Design, Inc ........................................(904) 501-9526 ADVERTISING Apartment Finder ...................................(904) 464-0709 Apartments.com ..................................(904) 778-5118 For Rent Media Solutions .....................(904) 296-7171 JOE Design, Inc. .......................................(904) 501-9526 RentJax.com ..................................................(904) 701-0302 RentPath ...............................................................(904) 262-0863 Zillow Rental Network............................... (541) 350-3620 AD TRACKING For Rent Media Solutions .....................(904) 296-7171 AIR CONDITIONING CONTRACTORS AllWeather Contractors ......................(904) 781-7060 Avalon Heating and Air ...........................(904) 245-1818 David Gray Plumbing, Heating & Air .......(904) 724-7211 InVent, Inc. ..............................................(904) 228-2263 AIR CONDITIONING EQUIPMENT AllWeather Contractors ......................(904)-781-7060 Avalon Heating and Air ...........................(904) 245-1818 ARD Distributors, Inc. ..............................(800) 654-7721 Chadwell Supply, Inc. ................................. (888) 341-2423 HD Supply....................................................... (800) 431-3000 InVent, Inc. ..............................................(904) 228-2263 Maintenance Supply Headquarters .........(866) 630-6747 Marcone Supply ......................................(314) 241-1946 Rapco Supply ..........................................(407) 933-4102 Wilmar Supply ........................................(800) 345-3000 ALARM SYSTEMS Agent Fire LLC .........................................(904) 687-3876 IDS Alarm Services, Inc. ...........................(912) 882-6789 SAFE-Security And Fire Electronics, Inc....(904) 824-8553 ANSWERING SERVICE/ON HOLD MESSAGING Audio Images ..........................................(904) 247-8600 APARTMENT LOCATORS Apartment Finder ...................................(904) 464-0709 Apartments.com ..................................(904) 778-5118 For Rent Media Solutions .....................(904) 296-7171 RentJax.com ..................................................(904) 701-0302 RentPath...............................................(904) 262-0863 APPLIANCES Appliance Warehouse..............................(904) 610-4351 ARD Distributors, Inc. ..............................(800) 654-7721 Chadwell Supply, Inc...............................(888) 341-2423 HD Supply....................................................... (800) 431-3000 Maintenance Supply Headquarters .........(866) 630-6747 Wilmar Supply ........................................(800) 345-3000 APPLIANCES (LEASING) Appliance Warehouse..............................(904) 610-4351 Azuma Leasing........................................(800) 707-1188 APPLIANCES (USED) Appliance Warehouse..............................(904) 610-4351 APPLIANCE PARTS Chadwell Supply, Inc...............................(888) 341-2423 HD Supply....................................................... (800) 431-3000 Maintenance Supply Headquarters .........(866) 630-6747 Marcone Supply ......................................(314) 241-1946 Rapco Supply ..........................................(407) 933-4102 AQUATIC MAINTENANCE BlueWater Environmental of FL...............(904) 880-1817 BANKING SERVICES Colliers International Northeast Florida .(904) 861-1101

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GUIDE

BATH & KITCHEN REFINISHING/REPAIRS AllWeather Contractors ......................(904) 379-4614 Creative Multi Care, Inc. ........................(904) 384-1047 Integrity Restoration ...............................(904) 644-7878 Lloyd’s Construction & Consulting, LLC .(904) 683-4468 Paul Davis Restoration of North Florida ..(904) 739-6047 Restore24 ................................................(904) 737-8673 Ronin Contractors, LLC ...........................(904) 219-9447 Steve’s Painting & Maintenance ............. (904) 332-6805 BIOHAZARD WASTE CLEANUP PuroClean Emergency Services ...............(904) 573-3566 BROKERAGE Colliers International Northeast Florida ..(904) 861-1101 CABINET REFACING Northern Contours .................................(904) 449-4527 CABINETS AllWeather Contractors ......................(904) 379-4614 Chadwell Supply, Inc...............................(888) 341-2423 HD Supply....................................................... (800) 431-3000 Integrity Restoration ...............................(904) 644-7878 Maintenance Supply Headquarters .........(866) 630-6747 Oxley Cabinet Warehouse Inc ..................(904) 981-3011 Paul Davis Restoration of North Florida ..(904) 739-6047 Steve’s Painting & Maintenance ............. (904) 332-6805 Turnz .......................................................(904) 445-9573 CARPET CLEANING, DYEING, RESTORATION Aqua Restoration ....................................(904) 683-6982 Creative Multi Care, Inc. ........................(904) 384-1047 MM Turnkey Services ..............................(904) 998-3608 Paul Davis Restoration of North Florida ..(904) 739-6047 Restore24 ................................................(904) 737-8673 Steve’s Painting & Maintenance ............. (904) 332-6805 CEILING FANS Chadwell Supply, Inc...............................(888) 341-2423 HD Supply....................................................... (800) 431-3000 Maintenance Supply Headquarters .........(866) 630-6747 Wilmar Supply ........................................(800) 345-3000 CERAMIC TILES AllWeather Contractors ......................(904) 379-4614 Integrity Restoration ...............................(904) 644-7878 Lloyd’s Construction & Consulting, LLC .(904) 683-4468 Rolland Reash Plumbing .........................(904) 260-7059 Ronin Contractors, LLC ...........................(904) 219-9447 Steve’s Painting & Maintenance ............. (904) 332-6805 CLEANING SERVICE AllWeather Contractors ......................(904) 379-4614 All Renew Services, LLC ...........................(904) 386-1762 Aqua Restoration ....................................(904) 683-6982 City Wide Maintenance ............................(904) 737-4969 Jean’s Maid Services ................................(904) 463-5704 Krystal Klean ...........................................(904) 309-3877 Paul Davis Restoration of North Florida ..(904) 739-6047 Restore24 ................................................(904) 737-8673 COLLECTIONS CoreLogic SafeRent .................................(855) 491-2696 National Credit Systems ..........................(407) 574-4927 Tracerent .................................................(904) 733-3033 Professional Debt Mediation ...................(904) 398-0286 COMMUNICATIONS TextBox ..................................................(850) 205-1111 COMMERCIAL POOL & PATIO FURNITURE Admiral Outdoor Furniture ......................(800) 999-2589 ET&T Distributors ....................................(888) 642-2226 Frattle Stairs and Rails ............................(904) 384-3495 Horizon Casual, Inc. .................................(866) 657-8731 Taylor & Associates Pool and Patio Furniture, Inc. ..............................................................(855) 734-3580

CONCRETE REPAIRS AllWeather Contractors ......................(904) 379-4614 Baxter Restoration, LLC ..........................(407) 580-0167 Greenpoint, Inc. ......................................(904) 570-8323 Lloyd’s Construction & Consulting, LLC .(904) 683-4468 Paul Davis Restoration of North Florida ..(904) 739-6047 Precision Sidewalk Safety Corp................(352) 401-9090 SweetWater Restoration ....................(904) 880-1919 CORPORATE / TEMPORARY HOUSING Leasing Jacksonville/Corp. Suite Shoppe .(904) 363-2346 COUNTERTOPS AllWeather Contractors ......................(904) 379-4614 Lloyd’s Construction & Consulting, LLC .(904) 683-4468 Oxley Cabinet Warehouse Inc ..................(904) 693-5554 Paul Davis Restoration of North Florida ..(904) 739-6047 Turnz .......................................................(904) 445-9573 Steve’s Painting & Maintenance ............. (904) 332-6805 CREDIT CARD PROCESSING RentPaidOnline....................................(904) 599-2794 DESIGN/GRAPHICS JOE Design, Inc. .......................................(904) 501-9526 DISC JOCKEY DJ Mario Entertainment ..........................(904) 655-2518 DOG PARKS ET&T Distributors ....................................(888) 642-2226 DRY WALL REPAIR All Installation of Jax, Inc. .......................(904) 514-8750 All Renew Services, LLC ...........................(904) 386-1762 AllWeather Contractors ......................(904) 379-4614 Aqua Restoration ....................................(904) 683-6982 Creative Multi Care, Inc. ........................(904) 384-1047 Lloyd’s Construction & Consulting, LLC .(904) 683-4468 Paul Davis Restoration of North Florida ..(904) 739-6047 Restore24 ................................................(904) 737-8673 Rolland Reash Plumbing .......................(904) 260-7059 Ronin Contractors, LLC ...........................(904) 219-9447 Steve’s Painting & Maintenance ............. (904) 332-6805 SweetWater Restoration ....................(904) 880-1919 Xtreme Solutions ....................................(904) 716-6843 DRYER VENT CLEANING Window Gang .........................................(904) 262-7300 ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS Lloyd’s Construction & Consulting, LLC .(904) 683-4468 EMERGENCY RESPONSE Baxter Restoration, LLC ..........................(407) 580-0167 Paul Davis Restoration of North Florida ..(904) 445-0210 Restore24 ...............................................(904) 737-8673 EVICTION SERVICES Dale G. Westling, Sr., P.A..........................(904) 356-2341 Law Offices of Heist, Weisse & Wolk..........(800) 253-8428 Mitchell Ritchie .......................................(904) 387-6100 FENCING/STAIR/RAIL INSTALLATION & REPAIR AllWeather Contractors ......................(904) 379-4614 Frattle Stairs and Rails ............................(904) 384-3495 Greenpoint, Inc. ......................................(904) 570-8323 Lloyd’s Construction & Consulting, LLC .(904) 683-4468 FIBER CEMENT SIDING Lloyd’s Construction & Consulting, LLC .(904) 683-4468 FIRE & SAFETY EQUIPMENT Able Fire Prevention ...............................(904) 233-0260 Agent Fire LLC .........................................(904) 687-3876 Aegis Fire & Integrated Services ..............(904) 233-7930 Apartment Fire Extinguisher Service.............. (904) 398-2030 Cintas Fire Protection ..............................(904) 562-7000 First Coast Fire & Safety........................... (904) 346-0111 Pye-Barker Fire & Safety, Inc. .................(904) 553-4222 Wayne Automatic Fire Sprinklers ............(904) 268-3030

INDUSTRY FIRE RESTORATION AllWeather Contractors ......................(904) 379-4614 Baxter Restoration, LLC ..........................(407) 580-0167 Integrity Restoration ...............................(904) 644-7878 Lloyd’s Construction & Consulting, LLC .(904) 683-4468 Paul Davis Restoration of North Florida ..(904) 445-0210 PuroClean Emergency Services ...............(904) 573-3566 Restore24 ...............................................(904) 737-8673 Steve’s Painting & Maintenance ............. (904) 332-6805 SweetWater Restoration ....................(904) 880-1919 FITNESS & EXERCISE EQUIPMENT Advantage Sport & Fitness, Inc. ..............(904) 437-6343 Commercial Fitness Products ..................(904) 392-6977 First Place Fitness Equipment..................(904) 998-0738 Fitness Pro ..............................................(850) 523-8882 SOFITCO ...................................................(850) 259-5946 FLOORING Arbor Contract Carpet ...........................(904) 781-2003 Cutting Edge Carpet ................................(904) 475-9300 Expressions Carpet and Flooring ........(904) 739-2885 First Choice Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring ..(706) 271-8023 Fitnessmith .............................................(561) 529-5590 House of Floors ....................................(904) 262-6989 Integrity Restoration ...............................(904) 644-7878 Lifestyle Flooring ..................................(877) 383-1062 Lloyd’s Construction & Consulting, LLC .(904) 683-4468 Mohawk Industries .................................(321) 287-3572 Redi Carpet ...........................................(904) 781-4300 Sherwin Williams ................................(904) 448-8109 Southeast Floors ....................................(407) 888-8008 Urban Surfaces ........................................(800) 492-8722 Wilson Carpet Service .............................(904) 737-9593 Xtreme Solutions ....................................(904) 716-6843 FOUNTAINS BlueWater Environmental of FL...............(904) 880-1817 FURNITURE Brook Furniture Rental ............................(904) 730-8511 Cort Furniture Rental...............................(904) 396-9000 Southern Furniture Leasing.....................(866) 736-8481 GENERAL CONTRACTORS AAPCO Florida .........................................(800) 728-2690 AllWeather Contractors ......................(904) 379-4614 Atlantic Coast Construction Group...........(904) 396-4005 Baxter Restoration, LLC ..........................(407) 580-0167 Building Innovations ..............................(904) 400-0421 Coastal Reconstruction Group, Inc. ........(407)-644-1800 Integrity Restoration ...............................(904) 644-7878 Lloyd’s Construction & Consulting, LLC .(904) 683-4468 Paul Davis Restoration of North Florida ..(904) 739-6047 Ronin Contractors, LLC.............................(904) 219-9447 SweetWater Restoration ....................(904) 880-1919 GOLF CARTS Mid Florida Golf Cars ...............................(904) 731-1832 GUTTER INSTALLATION AND SERVICES AAPCO Florida .........................................(800) 728-2690 AllWeather Contractors ......................(904) 379-4614 Lloyd’s Construction & Consulting, LLC .(904) 683-4468 Ronin Contractors, LLC ...........................(904) 219-9447 Window Gang .........................................(904) 262-7300 HAZARDOUS WASTE CLEANUP Airsafe ....................................................(904) 387-9399 HOUSEWARES Cort Furniture Rental...............................(904) 396-9000 Southern Furniture Leasing.....................(866) 736-8481 INSURANCE Brown & Brown Insurance ......................(904) 565-8304

RESOURCE

INTERNET SERVICES Apartment Finder ...................................(904) 464-0709 Apartments.com..............................................(904) 778-5118 Finally – Fiber .........................................(904) 238-0123 For Rent Media Solutions .......................... (904) 296-7171 RentPath ...............................................................(904) 262-0863 IRRIGATION DM Koehn Landscaping ..........................(904) 716-0683 Duval Landscape Maintenance................(904) 233-3388 Greenpoint, Inc. ......................................(904) 570-8323 JANITORIAL SUPPLIES Chadwell Supply, Inc...............................(888) 341-2423 HD Supply....................................................... (800) 431-3000 Maintenance Supply Headquarters .........(866) 630-6747 Wilmar Supply ........................................(800) 345-3000 LAKE MAINTENANCE BlueWater Environmental of FL...............(904) 880-1817 LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE Ameriscapes Landscape Management ....(770) 242-8180 Bass Companies ......................................(904) 635-6223 City Wide Maintenance ............................(904) 737-4969 Davey Commercial Grounds Maintenance.....(904) 768-8733 DM Koehn Landscaping ..........................(904) 716-0683 Duval Landscape Maintenance................(904) 233-3388 Greenpoint, Inc. ......................................(904) 570-8323 Landscape Professionals .........................(904) 880-6165 Mulch Masters, LLC .................................(904) 727-1100 Southern Cross Total Lawn Care ..............(904) 477-1230 TLC Total Lawn Care.................................(904) 699-0046 ValleyCrest Landscape Companies...........(904) 292-0716 LAUNDRY SERVICE & EQUIPMENT CoinMach Corporation.............................(407) 937-9345 GA Barber ...............................................(904) 683-3647 Mac•Gray.................................................(800) 622-4729 Washco Laundry Equipment ...................(904) 724-2622 LEAK DETECTION American Leak Detection ........................(904) 519-5700 Lloyd’s Construction & Consulting, LLC .(904) 683-4468 LEGAL SERVICES Dale G. Westling, Sr., P.A............................ (904) 356-2341 Law Offices of Heist, Weisse & Wolk..........(800) 253-8428 Mitchell S. Ritchie, PA .............................(904) 387-6100 LIGHTING & LIGHTING SUPPLIES Chadwell Supply, Inc...............................(888) 341-2423 HD Supply....................................................... (800) 431-3000 Maintenance Supply Headquarters .........(866) 630-6747 Wilmar Supply ........................................(800) 345-3000 LOCKSMITHS The Flying Locksmiths ............................(904) 512-0699 LODGING/MEETING FACILITY Four Points by Sheraton ..........................(904) 562-4920 MAINTENANCE SUPPLIES Chadwell Supply, Inc...............................(888) 341-2423 HD Supply....................................................... (800) 431-3000 Maintenance Supply Headquarters .........(866) 630-6747 Marcone Supply ......................................(341) 241-1946 Rapco Supply ..........................................(407) 933-4102 Wilmar Supply ........................................(800) 345-3000 MARKETING Apartment Finder ...................................(904) 464-0709 For Rent Media Solutions .......................... (904) 296-7171 JOE Design, Inc. .......................................(904) 501-9526 Leasing Jacksonville/Corp. Suite Shoppe .(904) 363-2346 mbpr ......................................................(904) 424-6641 RealPage ................................................(972) 820-3000 RentPath ...............................................................(904) 262-0863

GUIDE

MARKETING & TEXT SERVICES TextBox ..................................................(850) 205-1111 MOLD REMEDIATION Airsafe Inc. .............................................. (904) 387-9399 Baxter Restoration, LLC ..........................(407) 580-0167 Coastal Reconstruction Group, Inc. ........(407)-644-1800 Integrity Restoration ...............................(904) 644-7878 Lloyd’s Construction & Consulting, LLC .(904) 683-4468 Paul Davis Restoration of North Florida ..(904) 445-0210 Property360, LLC .....................................(855) 932-3784 PuroClean Emergency Services ...............(904) 573-3566 Restore24 ...............................................(904) 737-8673 SweetWater Restoration ....................(904) 880-1919 MOSQUITO CONTROL BlueWater Environmental of FL...............(904) 880-1817 ODOR ELIMINATION Paul Davis Restoration of North Florida ..(904) 739-6047 PAINT SUPPLIES Behr Corp ..............................................(352) 219-4434 PPG Architectural Coatings......................(904) 737-6474 Sherwin Williams ................................(904) 448-8109 Valspar Pro Solutions. ............................(904) 328-5492 PAINTING CONTRACTORS AAPCO Florida .........................................(800) 728-2690 All Installation of Jax, Inc.........................(904) 514-8750 All Renew Services, LLC ...........................(904) 386-1762 AllWeather Contractors ......................(904) 379-4614 Aqua Restoration ....................................(904) 683-6982 Baxter Restoration, LLC ..........................(407) 580-0167 Building Innovations ..............................(904) 400-0421 Creative Multi Care, Inc. ........................(904) 384-1047 Integrity Restoration ...............................(904) 644-7878 Lloyd’s Construction & Consulting, LLC .(904) 683-4468 MM Turnkey Services ..............................(904) 998-3608 Paul Davis Restoration of North Florida ..(904) 739-6047 Restore24 ................................................(904) 737-8673 Ronin Contractors, LLC.............................(904) 219-9447 Steve’s Painting & Maintenance ............. (904) 332-6805 SweetWater Restoration ....................(904) 880-1919 Xtreme Solutions ....................................(904) 716-6843 PARKING LOT MAINTENANCE All County Paving ...................................(407)-610-8069 Duval Asphalt..........................................(904) 296-2020 Lloyd’s Construction & Consulting, LLC .(904) 683-4468 PET WASTE STATIONS First Coast Scoopers ................................(904) 338-4236 PEST CONTROL/TERMITES A Greener Image ....................................(904) 739-8090 A.R.T Pest Control....................................(888) 926-6488 Crown Pest Control ..................................(904) 743-1132 DM Koehn Landscaping ..........................(904) 716-0683 Massey Services Inc.................................(800) 881-8861 Property360, LLC .....................................(855) 932-3784 PHOTOGRAPHY Art & Alex Photography ..........................(904) 273-4442 PLAYGROUNDS Advanced Recreational Concepts.............(866) 957-2355 ET&T Distributors ....................................(888) 642-2226 PLUMBERS AllWeather Contractors ......................(904) 379-4614 David Gray Plumbing, Heating & Air .......(904) 724-7211 Lloyd’s Construction & Consulting, LLC .(904) 683-4468 Rolland Reash Plumbing ......................(904) 260-7059 Roto-Rooter..........................................(904) 354-7321

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INDUSTRY PLUMBING SUPPLIES Moen Inc. ................................................ (407) 340-3249 POOL SERVICE, REPAIRS & RENOVATIONS Certified Pool Consultants .......................(904) 997-6679 Crown Pools Inc. ......................................(904) 858-4300 Crystal Clean Pool Service .......................(904) 855-8884 Henderson Pool Services, Inc. .................(904) 241-7665 Poolsure ..................................................(800) 858-7665 Rolland Reash Plumbing ......................(904) 260-7059 POOL SUPPLIES Certified Pool Consultants .......................(904) 997-6679 Chadwell Supply, Inc...............................(888) 341-2423 Crystal Clean Pool Service .......................(904) 855-8884 Henderson Pool Services, Inc. .................(904) 241-7665 HD Supply....................................................... (800) 431-3000 Maintenance Supply Headquarters .........(866) 630-6747 Poolsure ..................................................(800) 858-7665 POWDER COATING Frattle Stairs and Rails ............................(904) 384-3495 PRESSURE WASHING AAPCO Florida .........................................(800) 728-2690 AllWeather Contractors ......................(904) 379-4614 Krystal Klean ...........................................(904) 309-3877 Lloyd’s Construction & Consulting, LLC .(904) 683-4468 Reflections Pressure Washing..................(904) 322-8900 Ronin Contractors, LLC ...........................(904) 219-9447 Window Gang .........................................(904) 262-7300 Window Washing & Pressure Washing ....(904) 885-7840 PRINTING JOE Design, Inc. .......................................(904) 501-9526 PROMOTIONAL PRODUCTS Professional Business Systems, Inc. .........(904) 705-6382 PROPERTY MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE Property Solutions International, Inc. ............ (801) 375-5522 RealPage ................................................(972) 820-3000 ResMan ...................................................(972) 349-1406 PUBLIC RELATIONS mbpr ......................................................(904) 424-6641 PUMPS Rolland Reash Plumbing ........................(904) 260-7059 Weeks Utility Service, Inc. .......................(904) 726-5869 RECYCLING Conex Recycling ......................................(866) 879-2663 Residential Disposal Services, LLC ..........(904) 226-5191 Waste Management................................(904) 370-1907 RENOVATIONS AAPCO Florida .........................................(800) 728-2690 AllWeather Contractors ......................(904) 379-4614 Baxter Restoration, LLC ..........................(407) 580-0167 Building Innovations ..............................(904) 400-0421 Integrity Restoration ...............................(904) 644-7878 Lloyd’s Construction & Consulting, LLC .(904) 683-4468 Paul Davis Restoration of North Florida ..(904) 739-6047 Ronin Contractors, LLC ...........................(904) 219-9447 SweetWater Restoration ....................(904) 880-1919 Turnz .......................................................(904) 445-9573 RENTAL RELOCATION Apartment Finder ...................................(904) 464-0709 Apartments.com ....................................(904) 778-5118 For Rent Media Solutions......................(904) 296-7171 Leasing Jacksonville/Corp. Suite Shoppe .(904) 363-2346 RentPath .................................................(904) 262-0863 Ronin Contractors, LLC ...........................(904) 219-9447

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Davis Restoration RPaul E S Oof North U Florida R ..(904) C 739-6047 E GUIDE RESEARCH/PLANNING Real Data.................................................(704) 369-2345 RESIDENT SCREENING CoreLogic SafeRent .................................(855) 491-2696 RESTORATION/REHAB AllWeather Contractors ......................(904) 379-4614 AAPCO Florida .........................................(800) 728-2690 Aqua Restoration ....................................(904) 683-6982 Baxter Restoration, LLC ..........................(407) 580-0167 Coastal Reconstruction Group, Inc. ........(407)-644-1800 Integrity Restoration ...............................(904) 644-7878 Lloyd’s Construction & Consulting, LLC .(904) 683-4468 Paul Davis Restoration of North Florida ..(904) 739-6047 Moen Inc. ................................................(407) 340-3249 Ronin Contractors, LLC ...........................(904) 219-9447 SweetWater Restoration ....................(904) 880-1919 ROOFING CLEANING Reflections Pressure Washing..................(904) 322-8900 ROOFING AAPCO Florida .........................................(800) 728-2690 All Pro Roofing ........................................(904) 337-1082 AllWeather Contractors ......................(904) 379-4614 Excel Roofing Contractors........................(904) 631-7663 Paul Davis Restoration of North Florida...(904) 739-6047 Performance Roofing .........................(904) 224-3628 SRG Roofing ............................................(904) 377-0866 SweetWater Restoration ....................(904) 880-1919 Tillman Building Services ........................(904) 845-8280 SECURE ON-LINE RENTAL PAY RentPaidOnline .......................................(904) 599-2794 SECURITY, COURTESY OFFICER S3 Security .............................................(904) 449-6104 SIDING AAPCO Florida .........................................(800) 728-2690 AllWeather Contractors ......................(904) 379-4614 Lloyd’s Construction & Consulting, LLC .(904) 683-4468 Ronin Contractors, LLC ...........................(904) 219-9447 SIGNS, BANNERS & FLAGS Giglio Signs .............................................(904) 396-9046 STAFFING BG Staffing .............................................(904) 224-5000 MSB Resources ........................................(215) 661-8834 Career Strategies ...................................(904) 757-3456 TOWING Adkison Towing......................................(904) 260-3000 ASAP Towing & Storage Co., Inc................(904) 771-7111 Sky Towing and Recovery ......................(904) 695-0202 TRADESHOW EVENT SERVICES Cort Furniture Rental...............................(904) 396-9000 TRAINING / EDUCATION For Rent Media Solutions .....................(904) 296-7171 TREE TRIMMING & REMOVAL Bold City Tree Service ..............................(904) 285-1417 Davey Commercial Grounds Maintenance.....(904) 768-8733 Duval Landscape Maintenance................(904) 233-3388 Roberts Tree Service, Inc. ........................(904) 777-4793

TURNKEY OPERATIONS All Renew Services, LLC ...........................(904) 386-1762 Aqua Restoration ....................................(904) 683-6982 Bradburn Group, Inc. ..............................(407) 908-8001 AllWeather Contractors ......................(904) 379-4614 Creative Multi Care, Inc. ........................(904) 384-1047 Lloyd’s Construction & Consulting, LLC .(904) 683-4468 MM Turnkey Services ..............................(904) 998-3608 Paul Davis Restoration of North Florida ..(904) 739-6047 Restore24 ...............................................(904) 737-8673 Ronin Contractors, LLC ...........................(904) 219-9447 Steve’s Painting & Maintenance ............. (904) 332-6805 Turnz .......................................................(904) 445-9573 Xtreme Solutions ....................................(904) 716-6843 UTILITY SUBMETERING Minol USA ...............................................(972) 386-6611 NWP Services ..........................................(678) 612-8094 VALET TRASH SERVICE Invisible Waste Services ..........................(407) 509-1293 Skinner Waste Solutions .........................(904) 239-7222 Tide Valet Waste, LLC...............................(803) 216-0063 Valet Waste .............................................(813) 248-1327 WASTE REMOVAL Advanced Disposal Services ....................(904) 783-7000 Residential Disposal Services, LLC ..........(904) 226-5191 Skinner Waste Solutions .........................(904) 239-7222 Sunshine Recycling Inc............................(904) 838-2852 Tide Valet Waste, LLC...............................(803) 216-0063 Waste Management Inc. of Florida .........(904) 894-4516 WATER MITIGATION Baxter Restoration, LLC ..........................(407) 580-0167 Paul Davis Restoration of North Florida ..(904) 445-0210 PuroClean Emergency Services ...............(904) 573-3566 SweetWater Restoration ....................(904) 880-1919 WEB SITE DESIGN JOE Design, Inc ........................................(904) 501-9526 RealPage ................................................(972) 820-3000 WINDOW CLEANING Window Gang .........................................(904) 262-7300

Please contact FCAA at 904-292-1345 to make any changes to your company information that appears in this Guide and may also appear online.

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by Brian Wolk, The Law Offices of Heist, Weisse & Wolk, PA b

LEGAL OR NOT? We recently filed an eviction, and the resident submitted an answer requesting that our case be dismissed. His one and only defense to the eviction is that he has a receipt from our assistant community manager which says, “April rent”. The resident had not paid March rent and came in first thing in the morning on April 4 and gave the assistant community manager a check telling her it was for April rent. The following day, I posted the payment to March, and the computer then showed a balance due for April rent plus a late fee. We then prepared a 3-day notice and posted it on the premises, as his April rent was late on the 3rd according to our lease. The 3-day notice referenced, “April rent of $750.00”. This resident attached with his answer to the court the receipt our assistant o ccommunity manager gave him, has not deposited any money into the registry, and is cclaiming we cannot evict him for nonpayment of April rent because of the receipt. We feel like we are being scammed. Will this delinquent resident prevail in court? fe

T There is a huge riskk that you can lose the eviction case based on the receipt which was given to the resident byy the assistant communityy manager, particularlyy in conjunction g with the wayy rent was demanded on the 3-dayy notice. An experienced eviction attorney w will argue that a month’s rent was due and owing when the 3-dayy notice was served, but w the th he inaccurate receipt could be problematic. You cannot evict a resident for not paying April rent, iff the resident in fact paid April rent, and the receipt indicates this clearlyy in A writing, even though both you and the resident know that is not the full story. Unfortunately, errors like this often lead to a judge denying an eviction. In the future, you mayx wish to limit extra details like this on the receipt and your 3-dayy notices. Simplyy listing on the receipt the dollar amount accepted would have been sufficient. Byy getting specific, it creates the opportunityy for mistakes, which now your resident is trying to exploit. It is also important to write the receipt out clearlyy and spell out the amount received and the checkk or moneyy order number, and the manner in which payment was received. Residents have been known to alter receipts, and occasionallyy the receipt in the resident’s possession is the onlyy one in existence. Always use a receipt bookk for which a numbered carbon copyy can be retained.

Our resident Jessica walked into our management office and handed us a “Temporary Injunction for Protection against Repeat Violence”. It stated that Michael, the other resident listed on Jessica’s lease, is not to have any contact with Jessica and is to stay at least 400 feet away from her, her car, and her home at all times, or be subject to arrest. Jessica told us that Michael physically harmed her and continues to threaten her, forcing her to attend court and obtain the injunction, as she was in fear for her life. As a result, Jessica requested that we change the locks on the apartment to deny Michael’s access. We are not sure if we should do that. Also, if we change the locks, and Michael enters the management office asking for a key to the apartment home, should we give it to him?

Continued on Page 34

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A Tale of Two Customer Service Reps

By Charles Marshall, Humorous Motivational Speaker

Expert personal development and customer service advice from America’s premier humorous motivational speakerIt was the best of customer service. It was the worst of customer service.

For legal purposes, I’m not going to mention the name of the mega airline to which I am referring in this article, but will disguise their name so you don’t know who I’m talking about.

So, a couple of months ago, I decided to cash in some of my Belta Airmiles that I’ve been accumulating for years, by taking my family on vacation. (See? You have no idea what company I’m talking about.)

I selected my hotel and dates on the Belta Web site and then hit the magic “purchase” button. Seconds later I realized that I had booked one day too many for the hotel room, which translated into roughly 29,000 wasted Airmiles. I immediately called the Airmiles redemption line and was told by the customer non-service agent that it was too late to change my reservation, that once the “purchase” button was hit, the Airmiles were spent. She told me, “Sorry. You shouldn’t have hit the purchase button until you had the days right.”

Thanks. That’s real helpful. It makes me glad I’ve spent gobs of money with your company over the years.

Not being one to give up easily, I told the agent that I wasn’t asking for her to refund my miles—that I just wanted her to offer some suggestions regarding what I could do—but the agent interrupted me mid-sentence to argue and tell me there was nothing she could do.

May I give you a customer service hint? Never, ever argue with the customer. You can reason with him. You can offer other options, but arguing ultimately leads to the demise of your career, as well as your business.

I believe this poem I memorized years ago makes my point.

Here lies the body of Old John Quay Who died defending his right of way His cause was just, his will was strong But he’s just as dead as if he were wrong

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Translation: You can argue with the customer all you like, but it’ll kill your business.

Did I mention that I fly a lot with Belta Airlines? Why risk ticking off one of your best customers by arguing? It doesn’t matter if you are out of options. It doesn’t matter if you don’t have any more ideas for the customer. Work to find a solution! Your customer, not to mention your financial well-being, deserves your best.

Fortunately, my customer service story ends well. My wife suggested that I call the Belta Platinum Service line to see if they could help me. What a great idea! Why couldn’t the Airmiles rep (the person who actually was being paid to help me) have made that suggestion?

When I reached Brad, one of the Platinum Member reps, he listened to me without interrupting as I spilled out my tale of customer service woe. Brad immediately leapt into action to create a solution for me, arranging a conference call with the Airmiles redemption department, who continued to adamantly defend their right to be as unhelpful as possible. In the end, I wound up keeping the extra day in the hotel room that I didn’t need, but I was refunded the 29,000 Airmiles.

Kudos to Belta’s Premium service line for straightening the whole mess out with expertise and aplomb, but who’s going to refund me the 30 minutes of my life that I lost in stress and aggravation talking to their Airmiles redemption representative?

Competition is tough these days. If you aren’t taking care of your customers, there are plenty of companies who are willing to. Or, to bring it a little closer to home, if you aren’t willing to protect your income by seeing that your customers are treated right, then someone else will be happy to take your customer... and their money.

You alone have the power to decide if you’re going to provide the best of customer service, or the worst. © 2016 Charles Marshall. Charles Marshall is a nationally known humorous motivational speaker and author. Visit his Web site at www.CharlesMarshall.net or contact him via e-mail at charles@charlesmarshall.net.

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by Brian Wolk, The Law Offices of Heist, Weisse & Wolk, PA b

LEGAL OR NOT? Continued from Page 24

A: Injunctions and restraining orders are court orders prohibiting a party from a specific course of action. As a property manager, you have nothing to do with this conflict, other than the fact that you are renting an apartment home to both parties. While we recommend that you call th your attorney in each situation, we generally advise that your company not change the locks. yo By doing so, you are denying access to one of your residents, which could be considered a prohibited practice. That could lead to sizable liability for your company. If the person obtainpr ing the injunction changes the locks on her own, and provides your office with a key, we do in not believe you have an obligation to provide the other roommate with key access, and in fact no generally recommend against doing so. ge

Four months ago our office processed an application, accepted the applicant, and our new resident moved into the apartment. A few days ago, we received information that our resident had been evicted before. We verified this information by telephoning the previous apartment community that was listed on the eviction complaint. That property manager confirmed that he had filed an eviction on the resident, but the resident had vacated the premises prior to the eviction being completed. We ask the question on our application, “Have you ever been evicted?”, and the resident answered, “No”. May we evict this resident for misrepresentation on the application?

U Unfortunately, you have failed to ask the correct question on your application. Most eviction filings in fact do not actually result in the resident being formally evicted. Most residents fil vacate prior to being forcibly evicted by the sheriff from the premises; the property manager va notifies the attorney that the resident has in fact vacated, and the eviction does not continue. no Iff this occurs, an applicant arguably can answer without being dishonest that he has not been evicted. The correct question to ask is, “Have you ever had an eviction action filed against you?” ev This question is much more inclusive, and if the resident answered “no” to this, it would have Th allowed you to evict based upon the resident giving false or misleading information, if this right al was preserved on the application or lease. Our office views high numbers of applications where w blanks are not filled in, information is illegible, phone numbers turn out to be disconnected, yet applications are approved. An applicant who is desperate to move into your apartment community will intentionally misrepresent, omit or distort information. A property manager needs to carefully review an application before accepting an applicant.

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35

PERSONAL COMPUTING:

Protecting Yourself from

Ransomware

By Reid Goldsborough

Like any marketplace, entertainment venue, or playground, the Internet has its share of good and bad.

The latest evil perpetrated b y crooks to reach critical mass goes by the name “ransomware.” It can be pretty bad stuff.

Ransomware is a type of malware or malicious software that prevents you or your organization from being able to fully use your computer system until you pay the attackers a ransom.

In February 2016 a hospital in Los Angeles made headlines for giving in to the ransom demand of hackers who used encryption to cripple its internal computer network, including electronic patient records, for three weeks, causing it to lose patients and money. After the hackers initially demanded $3.4 million, the hospital paid them $17,000.

In explaining his decision, Allen Stefanek, president of Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center, said, “The quickest and most efficient way to restore our systems and administrative functions was to pay the ransom.”

The money was transferred through Bitcoin, a cryptocurrency that permits anonymity.

With ransomware attacks no one seems immune immune, whether users of Microsoft Windows PCs, Macs, Linux, or other platforms. Because acknowledging a ransomware attack involves owning up to vulnerabilities or mistakes, it’s believed that only a small fraction of them are reported. Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center deserves credit for helping to publicize the problem.

You can take steps to help prevent a ransomware attack or recover from it afterward. None are guaranteed, but they can reduce the risks and downside.

•

It’s a new world. Ransomware has been around since 1989, but its activity has significantly increased lately.

If you connect using public wi-fi at places such as coffee shops or airports, use virtual private network software such as Hotspot Shield (www.hotspotshield.com).

Individuals as well as organizations can fall victim of ransomware, with organizations typically getting hit by larger ransom demands.

• Organizations hit recently include schools, city councils, and churches.

Along with $17,000, sums paid according to the news include $8,500, $2,300, $570, $300, $200, $189, $143, and $10. Reports indicate that in some cases the crooks ignore you even if you pay the ransom.

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Use good security software. Top consumer security suites include Symantec’s Norton Security (www. symantec.com). Fee-based security suites are typically more robust than free tools, including those that come bundled with operating systems such as Windows or Mac OS.

Practice safe computing. Ransomware is commonly introduced through breaches in an organization’s network, rogue websites that install software on your system without your consent, email attachments, or “dark web” file-sharing services. Good security software can prevent many attacks. But if you do dumb things, you can still be vulnerable.

• Back up critical files. Data, whether it’s your customer database or your family photos, can be more valuable than hardware or software. The often repeated solution is to back up important files.

Never click on email attachments unless you know the sender, and be careful even if you do. Clicking on such attachments may launch the infected ransomware program or load an infected Microsoft Word or other data file.

Options inclu include using a cloud backup service such as Mozy (www.mozy.com), (ww a cloud storage service such as Dropbox Drop (www.dropbox.com), a USB flash drive, a rewritable optical disc, an external hard drive, and a backup tape.

The FBI and other government organizations are trying to combat ransomware. In the meantime, be vigilant.

“Phishing” occurs when a bad guy sends out emails or texts that purport to come from a trusted source such as your bank or the IRS. If you have suspicions, you can phone the company or agency and ask if such email went out. Never click on a link in an email message asking you to verify personal or financial information via the Web. Despite warnings about phishing, people and organizations still become victim. When phishing tests are conducted within organizations, about five percent of employees click on a malicious link no matter how much training they get to prevent this, according to CrowdStrike chief technology officer Dmitri Alperovitchl, speaking at the RSA Conference on information security in March 2016.

Be wary of using “dark web” file-sharing software in which illegal copies of software, movies, and music are shared.

• Keep up to date. Older programs and operating systems are more vulnerable to attack. With whatever security software and operating system you’re using, enable automatic updates or manually update regularly. With programs that don’t offer the option of automatic updating, periodically check for updates, which can usually be done through the Help menu.

Reid Goldsborough is a syndicated columnist and author of the book Straight Talk About the Information Superhighway. He can be reachedza at reidgold@gmail.com or www.reidgoldsborough.com.

M AY / J U N E 2 0 1 6

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