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T H E O F F I C I A L N E W S L E T T E R O F T H E F I R S T C O A S T A PA R T M E N T A S S O C I AT I O N
www.fcaaonline.com • November/December 2015
NOVEMBER DINNER MEETING
Pictures Pages 14-15
Pictures Pages 32-33
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Officers KATIE WRENN, President Milestone Management SHANNON GREGORY, President-Elect WRH Realty Services APRIL HUDSON, Treasurer Milestone Management LAURA HULSEY, Secretary BH Management BRIAN DAVIES, Immediate Past President WRH Realty Services ERIN TRIAY, Associate Vice President For Rent Media Solutions
Community Directors: JAN CARSON San Miguel Management BRANDY MORRIS Olympus Property Management DOROTHY PALMER Park at Via Veneto NICKI ROMEO Morgan Group TRACY WILLIAMS Carroll Management BRIAN CRON Atlantic Crossing at Deerwood Park North KEN FURTAW WRH Realty Services
Associate Directors:
CoastLINES
CONTENT
6 8 10
EMV 4 Tips for Conserving Water with Drip Irrigation ion Ways your Property can Maximize Compliance iance with Mandatory Renter’s Insurance 11 For Immediate Release 12 What’s the Risk? A Common Sense Approach to Managing Risk 14-15 Annual Golf Tournament Pictures 16 A Collection of Leadership Lessons 19-22 Industry Resource Guide 24 Customer Service for Breakfast 25 Running for Roni Pictures 26 Legal or Not? 29 November Dinner Meeting Pictures 30 How to Lose a Customer in 10 Seconds! 32-33 Oktoberfest Pictures 35 2015 Premier Sponsors 35 Making PCs Help, Not Hurt
RICK BIERMANN REDI Carpet LUCAS BOURGEOIS RentPath MELISSA LOHMEYER Apartments.com
Calendar of Events! December 2:
Reverse Tradeshow: Network 2 Play
JEFF JACKSON Sherwin-Williams
December 17:
Holiday Party at Everbank Field
TERRI JEFFRIES Cutting Edge Carpet
January 13, 20, 27:
CAMT Class
HOLLY FOX ET&T Distributors, Inc.
January 14:
January Dinner Meeting
January 26 & 27:
FAA Legislative Conference
February 9:
Maintenance Mania
February 17:
NALP Classes Begin
STEVE THOMAS Maintenance Supply Headquarters
Directors Emeritus: DARLA ERDELYI Giglio Signs JOHN GRAY TRACERENT DALE PRITCHARD A Greener Image JILL WRIGHT Horizon Realty Management
Maintenance Liaison: MATT KARLE AllWeather Contractors
FCAA Staff
CoastLINES is published by the First Coast Apartment Association (FCAA) in the interest of all segments of the apartment industry. Copies of the newsletter are included free with each membership. Dues, contributions or gifts to the First Coast Apartment Association (FCAA) are not deductible as charitable contributions. For Federal Tax purposes however, such dues, contributions or gifts may be deductible under other sections of the Internal Revenue Code. Please consult your tax advisor. Opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not reflect the opinions of the publishers.
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
Advertisers: AllWeather Contractors Arbor Contract Carpet Bluewater Environmental of Florida, Inc. BG Staffing Crown Pest Control CSi Career Strategies Cutting Edge Carpet D.M. Koehn Landscaping FAA Annual Conference and Tradeshow House of Floors Law Offices of Heist, Weisse & Wolk, P.A. Lloyd’s Construction & Consulting, LLC Maintenance Supply Headquarters Mitchell S. Ritchie Attorney at Law Industry Resource Guide Poolsure RentPaidOnline Sherwin Williams Tobacco Free Florida
18 23 38 27 27 2 40 38 12 3 4 9 28 38 19-22 39 7 11 31
PEGGY QUEEN Executive Vice President LINDSEY JAMISON Associate Director KATHY DESHAZER Director of Education & Membership NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2015
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The Path To PCI Compliance 2016 By Steven Foster, RentPaidOnline
Cybercrime is not only increasing in frequency, it’s increasing in cost. With more sophisticated hacking methods constantly being developed; the danger of storing sensitive information is rapidly increasing. Recently, the massive Target data breach has taken over headlines. With up to 110 million customers at risk and a $1.2 billion potential price tag, their brand and bottom line are in jeopardy. With that being said PCI compliance is more important now more then ever.
What is PCI Compliance? The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), a set of comprehensive requirements for enhancing payment account data security, was developed by the founding payment brands of the PCI Security Standards Council, including American Express, Discover Financial Services, JCB International, MasterCard Worldwide and Visa Inc. Inc. International, to help facilitate the broad adoption of consistent data security measures on a global basis.
Why is PCI important for property managers Recently, there have been several reports about well known brands, who have experienced security issues resulting in the loss of customer’s credit card data. Companies like BJ’s Wholesale Club, Chipotle, DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse, Office Max, TJ Max, Target and even payment processors like Heartland Payment Systems
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How does it work? PCI is all about protecting your customers’ credit card data. Every touch point along the payment processing chain must be secure – the processor, the gateway, IP line, POS hardware and software, and the property management company. If any touch point along that chain is not secure, then the property management company is not PCI Compliant. What happens if my rent payment provider is not PCI compliant Non compliance can cause the following fines from the acquirer if data is compromised: • $50,000 per card holder or up to $500,000 per incident for first event • More fines and loss of access to accept card payments for subsequent events • Damage to brand due to customer concern over securely using their credit or debit cards • Class action lawsuits Contact RentPaidOnline today to find out more on how you can give your residents the security of a PCI compliant partner. RentPaidOnline’s technology includes a real time web-based and mobile platform for electronic check, credit cards, and cash payments for the property management industry. RentPaidOnline’s parent company EFX Financial Services Inc. was founded in 2006 and processes billions in transaction volume annually throughout the United States and Canada. The key advantages of the RentPaidOnline service are our multiple,innovative, one of a kind payment channels and our “think outside the box” mentalityto ensure our clients are always heard first and foremost. – Steven Foster is the Chief Business Development Officer ~ EVP for RentPaidOnline a service of EFX Corp. He has been in the payment industry for eleven years. Steven can be reached at sfoster@rentpaidonline.com or by phone at 904599-2794 or1.855.PMY.RENT
RentPaidOnline
4 Tips for Conserving Water with Drip Irrigation By Chris Lee For the past few years, drip irrigation systems for residential and commercial uses have been an effective way to not only conserve water but give landscapes the deep watering they need to flourish in any climate. They have become increasingly popular on the apartment landscape – whether by requirement or voluntary implementation – and are ideal for beds and compact greenspace areas.
The tubing network is fastened together without being permanently affixed by PVC cement or glue that’s used in traditional irrigation systems. Generally, drip systems are inexpensive to install compared to traditional irrigation systems.
The irrigation concept, which has been around for years, saves water and is being required in drought-stricken communities, especially on the West Coast. Some states, require it for all new home and business construction. Earlier this year, California Gov. Jerry Brown mandated that drip irrigation systems be installed on all new construction. Water-saving estimates range from 20-50 percent using drip irrigation, largely because the heavy concentration of water goes directly to the plant’s roots and not down a storm drain or driveway, or evaporating in thin air. About 90 percent of the water goes into the ground, compared to 30 percent that is sprayed. The Environmental Protection Agency says drip irrigation systems can save up to 30,000 gallons of water per year, which is about three times what the average landscape consumes.
Drip irrigation works best for apartment communities for shrubs or ground cover beds, as well as monument areas and beds or lawns and beds next to driveways or sidewalks where sprays create runoff. It also eliminates rotor or nozzle malfunctions and the chances for a mini geyser that detracts from curb appeal. In some cases, drip irrigation can be retrofitted to specific zones on existing sprinkler systems. Kits are available to convert small areas like where seasonal color is planted. Drip systems are not practical for irrigating large lawns, which should be left to more traditional sprinkler applications. Drip irrigation systems can provide years of effective irrigation
Beds, monument and small areas great for a drip watering system A drip system is a network of flexible tubing that runs along the surface or slightly below of the area to be irrigated. Usually, the tubing is brown to blend with the landscape and contains little devices called emitters that deliver the water at prescribed flow rates. Check valves help keep water in the system for the next cycle rather than draining out. This is especially important on slopes.
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Drip irrigation, if cared for properly, will provide years of effective irrigation and save on costly water bills. However, the system should be maintained like any other, especially since it’s out of sight and out of mind by nature. Users have a tendency to neglect drip systems, and eventually they fail. Also, because there is no visual evidence of irrigation, it’s easy to over water and potentially damage plant life. Continued On Page 28
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Ways your Property can Maximize Compliance with Mandatory Renter’s Insurance By Tim Blackwell
Adopting Renter’s Insurance Property managers have a fiduciary responsibility to apartment owners to make sure an asset is fully covered. The adoption of mandatory renter’s insurance into lease agreements has helped apartments better safeguard their assets and put responsibility on the resident. Full compliance pays great dividends not only for the property, but also for residents. But industry professionals say that maintaining high resident compliance of mandatory renter’s insurance is difficult. Often, a resident’s policy lapses or is cancelled unbeknownst to the property. “(Residents) come to the leasing office; they offer you a declaration page from an insurance provider showing they meet the lease requirement; they move in; and two days later they call their insurance company and cancel,” says Jay Stoltz, LeasingDesk Insurance’s Director of Market Development. “That’s a big problem. That very scenario is commonplace throughout our industry.” Maximizing compliance at your communities is the ultimate objective and may prove to offer perks from your commercial carrier. Properties can save in multiple ways when renter’s insurance participation is high, Stoltz says. Commercial premiums can be lowered by raising deductibles, resident insurance pays for damages, and the property doesn’t need to supplement with its own insurance or pay the deductible. Complete compliance, he says, starts with knowing the playing field. Available solutions work in tandem with property management systems to provide apartment operators with full awareness of resident compliance.
Stay on top of compliance by working with insurance provider Only 43 percent of renters purchase insurance to cover their belongings and the unit in event of fire, smoke, water and explosion. Surprisingly, that number includes residents in communities that have a mandatory renter’s insurance program.
At a recent Crittenden Multifamily West conference, leasing executives agreed that it’s difficult to maintain high compliance among residents, even if they are bound to have insurance through their lease. They also said that alleviating the burden of compliance from communities and staff is key. Stoltz said working with an insurance company that provides safeguards to help ensure full compliance enables property managers to better stay on top of resident insurance policies and fully cover an asset.
Alert measures ‘give assurance that everybody is compliant’ Adopting a renter’s insurance program that notifies both residents and the property if a policy has lapsed, been cancelled, or is about to expire helps drive compliance, Stoltz says. Emails are sent on the property manager’s behalf to residents who show no record of insurance at the time of move in, as well as those residents who have thirdparty policies that are cancelled or are up for renewal. Results, Stoltz says, have been impressive. Participating properties have seen their insurance compliance boosted an average of 41 percent. “If a resident tries to cancel or allows a policy to expire, or there is a coverage interruption for whatever reason, the insurance provider is notified and can email both the property and resident to let everyone know the resident has fallen out of compliance,” Stoltz said. “It’s an alert measure to maximize compliance.”
A blanket coverage fills gaps left by non-compliance Properties can go a step further to protect their asset in the event of a resident’s policy lapse by acquiring property damage protection through “blanket coverage,” better known as a Renter Protection policy. Coverage is an optional “overlay” to existing renter’s insurance policies and is designed to fill the gaps for those units for which the resident has not met the required liability mandate in the lease. A management company can simply “place” a property policy on the unit, in the name of the asset owner, and get coverage up to $100,000 for resident-cause damage relating to fire, smoke, water and explosion.
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While the property is billed monthly for the coverage, Stoltz says the costs associated with policy purchase and related administrative expenses may be recouped by enforcing a lease violation penalty with the resident until compliance is met.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The consensus is that, with a little planning, keeping resident compliance up ceases to be the challenge it has been for so many properties. “If you’re going to require the lease language for renter’s insurance, you want to make sure you are compliant,” Stoltz says.
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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NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2015
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What’s the Risk? A Common Sense Approach to Managing Risk By: Rich George, NOI Coach
As a property manager I have always struggled with the concept of Risk Management and how it can serve customers successfully and improve profits. In my career, I have worked for companies that had in-house counsel and risk management departments as well as companies where this responsibility has fallen onto the property managers. I have spent decades befuddled by questions like: •
Should we serve alcohol at the resident party?
•
Do I need a pool attendant, lifeguard, or simply a sign that says “Swim at your own risk”?
•
Should I inform other residents about the “incident” that happened this weekend?
When you flip on the television during the day you will find commercials advertising slip and fall attorneys. They all look and sound the same: a narrator that says something like this, “Is there anything at all wrong in your life, have you been injured, or have you been made to feel bad….Just call my 800 number because I am sure that your landlord is at fault. We will make them pay.” Then they have testimonials from a few “real clients” that say “I called this lawyer and he got me $100,000.” Because of attorneys like these we as an industry are afraid of our own shadows which lead us to behave like defendants. We have devolved into an industry in which, when a resident or employee comes to inform us about an injury they have sustained on our property, we react like robots. We start thinking about filling out forms, taking pictures and making notes of what type of shoes the injured person is wearing. By going directly to this line of thinking and behavior, rather than just showing sincere concern for another person’s suffering, we are, in essence, telling people that they should consider filing suit. We have to inject more human emotion into our behavior and be sincere about it.
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Wikipedia defines Risk Management as ”the identification, assessment, and prioritization of risks followed by coordinated and economical application of resources to minimize, monitor, and control the probability and/or impact of unfortunate events.” While this sounds great, application in real life can be more difficult. When it comes to managing real property we have an obligation to protect three things: people, physical assets and our reputation or stature in the community. 1
People: Every decision that we make as professional property managers should always take into consideration the health, safety, security and well-being of our residents and their guests, our employees, our vendors, and our prospects. The one thing I have learned in my career is that if a person or a pet gets injured, or loses their life on our property, it is likely to make the news. As property managers we are the guardians of all of the people and animals within our domain and that is serious business that cannot be taken lightly.
2
Property: Second are the physical assets that we manage: things like buildings, amenities, landscaping, and equipment. This is the area where most property managers thrive. We are great at managing things because with most things we have no emotional attachment. We must do our best to eliminate and reduce the threat of dangers from threats such as fires, floods or any other threats or natural disasters to our assets.
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3
Reputation: The third obligation that we have is to protect our stature in the community, our reputation. This asset that we must protect requires a more nebulous solution as it does not have a physical manifestation and is far more difficult to measure if we are successful or not. Whenever we have incidents to people or property our reputation is in jeopardy and most of the time it is how we handle these incidents that will dictate the damage that we will suffer. Most of us have experienced managing a property that has a reputation. The place that has bedbugs, or the place where cars are stolen, or the place where that guy was murdered, these are the kinds of things that can have a dramatic effect on our success.
Once we understand what we are protecting, we must ascertain the threats and determine the likeliness that they will occur. Should an incident occur, we must then estimate the impact or severity. When we have prioritized the infinite number of possibilities, we then seek to eliminate or minimize the likeliness of occurrence. From there we can build plans to mitigate or minimize the damage. Finally we buy insurance to cover the remaining risk left behind. An effective plan should include all of these elements and should not become a barrier to the operational effectiveness of the business. Real risk management acknowledges that we cannot eliminate risk altogether, and it goes further to recognize that we must take calculated risks to obtain the greatest return for our investors. I wish I could give property managers a shield that is bullet proof against risk but it simply does not exist. What seasoned property managers have learned is the delicate balance of accepting calculated risk in order to enhance our effectiveness and ultimately our net operating income.
There was a time when I felt as though risk managers and attorneys existed solely to inject negativity into our worlds, constantly reminding us of what we can’t do by telling us stories of the boogey man that lurks in the shadows waiting patiently to sue us and obliterate our success. What I have learned over the years is that their job is to look for the elements of risk and our job is to look for elements of opportunity. As operational managers we must be the voice of reason and decide when the potential upside outweighs the calculated risk that you accept. The formula that I use consists of utilizing resources like attorneys, risk managers, or insurance specialists to determine the “worst case scenario”. I use experience and common sense to determine the “likely scenario”. Once I have the possibilities firmly implanted in my mind, I make what is now a simpler decision as to what course of action to take. I find that if I live in a world paralyzed with fear and make all of my decisions with a “worst case scenario” mentality, I cannot rise above the pack. We live in a world filled with risk and every decision we make could end badly, and many will in your career. The nice thing is that we have insurance and our obligation is to do what we do intentionally. I firmly believe that whatever you do intentionally is usually right, it when we act without thought that is when we get ourselves in trouble. Open your mind and to experience an epiphany and evolve into an asset manager that doesn’t manage defensively but move to a proactive way to manage risk. Know this, if you treat your residents and prospects like potential plaintiffs, you will spend more of our time, effort and energy being a defendant. Contrary to popular belief, the majority of people are not looking for opportunities to prosecute us. I know there are opportunists in this world, but most people just want to be treated fairly and appropriately. Be intentional and be excellent! Rich George, CAPS, CHPE, HOM, aka The NOI Coach and Apartmentor, is a national business consultant, coach, author and trainer. Rich is the founder and CEO of The Apartmentors, a talent development firm that includes many of the multifamily industry’s thought leaders. He is a member of the NAAEI and MHLI faculties and an in-demand speaker for the apartment industry. To learn more about employee engagement and talent development, contact Rich at www. noicoach.com or email rich@noicoach.com.
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2015
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NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2015
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A Collection of Leadership Lessons By Mindy McCorkle Yes, I’m one of those: a collector. I collect things; lots of things. Over the last year or so, I started collecting leadership lessons. I am fortunate enough to have lots of opportunity to observe and interact with many successful leaders across several industries and I “collect” their leadership lessons. My favorite question to ask a leader is this: What is the one lesson you’ve learned that you will never forget? I’ve compiled the most eyeopening answers here to share with you. By collecting these lessons, my hope is that one day, I too can become a successful leader. As I typed these lessons, I tried to take a serious, introspective look at my leadership abilities. In doing so, I felt a bit like I was on the front pew in church and that the sermon was directed specifically at me. I am certainly guilty of doing many of the things this collection indicates effective leaders shouldn’t do! So really this article is mainly for me; to make me face my challenges head on; in black and white. Because it would take the whole magazine to list every item in my collection, I’ve selected ten of my favorites. You may not agree with all of these; some were collected from some very progressive leaders but perhaps this part of my collection can help you in some small way.
Watch the Top Performers: Practically every company has had to learn to do more with less - more work with less people, less money, less resources. This has created longer hours, heavier workloads, and more stress on every associate. Leaders tend to focus on associates who need assistance in developing their skills, require guidance and support, or have performance challenges that mandate a closer eye. Now, more than ever, we simply must pay attention to the extra pressure that is being put on our top performers. These are the associates who always go the extra mile, put in the extra hours, take on extra projects, and hold themselves to a higher standard. All of this makes them more susceptible to burn-out. And nothing inhibits productivity, self-fulfillment, and associate loyalty like burn-out.
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Beware of The Golden Child Syndrome. While we do need to keep an eye on our top performers to guard against burn-out and to ensure they are adequately applauded, we also have to make sure we aren’t creating a “Golden Child.” If you are lucky enough to have an associate or two on your team that show extreme potential, always over-perform, consistently over-achieve, constantly provide the right solutions to challenges, by all means, recognize and reward!! Be cautious though that you don’t create animosity among the other associates. Always being in the shadow of the Golden Child can be exhausting for the other associates and if they begin to feel as if nothing they do will live up to the standards the Golden Child has set, they may stop trying. If the perception is created that the Golden Child gets first dibs at new opportunities, special projects, incentives, etc., you may start seeing visible signs of animosity or jealous, above and beyond healthy internal competition. If one associate is constantly being recognized more than others, at least make sure that everyone understands why that person deserves it. This is likely especially true if the Golden Child is a long-time employee. You’ll want to make sure tha t the perception isn’t that he/she is “golden” just because they’ve got seniority. Regardless of how valuable your Golden Child is, you likely can’t run your business with just him/her!
React Thoughtfully. We all know words can’t be unsaid. And in today’s techno-focused world, virtually everything ends up on the internet in some form or fashion. Approach every situation as if it will end up on the internet. If you would be embarrassed if what you are about to say or do were to end up on YouTube or Facebook, STOP. My Dad used to call this “putting your mind in gear before you put your mouth in motion.” When faced with difficult or touchy situations, stop to think of the desired outcome first. You could prevent overreacting or letting your emotions get in the way. The negative effects an inappropriate outburst can have a long-lasting negative effect on your reputation. Even in the best economy, you can’t buy back a good reputation.
We’re ALL busy! Management associates who
Check your personal baggage at the door.
constantly talk about how busy they are or what a full workload they have may be sending the wrong message to their associates. Everyone is busy these days. Sure, there are different levels of busy. But using “busy” as an excuse or “reason” for not getting things done is old news. Busy is the new norm – embrace it and quit whining about it!
This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t bond with your team. Sharing personal information can surely strengthen the team dynamic. The big stuff, though – the baggage – leave it outside. If you’re angry at your spouse, keep it to yourself. If you’re going through a major personal change, put it in the closet while you’re at work. If you have an outside friendship with someone at work, keep it private. Many companies have fraternization policies; that’s not really what we’re talking about here. Let’s say you have forged a close friendship with someone in accounting. And every Monday morning, one of you is overheard talking about what you did together over the weekend. Even if that person doesn’t report to you, even if you are peers, in completely separate departments, what if one of your associates needs to register a complaint against ‘your friend’? Will they be comfortable doing so? Could they feel disloyal in reporting against someone they know to be their leader’s friend? Will they assume you will go to bat for your friend so why bother? Given that we spend the majority of our time with the people that we work with, it’s not uncommon to develop a friendship with someone at work. Just be careful how it may affect the others on your team.
Keep your stress to yourself. If your employees see changes in your behavior (irritability, lack of engagement, moodiness), they may try to read between the lines and that almost always leads employees to incorrect conclusions. Stress can be contagious. If an otherwise relatively low-stress associate sees major signs of stress in the leader, their stress level will most certainly increase. Don’t wear your “disorder” like a badge of honor. You may consider yourself to be a perfectionist. That’s fine. But if you are constantly telling your associates that you are, eventually they may begin to believe they will never measure up. Do you joke about being have Attention Deficit Disorder? That could make your associates feel as if you aren’t interested or don’t care enough to really listen to them. Call yourself a Control Freak? OK. But what message does that send to your employees? Does that make them think you don’t trust them? Maybe. Ever joke about having OCD? Sure, folks may chuckle but Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is a real disorder that causes real pain. Not a joking matter, really.
TRUST goes both ways. You want your team to trust you. And we all know we have to earn trust. As a leader, we also have to learn to trust others. Learn to trust the systems and the people that you put in place. It is very easy to look over your employee’s shoulders, to second guess them, yourself or the decisions made. Don’t do it. Keep your mind on strategic thinking and leave the micromanaging, 2-steps-forward-3-stepsback, changing your mind every few days, non-trust behind. If you don’t have the right people in place, ACT QUICKLY! It’s easy to resist associate separations in a time when your workforce may already be thinner than you’d like – and none of us relishes the thought of terminating someone. But the bad apple can truly spoil the rest of the barrel. If associates see poor performance ignored, or worse yet – seemingly rewarded, where is their incentive to become exceptional performers? Your firm has standards. Keep the associates who consistently meet those standards and separate from those who don’t.
Lead by example. We’ve all heard this one hundreds of times, right!? I had to include it in this collection though. I recently had the opportunity to spend a brief period of time in an office in an unrelated industry. In the short time I was there, I observed some interactions and behaviors that made me realize most leaders think too big when thinking about leading by example. We tend to think of honesty, clear communication, exceptional work ethic, yada yada. All of those are certainly part of setting the example. But it’s often the little things that trip us up. The things we think people don’t notice. Consider the leader who gets the new-fangled, lightweight, state-of-the-art laptop with lots of extra bells and whistles. That might sound like a ‘perk’ for having a lot of responsibility, and many leaders can ‘justify’ such a situation, but is that leading by example? What about the leader who settles into the conference room even though one of her employees reserved it advance, as is company protocol? What example does that set? Something to think about! I’m still collecting. And for certain, I’m still learning!! If you have a leadership lesson, specific example, or idea to add to my collection, I’d be honored to receive it!
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THE OFFICIAL RESOURCE GUIDE OF THE FIRST COAST APARTMENT ASSOCIATION
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2015
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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 & Condo Selector .................(904) 564-5622 Apartment Finder ...................................(904) 464-0709 Apartments.com ..................................(904) 778-5118 Folio Weekly ............................................(904) 260-9770 For Rent Media Solutions .....................(904) 296-7171 JOE Design, Inc. .......................................(904) 501-9526 Realtor.com Rentals ................................(800) 978-7368 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 Carlson Enterprises, LLC ..........................(904) 503-5375 David Gray Plumbing, Heating & Air .......(904) 724-7211 DBK, Inc. .................................................(386) 860-0020 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 Ferguson Enterprises ...............................(904) 398-0660 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 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 & Condo Selector .................(904) 564-5622 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 Ferguson Enterprises ...............................(904) 398-0660 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
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GUIDE
AQUATIC MAINTENANCE BlueWater Environmental of FL...............(904) 880-1817 Estate Management Services .................(912) 466-9800 BANKING SERVICES Colliers International Northeast Florida .(904) 861-1101 BATH & KITCHEN REFINISHING/REPAIRS AllWeather Contractors ......................(904) 379-4614 Atlantic Powder Coating..........................(904) 724-2422 Creative Multi Care, Inc. ........................(904) 384-1047 Integrity Restoration ...............................(904) 644-7878 Lloyd’s Construction & Consulting, LLC .(904) 683-4468 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 Kevin’s Commercial / Residential Repairs, Inc. .. (904) 536-6566 Maintenance Supply Headquarters.........(866) 630-6747 Oxley Cabinet Warehouse Inc ..................(904) 981-3011 Steve’s Painting & Maintenance ............. (904) 332-6805 Spraggins Inc. .........................................(407) 770-2200 CARPET CLEANING, DYEING, RESTORATION Aqua-Clean .............................................(904) 291-4252 Creative Multi Care, Inc. ........................(904) 384-1047 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 Clean It All Maintenance Services LLC .....(904) 382-7056 Jean’s Maid Services ................................(904) 463-5704 Kevin’s Commercial / Residential Repairs, Inc. .. (904) 536-6566 Leonard’s Painting and Maintenance ......(904) 377-0961 Restore24 ................................................(904) 737-8673 COLLECTIONS CoreLogic SafeRent .................................(855) 491-2696 National Credit Systems ..........................(407) 574-4927 National Processing Corp......................(904) 338-3592 NCC Business Services of America, Inc. ...(904) 352-2644 Professional Debt Mediation ...................(904) 398-0286 Stellar Recovery, Inc. ..............................(904) 438-2500 COMMERCIAL POOL & PATIO FURNITURE Admiral Outdoor Furniture ......................(800) 999-2589 Atlantic Powder Coating..........................(904) 724-2422 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 Kevin’s Commercial / Residential Repairs, Inc. .. (904) 536-6566 Lloyd’s Construction & Consulting, LLC .(904) 683-4468 Precision Sidewalk Safety Corp................(352) 401-9090 SweetWater Restoration ....................(904) 880-1919 CORPORATE / TEMPORARY HOUSING Apartment & Condo Selector .................(904) 564-5622 PaySmart USA .........................................(904) 864-5011 COUNTERTOPS AllWeather Contractors ......................(904) 379-4614 Kevin’s Commercial / Residential Repairs, Inc. .. (904) 536-6566 Lloyd’s Construction & Consulting, LLC .(904) 683-4468 Oxley Cabinet Warehouse Inc ..................(904) 693-5554 Spraggins Inc. .........................................(407) 770-2200 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 Creative Multi Care, Inc. ........................(904) 384-1047 Kevin’s Commercial / Residential Repairs, Inc. .. (904) 536-6566 Leonard’s Painting and Maintenance ......(904) 377-0961 Lloyd’s Construction & Consulting, LLC .(904) 683-4468 Restore24 ................................................(904) 737-8673 Rolland Reash Plumbing .........................(904) 260-7059 Steve’s Painting & Maintenance ............. (904) 332-6805 Sunshine State Coating, Inc. ...................(407) 933-8002 SweetWater Restoration ....................(904) 880-1919 DRYER VENT CLEANING Window Gang .........................................(904) 262-7300 ECOMMERCE Buyers Access .........................................(407) 409-3085 ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS All Service Electric ...................................(904) 744-5050 DBK, Inc. .................................................(386) 860-0020 Lloyd’s Construction & Consulting, LLC .(904) 683-4468 EMERGENCY RESPONSE Baxter Restoration, LLC ..........................(407) 580-0167 Restore24 ...............................................(904) 737-8673 EVICTION SERVICES Dale G. Westling, Sr., P.A..........................(904) 356-2341 Edwards & Edwards ................................(904) 222-0829 Law Offices of Heist, Weisse & Wolk..........(800) 253-8428 Mitchell Ritchie .......................................(904) 387-6100 Renters Reference Services, Inc. ..............(904) 800-2288 SweetWater Restoration ....................(904) 880-1919 FENCING/STAIR/RAIL INSTALLATION & REPAIR Atlantic Powder Coating..........................(904) 724-2422 AllWeather Contractors ......................(904) 379-4614 Frattle Stairs and Rails ............................(904) 384-3495 Kevin’s Commercial / Residential Repairs, Inc. .. (904) 536-6566 Lloyd’s Construction & Consulting, LLC .(904) 683-4468 FIBER CEMENT SIDING Kevin’s Commercial / Residential Repairs, Inc. .. (904) 536-6566 Lloyd’s Construction & Consulting, LLC .(904) 683-4468 FINANCIAL SERVICES Primerica Financial Services ................... (904) 673-1211
INDUSTRY FIRE & SAFETY EQUIPMENT Able Fire Prevention ...............................(904) 233-0260 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 SAFE-Security And Fire Electronics, Inc....(904) 824-8553 Wayne Automatic Fire Sprinklers ............(904) 268-3030 FIRE RESTORATION AllWeather Contractors ......................(904) 379-4614 Baxter Restoration, LLC ..........................(407) 580-0167 Integrity Restoration ...............................(904) 644-7878 Kevin’s Commercial / Residential Repairs, Inc. .. (904) 536-6566 Lloyd’s Construction & Consulting, LLC .(904) 683-4468 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) 451-1702 Commercial Fitness Products ..................(904) 392-6977 First Place Fitness Equipment..................(904) 998-0738 Fitnessmith .............................................(561) 529-5590 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 Carpets Inc ................................(904) 332-9885 Lloyd’s Construction & Consulting, LLC .(904) 683-4468 Mohawk Industries .................................(321) 287-3572 Redi Carpet ...........................................(904) 781-4300 Sherwin Williams...........................(904) 448-8109 Spraggins Inc. .........................................(407) 770-2200 Urban Surfaces ........................................(800) 492-8722 Wilson Carpet Service .............................(904) 737-9593 FOUNTAINS BlueWater Environmental of FL...............(904) 880-1817 Estate Management Services .................(912) 466-9800 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 Baxter Restoration, LLC ..........................(407) 580-0167 Building Innovations ..............................(904) 400-0421 Carlson Enterprises, LLC ..........................(904) 527-1662 DBK, Inc. .................................................(386) 860-0020 Integrity Restoration ...............................(904) 644-7878 Kevin’s Commercial / Residential Repairs, Inc. .. (904) 536-6566 Lloyd’s Construction & Consulting, LLC .(904) 683-4468 Ronin Contractors, LLC ............................(904) 219-9447 SweetWater Restoration ....................(904) 880-1919 The Renovation Group.............................(866) 417-7350 GLASS REPLACEMENT & REPAIR Glass Doctor of Jacksonville ....................(904) 269-0777 GOLF CARTS Golf & Electric Vehicles ............................(904) 730-3395 Mid Florida Golf Cars ...............................(904) 731-1832
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GUTTER INSTALLATION AND SERVICES AAPCO Florida .........................................(800) 728-2690 AllWeather Contractors ......................(904) 379-4614 Gutter Masters ........................................(904) 813-4388 Kevin’s Commercial / Residential Repairs, Inc. .. (904) 536-6566 Lloyd’s Construction & Consulting, LLC .(904) 683-4468 Ronin Contractors, LLC ............................(904) 219-9447 Window Gang .........................................(904) 262-7300 HOUSEWARES Cort Furniture Rental...............................(904) 396-9000 Southern Furniture Leasing.....................(866) 736-8481 INSURANCE Brown & Brown Insurance ......................(904) 565-8304 Fortegra ..................................................(614) 439-9071 INTERNET SERVICES Apartment Finder ...................................(904) 464-0709 Apartments.com..............................................(904) 778-5118 For Rent Media Solutions .......................... (904) 296-7171 realtor.com..............................................(800) 978-7368 RentPath ...............................................................(904) 262-0863 IRRIGATION DM Koehn Landscaping ..........................(904) 716-0683 Duval Landscape Maintenance................(904) 233-3388 Greenpoint ..............................................(904) 635-6223 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 Estate Management Services .................(912) 466-9800 LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE Ameriscapes Landscape Management ....(770) 242-8180 The Brickman Group................................(904) 737-4077 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 Elliotts Landscape Group LLC...................(904) 718-2160 Envision Management Group ..................(904) 342-2091 Estate Management Services .................(912) 466-9800 Bass Companies ......................................(904) 635-6223 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 Turf Pros Landscaping, LLC ......................(904) 554-5173 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 Edwards & Edwards ................................(904) 222-0829 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 Ferguson Enterprises ...............................(904) 398-0660 HD Supply....................................................... (800) 431-3000 Maintenance Supply Headquarters.........(866) 630-6747 Wilmar Supply ........................................(800) 345-3000
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LODGING/MEETING FACILITY Four Points by Sheraton ..........................(904) 562-4920 MAINTENANCE SUPPLIES Chadwell Supply, Inc...............................(888) 341-2423 Ferguson Enterprises ...............................(904) 398-0660 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 & Condo Selector .................(904) 564-5622 Apartment Finder ...................................(904) 464-0709 Folio Weekly ............................................(904) 260-9770 For Rent Media Solutions .......................... (904) 296-7171 JOE Design, Inc. .......................................(904) 501-9526 mbpr ......................................................(904) 424-6641 Occupancy Edge ......................................(508) 977-7570 RealPage ................................................(972) 820-3000 RentPath ...............................................................(904) 262-0863 T. Maks International ..............................(904) 855-4188 MOLD REMEDIATION Airsafe Inc. .............................................. (904) 387-9399 Baxter Restoration, LLC ..........................(407) 580-0167 Integrity Restoration ...............................(904) 644-7878 Lloyd’s Construction & Consulting, LLC .(904) 683-4468 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 BioSweep of South Coast, LLC .................(904) 516-0250 PAINT SUPPLIES Color Wheel Paint ...................................(904) 928-0600 PPG Architectural Coatings......................(904) 349-3784 The Paint Drop by Valspar .......................(904) 328-5492 Sherwin Williams ................................(904) 448-8109 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 Baxter Restoration, LLC ..........................(407) 580-0167 Building Innovations ..............................(904) 400-0421 Creative Multi Care, Inc. ........................(904) 384-1047 Clean It All Maintenance Services LLC ....(904) 382-7056 Integrity Restoration ...............................(904) 644-7878 Kevin’s Commercial / Residential Repairs, Inc. .. (904) 536-6566 Leonard’s Painting and Maintenance ......(904) 377-0961 Lloyd’s Construction & Consulting, LLC .(904) 683-4468 Restore24 ................................................(904) 737-8673 Ronin Contractors, LLC ............................(904) 219-9447 Steve’s Painting & Maintenance ............. (904) 332-6805 Sunshine State Coating, Inc. ...................(407) 933-8002 SweetWater Restoration ....................(904) 880-1919 PARKING LOT MAINTENANCE All County Paving ...................................(407)-610-8069 Duval Asphalt..........................................(904) 296-2020 Lloyd’s Construction & Consulting, LLC .(904) 683-4468
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INDUSTRY PEST CONTROL/TERMITES A Greener Image ....................................(904) 739-8090 A.R.T Pest Control....................................(888) 926-6488 Bug Out Service ......................................(904) 743-8272 Crown Pest Control ..................................(904) 743-1132 DM Koehn Landscaping ..........................(904) 716-0683 Massey Services Inc.................................(800) 881-8861 Mosquito Joe...........................................(904) 236-4110 Property360, LLC .....................................(855) 932-3784 PHOTOGRAPHY Art & Alex Photography ..........................(904) 273-4442 PLAYGROUNDS ET&T Distributors ....................................(888) 642-2226 PLUMBERS AllWeather Contractors ......................(904) 379-4614 David Gray Plumbing, Heating & Air .......(904) 724-7211 DBK, Inc. .................................................(386) 860-0020 Lloyd’s Construction & Consulting, LLC .(904) 683-4468 Rolland Reash Plumbing .........................(904) 260-7059 Roto-Rooter..........................................(904) 354-7321 PLUMBING SUPPLIES Ferguson Enterprises ............................... (904) 398-0660 Moen Inc. ................................................ (407) 340-3249 POOL SERVICE, REPAIRS & RENOVATIONS Bass Companies ......................................(904) 635-6223 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 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 Atlantic Powder Coating..........................(904) 724-2422 Frattle Stairs and Rails ............................(904) 384-3495 PRESSURE WASHING AAPCO Florida .........................................(800) 728-2690 Atlantic Powder Coating..........................(904) 724-2422 AllWeather Contractors ......................(904) 379-4614 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 T. Maks International ..............................(904) 855-4188 PROPERTY MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE Property Solutions International, Inc. ............ (801) 375-5522 RealPage ................................................(972) 820-3000 ResMan ...................................................(972) 349-1406 PUBLIC RELATIONS Fancy Fox Designs ..................................(904) 537-5651 mbpr ......................................................(904) 424-6641
RESOURCE
GUIDE
PUMPS Ferguson Enterprises ...............................(904) 398-0660 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 Southland Waste/Republic ......................(904) 443-2000 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 Kevin’s Commercial / Residential Repairs, Inc. .. (904) 536-6566 Lloyd’s Construction & Consulting, LLC .(904) 683-4468 Ronin Contractors, LLC. ........................... (904) 219-9447 Spraggins Inc. .........................................(407) 770-2200 SweetWater Restoration ....................(904) 880-1919 The Renovation Group.............................(866) 417-7350 RENTAL RELOCATION Apartment & Condo Selector .................(904) 564-5622 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 RESEARCH/PLANNING Occupancy Edge ......................................(508) 977-7570 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 Integrity Restoration ...............................(904) 644-7878 Kevin’s Commercial / Residential Repairs, Inc. .. (904) 536-6566 Lloyd’s Construction & Consulting, LLC .(904) 683-4468 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 AllWeather Contractors ......................(904) 379-4614 Excel Roofing Contractors........................(904) 631-7663 Performance Roofing .........................(904) 224-3628 SRG Roofing ............................................(904) 377-0866 Sunshine State Coating, Inc. ...................(407) 933-8002 SweetWater Restoration ....................(904) 880-1919 Tillman Building Services ........................(904) 845-8280 Townsend Roofing & Const. Svs., Inc ............(904) 645-5887 SECURE ON-LINE RENTAL PAY RentPaidOnline .......................................(904) 599-2794 SECURITY, COURTESY OFFICER Signal 88 North Florida ...........................(904) 449-6104 SIDING AAPCO Florida .........................................(800) 728-2690 AllWeather Contractors ......................(904) 379-4614 Gutter Masters ........................................(904) 813-4388 Lloyd’s Construction & Consulting, LLC .(904) 683-4468 Ronin Contractors, LLC. ........................... (904) 219-9447
SIGNS, BANNERS & FLAGS Atlantic Powder Coating..........................(904) 724-2422 Giglio Signs .............................................(904) 396-9046 STAFFING Agility HR Group .....................................(904) 281-2105 BG Staffing .............................................(904) 224-5000 Career Strategies .....................................(904) 757-3456 TOWING Arlington Wrecker Service .......................(904) 695-0202 Adkison Towing ....................................(904) 260-3000 ASAP Towing & Storage Co., Inc................(904) 771-7111 TRADESHOW EVENT SERVICES Cort Furniture Rental...............................(904) 396-9000 TRAINING / EDUCATION Occupancy Edge ......................................(508) 977-7570 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 Bradburn Group, Inc. ..............................(407) 908-8001 AllWeather Contractors ......................(904) 379-4614 Creative Multi Care, Inc. ........................(904) 384-1047 Kevin’s Commercial / Residential Repairs, Inc. .. (904) 536-6566 Leonard’s Painting and Maintenance ......(904) 377-0961 Lloyd’s Construction & Consulting, LLC .(904) 683-4468 Restore24 ...............................................(904) 737-8673 Ronin Contractors, LLC ............................(904) 219-9447 Spraggins Inc. .........................................(407) 770-2200 Steve’s Painting & Maintenance ............. (904) 332-6805 UTILITY SUBMETERING NWP Services ..........................................(678) 612-8094 VALET TRASH SERVICE Invisible Waste Services ..........................(407) 509-1293 Skinner Waste Solutions .........................(904) 239-7222 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 Southland Waste/Republic ......................(904) 443-2000 Sunshine Recycling Inc............................(904) 838-2852 Tide Valet Waste ......................................(803) 216-0063 Waste Management Inc. of Florida .........(904) 894-4516 WATER MITIGATION Baxter Restoration, LLC ..........................(407) 580-0167 PuroClean Emergency Services ...............(904) 573-3566 SweetWater Restoration ....................(904) 880-1919 United Water Restoration Group, Inc. ......(386) 492-6904 WEB SITE DESIGN JOE Design, Inc ........................................(904) 501-9526 RealPage ................................................(972) 820-3000 WINDOW CLEANING Reflections Window Washing ..................(904) 322-8900 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 our online Resource Guide at www.fcaaonline.com
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2015
23
Customer Service for Breakfast By Charles Marshall / Humorous Motivational Speaker
For just a moment, forget about productivity. Forget about making your company more money. Forget getting a better performance review. To me, good customer service isn’t really about any of those things. To me, providing good customer service is about the person that I want to be. Think about the last time you were provided extraordinary customer service. A couple of weeks ago the kids at my house woke up with IHOP on the brain, and you know how it is, when you get something on your mind you have to have it. To be honest, I was on the fence about the whole thing. But then my wife, who is a stay-at-home mom and an excellent salesperson (I think that anybody who can talk a 10-yearold into eating his broccoli and being happy about it should be voted salesperson of the year), closes the deal by mentioning that she has a buy-one-get-one-free coupon, and quicker than you can say“chocolate chip pancakes,”we were all piled in the car and headed to the blue-roof restaurant. Shortly after we were seated, we were greeted by an upbeat, friendly waitress who introduced herself and took our drink order. Right about that time, my wife pipes up and tells the waitress that she has a coupon. I start to object but my wife tells me this is the proper thing to do--that you’re supposed to tell the wait staff you have a coupon before, not after, the meal. I decided not to argue the point for three reasons. 1
My wife is probably right
2
It doesn’t matter if she’s right or not, I’ve been married long enough to know to choose my battles carefully, and this is not the hill I want to die on
3
She’s going to do it anyway, whether I want her to or not
So, while she’s triumphantly displaying her coupon to the waitress, the waitress does a remarkable thing. She notices another coupon in my wife’s hand and tells us we can use BOTH coupons at the same time. What?! This is unheard of. A waitress taking the time and trouble to save me money? I’ve had waiters by the scores try to up-sell me. I’ve had waitresses by the dozens ignore me. But I honestly can’t remember any wait staff ever making any effort to watch out for my interests.
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As a direct result of this young lady’s behavior, we did several things. • We gave her a great tip. By the way, you should always tip on the pre-discounted amount. Why should the wait staff be penalized just because you got a discount, right? • We returned to IHOP a couple weeks later because our previous trip had been so positive • We remembered that waitress and looked for her the next time we went To me, all other things being equal, this particular IHOP experience was enjoyable because of our interaction with that waitress. We felt she was truly taking care of us, and you know what? We really like that feeling. Who doesn’t? But you’ll notice that IHOP is just the setting for my story. The real hero in my tale is the waitress. It was the person that made the difference. That’s the kind of person that I want to be in my business dealings—the kind of person that people can trust to take care of them, that customers seek out because they know they’ll be treated right. The sort of person that people remember long afterward. In short, the hero of the story. Isn’t that what we all want? Do you aspire to be an extra in somebody else’s life or do you want to be considered a star? Will you be one more face in someone else’s life, or the somebody that they look up to, respect, and talk about because you came to the rescue? What if you start thinking about the act of providing exceptional customer service less as something somebody else wants you to do, and more as the type of person that you want to be? How do you think that would impact your life? How do you think it would affect the respect that your coworkers give you? Your income? Your career? I believe you can choose to be whatever type of person you would like to be. I believe that if you choose to be a topnotch customer service type of person, then all the rest— the business growth, the money, the respect, the success— will soon follow. © 2014 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.
Running FOR RONI
Thank You to our Sponsors: Adkison Towing AllWeather Contractors ASAP Towing & Storage BG Staffing Demco Law Offices of Heist, Weisse & Wolk Lifestyle Flooring Milestone Management Redi Carpet WRH Realty Services
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2015
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by Brian Wolk, The Law Offices of Heist, Weisse & Wolk, PA b
LEGAL OR NOT? Many of our residents have been reading articles on the internet about the possible health problems related to secondhand smoke. In fact, a few of our residents have submitted complaints with our resident relations department due to the smoking habits of other residents. Our apartment building is not airtight. For example, if a resident is smoking on a patio, the smoke can either rise up to the apartment home above, or it can flow to other adjacent patios. The smoke can also simply enter under front doors of adjacent units. Yesterday, we received another complaint. The resident is complaining that smoke is drifting into his apartment home, because her next door neighbor has been smoking outside his front door. The complaining resident said that his wife is pregnant. I am woro ried that we will get sued unless we ban smoking. Do we have that right? ri
S Smokers are clearlyy not a protected class. Laws do not stop apartment communityy manaagers gers from restricting the places where your residents can smoke byy setting a required distance from the apartment building or even imposing an outright ban on smoking. Und fortunately, fo ortunately, iff these rules did not exist at the time your smoking resident signed the lease, most judges will not let you implement new rules and restrictions during the existing m lease le ease term. In a brand new apartment communityy with no residents yet in occupancy, yyou could more easilyy create rules. For instance, since smoke tends to travel upwards, yyou mayy wish to create non-smoking units in the lower level floor units or ban smoking in the common area breezewayy so the smoke does not flow under other residents’’ doors. Also, you can ban smoking for entire buildings. Please note that you must be careful when advertising a building as “smoke-free”, as there mayy be occasions when residents or guests will not follow those rules and will smoke. Do not let your stafff create unreasonable expectations, or you will have residents attempt to terminate their leases once they learn off some other resident or guest who was smoking. With respect to the resident who complained yesterday, you can consider offering to relocate him and his wife, or even let them out off the lease without penalty, iff the smoking problem continues.
A resident of ours is very lucky because his employer has been paying rent directly to our office for the past 6 months. Our apartment community has not instituted a policy restricting the acceptance checks from non-residents. No rent was received this month, so we served the resident a 3-day notice. The resident indicated she does not have sufficient funds to pay the rent. This morning, I called the resident’s office supervisor and asked if the rent would be paid by the business. He told me to stop calling him and hung up the phone. Can we file a collection action against the employer? Are we required to sue the employer in the pending eviction action?
Continued on Page 34
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NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2015
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4 Tips for Conserving Water with Drip Irrigation Continued from Page 8
Keep in mind these four tips when operating and caring for your drip irrigation system: 1
2
Keep drip lines covered with mulch A key to making a drip system last is keeping the lines covered with mulch or plant material. Tubing that’s exposed to the elements, like the sun, will eventually crack and create leaks. The spread of ground cover will naturally shield the tubing and preserve its life. Exposed areas should be covered with mulch or other material. Periodically for leaks and water coverage Since you won’t see water being sprayed on plants, it’s a good idea to check the system to ensure it’s adequately covering the area. When the emitters are activated, a small indicator device can be installed to show that the system is on and that the zone is active (check by uncovering dirt if water is being dispensed equally). If some areas are dry and others are not, an emitter may be bad or there may be a leak in the system that is disrupting water flow.
3
Don’t overrun the system It’s very possible to overwater on a drip system. Consumers typically think they have to irrigate longer because water comes out slower. However, running a drip system as long as a spray system will get the job done. The difference is that the plant will get more water than if it had been supplied by spray.
4
Keep an inventory of parts Repairs are typically easier on drip systems than underground rotary or spray systems. Keep extra flexible tubing and barbed fittings. Most repairs can be done with new tubing and fittings. Drip systems are a good investment for irrigating properties. If maintained properly, they can be an effective, long-term watering solution that saves money.
Chris Lee is President of Dallas, Texas-based Earthworks, which specializes in multifamily housing landscaping. He is a contributing author to Landscape Management magazine, licensed irrigation specialist and a Toro Intellisense certified technician. Chris studied business at the University of Arkansas from 1990-94 and horticulture and landscape design at Tarrant County College from 1999-01. He has been employed at Earthworks since 1998.
Project PAK SERVICE ®
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Your vision can be a reality & n help! we can
Whether your project is a simple upgrade or a full renovation, our professional Project Managers are ready to support you with a wide variety of products and services. We will walk your property and provide you with a detailed quote including a fully-priced overview page, individual per-unit quotes and custom order forms. Your quote will include product images to simplify the selection and ordering process. With your item selections and monthly projections, we will forecast your product needs for a smooth-running project.
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Call 888-632-6747 to speak to a Project Support specialist.
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NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2015
NOVEMBER DINNER MEETING
Besnik Ndregjoni received his CAMT certification
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2015
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How to Lose a Customer in 10 Seconds! By Rommel Anacan
I love the movie “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days” starring Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson, and I refer to the movie a lot in my seminars because I think people in sales can learn a lot from the movie... and many other “romcoms” too. (After all, you are trying to get a customer to fall in love with your community!) Recently, I have been watching clips of the movie while preparing a workshop for a client and it motivated me to write “How to Lose a Customer in 10 Seconds.” 1
When a customer calls in, act like you don’t know a thing about your company, product and/or service. Example “Hi, I’m calling about the apartment I saw on your ad on Craigslist...” You: “Ad?”
8
Approach every prospect like Ned Ryerson approaches Phil Connors from “Groundhog Day.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqSYC_ vwhDg
2
Say “Actually, I don’t know where the closest elementary school is. Why don’t you Google it?” OR, “You need directions? You can Google Maps it.”
9
Don’t follow up at all. Once they’re gonethey’re done!
10 3
When you sit down with a client DO NOT put down your cup of coffee and DO NOT offer her any coffee at all. Don’t. Even. Do. It.
When you’re alone in the office go to lunch at the busiest time of the day...after all, you need to eat too, right?
11 4
When a prospect walks in, SIGH audibly (I mean really loud), keep looking down at your computer screen, sigh again, before saying, “Can I help you?” as insincerely as you can.
In all that you do, be “that guy!” Correct your customer, even when you don’t have to. “You were interested in the Aspen floorplan? It’s actually called the Aspen Tree floorplan...and it’s 1,025 square feet and not 975...”
5
Do not ask detailed questions! If he doesn’t disclose his 100 pound great dane until he tries to move in, that’s his problem, right?
6
If someone is in an obvious rush, has told you she only has 30 minutes before she has to be back at work, be sure to give her the long and detailed tour of everything! After all, what does she know? If she doesn’t see the laundry room in Building H, she may not rent with you, right?
7
30
Present apartment options that are based on what you’re trying to get rid of, not what matches what your client is looking for.
JNAONVUEAMR BY E/R F/E D B RE C U EA M R YB E2R0 1 52 0 1 5
The sad part is we have all either been guilty of some (or all) of the things on the list, or we have interacted with people who have done these things! Remember, you are trying to win the heart of your customer ... not lose it! Like many of you, Rommel (pronounced “Roh-mel”) Anacan has been involved with the residential property management industry for years. Prior to founding The Relationship Difference Rommel worked at both the on-site and corporate levels, where he developed a reputation for solving common industry challenges in uncommon ways. Today, he works with leading companies and organizations nationwide as a speaker, trainer, writer, blogger and strategist, utilizing a “Win With People” message and approach that works. Rommel is also the co-host of The Multifamily Podcast.
SMOKE-FREE HOUSING IS
76% of renters prefer
88.1% of adults in St. Johns County do NOT smoke
Only 11.9% of adults in St. Johns County smoke
Smoke-free housing reduces the risk of fires, and reduces insurance premiums
Smokers cost more money Source: Smoke-Free Environments Law w Project
Average cost to clean a smoker’s apartment: $3,509 A
Most residents do NOT smoke
Average cost fo clean a non-smoker’s apartment: $558
smoke-free housing
Smoke-free
GOOD FOR BUSINESS
For more information on smoke-free housing, visit www.tobaccofreestjohns.com
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NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2015
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2015
33
by Brian Wolk, The Law Offices of Heist, Weisse & Wolk, PA b
LEGAL OR NOT? Continued from Page26
Yo have made many mistakes here. First, you need to have a clear written policy as to whether You or not you will accept checks from non-residents, and you must apply that policy consistently to avoid a fair housing lawsuit. Accepting checks from non-residents can cause a number of problems; bad check charges should not be applied to the resident’s ledger for a third party pr check that is dishonored, because the resident is not the maker of the check. It can take a while ch before you are notified that an out of town check has been dishonored. You also can run the be risk of creating a tenancy with a third party payer, particularly if the third party payer is residing ris in the unit, which does not appear to be the case here. It was also a mistake to call the resident’s employer. The fact that the rent was paid by this third party for the last six months in no way em means that you can discuss the resident’s debts with her employer. You are prohibited by law m from contacting a resident’s employer to discuss any debt or any aspect of the tenancy without the written permission of the resident. If the employer did not sign the lease or a separate guarantee of lease document, the employer has no ongoing obligation to pay the rent, and we would strongly recommend against naming the employer as a party in an eviction action or pursuing the employer in a collection action.
Last month there was a fire in one of our apartment homes. The resident that lived in the unit was slightly injured, suffering some minor burns. We believe the resident caused the fire, since it was a kitchen grease fire. The resident much to our chagrin has now hired an attorney. The attorney is demanding that we send her our insurance information along with the resident’s entire file. She is also alleging that the property has faulty smoke detectors, and that the smoke detectors are not regularly tested. What should we do?
You must contact your insurance carrier or risk management department immediately! By Yo failing to notify the insurance carrier in a timely fashion, coverage under the insurance policy fa may be jeopardized. You should not speak with the attorney. Within 30 days of the demand for m insurance information, the attorney is entitled to receive the name of your insurance carrier, in the name of each insured, the limits of liability coverage, a statement of the insurer indicating th anticipated coverage defenses, and a copy of the policy. It is imperative that you let your insuran ance company and lawyers deal with all of this. Your insurance company will likely obtain a an copy of the fire marshal’s report to see if fault was assessed to the resident. It is very important co at the lease outset to make notations on the move-in inspection report that the smoke detecto tors are in proper working condition. Notes should also be added to the file after each regular te test of the smoke detectors after move-in. If your files do not contain that information, then your company will be more vulnerable in any future lawsuit.
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NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2015
ENT SER LL
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MultiCare, Inc.
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A Creative Commitment
PERSONAL COMPUTING:
Making PCs Help, Not Hurt By Reid Goldsborough
Personal computers can help us a great deal. They can do a fair amount of harm too, if we’re not careful. The trick is, You have to use the technology. You can’t let it use you. PCs can help in lots of ways. A PC lets you communicate more efficiently than a typewriter or telephone. It helps you plan and budget more effectively than a calculator or table. It makes it possible to keep track of people and things more easily than a roster or list. It can gain you access to more research than the largest collection of periodicals or books. And it makes training more compelling than words and pictures naked on the page. In short, if you’re not so smart, PCs can make you look smart, and if you are smart, they can make you look smarter. PCs can also hurt in lots of ways, if you’re not smart in using them, psychologically, socially, and physically. People can and do become “addicted” to PCs and digital devices such as smartphones and tablets, becoming too dependent on them. One key test is whether your use of this technology improves the overall quality of your work, school, or personal life or degrades it. Just as overuse with activities such as shopping, being a sports fan, gambling, and much else can cause you to lose a job or partner, so can overuse of PCs and devices.
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NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2015
In young people overreliance on digital devices can also hamper social development. When there’s an easy social “hit” from your device or PC, this can cause you to be by yourself too much, preventing the full development of in-person social skills. PCs and devices can hurt the social lives of adults as well. In her book Alone Together: Why We Expect More From Technology and Less From Each Other, MIT psychologist Sherry Turkle writes that electronic communication for some can compromise the ability of having a real conversation and to reflect when you’re alone. Turkle believes that we’re giving human qualities to our devices and that we’re treating each other as things. PCs can also hurt us physically, and this goes beyond getting hit by one when someone throws theirs out the window in frustration. Whether you’re using a desktop or laptop PC, you typically use it while remaining relatively stationary, and not moving can cause problems. So can doing the same movement repeatedly for long periods. Both situatios can lead to repetitive stress on wrists, shoulders, necks, and backs and potentially painful and debilitating conditions.
The simple act of sitting for too long, whether at a PC or not, can cause problems. According to a study by Australia’s Sax Institute (www.45andup. org.au), people older than 45 who sit for more than 11 hours a day are 40 percent more likely to die within three years, and those who sit between 8 to 11 hours a day are 15 percent more likely to die, compared with those who sit less than 4 hours a day. Other researchers have found that physical inactivity increases the risks of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and back and neck problems. To avoid problems from sitting, some people do their computing while standing up. You have various options here. A height-adjustable desk, sometimes called a height-adjustable workstation, a hi-lo desk, or an ergonomic desk, can be adjusted to use when standing or sitting. They cost from several hundred to several thousand dollars. A standing desk, also called a stand-up desk, lets you work only standing up. With a laptop, you can also use a podium for this purpose.
But a new study by the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-07/hfae-lss071315.php) shows that standing in one place for too long can cause bone and muscle damage. Common problems faced by police officers, security guards, and others who have to stand in place include heel spurs and plantar fasciitis. Some people use a treadmill workstation, where you walk while you work on a PC, either a readymade version or one they put together themselves. But working like this, according to some, can compromise concentration. Perhaps the best solution is to simply take breaks. Stop what you’re doing every half hour or so and do something else, even if it’s just walking around or stretching. 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.
Alternately, you can fashion your own set-up for under $25 by placing on top of a desk a small end table that’s big enough for a laptop or tablet. A “Parsons End Table” from Walmart costs just $12 and works well.
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2015
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