Grapevine

15 October 2021

Welcome to this week’s Grapevine, the place to get your bitesize FM updates in one place, in a handy five-minute read.

Got a story for us? Please send news stories & press releases to: newsdesk@twinfm.com.

Kings Secure Technologies Appoints New Head of Solutions Sales

Guy Tucker has been appointed Head of Solutions Sales at Kings Secure Technologies (KST). Guy’s role is to develop and execute a sales strategy that delivers sustained growth across the Kings Secure Technologies group of companies, combining all its service line expertise into strategically defined new sectors.

A particular focus will be to increase brand awareness of KST’s unique and innovative solutions which utilise our layered technology, DYMENSiON, to deliver consistently high levels of service and drive cost efficiencies utilising trend and data analytics.

Guy has over 25 years’ experience as a sales and bid professional in the FM industry. His career has been spent with just two FM providers where he has built a successful track record of leading complex, multifunctional teams in the securing of £multi-million contracts across a range of industry sectors. The knowledge and experience Guy brings will be invaluable to the development and success of KST’s sales and bid teams for the future.

Customer focused and with strong leadership and communication skills, Guy’s strengths are in building relationships and instilling confidence in the KST brand. He is relishing the challenge of working with the Board to realise the ambitions and goals that the company is striving to achieve over the next 3 years and beyond.

“This is an outstanding opportunity to join a business that is challenging the traditional and dated security methods employed for so many years. It is an exciting time for the industry as KST promote technology led solutions to keep businesses safe and secure, whilst providing management information designed to help our customers achieve their business objectives. We are embarking on an incredible journey and I’m delighted to bring my passion, enthusiasm and drive to help achieve our vision” said Guy of his appointment.

QuoteOnSite at The Cleaning Show

Whilst most FM companies have professional bids and tender processes, responses to customer requests for additional work or one-off jobs can be more ad hoc, and dependent on the person preparing the quote. Responses can be slow and new business opportunities missed, as account managers often rely on back-off teams to provide Microsoft Office documents.

QuoteOnSite’s professional quoting and proposal software helps FM companies improve profitability and cash flow through increased quote conversion rate. Branded online templates ensure consistent quotes can be delivered promptly from wherever you are and followed up automatically.

QuoteOnSite also increases quotation efficiency, allowing you to define the workflow and prevent bottlenecks to speed up the quoting process. Banish excel, word, pdf, email and verbal quotes with software that is powerful and easy to use on mobile devices, increasing the productivity of your team and ensuring new business opportunities are always captured.

Customers can accept and sign quotes at the click of a button, with all information including Ts & Cs to hand, allowing faster acceptance. Analytics provide an overview of profit margin by quote, user or company in real-time and heat maps track where customers engage, providing insight to improve future quotes.

QuoteOnSite will be be exhibiting at The Cleaning Show for the first time so visit us on Stand G10 to find out how we can help you grow your business. Alternatively, call 01792 823 615 or email info@quoteonsite.com.

Novus Gain Double Awards Delight

Leading property maintenance and construction contractor Novus Property Solutions has earned a double delight by achieving not one but two Finalists places at the prestigious Construction Marketing Awards. The accolade is a considerable achievement, given the record number of entries to this year’s Awards, up by 30% on the 2020 total. The Awards showcase the construction industry’s creativity, innovation, and effectiveness in marketing. Being on the list of finalists is a badge of honour, and the companies who have succeeded in securing shortlist spots wear it with pride.

Gaining recognition in both the Best Contractor Marketing Campaign category and Best Stakeholder/Internal Communications Campaign category from hundreds of entries, the company has been selected for the strategies that were put in place to support colleagues and clients throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.

Given Novus’ geographical spread throughout Great Britain, as well as the large number of employees placed on the govt. furlough scheme or working from home, the business implemented a targeted campaign to ensure all colleagues were supported both in their roles and also with their wellbeing. The campaign, which ran from March 2020 until August 2021, covered role specific training and support as well as activities, exercises and mindfulness sessions from Novus’ Health and Wellbeing Coach. Particular emphasis was placed on keeping colleagues throughout England, Wales, and Scotland up to date with current legislation specific to the devolved parliaments.

The Awards, now in their 21^st year, will be taking place on Thursday 2^nd December at the London Hilton Bankside.

8 October 2021

Mitie Becomes a Construct Zero Business Champion to Drive the Decarbonisation of Britain

Mitie, has been named a Business Champion for the Construct Zero Performance Framework, the Construction Leadership Council’s (CLC) initiative to ensure construction and facilities management businesses play a bigger role in helping decarbonise Britain’s built environment.

Mitie’s appointment as a Business Champion is testament to its sustainability leadership and its commitment to support the decarbonisation of Britain by using its expertise to help other businesses achieve their net zero targets.

The Construct Zero Performance Framework consists of a set of commitments the Business Champions have made to help their customers cut carbon emissions, such as helping retrofit buildings to increase their energy efficiency and installing electric vehicle (EV) charge points to support the nation’s switch to EVs.

As part of the initiative, the CLC will collect data to track the progress towards the commitments. This will also be used to encourage businesses to compare how they stack up to the rest of the construction and facilities management sector and create healthy competition in the drive to decarbonise Britain.

To be a Construct Zero Business Champion, organisations must provide evidence of their net zero target and the initiatives they are implementing to become more sustainable. Businesses that have been selected as Champions will work closely with the Construction Leadership Council to share guidance and best practice for the benefit of the construction and facilities management industries and in turn their clients.

Kath Fontana, Managing Director, Projects, Mitie, said: “We’re thrilled to have been appointed Business Champion for the Construct Zero initiative. Mitie is committed to fighting climate change by leading the industry in sustainability and sharing our expertise so that more businesses can reduce their environmental impact too. This recognition from the CLC demonstrates that we’re delivering on this commitment.”

WILA Confirmed as Carbon Neutral Organisation

Innovative lighting specialist WILA Lighting is celebrating its green credentials with the confirmation of its status as a Carbon Neutral company.

The standard is awarded by Carbon Footprint Ltd; an organisation working with blue-chip and mid-market companies to support them in reducing their carbon emissions and engaging in carbon offsetting.

As part of its work, Carbon Footprint Ltd awards an industry-recognised standard to those companies that can demonstrate their carbon footprint status. To achieve this, organisations must complete a carbon footprint appraisal.

For 2021, WILA has gone one step further and has been recognised at the highest level of Carbon Neutral+ standard. This makes them an exemplary organisation within the lighting industry, demonstrating their commitment to supporting a range of additional environmental projects.

Since 2008 when WILA committed to a carbon offsetting programme, the organisation has reduced its carbon emissions by an impressive 84%. This demonstrates the company’s true dedication to not only offsetting to neutralise, but also actively reducing their initial output, which they have achieved significantly over the past 13 years.

As part of their carbon-neutral activity, WILA has chosen to support a UK tree planting project. In addition to VCS offset – a project that aims to reduce deforestation in Brazil – trees will be planted that will sequester carbon over their lifetime, as well as providing habitats for wildlife.

Matt Vogel, Managing Director from WILA said: “We’re very proud of our work over the past decade to offset our carbon emissions, as well as significantly reducing our initial output. Our team has worked hard to achieve the Carbon Neutral+ Standard, and we continue to be committed to being more sustainable in our activities and processes.”

ADSA Welcomes New Apprentices

The Automatic Door Suppliers Association (ADSA) has welcomed a second cohort to its Powered Pedestrian Door Technician Apprenticeship delivered by South Staffordshire College.

The group of 16 met for their first classroom session at the Tamworth campus at the end of September...following in the footsteps of cohort one which has begun its final year of study.

Said ADSA Managing Director, Ken Price: "We are delighted to welcome students to the second cohort of the PPD Technician Apprenticeship in Staffordshire. We now have a total of 26 apprentices progressing their study at the start of their careers within the industry.

"In creating the apprenticeship, we sought to bridge a skills gap for the industry and develop a future workforce that would put quality standards at the heart of its delivery. We are pleased that the sector has responded so positively. It is clear that there is an appetite to invest in the development of those coming into the business.

The cohort two includes newcomers from Access Solutions Northern Ltd, Bolton Gate, Entec Door Services, MGS, Kone Cranes, JWL Doors Ltd, ADC, Record UK and Crucial Engineering.

"The apprenticeship is available to all industry-related companies, not just ADSA members," adds Ken. "Our mission is to promote the highest standards in the manufacture, specification, installation and service of automatic doors and that applies to everyone involved in it."