Happy New Year!
Now that we are past the holidays and into a new year it’s time to dig out your elevator contract (if you can find it) for review. If you can’t find it just ring up your local account representative and have him/her run a copy down to you.
I can tell you the call will immediately create a suspicion in the service contractors’ mind that you are looking for cancellation terms and that may not be a bad thing.
After you have found your contract look for the following:
1. Who wrote the contract?
If it’s a standard one written on the contractors’ paper, start looking for cancellation terms immediately. Even if you’re satisfied with the service it’s time to get the contract written on your paper. In the elevator business one size doesn’t fit all except for the contractor. If it’s cancellable this year note the time terms, condition and date and make a note to send out the “Dear John” letter when applicable. In the meantime contact a consultant and have them write a contract specific to your equipment with terms more favorable to you. Note here that the contract STILL needs to be on your paper even if you’re happy with the service. Things can change rapidly, besides a good contractor will not worry about this kind of thing.
2. If you still have more than one year on the contract call your service supplier and ask for a meeting detailing any increases in the contract and noting any changes they intend to make for the year.
3. If the contract is cancellable this year you should still call your contractor in for an audit and a meeting to discuss any changes or increases that you will experience prior to the cancellation. You can let them know of your intent to cancel and rewrite the contract…or not.
4. During the meeting ask for suggestions of upgrades that would enhance the service or extend the life of your conveyance system. Ask them how long they expect the system to last. Ask them if those upgrades will be compatible with a full modernization at a later date.
5. Can they come up with five and ten year plans?
6. Ask what it would take to bring your conveyance system into compliance with current codes. (fire alarms, ADA, etc.)
7. Ask if they need an increase in the number of hours dedicated to the preventive maintenance. If so how many? How Much, and Why?
8. Ask them what changes your organization could implement to make things go more smoothly. Remember, this is a partnership, if you’re getting good service it’s important that they are happy too.
9. Find out when the yearly audit is scheduled. You may want to put this ahead of any meetings in order to better understand your contractor’s recommendations.
All of this will send the signal to your service contractor that they are an important part of your team. It will also give them an opportunity to sell upgrades and possibly make servicing your conveyance system a little easier.
Finally I think you should update your paperwork file.
Get copies of the following:
1. Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for all chemicals used and stored on your site in the course of elevator maintenance.
2. A maintenance plan for each piece of equipment for the following year.
3. A copy of the maintenance record for each piece of equipment for last year. (for your files NOT the one they keep in the machine room)
4. Make sure you have copies of all prints in the machine rooms AND in your files as well.
5. Copies of all tests performed in the last year.
6. Copies of state inspection reports for each elevator.
7. Copies of photographs from the audit.
This should allow you to easily stay on top of things during the next year.
Again Happy New Year! And let’s look forward to a long uninterrupted year!
As always, any ideas, input or comments are appreciated. Especially want to thank my regular readers fro your emails and compliments.
For now I’ll leave you with the following quotes:
Suppose you were an idiot, and suppose you were a member of Congress; but I repeat myself. Mark Twain
Or
I wish to thank my parents for making it all possible... and I wish to thank my children for making it necessary. Victor Borge
Don’t forget to email me (elevatorernie@hotmail.com). Your suggestions and questions are always welcome.
Thank you,
Ernie
