Whatever it Takes!
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Celebrating our Employees!
Going above and beyond the call of duty, our employees are dedicated to the concept of doing "Whatever it Takes!" to make our customers successful and satisfied.
Our values are extremely important to us, and we operate and live by them every day. Honesty and integrity, along with hard work and appreciation, form the foundation of our long-lasting relationships. Service Management Systems is proud of our people, our diversity and our culture. Take a few minutes to scroll through some of the successes and accolades our employees, management and teams have received this recently.
The 'Whatever it Takes!' Award
Each quarter, our employees and management nominate the coworkers or employees that impressed them most! By going above and beyond their daily job duties or by showing their dedication to our company’s core values, these employees were nominated for the Whatever it Takes! (WIT) Employee of the Quarter Award. From these nominations, each employee is then considered for the prestigious WIT Employee of the Year Award.Quarter 4, 2023 Awardees:
Bonnie Decker
Greater Clark County Schools (Jeffersonville, IN) – Kevin Gleason's Division
Bonnie is a valuable asset to SMS at Greater Clark County Schools. Her primary focus is the recruiting efforts within the 20-building school district of 80+ employees. She works hard and shows her loyalty to both the account and SMS. We all know the challenges that are faced with hiring employees within the workforce and Bonnie continues to strive every single day with a positive can-do attitude. She does ‘Whatever it Takes’ to fulfill her role and responsibilities, and it is an absolute pleasure working with her each and every day.
Nominated by: Bruce Hoffmaster Jr., Division Manager
Lincoln Phongsavan
Bridge Street Town Centre (Huntsville, AL) – David Shultis' Division Nominated by: Michael Parsons, Operations Manager
Lincoln was hired as a part-time Porter at Bridge Street back in June of 2023. He is a full-time college student and a part-time youth pastor at his church. Lincoln is a deeply honest and respectful employee, always willing to step in and help with whatever task is at hand. Within a week of starting he became the most efficient daytime Porter on staff – understanding what was required of him personally and what the customer expectations for the property were. As time went on, Lincoln has volunteered to assist our Maintenance Technician with a wide variety of tasks – from painting, to lightbulb replacement, to stripping floors. He has also been cross-training as a Pressure Washer and will likely be moved into that position once his school ends in January. Lincoln's dedication and hard work, coupled with his ‘Whatever It Takes’ attitude reflect the highest standards of his personal beliefs and the company's core values. He is a perfect candidate for this honor.
Nominated by: Michael Parsons, Operations Manager
Unsung Heroes 2023 Team Awardees:
For Employee Appreciation Week 2023, SMS introduced a new annual award that recognizes one team from each of our two divisions nationwide which have continually and positively influenced their customer's location from behind the scenes. Whether someone is looking or not, these teams display a positive attitude, a willingness to do "Whatever it Takes!" every day, and a commitment to providing consistent, quality services.
Deptford Mall | Housekeeping Team
Deptford, NJ
How has this team shown consistently strong performance?
"This is a great display of teamwork! You can see it consistently. I was recently conversing with the Facility Manager, Alvaro, and he reminded me that Trudy was one of the employees who assisted him with some training when he first started at Deptford. The team is always on point: there are where they are supposed to be, and doing what they are supposed to be doing. The property is always at a very high standard and shows well!"
In what way has the team worked beyond the normal requirements of their jobs to provide excellent customer service?
"The client is very engaged in how we go about our workday. They are very comfortable and confident in our ability to get things done without worry. This is because of the great leadership on all levels."
Is there an issue, problem, or situation that the site / team successfully addressed? Describe a specific instance, project, or challenge where the team exemplified their special contribution or innovative solution.
"At this account, we are not responsible for the exterior. However, the appearance was not being maintained very well. The client requested our assistance and our team jumped into action immediately! They got the parking lot cleaned up so well, we have now been tasked with the exterior support with additional hours. This is the perfect example of how providing high-quality services can grow our company."
-Nominated by Cecil Sloley, Division Manager
The Woodland Shopping Center | Housekeeping and Maintenance Teams
Grand Rapids, MI
How has this team shown consistently strong performance?
"This team continues to perform outstandingly in all aspects. The team completes all training on time and uses our internal platforms to document and deliver results to the client. On every visit, the program shines whether it's SMS or PRIET executives. There is no getting ready with this team because they are always ready. They are ready to help with any additional task and never look for extra recognition."
In what way has the team worked beyond the normal requirements of their jobs to provide excellent customer service?
"This team is always willing to go above and beyond in any unexpected situation that is thrown at them. I continually hear from the clients how impressed they are with the leadership and the team members. They are the definition of teamwork."
Is there an issue, problem, or situation that the site / team successfully addressed? Describe a specific instance, project, or challenge where the team exemplified their special contribution or innovative solution.
"This is a challenging location with staffing due to wages. However, because of the team chemistry, many of the workers will remain with SMS."
-Nominated by David Shultis, Division Vice President
Milestones
Two of the greatest Core Values we feel our employees exhibit are Hard Work and Loyalty, and are some of the driving forces behind our company's success. This is evident in the Milestones reached each month.Congratulations to the following employee who has reached a significant SMS Milestone Anniversary in March 2024!
- Michael Duff
- Jerome Sumo
- Benita Guzman
- Jwiane Smith
5 Year Milestones
- No 10 Year Milestones this month.
10 Year Milestones
- Lorraine Harrison (25)
- Stanley Amaker (20)
15+ Year Milestones
The Horizons Award
The Horizons Award is our most prestigious award, given to Service Management Systems leads and directors for achieving quality, safety and productivity goals. Winners are honored at our annual leadership meeting and receive an etched crystal trophy and a $1,000 prize.
Facility Manager, Deptford Mall – Deptford, NJ
Alvaro Gomez is an example of the American Dream, and Service Management Systems is proud to be part of Alvaro’s story. After migrating to the United States, Alvaro Gomez’ first employer in 2006 was Service Management Systems. Alvaro quickly rose through the ranks from supervisor to Facility Manager at Deptford Mall in New Jersey. He is a high-performing Facility Manager with a positive attitude, and has the respect of his team because he’s a hands-on Manager. SMS lost the account due to pricing constraints in 2012; however, a few years passed, and SMS was re-awarded the contract in 2020. When asked his opinion from mall management on who they should select as janitorial provider, he did not hesitate to endorse the return of SMS.
Although housekeeping staffing hours at Deptford Mall have dropped over the years, Alvaro maximizes his team's output and keeps the property looking great. Macerich, our client at Deptford Mall, has 100% confidence in Alvaro and gives him high praise on every visit and high inspection scores. It starts with restroom entrances, equipment cleanliness, his office, breakroom, and employee appearance. Alvaro does a fantastic job maintaining all equipment and has one of SMS's most organized storage areas.
Alvaro is strong-willed, honest, diligent, tenacious, humble, and a man of faith. He embodies all the SMS core values and is an excellent choice for the 2022 Horizons Award!
Just a few more examples of how our managers, employees and teams go above and beyond every day. Scroll through the Success Stories below to read more about how our teams are doing "Whatever it Takes!" to deliver excellent customer service.