Page 12 - CooperatorNews NY January 2021

12 COOPERATORNEWS — JANUARY 2021 COOPERATORNEWS.COM 100+ Years / 380+ Buildings / 1000s of Satisfied Owners, Residents and Boards l State-of-the-Art Financial Reporting l Responsiveness & Communication are Our Top Priorities l Leader in Technology & Compliance Tracking l Energy Auctions & Volume Purchasing to Reduce Building Costs l Long-Term Continuity of Managers & Systems l Greening NYC One Building at a Time Management for the Ages 675 Third Ave. New York, NY 10017 212-370-9200 ellimanpm.com info@ellimanpm.com RANKED #1 RESIDENTIAL MANAGEMENT COMPANY IN NYC EllimanRethink_NEW_DEPM ad_V1.indd 1 4/18/19 11:46 AM From a family-owned business that truly cares FOR 50 YEARS , OUR DEDICATION TO SERVICE HAS BEEN AUTOMATIC 1-800-THE-WASH AUTOMATICINDUSTRIES.COM common. People are under much greater stress—especially those who already had problems. We did a lot of Zoom calls with our building staff and maintenance peo- ple to keep them updated on protocols and changes in policies, as well as how to deal with people. And we did it so they could give each other emotional support. Every day became a support group for all types of staff.” “Good customer service skills are very important right now,” says Nolan. “Let’s face it, 2020 has been a whirlwind of a year, with many people working from home, many people jobless, children learning for the first time via Zoom and other online platforms...it’s changed the lives of many. Our routines have been disturbed, which makes people uncom- fortable, irritable at times, and fearful for the future. We have to understand that when clients might have more of an edgy tone to their emails or phone calls, it’s not necessarily us, but just the current state of the country.” Focusing on solid customer service, mutual patience, and de-escalating tense exchanges when they occur can go a long way toward reduc- ing stress for everyone on all sides of the equation. Wollman says he’s learned to value and implement patience and collabora- tion, and uses an apt metaphor: “We had to adapt to an ever-changing wheel with- out reinventing it every day. And it wasn’t my wheel, the wheel I built over my ca- reer. It was the Governor’s wheel, or De- partment of Health’s wheel. But we had to keep everyone safe—employees, staff, and residents. That’s my responsibility as I view it. So, I have to figure out how to do that—how do we do that.” As the very first doses of the desper- ately awaited vaccine are distributed across the country, we’re finally seeing a light at the end of a very long, dark tun- nel. But even with the ray of hope that vaccinations offer, the pandemic remains ongoing—and continues to impact the way managers manage their properties, their staffs, and themselves. Time will tell how soon—if ever—we’ll be able to return to some place of normalcy, but un- til then, multifamily managers will keep soldiering on, supporting their staff and client communities as we all do our best to hold it together. n AJ Sidransky is a staff writer/reporter for CooperatorNews, and a published novelist. MANAGEMENT... continued from page 10 allows for fewer unanticipated shutdowns due to failure of the equipment. Th e cost of maintenance is worth the long-term gains.” Keeping systems in top shape is the key to keeping both operating and capital costs under control. Regularly scheduled inspec- tion and maintenance are the keys to that control. Inspections are done primarily by man- agement and staff , and by vendors provid- ing maintenance contracts to condominium associations and co-op corporations. Few inspections are done by state or municipal authorities (the exception being elevators). While vendors’ contractual obligations usu- ally include monthly inspections, state in- spectors in most states (including New York and Massachusetts) visit annually to make sure elevators are in top shape as required by state regulations. Both Wollman and Wolf explain that most systems such as boilers, HVAC ma- chinery, roofs, facades, and other major building components are subject to what might be called a two-tier inspection system. In practical terms, building staff —manag- ers or on-site employees, such as supers or custodians—do a cursory inspection on an almost daily basis. Is the system working? Are there leaks? Is there obvious damage from some kind of malfunction? If spotted, these situations are reported to the manage- ment coordinator, and then to the vendor in charge. On a more structured basis, ven- dors—including elevator companies—in- spect systems on a pretty consistent month- ly basis. If any emergency repairs need to be made, they are completed immediately. More generalized maintenance is done on a schedule that’s more convenient and in line with other seasonal work. Boiler work tends to be completed dur- ing the summer, when the need for heat is at its lowest level. Conversely, work on HVAC systems is usually done in the winter, when cooling isn’t required. If a building has an in- tegrated system providing both heating and cooling, scheduling may be a bit trickier— but it still must be done. Roofs and facades are inspected fi rst by staff and management by ‘eyeballing.’ As is the case with boilers and HVAC systems, if the building super or other staff member spots a potential problem during their daily or weekly rounds, vendors are contacted to complete a more detailed inspection, and ac- tions are taken to make whatever repairs are indicated. Even inspections for Local Law 11 facade work in New York City are completed by vendors, who then report compliance to municipal authorities. Wolf mentions that in more suburban properties where there are parking lots and interior roads to take into consideration, in- spections of those elements are conducted at INSPECTION... continued from page 1 continued on page 14