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Facility cleaning executives at Bristow Public Schools, Bristow, Oklahoma, had been purchasing products from multiple vendors for some time. Each of the district’s four schools was also permitted to determine their own products and quantities. In the end, there was little direction or training as a result of using an annual bid system.
This practice resulted in less than acceptable conditions in the schools. There were also excessive amounts of school specific inventory being stored by the district in their central warehouse and school supply closets.
As a result, the district was searching for solutions that would increase staff productivity, prevent the individual schools in the district from exceeding budget levels, and improve the health and appearance of the school buildings. District leaders shared these goals with SupplyWorks Facility Maintenance Experts as the first step in finding a resolution.
The Facility Maintenance Experts engaged the district with the SupplyWorks In-Site for Education Analysis Program to acclimate themselves with the current state of the facilities, the maintenance program, processes and procedures, and the products being used. This included evaluating current resources and equipment, current spends and budget limitations, knowledge of the staff, urgency and administrative commitment.
A detailed report was created for benchmarking that provided unfiltered data in a number of areas. Guided by this data, SupplyWorks Facility Maintenance Experts provided the district with a plan that included:
• Remapping of order and purchasing process
• Standardization of products and dilution control system
• Quarterly training for building maintenance staff and principals
• Updating written processes and procedures
• Quality verification
• On-going building evaluations and business reviews
In the end, SupplyWorks provided clarity of cost drivers, operating cost savings, cultural awareness, immediate cost control stabilization and waste elimination. The savings gained from process improvements allowed the district to purchase much needed powered equipment such as automatic floor scrubbers and upgraded security hardware. Product standardization and on-going training of all staff members — including Principals, who are responsible for directing the custodians under their roof — has increased productivity and improved building health scores by more than 30 percent above initial benchmark scoring.
“With the SupplyWorks In-Site for Education program, our school building health scores have improved by 30 percent, and we have enjoyed enough savings to allow us to invest in much needed automated floor equipment,” says Jeanene Barnett, ED. D., superintendent for Bristow Public Schools. “The financial benefits are definitely a plus, but maintaining the health of our students is a top priority during this difficult flu and cold season.”