They work late into the night, long after most associates have closed their planners and powered down their computers at the Central Support Office. That’s when partner Lori Case and cleaner Diamond Dallas are hard at work. Their efforts over the last eight months are on full display in every office, hallway and conference room. We brought our physical facility work in-house last May and immediately noticed major improvements.
Partner and Senior VP of Recruiting Chris Jemo oversees the in-house cleaning team. He says, in hindsight, he wishes we would have fired our vendor earlier.
“It’s like anything. In the eight years since I joined the company, we’ve probably gone through 16 different cleaning companies,” Chris said. “The difference is simple. Our people care and take ownership.”
Lori transitioned from grounds in our Dayton market, a position she held for more than a decade before earning a promotion to facility specialist. Her attention to detail was just what the CSO needed.
“I wasn’t sure if I would be as busy as I was at the properties, but there are so many details in this building. I wanted to make sure we took ownership and were the best of the best,” Lori said. “It’s important that we’re proud of the work we do and how we do it.”
Her teammate, Diamond, joined The Connor Group part-time and originally planned to stay with the company for about six months. But those six months have quickly come and gone.
“I enjoy talking to everyone. I love interacting with everyone every day. A lot of companies say they will appreciate you, but here it’s real. The Winners’ Circle cards, the R&R, people are really grateful,” Diamond said.
“I’ve built relationships with associates. We talk about our kids, events, recipes, you name it. Alex Klein in Kids & Community Partners even went out of his way to make sure I registered for the preventative health screenings last fall. That meant a lot to me.”
Lori and Chris walk the CSO twice per week, checking to ensure the entire building is up to standard. On these walks, their attention to detail led to some major changes. Desk cleanings at the CSO are now completed monthly instead of quarterly.
“Just thought you should know, my desk has never been this clean before!” partner and general counsel Kevin Hyland wrote in an email to Lori. “Thank you for the efforts of you and your team; they are not being overlooked.”
Inside the locker rooms, Lori identified another opportunity to raise the bar, noticing a backlog of dirty laundry.
“We noticed the towels in the locker rooms were overflowing at times. Our vendor was only coming once per week. When we crunched the numbers, we realized bringing this service in-house would save money and enhance our physical facilities,” Chris said.
There’s not one corner of the office Lori or Diamond overlook. From cleaning dog fur out of the crevices of the hallways to removing a wasp nest from the second-floor balcony or identifying lights that need replacing – this pair has proven they’re dedicated to delivering a spotless CSO.
Larry Connor sums it up best, “This is the best the Central Office has ever looked.”