Last year, the maintenance budget at Terracina in Denver was facing a potentially devastating hit. Work orders were piling up as multiple residents reported their fireplaces would no longer light up. To make matters worse, the manufacturer for these specific fireplaces had gone out of business during the pandemic, removing any hope of finding original replacement parts.
The solution of replacing the fireplaces with a brand-new unit looked more and more likely. With a unit cost of around $600, replacing each faulty fireplace on the property would cost about $30,000!
Lead tech Jimmy Stastny was determined to find a solution. He took it upon himself to disassemble one of the fireplaces in an empty unit to see what he could learn. Upon closer inspection and multiple nights researching parts, he came away with a suspicion the DC power supply was something he could quickly troubleshoot. Since no original parts were available, he ordered a $14 part on Amazon to test. Two days later, he had the part in hand for the moment of truth.
“This particular part was meant to power LED light strips,” said Jimmy. “When I finally swapped the part and kicked the unit on, I was excited to see it fire right up.”
It was a success! While Jimmy’s persistence may have surprised even himself, it came as no surprise to partner and area manager Jessica Clark.
“After two other people told me there was no fix, I was elated but absolutely not surprised Jimmy figured it out,” Jessica said. “He thinks outside the box and doesn’t give up.”
This outside-the-box thinking saved the Terracina team not only costs but also time. On top of all the additional expenses, Jimmy estimates that replacing a single fireplace unit would have been at least a two-day job. Repairing one fireplace with the new part only takes 15 minutes and dramatically impacts our customer service.
“The fact that he was able to fix these units builds trust in our team,” said Jessica. “The residents love Jimmy, and they know when he says he will take care of them, he absolutely means it.”
For Jimmy’s efforts, Jessica bought him a bass guitar off his R&R wishlist.
“He understands why we do things the way we do them and buys into our process 100 percent,” said Jessica. “He is a leader who exemplifies our core values, and he is a hoot to be around!”
As for Jimmy, he continues to provide customer service at a level worthy of inspiring others. When asked to impart some of his wisdom, he had this to say.
“Don’t give up and be willing to think outside the box,” said Jimmy. “We’re here to find the solutions, so always trust your abilities.”