Nationwide Grocery Chain
Challenge
The logistics of managing over five million sq ft of space in eighty-four grocery stores across twenty states was challenging for the nationwide grocery store facilities maintenance organization. The chain’s facility managers sought a single-source provider that could handle its HVACR and building systems, scheduled preventive maintenance, unscheduled on-call repair/replacement services 24/7, as well as minor construction projects for the total building.
With the project partially funded by 5 percent of sales, the managed services provider needed to adhere to strict contractual requirements and stay within budgetary guidelines to keep the stores operational and fiscally responsible. Specific challenges faced by the nationwide grocery chain facilities maintenance group were to find a managed services provider that could:
• Organize and mobilize its in-field, trained and equipped
technicians, and their regional supervisors within a short,
two-week start-up period
• Meet a two-hour emergency response
time, even to the
remote locations of some installations
•
Qualify subcontractors with specialty skills in various
building
systems, including fire systems, security systems,
overhead
doors, automatic doors and generators, who were
capable of
responding 24/7
• Adhere to extensive reporting and invoicing requirements
Solution
The nationwide grocery chain solicited bids for the managed services
program, beginning with a pilot that included forty-one grocery stores
in nine states. If the pilot proved valuable, the program would be
expanded to other maintenance groups.
Nelson
Refrigeration (Nelson), a Hussmann company, had an extensive knowledge
of the chain store’s systems and equipment and an excellent business
relationship with the group’s management. The company had provided
HVACR service to the group for over twenty years and completed a
variety of construction projects including remodels, new stores and design-builds.
Faced with the daunting task of running multiple sites dispersed
across numerous states, the nationwide grocery chain sought to hire a
single-source service provider to handle its facilities management
needs.
January 2014.
A comprehensive solution meets agency specifications
Nelson approached Trane U.S. Inc. (Trane) about teaming up to submit
a proposal to the nationwide grocery chain. The two companies
partnered as a single-source provider to offer a comprehensive
solution to meet the bid specifications and requirements. Trane
offered integrated facility management and equipment maintenance
services experience, contract management and administration
capabilities, and enabled data management and call center services.
Nelson would perform all maintenance operations with field technicians
and regional supervisors, and planning, scheduling, safety management,
training, estimating and procurement.
Trane with Nelson
were awarded the bid to perform comprehensive facilities maintenance
services 24/7/365 in a centrally managed services program for the
supermarkets predominately located in the southeast region of the
United States. Management, supervision, mobile technicians, tools,
parts, materials, call and dispatch center, and Comfortsite, a
web-based facility data management system, are provided for
performance of:
• Maintenance and repairs of HVAC and refrigeration systems, cooler
and freezer cases, fire protection and life
safety systems,
security systems, electrical and plumbing systems and fixtures, dock
systems, wall systems, flooring, automatic sliding and overhead door
systems, commercial window systems, roof systems, and
interior/exterior lighting
• Restoration/renovation
projects
• Locksmith and key services
• Refrigerant
management services
Results
Trane and Nelson jointly organized to manage and deliver scheduled
and on-call unscheduled services for the nationwide grocery chain,
providing them with greater control over store assets. Implementation
of the forty-one store managed services pilot program proved
successful with improved facilities and equipment, and reduced
operating and capital expenses.
The Trane-Nelson team
delivered excellent quality of service and cost control performance
and developed outstanding customer business relations on the
nationwide grocery chain Facility Pilot Program. As a result, the
nationwide grocery chain used the pilot model to expand to other
grocery stores.
The return on investment for the managed
services program supported the nationwide grocery chain’s decision to
source whole facility maintenance services for the remaining stores in
three other regions of the U.S. In addition to the forty-one original
pilot stores, the Nelson-Trane team is now providing services for
forty-three additional stores located in eleven states, contributing
to the chain’s business mission.
