Administration

Understanding customer needs and concerns and working to meet and exceed them builds trust and a good working relationship.

I build relationships with our customers/vendors by helping them through situations they have and/or providing adequate information when needed.

Treat customers with respect. Be honest and open.

I demonstrate customer focus by listening, understanding customer needs, treating them with respect, guiding them through processes and delivery methods, providing honest communication/feedback, and following through/up on my commitments. 

Communication, reliability, honesty, and availability.

I show customer focus by spending a little time getting to know customers as people, understanding their needs for a project, and alleviating stress around the service we are providing by staying on top of things and always communicating – both the good and the bad.

Building relationships with each individual customer that meets their needs and personalities demonstrates customer focus. By doing so, the customer feels welcome and respected.

I build relationships by listening to what the customer is saying, being empathetic to their needs, and understanding that their perceptions are the reality for them and what they are going through. By doing this, the customer understands that you really care and want to meet their needs in a timely fashion, in turn allowing them to gain respect for what you do.

I email customers.

I let the occupant know when the work is scheduled to be done.

For many jobs, I contact the requester, and on some occasions, such as with more complex work orders, I arrange a site visit with the requester to plan the work together in person.

Before the work begins, we meet with the person requesting the work to find out what they need done and make sure we know all of the needs of the customer before the work begins. Once the work is complete, I  inspect the work and speak with the customer to make sure it’s been done properly, meeting their expectations.

When I receive a work order request, I return the request with a call to ask the customer what their needs are and whey they need the request completed.

I speak to the customer in person or by email.

I give the customer a call and confirm that I received a work order. Then I ask if there are any concerns I need to address before completing the work order.

I demonstrate customer focus by going personally to the contact to see what their expectations are for the work order. This assures that it will be done in the manner in which they want.

If I have questions, I email the contact.

I email the customer to advise them I have the work order and that it has been/or is being scheduled.

With other than a routine request, I will let the customer know the progress of the work and when it is done. Sometimes I have included pictures.

I make sure the customer has my contact information and advise them to please contact me if they have any concerns.

I provide my contact information, including my Lync/Skype number and email address, welcome the customer to contact me at any time for any reason, and then I explain my offset schedule.

By letting them know we got the work order done, any problems we encountered, and that we value their business.

I will contact the customer to judge their satisfaction level.

Innovation is important because it can minimize injuries and save customers money. 

Innovation is important at F&S as it allows us to continuously improve the efficiency, timeliness, and quality of work that we can provide our customers.

F&S is not just a service provider; we are researchers as well. New products, equipment, tools, and techniques are continually being developed that can and will improve efficiencies and extend the useful life of the universities physical environment supporting our mission. We should embrace them.

Innovation is important because it encourages individuals to find new ways to solve problems, further develop their critical thinking skills, and also perform tasks more efficiently for greater benefits.

The absence of innovation breeds stagnation. Without open-mindedness towards new approaches to old problems, the problems become routine. And routine problems dampen and diminish work towards progress and growth.

Innovation allows for F&S to adopt efficiencies and provide better service to our customers.

Innovation is necessary to allow for continuous improvement to all the processes, procedures and programs we use and perform at F&S. It allows us to find more efficient & more organized ways to perform our work.

F&S faces many challenges across campus, and without innovation, it would be impossible to successfully handle some of these challenges.

An example of innovation in the workplace is finding new ways to more effectively track and schedule work. Combining this with customer communications allows for a greater understanding of job delivery capabilities.

In this day of fast-paced communication, it is critical that F&S look for innovative ways to communicate to our customers. In Capital Programs, our processes are complicated, and we need to continuously search for better ways to communicate the time it takes to plan, design and build a capital construction project.

Innovation is important because new ideas change the way we work and live, such as completing tasks more efficiently, being more environmentally friendly, setting up preventive maintenance to prevent breakdowns, and making jobs safer. If you are innovative, you can do more with less.

Innovation is important at F&S as we have limited resources with which to take care of a large physical environment as well as all of the Faculty and staff expectations.

Innovation at F&S is extremely important. Everyone here has an opportunity to make an impact throughout the whole campus and suggest creative improvements. I believe I provide innovative solutions on a regular basis as challenges are presented to me.

Describe a time you were innovative in your work?

A few years ago shop 23 built cast iron radiator movers which prevented injuries. When we heard about the latest technology on sprinkler systems, we asked for training. Now we can install Vicflex hoses on branch lines of fire suppression systems. This method is faster, so it saves the customer money.

Creating and implementing the Contractor Pricing Proposal app enables contractors in the Contractor Services Program to submit quotes electronically through the my.FS portal. This application provides consistency and reduces entry error. As we perform a proposal risk assessment and evaluation, it provides an avenue for us to electronically go directly back to the contractor for further documentation and answers. In addition, we now have greatly improved reporting on the contractor, divisions of work and trades being utilized in the Contractor Services Program.

I created a new method for my office to inventory accessibility deficiencies on campus using ArcGIS Online.

Yesterday I took an innovative approach towards a bike in the Campus Bike Center that I wasn’t able to fix. Instead of saying “no” to those who asked about the bike, I explained to a customer that it required certain tools and methods that I wasn’t familiar with. He was okay with that, and now he’s going to build the bike with some of his own tools. So instead of a bike gathering dust and an unhappy customer, we’ll both learn about the bike as we repair it together, and he’ll ride away happy. And we’ll have both broadened our mechanical skills.

I am working on being innovative in my work by looking at new ways to organize work across all F&S divisions so that projects are efficient, cost effective & not in conflict with one another. In addition, we hope that a new software program will help with the efficiency & organization of design submittal reviews for capital projects.

An example of innovation in the workplace is finding new ways to more effectively track and schedule work. Combining this with customer communications allows for a greater understanding of job delivery capabilities.

We are working to develop web-based tools for campus clients to use to gain a better understanding of the steps that are required in the life of a construction project.

With the FY17 budget recession, we reorganized to reduce positions and work within our budget constraints.

I deliver value to F&S customers by lending them a helping hand or just informing them of the projects that we have going on within the area.

I deliver value to F&S customers by scheduling work and providing resources such as tools, technical knowledge, and labor to accomplish work.

We deliver value to customers by responding promptly, leaving the job site clean, and communicating with customers.

I deliver value to our customers by working with a large team to execute service delivery in the most efficient manner. In that pursuit, we work on being responsive to customers as well as work to achieve effective communication that is desired.

I feel I deliver value to F&S customers when I provide solutions in the form of products and services which empower them to help themselves to the information they need and thus enabling them to work efficiently and effectively.

I believe value is delivered to customers through consistent quality service and communication that they have learned they can depend on.

I deliver value to F&S customers by always being prompt and efficient. Furthermore, I always try to make sure that I respond to customers with respect. Every question or request is important to the customer who asks it, so even if it’s something I’ve dealt with 100 times before, it’s still really crucial that I respond with consideration and due diligence.

Value is delivered by listening to the customer’s requirements and asking follow-up questions when necessary. I also do my research to understand the customer’s job duties. From that, I try to deliver data and information that will aid the customer in getting their work accomplished.

I deliver value to customers by giving them what they need in a timely manner to the best of my ability. I only focus on them when they ask a question and attempt to not only give them what they need but offer other suggestions.

I deliver value to customers by trying to get them at a minimum exactly what they want, when they want it, and in the format in which they want it. I try to add value by offering options that I think may meet their needs better, in case they didn’t know about those alternate options.

I try to deliver value to F&S customers by communicating with them to make sure their message comes across clearly, speaking to them in a respectful manner, and overall attempting to give my best work to them.

Delivering value to customers is to maintain the consistency of the service before and after the product has been purchased. We must understand exactly what the customer needs and must work to deliver a little more than what the customer asked for but still keeping the cost within the budget.

Delivering value means taking the time to listen to the customer and understanding their wants and needs.

Delivering value is about offering suggestions if you see a way to improve anything that would be of value to the customer.

“Operational Excellence” is the “glue” that holds F&S together and can be easily identified by our customers by the service level we provide. I deliver value by explaining our expectations and demonstrating excellent service delivery for customer satisfaction. To borrow a power pack phrase from George B. Wright, “you have to inspect what you expect” regarding what your service level should be and hold and maintain accountability. It’s the only way to bring sustainable change to the organization. Accountability must be part of the “Glue.”

Our mission and vision form a desirable foundation by encouraging us to give our best service to the university and all who use it.

Vision creates a high-level objective for the organization’s employees by helping to establish a foundation for where Facilities & Services is going and what the organization wants to become.

The mission helps guide employees in the organization, offering more specific, but general, directives for how the organization will achieve its vision.

The vision and mission, supported by values and guiding principles, help to establish a foundation for the organization and provide employees with the basis from which to build as they perform their duties and responsibilities for Facilities & Services.

Vision is something that is important to keep in mind when trying to uphold the Mission Statement. Customer service is extremely valuable, especially in Facilities Information Resources (FIR) where the work we provide to the rest of F&S is used to help other employees do their jobs more efficiently.

Since F&S is formed mainly for the University of Illinois, it really is our job to create a better environment for the students and faculty who are here on campus. The Mission Statement is truly the reason behind why F&S exists.

It seems like the vision relates to how we relate to our customers, and the mission seems higher level or an end goal. It a stating what doing our work will create for the university.

It serves to remind me personally that first and foremost we are here to support the physical infrastructure of the university, which is only here to support students and staff in their endeavors to learn, pass on knowledge, and push boundaries. And to do this, we provide our services in a quality manner so that campus “wants” to choose us (rather than outsource) to help build and maintain this first class institution. I keep in mind the final “customer” (who can sometimes seem pretty far away), and that everything I do plays a role in the quality of service F&S provides to those customers.

Our mission provides a foundation for how Facilities & Services should work together with the University of Illinois, while our vision is the foundation to what we as one group strive to do for our current and prospective clients.

I think F&S’s mission and vision form a basis for our work by providing us with the broader goal of providing a campus environment that benefits learning and research.

Our mission and vision form a foundation for our work in that they provide both a clear, concrete focus and a gold standard toward which to strive in our everyday tasks and interactions. By addressing the needs of the UIUC community in a timely, efficient, and accurate manner, we not only support the learning, discovery, engagement, and economic development of the community, but also demonstrate ourselves to be a valuable resource and active contributor to the betterment and support of the university.

The F&S mission and vision form a foundation for our work by providing accurate data and maintaining the various utilities that keep the campus running efficiently. The F&S Mission helps in the physical maintenance and development of the campus by directly engaging with the various departments and providing data/utilities. The F&S vision is a code for all F&S employees to be responsive and reliable to the customers, develop trust with the people we work with, and produce a high quality of work.

Our physical environment is well tuned for production and engagement. The community is linked at various points for efficient communication, be it over network infrastructure or physically next to each other, to promote teamwork and a group effort in continuing development of an atmosphere that promotes efficiency and mutual benefit. By working together, we ascertain the learning and discovery necessary to improve ourselves and the university.

Facilities & Services continues to prioritize its customers and the service it provides before anything else. We are here to be available and reliable for other members of the community, and our endgame relies on us maintaining the most efficient pathways for them to attain their goal.

The Mission needs to inform about not only the big picture but the small, day-to-day decisions, too. It is a supportive role, but also one that requires some effort and commitment. We offer hands-on learning in a less passive environment than the regular lecture-study-test-grade system. Without an eye toward our Mission, our work is rudderless, and our reputation and standing as an organization is jeopardized.

The “highly valued” qualifier is the most important part of our Vision statement. Being highly valued takes a commitment beyond simply completing work orders or service tickets, and that is, I think, where we want to be as an organization—valued because of and beyond the service we supply. That is achievable in the human element, engaging the people for which our services are provided, and is integral in the future of the organization.

Our mission and vision form a foundation for learning, discovery, engagement, and economic development in a number of ways. F&S has exemplified these characteristics through partnerships with industry leaders, businesses, and engagement with customers across campus and in the outlying community. Facilities & Services plays a vital role in producing the fruits of labor that result from these partnerships and also ensure positive economic development not just for the university as an organization, but its campus body and outlying community.

F&S impacts every part of campus and is relied upon to keep the core purpose of the university possible. If we lose sight of our mission and do not strive to meet it every day, in every project, and in every interaction with the campus community, we fail to adequately support the university.

The Mission is the reason we are here, as in defining why we exist. We exist to provide and maintain a physical environment that is conducive to supporting learning, discovery, engagement, and economic development at the University of Illinois. We provide the support of the physical facilities as a support component for all other departments on campus. We were hired and are paid to care for the physical facilities for this campus.

Our vision is how we desire for us as a unit to be. We want to see ourselves and be seen as a responsive, reliable, and highly valued service provider. We strive to achieve this daily.

Trust means no matter when and who you talk to in management, you can trust that they have you in their best interest.

Trust is the faith and confidence one feels about a reliable person, process, or organization. What a wonderful feeling it is when any of us discover that we have earned the trust of another person, or that we contribute to a process or organization which has come to be trusted!

“Treating others as we would like to be treated” is the basic building block or foundation of trust and is a good starting point for getting to know one another. My thought is reach out, open up, and get to know as many of those you work with as possible. Only then can we trust one another. 

Sometimes trust can mean managing people’s expectations. For us in F&S, we know the challenges of building, fixing, replacing, and upgrading, and we know the process takes time.  If we are open, honest, and direct with our clients across campus, they will know what to expect during a construction project. 

Trust means having no doubts that any situation will be taken care.

Trust in the work place means I believe in the reliability, honesty, and strength of character in those I work alongside.

Having trust in my employees enables me to focus on the duties and priorities that are expected of me.

Trust means that when someone doubts what I’m doing, what I did, or what I intended by something I said or wrote, they give me the benefit of the doubt. They don’t jump to conclusions. They pause and talk to me to get more information and better understand the situation.

It’s the faith we put into something and/or someone else.

Trust is a form of currency in the workplace. We are in a team environment, and trustworthy teams are energetic, talent rich, creative, and respectful. Without trust, the team dynamics fail and effective results are in short supply.

Trust is not granted by what we say, but earned through our actions and intentions.

Trust means that my colleagues believe that my work and expertise matter, as I believe their work and expertise matter.

At work, trust means that I can count on someone to complete a task correctly and on time.

Trust means having the confidence in someone or something to do or complete what is said or agreed upon.

In my unit, trust means knowing we are each part of a fabulous team that has each other’s back. We trust that when one of us needs a ball caught, someone else will catch it. Together we will get it done.

Trust means to tell the truth, even when it is not popular to do so.

Trust is something between workers and management. They should “have each other’s back.” When there is no trust between the ranks, the working relationship is severed.

Trust is something that is not given but earned. It all starts with a genuine caring intent followed by your capabilities, skill, knowledge, and effort to produce results as promised or set forth.

Respect means saying hello to all and having a smile.

Respect means always treating others the way you would like to be treated, no matter what the situation.

Respect is treating someone how you would like to be treated.

“RESPECT” . . . Is believing in the GOOD IN OTHERS and giving them support and encouragement. When you give “RESPECT” you usually get “RESPECT” in return. Working towards building a good relationship / being flexible and not seeking my own interest but that of the other person.

Respect means care and consideration for others around you, and taking other opinions into account when making decisions.

Respect is treating each other with courtesy, kindness, and consideration.  It is valuing the contributions made by others and letting them know they are appreciated.

“RESPECT” means . . . HONORING, LISTENING, SUPPORTING and CARING about all people and the differences that make us unique. Includes BUILDING A STRONG BOND OF TRUST and BELIEF IN PEOPLE. Always doing the right thing on behalf of others and expecting the same in return.

Respect is a line of trust, integrity, and other values that make up a healthy relationship. Respect is fundamental in all relationships.

To me, respect means that we recognize the worth of all people, regardless of our differences.

Understanding and appreciating that everyone here has a job that is part of the whole is what respect means to me. There is no one job more or less important than anyone else’s. It takes everyone here to be successful at what we do.

Respect in the work place is an admiration of a colleague’s skills, qualities, and ability to contribute to the success of the organization. Mutual respect amongst colleagues is important for good team dynamics as we work together for the overall success of the organization.

This word “RESPECT” is a very powerful word and difficult to put into words. I hope you understand what it means to me “RESPECT” that is what it means to me (smile).

Accountability means being held responsible and accepting responsibility for your actions.

Accountability stems from the word account. Simply put, it means that everyone is a portion of a summed total.

Accountability means being held responsible for your actions when possibly breaking or willingly ignoring a policy.

Accountability means showing up, but more than that, being responsible for my work.

Accountability means taking responsibility for your actions and do not expect everyone else to make changes or modifications for your personal shortcomings.

Accountability means that I can be depended on by my coworkers and supervisors.

 “Accountability” has two components: An individual must first accept accountability by clearly understanding the boundary of her or his responsibility and what is expected; the employee must then act responsibly.

Accountability means take credit for your successes AND your mistakes.

Accountability is about taking responsibility for your work and seeing things through to the end.

Accountability means we stand behind our work and make sure it is the best for our community.

Accountability means being able to depend, rely, and trust in someone to do something efficiently and effectively with little to no supervision or direction. Having the faith in someone that something will get accomplished accurately.

Accountability means being trustworthy and reliable.

Accountability refers to your obligations and responsibilities (not only professionally but also in your personal life) and can be taken to a higher level by striving to do your best in all things. The person you are most “accountable” to is yourself. Knowing that you did your best and gave it your all, 100% of the time can really give you a sense of great accomplishment and pride.

Accountability should not be associated with punishment but instead as a tool for improving performance.

Accountability is based upon commitment to one another. It involves providing/receiving feedback from fellow co-workers for the good of all.  It applies to safety, productivity, quality of work, and consistency with approved procedures.  Further, it applies to words, behaviors and attitudes. Accountability protects us from the dangers and disadvantages of working in a vacuum.

Accountability is about taking personable responsibility for your actions.

When I hear the statement “I’m going to hold you accountable”, I initially think of accountability as punitive, a negative, uh oh what did I do wrong. But in actuality, to be successful, accountability should be a portion of my daily plan, my daily actions. I am entrusted, depended upon to do what’s right, to do what I’m supposed to be doing and perform in the manner that best represents F&S and the university on a daily basis.

I strive to set and be a good example of accountability in all my work activities and in life itself day to day. Accountability starts with me and hopefully my example encourages others I come in contact with on the job and in real life. For me, it means holding myself accountable in my actions and standing up for what’s right every time, even when it may be unpopular. As a leader, being accountable for my actions, activities, and work assignments is setting the example in life to help others to be successful.

Sound moral and ethical principles. A quality of honesty and high moral values.

Integrity means that what I do can be relied on by others; that it is authentic and honest and won’t need to be second-guessed or rehashed.

An individual with integrity performs consistently at a high level and can be relied upon to do so. They will strive to inform customers, be honest with them, and treat them with respect and courtesy.

Integrity, or lack thereof, is what you do or how you act when no one is there to hold you accountable. It comes from within. It is an internal self-regulator with no need of external policing.  

Having integrity is being trustworthy and respectable.

Integrity to me means we steward the university’s assets and knowledge to offer the world the greatest learning and labor environment for the most noble cause – educating humanity. We unconditionally offer this to humanity with an uncompromised sense of integrity. It is the way we have embarked upon our journey for 150 years and we will continue. It is the only way we know how to move forward.

One can say that a person is integral when that person stays true to his/her values and beliefs under any given circumstance. A person with integrity is honest, dedicated, and has a clear view of what is right and wrong.

Integrity means: doing what’s right when nobody knows.

Being honest and doing the right thing even when no one is looking.

Integrity…means….one who exemplifies…..”THE RIGHT STUFF”….

Being honest and having strong moral principles.

Integrity means “Walking the TALK” . . . Our walk must match our talk. We need to “LIVE IT”” . . .
Whether we’re conscience of it or not, deep down we know our “WORD” must match our “ACTIONS” and everything starts with our “WORD.”

Teamwork is what happens when a group is formed, members of which have individual strengths and skill sets, to collaborate and work towards a solution to a common problem or to reach a desired goal.

Putting “team” before “you.”

Understanding that working with and actively supporting your team gets everyone to the goal faster and cheaper with a better end result.

Trusting that your teammates are all doing the best they can with their responsibilities.

Trusting before judging.

The ability to come together as one by supporting and working together efficiently and effectively to achieve a common goal(s).  Teamwork makes the dream work.

Teamwork is being able to come together for a common goal regardless of whether you like someone or not.

Teamwork means that you have a person or a crew that have your back when you fall short on a goal or a task. 

Working together to get the job done – big jobs, small jobs, all jobs. Teamwork is always about the TEAM, we must always appreciate the people we work with and their contribution – no matter how big or how small. Everyone plays a part in getting things done – no one man or woman does it all – or in the same way or at the same pace. Learn from our teammates, teach our teammates, be thankful, shower appreciation on everyone, smile, and always lift one another up.

Simply put – Each one in the group contributes.

The teamwork perspective means to esteem the presence and contributions of others with as much validity as my own. It takes a team to achieve the vision.

Teamwork means to work together as a team and gladly help each other out. Together we can.

To me, teamwork means working together with a group of people to achieve a common goal. Good team players work together to combine individual strengths to make the team even stronger.

Teamwork is working together by helping each other through sharing information, mentoring, giving the advice, supporting someone when (s)he is quite well, and also when (s)he is down, giving a helping hand whenever and wherever needed – on a regular basis, every day.

Together Everyone Accomplishes More Work . . . through a common thread: focus, inclusive of a common direction, purpose, goal, support, encouragement, willing and ready to assist when and where needed, always with a positive attitude.

Safety means being able to perform your task and duties safely.

Safety is a focused activity involving conscience when making decisions regarding our action in all activities. We consciously think in advance and consider the best safety practices before going forward with an activity in our work or life focusing on understanding the dangers, risk, hazards, involved in any/all activities and actively reducing, avoiding, and eliminating things/situations /elements that pose a threat to me, you, or others.

Safety is making an individual commitment to be safe and work safely so that our efforts contribute to a safe workplace and the environment around us. In doing so, we encourages safety for everyone.

Being safe is not just for my benefit, but for everyone’s benefit.

Safety is as important to a job as are the tools I use.

Safety is understanding and knowing the risk and being properly educated to manage and reduce the risk.

Safety is something that both the employees and supervisors are responsible for. If an employee points out a safety issue the supervisor should act on it by fixing it.

Safety defines, acknowledges, involves, and recognizes your contribution to the work environment.

Safety is a mindset; you don’t just act on safety, you live safety.

Safety is not just for work, it’s for home and every place else in my life.

Safety at work means not taking chances when it comes to my health and well-being or the health and well-being of those around me. Everyone can be safe if they make the effort.

It’s more important to do your work safely than it is to do it quickly. There should be no cutting corners when it comes to being safe.

Safety means following all the policies and procedures that have been set up to ensure my health and welfare.