Upgrading to high-quality facilities operations for a nationwide grocer

A nationwide grocery chain struggled to maintain consistent, high-quality facilities operations at its 450 locations. Each of the grocer’s locations was responsible for its own facilities maintenance operations. However, without a consistent program in place, the grocery chain had no standards for diagnosing problems, sourcing and dispatching providers, service follow up, or invoice handling. Over time, brand quality suffered across the grocer’s entire portfolio. After a thorough review and consultation, SMS Assist developed a facilities program that centralized the company’s facilities operations, created new efficiencies, and gave it the tools to spend more effectively.

Challenge

The grocer had no system in place to manage its facilities program and the flow of its facilities spend categories. Since each store was left to its own devices to source and manage service providers, service quality was often inconsistent, with providers delivering lackluster fixes—and often off-schedule. Inconsistent service quality across the grocer’s 450 locations led to a decline in overall presentation and brand quality, which risked damage to customer trust.

Solution

In a strategic realignment of its approach to facilities management, SMS Assist orchestrated a series of comprehensive measures for the grocer. This included a specialized point of contact, a network of service providers, and access to around-the-clock operational and subject matter experts ensured continuous support through varied channels. By implementing a forward-looking maintenance strategy, SMS Assist proactively extended the lifespan of pivotal assets, diminishing the need for reactive repairs while increasing efficiency, dependability, and overall operational efficacy.

• ​Established a single point of contact: Whenever the grocer has a facilities need, store managers know they can get in touch with a dedicated contact—one with expert knowledge of their portfolio and unique maintenance needs.
• ​Connected the grocer to a network of 20,000 vetted providers: SMS Assist removed the trouble, time wasted, and the uncertainty involved in finding the right provider for any given maintenance request. This network of trusted, qualified, and insured service providers is available for work in 55 trades.
• ​Provided 24/7/365 access to operations and subject matter experts: In-house teams of facilities experts are always available to the grocer to diagnose an issue, review quotes and proposals, and offer personalized support. Expert help is available over a dedicated hotline, via email, or through the customer portal.
• ​Rolled out a preventative maintenance plan: The plan extended the life of mission-critical assets like HVAC units and refrigeration systems and reduced the need for sudden, reactive repairs.
• ​Improved first-time fix rates: Correctly identifying an issue and dispatching exactly the right provider is key to getting it fixed the first time. SMS Assist's work order triage and dispatch processes greatly reduced the need for return trips, boosting location performance and optimizing spend.
• ​Connected all work, assets, and stakeholders in one place: The grocer had no widespread, centralized tool for managing facilities work or sharing important knowledge with its teams. One by SMS Assist™ became a single source of truth for anything happening at the grocer’s locations.

Outcome

The program put in place by SMS Assist saw immediate returns for the grocer. This included streamlining and centralizing facilities operations for all 450 locations while improving the first-time fix rate to 82% within the first year. This helped to minimize reactive maintenance and free up funds for capital projects, which numbered 257 in the first year alone. Now the grocer has consistent, high-quality facilities operations at its locations.

A well-functioning maintenance strategy is essential to the success of any modern-day facilities portfolio. To make sure your facilities maintenance strategy is meeting your needs, request a demo to learn more about how our programs can help you.