How to increase your ROI — 7 Things Your Contractor Doesn’t Want You To Know: Part Two

#3  Puddles of Water

It’s easy to overlook the puddles of water that accumulate each night after the floor is cleaned. You chalk it up to, “at least the floor is clean,” right? WRONG! Most floors, especially older ones, have some sagging areas that allow for standing water. Did you know that from a liability standpoint, puddles of water are one of the biggest issues found in a kitchen? Not only does it allow for a breeding ground of toxic bacteria that can potentially contaminate your food—water also penetrates grout and begins to break down the bond between the tile and grout, allowing loose tiles and subfloor damage. If you’re looking to maximize your ROI, remember to make sure your floors are sloped to dry!

#4  WIC/WIF

A damaged/malfunctioning walk-in cooler or walk-in freezer can mean a lot of things—none of which are good for your bottom line. Whether the issues have manifested themselves in the form of discoloration on the walls, rust, missing base tiles, or a squishy floor, these signs should immediately raise a red flag. The number one issue with a malfunctioning walk-in is the risk of contamination and foodborne illness, due to the unsanitary conditions, and inability to maintain temperature. Once water has penetrated the walk-in floor, you’ve opened yourself up to a huge liability. Can you imagine the negative publicity you’d receive if there were multiple cases of food poisoning? Not to mention the cost of replacing all of that contaminated food. If you’re looking to increase your ROI, make sure you’re looking in your walk-ins!

#5  Stained Walls & Windows

How many of you walk by the same water stain every week? Well, water doesn’t usually get better with time—it gets worse. There are clear signs when you are having an issue with moisture, like the other “M” word—mold. We all know the ramifications of mold, but did you know it can be easily avoided? Does your staff perform walk-throughs and look at walls and baseboards throughout the facility? If they do, what are they looking for—wavy spots on the walls, minor discolorations, or missing base tile? These are all signs of excessive moisture and larger problems. One way to eliminate the additional expenses of costly remediation is to be proactive with walk-throughs, and address minor issues before they become major problems.

#6  What is that odor?

We’ve all been there—the “what’s that smell” moment that immediately signals our noses to lead us on a search to discover that foul scent that seems to encompass the entire area. To our dismay, we rarely find it. You may not know that those noxious fumes can be caused by a number of things in your facility—improper cleaning procedures, trapped grease or food in the grout lines, stagnate water sitting on the floor. Are you seeing a common theme? Along with being a beacon for negative points with the Health Inspector, have you considered how unappealing a foul odor is for potential clients and their families? Chances are you can increase capacity if you decrease those foul odors!

#7  Downtime vs Cost

Have you had your kitchen offline for several meals while work was going on? How many thousands of dollars did it cost to have breakfast, lunch, and dinner catered for your residents? Was it worth the additional headache? RFS performs 99% of it’s work at night, keeping your kitchen and dining room operational. It’s vital to find a company that aligns with your needs—no disruptions to your residents. Doing your homework and finding out how a company operates can have a huge impact on your ROI.