Operate Intelligently Podcast

Our last episode was for technicians, so today we’re sharing a common-sense approach for facility managers. Bob and Tony talk about how FMs are much more than just fixers, but they have a critical role and responsibility that impacts lives in their organization. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Bob and Tony dive into four basic maintenance hacks/Bob’s pet peeves and share some wisdom on how maintenance professionals can take good care of their facilities and assets. You’ll not only learn more about grease guns, light bulbs, air filters and channel locks, but also who created the first thermostat! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Bob and Tony are joined by a special guest, Mary Beth Ormiston, to talk about age in the workforce. Is it really just a number or does it differentiate us? Learn more about how age can affect the way you work and the key to finding synergy within the diverse range of ages in the workforce today. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It’s National Energy Awareness Month, and Bob and Tony are excited to talk energy! Listen in to learn some small ways to save big on energy and utilities by focusing on awareness and behavior first. You’ll also learn what the color of the “black box” in planes actually is…the answer may surprise you. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Today, Bob and Tony share their tips and tricks for budgeting and how to get buy-in from your organizational leaders for your projects and resource needs. Learn how to tell your unique budgeting story and align it to your organization’s mission to close the perception gap. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Today, we’ve got a lot on our minds. It’s the 16th anniversary of 9/11, and we’re in the midst of Hurricane Harvey clean-up and bracing for Hurricane Irma. Bob and Tony talk about how to effectively prepare for a natural disaster and what you need to know and document after the event. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Someone once said, “One only needs two tools in life: WD-40 to make things go and duct tape to make them stop.” On this episode, Bob and Tony share a little more history and interesting uses for these beloved products. Find out why they were created and how you can use them in everything from rockets to fishing lures. Email us at dspodcast@dudesolutions.com with your duct tape or WD-40 uses or thoughts! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week, Bob and Tony offer some tips and solutions for the skilled trade shortage, including virtual coaching, learning management systems, online manuals, and more to utilize technology and data to prevent equipment failure. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

What do the moon landing and the skilled trade shortage have in common? Find out that and much more as Bob and Tony share their thoughts about dealing with contractors, investing in young people and using technology to prepare for/survive the silver tsunami. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We all know that our buildings and infrastructure aren’t getting any younger, so how do we best take care of them with limited resources? In Episode 51, we offer tips for using preventive maintenance and capital planning to care for aging facilities, while telling your building’s unique story through data. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We are kicking our podcast back off for Episode 50 with the dynamic duo of Bob and Tony back in the studio! They talk about the main challenges facing facility departments today and what you should be considering when it comes to the retiring workforce, contractors, costs, new technology and more. SHOW NOTES: Facility Juggler: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MA5-GDGUBXA New technology: XOEye and Help Lightning Bridging the Gap infographic See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

As much as we may have wished against it, winter is near once again.  No matter what kinds of conditions you may be expecting to face this year, the preparations you make now will have a definite impact on how successfully you and your organization can deal with the challenges.  In our latest podcast, we provide some handy tips, tricks and general planning guidelines that can help you get on top of winter before winter gets on top of you. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Weather-related disasters can be among the most devastating situations any facility manager will face.  But like most unexpected events, being prepared is the biggest key to success.  In this podcast, Bob "Papa Dude" Bittner provides some simple but important tips to making sure your facility is ready in the event of an emergency.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Aaaaannnnnd, WE’RE BACK! Happy 2016, Dudecast listeners!Bob starts the year off by doing a 2015 year in review of The Dude and exciting things to come in 2016. He and Grace also chat about what our facility managers are most worried about and top things they are trying to accomplish this year. What does my budget look like? What should I be tracking more of this year? How do I start my never ending “to do” list?Join us as we tackle these topics in our first episode of the year! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

For our last podcast of the year, Ray and Bob wanted to address some of the biggest things that Facility Managers lose sleep over every night. Do you find yourself not having enough time in the day to handle all of your tasks? Do you have a hard time keeping up with the ever-changing trends and technologies? Has your budget been cut? And those are just a few...!Join us as we discuss how to take these issues head on and sleep like a baby in 2016! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We are back this week to talk more about Customer Service and what that means to the facility maintenance professional. Ray and Bob talk about what it really means to take service to the next level in the day to day operations. How can you make a lasting impression on your “customers”? What are the little things that you can do that will drastically improve the way your team is perceived? When are you really DONE with a job? It is easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the everyday hectic that is a facility manager’s daily life, but taking a few moments to focus on the service aspect of the job can really make a difference.Take a few minutes to listen in and learn how to step up your service game! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week, Grace Tester is back in the studio talking about what it takes to deliver great customer service. Like it or not, facility managers have to be able to use these skills to make sure they are not only maintaining building operations, but that the requests received are treated in the best possible way. Are you really listening to what the problem is? Is your team properly communicating back to the person making a request? Do you know who your “customer “ is ? How do you deal with a situation “when the customer is not always right”? Grace shares insight from her years in the service industry and goes over the key traits to creating and maintaining a customer service organization.Take a few minutes to listen in…and remember that we will be taking a week away from the podcast while we are traveling for Thanksgiving, but will be back in 2 weeks! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week Bob and Ray K start thinking about what the holidays mean for a facility manager. How do you deal with shutting down a facility for 3-4 days? Who is on call? Have you prepped your buildings for no occupancy? Even if you are a 24/7 operation there are still things to think about when it comes to this time of year.Take a few minutes to listen in to start making your list and checking it twice! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week Bob and Ray K are talking about leadership. What does it mean to be a good leader? How do you look out for your team long term? Why do some managers fail in when given the chance to lead? How do you gain trust and respect from your team? Bob shares stories from his 20 plus years of experience and lays out a checklist of things to keep in mind when taking on that management role!Take a few minutes to listen in… See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We always love to have visitors and this week Mary Beth Ormiston joins Bob and Ray K in the studio to help remind all of our facility managers out there about ways to minimize risk as we move into winter. No matter what part of the country you are in, there will probably be some kind of preparation that goes into this change in season and sometimes we forget about the risk management side of things. Is your team properly trained for the upcoming preventive work? Have you gone over proper protocols and procedures that go along with it? What are some of the more risky jobs that we need to take care of?It may be risky business, but someone has to do it… Be sure to listen in and make sure you have dotted your i’s and crossed all of your t’s! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.