2024's Winter Compliance Trends: How Industry Giants Are Setting New Standards in Facilities Management

According to BOMA International, contractors and retailers collectively spend over $2 billion annually on damages resulting from inadequate fall cleanup and pre-winter preparation.

Recently there's been a widely adopted solution that has swept the facilities management industry. Retailers and contractors alike have embraced a crowdsourced solution that has revolutionized their approach to compliance and cost management. This solution has not only eliminated unnecessary expenses but has also propelled companies like Dollar General, Chase Bank, and Home Depot to achieve compliance goals like never before.

By integrating crowdsourced inspections, these industry leaders have saved millions, gained unprecedented transparency, and identified opportunities for immediate improvements and quality control.

How Facility Managers Are Cutting Costs and Closing the Compliance Gap

These two latest trends underscore the pivotal role of real-time monitoring and accountability during the winter season. This approach is transforming how the facilities management industry as a whole prepare for and respond to winter challenges.

By leveraging crowdsourced technology, facility managers can enhance their strategies, ensuring that every aspect of winter preparedness—from proactive measures to post-storm assessments—is executed with precision and efficiency.

Embracing these practices is not just about staying ahead—it's about setting new standards in operational excellence.

How it works:

• Site visit requests are submitted through an online portal.
• Requests are dispatched to iVueit's mobile app, which alerts nearby Vuers (users) to complete a “Vue” for a payout.
• Vuers complete and submit the request directly through the app.
• Submitted requests are reviewed by a quality control team, who escalate any identified issues.
• After review, clients can view, manage, export, and access a timeline of all past site visits, including a blend of photos, videos, surveys, and measurement reports.

Trend #1: Visual Compliance for Winter Property Protection

Fall Cleanup & Pre-Winter Assessments

Ensuring that snow removal equipment is functional and that proactive maintenance measures are in place should be top of mind for facility managers. The Vuer Network provides invaluable support by capturing detailed photos and timestamps of site conditions, creating a reliable record of your winter readiness efforts.

October-November: Conduct initial Vue requests at each location to ensure grounds are free of debris, including fallen leaves.Neglecting leaf cleanup can lead to clogged drainage systems, which increases the risk of water damage and hazardous ice buildup during winter storms. By addressing these issues now, you can prevent costly damage and ensure the site remains safe and functional throughout the winter.

October-November: Revisit any sites where prior work orders were issued to confirm completion to your standards. Document current conditions to support potential future claims.

November-March: Perform on-demand inspections at all locations affected by winter weather to verify that measures, such as ice application, are completed according to contract agreements.

Real-Time Monitoring

During the storm, it is essential to monitor snow removal operations and verify that snow piles are placed in designated areas. Accessibility checks are critical to ensure that ADA spots, entrances, and exits remain clear of snow, and safety signs remain visible. Real-time updates from the Vuer Network offer on-demand verification, confirming that all tasks are performed as required and holding vendors accountable for their responsibilities.

November-December:

• During the Storm: Monitor snow removal operations to ensure snow is piled in designated areas. Check that ADA spots, entrances, and exits remain clear of snow and that safety signs are visible.
• After the Storm: Conduct follow-up visits to assess any damage caused by snow removal and evaluate impacts on walkways, parking lots, and other critical areas. Detailed documentation with photos and timestamps from our network offers an objective record of site conditions, facilitating effective follow-up and repairs.

Post-Storm Assessment

As winter ends and spring approaches, it’s important to assess the impact of the season on your facilities. This period is key for identifying any damage that may have gone undocumented, preparing necessary work orders, and addressing potential hazards before they become major issues.

By staying proactive, you can ensure a smooth transition into spring with 100% visibility across all sites. iVueit’s quality control team will support you by promptly escalating any discovered issues, keeping you informed and enabling effective management of site conditions.

• Identify Undocumented Damage: Conduct thorough inspections to uncover any damage not previously documented.
• Prepare Work Orders: Create detailed work orders for repairs and address potential hazards.
• Proactive Spring Preparation: Ensure full visibility across all sites to understand their condition as spring approaches.
• Immediate Issue Escalation: iVueit's quality control team will escalate any site discrepenies to you promptly, keeping you informed and proactive in managing site conditions.

Trend #2: Boosting Field Efficiency—Empowering Teams to Drive the Bottom Line

In facilities management, field teams often face the challenge of balancing core tasks with the demands of documentation. This can lead to inefficiencies and distract from their primary responsibilities. iVueit’s Vuer Network tackles this problem head-on.

By offloading the documentation process to iVueit's mobile workforce of Vuers, your field teams can dedicate their time to what truly matters: delivering exceptional results.

This shift not only enhances productivity but also resolves common issues:

• Eliminate Distractions: Your team focuses on their core tasks while iVueit captures and reports site conditions with precision.
• Strengthen Relationships: With 100% transparency and centralized data storage, communication with retailers and snow contractors becomes seamless and trustworthy.
• Access Real-Time Data: Easily request new Vues to get up-to-date information without interrupting field operations. This eliminates guesswork and ensures you always have accurate, timestamped reports at your fingertips.

By handling data collection and documentation for you, iVueit opens the opportunity for your team to concentrate on their core strengths, driving efficiency and productivity where it matters most. To learn more about how iVueit can elevate your winter compliance strategy or to request Vues, contact us at [email protected] or by visiting our website -- https://www.ivueit.com