The 2024 Special Projects Forum, held from July 14-16 in Aurora, CO, brought together Synergy members focused on improving project management and processes.
Building Effective Teams with Frank Favaro:
The event began with a presentation by Frank Favaro on building effective teams in a time when employee engagement is at an all-time low. He noted that employee engagement is suffering due to distractions, remote work disengagement, and lack of appreciation, which also impacts customer satisfaction. He introduced the concept of the “four-minute barrier,” encouraging attendees to identify and overcome their limitations. Frank stressed the importance of trust and relationships, advising that treating internal customers as external ones can enhance business success.
“This opened my eyes again to things we have in place but need to utilize more to grow closer to our team members,” said Ryan Grady (CSE).
Sharing Proud Moments
Sharing proud moments was a key part of the forum, providing members with the opportunity to explore best practices from their fellow peers.
Michael Hoyt (ACIS) shared how they’ve transitioned 18 plumbers to focus on special projects due to customer demand, creating leadership opportunities and reducing the pull from service work. Lisa Cassaday (Vital Mechanical Service) shared how they have revamped processes and grew their special projects. Her efforts included improving project management, developing turnover packets, and streamlining billing.
Special Project Sales
Day one ended with Baker Group sharing their capital planning with end-of-life charts to help clients anticipate and replace equipment ahead of schedule, Storer Services sharing their proactive estimates to aid customers in planning future expenditures, and Atomatic sharing how they leverage clients’ fiscal year data, ASHRAE charts, and XOi to help budget for equipment needs.
XOi, Engineering, and Turnover Process
Day two started with a presentation from Synergy Partner XOi on how their platform can be used in the special projects world.
After XOi, members talked about engineering and turnover processes. Some of the big takeaways from the small group discussions were the importance of having project managers involved throughout to simplify the turnover process, ensuring those who walk the job also quote it for continuity, and the need for clear roles for safety and permitting.
Post Mortems and Action Plans
The last topic of the session was post mortems, with both CSE and Pacific Rim Mechanical sharing their experiences and methodologies.
The forum concluded with action plans and evaluations, aiming to implement the insights gained. The 2024 Special Projects Forum provided a valuable experience for all involved, emphasizing the importance of continuous improvement and collaboration in the industry.
“The best part of the meeting was connecting with the other members and talking about things that we are struggling with in our day-to-day operations,” said Peter McLean (Cox Engineering).
