How the Albuquerque team went above and beyond to meet a client’s food safety needs
With experience spanning industries from healthcare to education, CCS Facility Services understands that no two clients are alike. This is especially true when it comes to regulatory and safety standards, a challenge the Albuquerque team addressed head-on during a recent training session they held in support of their work with one of the nation’s largest wholesale food distributors.
“We wanted to make sure our client knows we take food safety seriously,” says Samantha Fernando, an Account Manager at CCS Facility Services’ Albuquerque branch. “Large food distributors have random audits to ensure compliance, so training our team members is vital.”
Samantha, along with Candy Contreras, General Manager, and Gabby Garcia Palacios, the Albuquerque Office Manager and former night manager, spearheaded the effort. Everything was tailored to meet the client’s needs, down to the time the training was held, 10:00 pm on a Friday night.
“We chose a time we knew would work best for the client,” says Candy. “The last thing we wanted was to get in the way.”
To sweeten the deal for the team, Candy also brought donuts.
CCS Facility Services is constantly training new employees, but handling commercial cleaning operations for a food service company of this scale requires an extra level of compliance. During the training, employees received hands-on safety training, learning how to properly dilute cleaning chemicals, document chemical usage, and operate a pallet jack. They also reinforced the importance of wearing proper gear and adhering to the client’s rigorous policies and procedures for food safety. Gabby even translated the training materials to ensure everyone understood their duties and responsibilities.
While learning how to drive pallet jacks was a unique experience for the team, Samantha and Candy say their favorite part was the opportunity to do on-the-spot recognition.
“Our team truly works around the clock,” says Samantha. “Since this client is 24/7, recognizing our team members for all the hard work they do when they don’t think anyone notices was very meaningful.”
The training wasn’t just a hit with team members: it also impressed the client’s head of food safety, who commended the team for anticipating the company’s needs and staying ahead of the curve on training.
“I’m incredibly proud of Samantha for spearheading this,” says Candy. “When the client not only tells us ‘awesome job,’ but that they enjoy their partnership with us, that’s a win.”
Both Candy and Samantha say the training’s success has encouraged them to find ways to anticipate other clients’ needs and brainstorm outside-the-box ideas that will cement CCS Facility Services not just as a service provider, but as a partner clients can rely on to care as much about their business as they do.
“We want our clients to succeed, because when they do, we do.”
