Best Business Practices

Continuous Improvement and Increased Quality of Service

• Development of a Career Path in the Business Services Office which creates the opportunity for advancement through workplace experience, training and teamwork performance initiatives
• Customer Service Certification and Training through EOD
• Technology improvements such as Archibus (online entry/work review), use of handheld devices (tablets), Computer and Technology Training
• Certification programs such as CCP and Zone Maintenance Customer Service Training
• Creation of Inspection Teams, STAR,and RRT

High Performance Staffing

• Attract market place equivalents with the use of career path
• Encourage employee advancement through Career Path models
• Creation of STAR and RRT
• Creation and use of Search Committee Handbook
• Managerial training in Behavioral-based interviewing practices

Workforce Learning and Performance

• Training and cross training in areas such as IRIS and Archibus for Business Office staff
• On the job training for critical services for all employees
• Skillsoft training for all employees (specific to job duties)
• Distribution of Merit Raises throughout department
• Employee Training & Development Office management department training, such as certification programs

Knowledge Management

• Training in accordance with HR128 guidelines
• Job duties targeted to match specific skills of employees
• Employees are cross trained throughout sections of the department
• Central Standard Operating Procedures Repository

Cross-utilization

• Cross training for all positions and responsibilities
• Formation of a centralized administrative group
• Zone Maintenance and Construction Employees are trained on a variety of different skillsets
• Employees are cross trained throughout sections of the department

Reliability & Sustainability

• Longevity of dedicated staff
• Adherence to UT and FS Policy for attendance and schedules
• STAR Team: The STAR Team is a specialized team responsible for providing a more focused service function to the research community.
• The Rapid Response Team (RRT) is responsible for special projects, customer initiatives, crises and emergencies. RRT also oversees transfers and hauling.

Accountability

• Centralized business staff guided by UT and FS policies and procedures
• Regular audits of all Business Services

Creativity, Integrity, & Flexibility

• Encourage employees to review business services and processes and offer suggestions for improvements, pride in jobs and cross training, teamwork

Environmental Sensitivity

• Operates under the guidelines of the UT Office of Diversity in the Business Office
• A department Office Etiquette procedure is in place.
• Loud projects are scheduled around affected areas.

Strategic Planning

• Career Path Model, BSO Administrative Group with centralized task and performances, standardization of work within the office, cross training for all responsibilities

Organizational Development

• Re-organization of staff – determined by skill set
• Cross training and specialized training
• Centralized Administrative Group

Contracting for products & services

• Utilizes UT Purchasing Department’s ESM System
• Adheres to UT Fiscal Policy – procurement policies and procedures and FS policies and procedures

Quality assurance

• Multiple levels of review in the Business Services Office before release of work/assignments
• Inspection teams have been put in place throughout the Landscape Services, Zone Maintenance and Building Services units
• An annual Customer Satisfaction Survey is conducted

Budgeting & Procurement

• Ensures the availability of funds for the procurement of goods and services

Best Practice processes & procedures

• Follows UT and FS policies and procedures as well as UT Best Business Practices in the IRIS Environment issued by Audit and Consulting Services
• Launch of new Archibus System

Benchmarking

• Comparison of like services with the use of Sightlines, Archibus, and the Facilities Performance Indicators Survey

Managed Service Partnerships

Compliance Monitoring

• Subject to UT Internal Audit and State Audit

Utility & Energy Monitoring

• UT Knoxville has a SCADA (Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition) system in place and has recently installed metering for electricity, water, and steam condensate on all buildings.

Programming

Scheduling

• Use of Archibus PM, WR Assignment and Leave Records.

Use of facilities automation technologies

• The department utilized Archibus and has distributed handheld mobile devices to its field personnel

System Operation & Maintenance

• Utilization of Archibus
• OIT managed servers with regular patches/service updates

Quality Control

• Archibus three-step server process, Development, Q/A, and Production

Facilities Condition Assessment

• Implementing Archibus Phase II
• Sightlines ROPA+ & Go Green benchmarking/assessment

Engineering & Construction

Project Management

Personnel

Knowledge assets

Building & Grounds

Utilities Infrastructure

Vehicles, equipment, tools, supplies & materials

Communications & Network equipment

• Equipment is managed within the department and through the University’s Office of Information Technology(OIT)

Facilities automation hardware & software

• Addressed through the Archibus system and managed by OIT