NORTH AMERICA
Two TRSA member companies for linen and unified services as well as two employees (suppliers) are winners of the TRSA Above and Beyond Service Awards 2020. This award recognizes both rare efforts outside the normal course of business, such as dealing with a customer emergency or urgent needs. Such actions are more often part of the normal course, but are particularly responsive, sensitive or pleasantly surprising for customers and set a higher standard that others can follow.
AlscoThe willingness to work with a young entrepreneur who breaks into clothing manufacturing prompted a customer to nominate Alsco for this award. Due to Alsco's international presence, the partnership benefits women in handicrafts worldwide. The customer, Seaspan Shipyards, Victoria, British Columbia, had receivedd negative feedback from female employees about unisex overalls and search for an alternative specially developed for women. Such requests remained unanswered until a Seaspan executive saw a CBC TV report about a junior environmental consulting engineer who founded a company that focused on developing workwear for women. She designed a jumpsuit specifically for Seaspan, which led to Alsco's agreement to maintain these garments at the shipyard three times a week.
In August 2018, when Hawaii faced successive hurricanes, United Laundry Services continued to be operated by Honolulu and serve its customers. When employees realized that the hotels were full of guests and the hospitals were full of patients during a busy period, they continued to provide uninterrupted service. As public and private transportation was discontinued, the company provided employees with scholarships that offered trips to recruit three days. Meals were brought in for the clerks as all of the neighboring shops were closed. After this unprecedented effort, four hotels were so grateful that the hotel managers brought their cooks with them, who gave a special thank you to over 600 United Laundry employees.
Gerard O’Neill von works 80 to 100 hours a week on site for two shifts a day on six to seven days, almost a year American laundry systems (Derry, New Hampshire) completed the Cleveland (Ohio) Clinic central laundry upgrade in October 2019. His 18-month engagement began with the facility's review, redesign, and working as a project manager and primary laundry consultant. He ensured that all equipment sellers and general contractors and subcontractors from local unions worked with each other and with the laundry management team. Key improvements included electrical capacity, the emergency generator, new pits and trenches, and a new, larger pipeline infrastructure without missing a delivery to the Cleveland Clinic locations.
Six linen and uniform service providers nominated them Foltex USA (Irmo, South Carolina) Outpost of the Dutch manufacturer of flat machines for exemplary service: Faultless Healthcare Linen (Kansas City, Missouri), Morgan Linen Service (Albany, New York), Morgan Services Inc. (Chicago), Royal Laundry (S. San Francisco, California), Superior Linen Service (Tacoma, Washington) and Unitex Healthcare Laundry Services (Elmsford, New York). Foltex's interest in a laundry's specific product requirements related to its process was praised – described as unprecedented in a company's history with device manufacturer. Product development was described as “incredibly fast” when implementing the laundry's suggestions. Another customer found that Foltex refuses requests for suggestions if they feel that a current product is not suitable for laundry.
The Above and Beyond Service Award is part of the TRSA Leadership Award series, which will be presented on March 25th at the 10th annual TRSA Legislative Conference in Washington. Other awards presented there will honor members for outstanding community service, diversity recognition, facility operations, sustainability and workplace safety.
