Performance of 3Sixty

[Mark Brough]

After six months of diligent, focussed effort on the part of Alex, I fear that things are slipping once again with our agent.

• Lisa has been brought in, and there is no split of duty or responsibility between Alex and Lisa. Apart from slightly different job titles. Actions are being undertaken on a "best-efforts" basis - perhaps Alex will pick up and action - perhaps Lisa will, perhaps no one will.
• There are many queries from directors, leaseholders and residents which are being simply ignored.
• We buy a service from 3Sixty, not from Lisa. If Lisa does not have a reliable solution to an issue, then she should be able to fall back onto the experience and resources of the broader 3Sixty organisation.
• There is no induction for new staff. When a new staff member joins, I would expect to see
  - directors informed in advance
  - a clear written statement of who does what
  - a request for appropriate access to the forum
  - induction into the procedures for Deanery Mews, including:
  - our use of the forum
  - we pay VAT, and expect costs to include VAT
  - we appreciate notification of holidays and significant absence from work
  - we expect responses to queries, without the need to chase up responses
  - other "standing orders" as laid out by Kevin a couple of years ago
  - chart of where all addresses are / layout of the building
  - location of all keys and passwords and account names and backups
  - letting residents know of significant imminent works, eg. scaffolding to be erected. Respect.
  - when work is completed, record on the topic thread what was done, by whom, at what cost

@Robin Williams I don't know what to do about this. I do know that I resent having constantly to chase for responses and to chivvy to maintain professional standards. E.g. I have chivvied for years about the passwords and backups for the door entry system and the CCTV, and now I hear they are lost.

Edit: We need to have a review with Adam alone. I do not accept Alex's claim that he is our "account manager", and I don't believe we can have a frank discussion about performance with Alex and Lisa in the room. I consider a 3Sixty director - Adam - to be our account manager.

 

[Mark Brough]

In preparation for contract review with Adam, here is our requests for care that 3Sixty should take when staff change:

1. directors informed in advance
2. a clear written statement of who does what - both new (eg. Lisa) and new role of existing (eg. Alex) staff
3. directors requested to configure appropriate access on Deanery Mews forum
4. induction into procedures for Deanery Mews, including
   - DRBML's standing instructions
   - use of the forum
   - provision of charts of layout of addresses in the buildings
   - location of all keys and passwords and account names and backups
5. explanation of current activities, especially any awkward aspects or intricacies
6. arrange an induction meeting with DRBML directors

 

[Robin Williams]

@Mark Brough
This the promised proposed agenda. I have to say not easy to write but hopefully the content is much as you are anticipating. Whilst the aim of the meeting is to get improvement, I have tried to frame this such that it is not a moan, rather a recognition of our concerns and 3Sixty future steps to alleviate them.

Am happy for you to edit as you feel appropriate – would ask if in the first sections you could illustrate with examples (Adam likely to ask otherwise).

Am happy to discuss, this evening if you wish, otherwise am free tomorrow most times after 2 (not 4.00 to 4.30).. Would like to discuss with you at the time Adam response re: the Nautilus invoice.

 

[Mark Brough]

@Robin Williams Very good. Congratulations and many thanks. As you say, difficult to compile.

I would rather not add examples as:

1. My experience is that people insist on discussing the example, and lose sight of the fact that the example is merely an instance of a generality.
2. You've done a sterling and successful job of fitting an awful lot into one page - any examples would be too unwieldy.

I'm out from early tomorrow. (Cycling to Monmouth. And back.)

 

[Robin Williams]

Thanks..will issue hopefully later this evening if not tomorrow..enjoy yr bike ride..

 

[Mark Brough]

Final agenda produced by Robin for account review today is attached.

 

[Mark Brough]

review between Robin and Mark
Robin's underlying issue is that the expense of managing the estate is becoming too high, and directors are being given too little visibility of further upcoming unbudgeted expenses. Too much is being expected of Robin in the management of this situation.

We agreed to write a formal letter to leaseholders, setting out the challenge of our financial position.

As a result of this discussion, Mark came up with the following list of things which would help if 3Sixty could address them:

1. Ambiguous and incomplete communications are causing a proliferation of forum posts and emails, incorrectly executed jobs and unnecessary expense.
2. Face to face meetings might reduce the number of posts. However even face to face meetings are resulting in ambiguities.
3. We are volunteers. We require comprehensive and justified recommendations from our agent. "It's your choice" is not acceptable.
4. Whilst Alex D has been doing a commendable job of engagement and responsiveness, we need less high quality engagement, rather than more low-grade engagement.
5. Alex needs to avoid taking on more than she and we can cope with, and more than we can afford to execute.
6. 3Sixty needs to exercise more scrutiny of the reports and quotes which are forwarded on to us.
7. Directors need to be less involved in quality control - and correcting mistakes.