OneVoice Newsletter_July_2023_FINAL

Ahh, summer... 

July 2023 

Inside you'll find...and more! 

SMART GOALS 

EMAIL SPAM 

SPONSORSHIPS

CORE 

VALUES 

AIM HIGH 

We are passionate about being the 

best at what we do. By attracting, 

training, and retaining great people, 

we set the standard for service and 

professionalism in our industry. 

BE GENUINELY 

HELPFUL 

We take pride in serving each and 

every one of our communities. Whether 

it’s opening a door with a friendly smile 

or tackling a problem, being genuinely 

helpful is what defines us. 

BUILD GREAT 

RELATIONSHIPS 

Relationships based on respect, 

trust and effective communication 

are the cornerstone of our success. 

DO WHAT'S RIGHT 

Our clients trust us to do what’s best 

for their community. We are guided by 

our ethics and clients’ interests in 

everything we do. 

IMPROVE IT 

OWN IT 

We learn from our experiences. We are 

open-minded, collaborative, and 

continuously looking for ways to 

improve. 

Each of us is accountable. When 

facing any challenge, we see it 

through to resolution with 

perseverance, integrity, and open 

communication. 

fsresidential.com/illinois 

Making a difference. Every day.

Table of Contents 

Online Reputation Tap 

Human Resources 

Customer Service & Personal Development 

Accounting 

Connect 

FirstService Project Management 

In Good Company 

FirstService Construction & Maintenance 

FirstService Energy & FirstService Financial 

Business Development & Marketing 

IT 

Property Highlights 

2 

3-4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12-15 

16-17 

18

HOW ARE WE 

LOOKING 

ONLINE REPUTATION 

Simply Ask Campaign 

Current review status: 

 

Simply Ask June Trailblazers 

Rhonda Allen 

Vesna Mulac 

Matthew Schomburg 

Thank you to everyone who participated in 

the Simply Ask campaign. 

To learn more about our Online Reputation 

program please reach out to your direct 

manager. 


2 


HUMAN 

RESOURCES 

2023 SMART GOALS 

Performance goals are short and long-term objectives that supervisors 

and associates establish together at the beginning of each year in order 

to meet individual job requirements and associate career aspirations. In 

addition, they help both associates and supervisors deliver on strategic 

business objectives. 

When setting short- and long-term objectives, try to consider them as 

your Blue Chips. 

Blue Chips are those “high impact” priorities vitally important to you in 

your role. They should be the things that occupy your primary focus 

because if you spend your time executing against these high-impact 

priorities, you will achieve your goals, deliver high-value and meaningful 

results to the business and feel more fulfilled in the process. 

When developing goals, think S.M.A.R.T. Why? Because S.M.A.R.T. goals 

are easy to measure. 

The acronym stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and 

Timely. 

During Midyear Touchpoints, which kicked off on July 5th, discuss with 

your supervisor the progress made with your blue chips, or SMART 

goals, for 2023. Be sure to add periodic updates to your progress directly 

in the performance module in MyADP. This can be accomplished by 

logging into MyADP and clicking “Talent” on the associate dashboard. 

fsresidential.com/illinois 3 Making a difference. Every day.

SMART GOALS CONTINUED... 

Additional resources on how to create SMART goals and how to 

add/archive goals in MyADP can be found in Connect > Corporate tab > 

Human Resources > Performance Management. For support, please 

contact a member of the H.R. team at 

humanresources.il@fsresidential.com. 


4 


CUSTOMER SERVICE PRO TIPS 

Active Listening 

Great customer service takes more than just 

listening to what people are saying and then 

giving them exactly what they requested. CSS 

tries to determine what our client needs and 

see if we can provide more. (Example: If a 

manager wants labels, we don’t just provide 

the labels but ask why they need the labels. 

Occasionally, you can save the manager a lot 

of time by providing pre-addressed envelopes 

or having our team do the mailing versus the 

manager). 

Communicating in the Best Way Possible 

When CSS is sent an email, sometimes the 

best response is not an email in return. Often, 

it is a good idea to call the person or go and 

see the person as a way of providing personal 

service and “hear” what cannot be written in 

an email. 

Friendliness 

CSS wants to make the person asking for 

assistance feel as if their request is 

welcome. Sometimes a client is stressed or 

overwhelmed and our goal is to provide 

support and not be an added burden to the 

client making a request. 

Sharing Feedback 

It is important to have good rapport with your 

clients. CSS tries to provide tips on how our 

clients can be more successful in their 

requests. When you have a good rapport, it is a 

lot easier to discuss the ways CSS can improve 

or the clients can improve. (Example: Timing of 

requests, format of requests, errors). 

Responsiveness 

Most of CSS requests are high turnaround, 

so our awareness of incoming requests is 

crucial. Our clients appreciate our quick and 

accurate processing of requests and we 

truly appreciate their quick response to our 

questions. 

SOFT SKILLS DEVELOPMENT 

Adaptability 

SELF-CARE TIP 

Workplace adaptability helps you react effectively 

to a variety of situations. When we're adaptable we 

manage issues and reach resolve in a fair and 

reasonable fashion. 

3 ways to improve adaptability skills 

1. Improve problem solving skills. 

2. Learn to embrace change. 

3. Be opened minded. 

Meditate to feel less stress. Meditation 

can bring a sense of calm, peace and 

balance. Meditation is beneficial for your 

total well-being. As it can help you learn to 

stay centered and keep inner peace. 

Meditation is known to help relieve 

anxiety and depression. 

fsresidential.com/illinois 5 


ACCOUNTING 

AP INSIGHTS 

Avid Invoice Processing 

Dealing with duplicate invoices? 

Avid Bill Pay will reject any document that has a 

duplicate invoice number from the same vendor. 

The AP team must research each duplicate 

invoice that Avid rejects. 

Often the invoice is in the manager’s queue 

waiting for approval, has been approved or has 

already been paid. 

One way to avoid duplicate invoices being sent in 

is for the vendor to submit all invoices for 

payment. 

In 2021 the Midwest Region of FirstService 

Residential paid $55,000 to Avid for duplicate 

invoices received. 

To avoid duplicate invoices being sent to 

Avid we ask that all invoices are sent in by 

the vendor and not the manager. 

For additional questions, please contact 

Kathy Gordley, Midwest Accounts Payable 

Supervisor 


6 


CONNECT 

NEW SPAM RELEASE FORM 

Safety is part of our culture, and we take it very 

seriously. When we think about safety, we tend to 

consider physical safety, but there are also real 

dangers we need to remember when using the 

internet and receiving emails. 

SPAM Release Request Form 

More security updates are coming to Connect 

By year's end, ALL accounts in Connect will need 

an email address. This includes door staff, 

receiving staff, maintenance, etc. The Connect 

team will be auditing the status of accounts 

already in the system. Please be aware that from 

now on, we will require email addresses when 

creating new accounts in Connect. The email 

addresses don’t need to be FirstService 

Residential email addresses. They can be gmail, 

protonmail, etc., that the property manager or 

employee maintains. Please stay tuned for more 

information. 

NEW PACKAGE 

MANAGMENT APP 

We are excited about the delivery of the 

long-awaited smart app “Connect Front 

Desk.” This initial version allows you to take 

a picture of the package label and package 

and the delivery location. When the picture 

is taken of the label, the unit and occupant 

will be found automatically, reducing the 

package scanning time immensely. Further 

information and guides are available on the 

Corporate Menu Tab within Connect or on 

Teams at this location: 

2023 Package Management 3-1 


7 


FIRSTSERVICE 

PROJECT MANAGEMENT 

SMART CONSTRUCTION 

Better projects 

FirstService Project Management delivers a 

well proven and used "Smart Construction 

Platform" that expertly constructs capital 

projects of all types from concept though 

completion. 

This six-phased approach ensures that 

each project is delivered in the most 

comprehensive, time and cost-efficient 

manner. 

How it works... 

1.Feasibility Study - comprehensive evaluation of the project. 

2. Project Design/Specification/Construction Permit Drawing Development - finalize the project 

design, specification, & construction permit drawings. 

3. Competitive Bid Solicitation - FSPM performs a comprehensive & competitive sub-trade bid 

process. 

4. Open Book Competitive Bid Solicitation Review - FSPM provides each association board with a 

comprehensive open book review - FSPM provides. 

5. Construction Phase - FSPM performs a comprehensive & competitive sub-trade bid process to 

select qualified sub-trades for the project. 

5. Construction Phase - FSPM provides weekly project updates and project support during 

construction. 

6. Project Closeout - Expedited final punch list item performance, submission of applicable as built 

drawings, operations manuals, warrantees, and final billing. 


8 


IN GOOD COMPANY 

Vendor highlight: 

CARBON MONOXIDE 

Carbon Monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless, and 

tasteless gas formed by incomplete burning of 

material containing carbon such as gasoline, 

nature gas, propane, kerosene, oil, or wood. One of 

the most common sources of exposure is the 

internal combustion engine. 

It is slightly lighter than air and known as the 

“silent killer.” 

Acute Effects 

Carbon monoxide is classified as a chemical 

asphyxiant. It is harmful when breathed because it 

displaces the oxygen in the blood and deprives the 

heart, brain, and vital organs of oxygen. The main 

symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are 

headache, weakness, dizziness, dimness of vision, 

nausea, vomiting, and collapse. 

Carbon Monoxide Detection 

CO sensors are in place to detect carbon monoxide 

before it reaches a dangerous level. OSHA PEL for 

CO is 50 parts per million (ppm). OSHA standards 

prohibit worker exposure to more than 50 ppm CO 

of air average during an 8-hour period. 

Contact 

Nick Wolfe 

nick.wolfe@arcomech.com 


9 

Mobile 630.525.1060 

www.arcomech.com 


FIRSTSERVICE 

CONSTRUCTION & MAINTENANCE 

CURRENT PROJECTS 

Spoerlien Roofing 

Our team performed a major roofing project 

spanning 20 homes. The project included: 

Roof replacement 

Ventilation enhancement 

Siding replacement 

Masonry repairs 

Clean up and final inspection were also 

performed leaving homeowners with a new roof 

that is ecstatically pleasing and home healthy for 

years to come. 

PROPERTY 

CONSULTING 

Did you know FSCM offers property consulting? 

This FREE service is offered to all FirstService 

Residential managed properties. During your 

property consultation we'll: 

perform a full property inspection 

provide a detailed findings summary 

perform an in-person board member debrief 

Contact 

Elise Mallon 

elise.mallon@fsresidential.com 

Shannon Skeekls 

shannon.skeels@fsresidential.com 


10 


FIRSTSERVICE ENERGY 

FIRSTSERVICE INSURANCE 

To enhance our property management 

business by leading our clients to 

reduce energy consumption, cost, and 

emissions. 

FirstService Energy (FSE) was 

established to help our clients 

significantly enhance their building’s 

efficiency by providing data and support 

to boards and managers to drive 

informed decision making. 

Below are some services we provide: 

Energy procurement 

Education and training 

Utility bill auditing 

Energy assessment & advisory 

FirstService Financial (FFI) offers 

comprehensive financial services 

exclusively to properties managed by 

FirstService Residential. Our goal is to 

provide exceptional financial value to 

the associations we serve. 

Below is a list of our services. 

Banking Programs 

Reserve program 

Lockbox program 

Cash reserve program 

Lending services for associations 

Insurance Programs 

Commercial insurance products 

Premium financing 

Learn more about FirstService Energy 

Contact Information: 

killeen.mcdonald@firstserviceenergy.com 

212 .324.9627 

Learn more about FirstService Financial 

Contact Information: 

sean.gaynor@firstservicefinancial.com 

312.231.9447 


11 


BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT 

& MARKETING 

WELCOME 

NEW CITY PROPERTIES! 

The Reed 

200 Units 

UPCOMING BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT 

& MARKETING EVENTS 

Throughout the year Business Development and 

Marketing sponsor local events from the suburbs to the 

city. All associates are encouraged to participate by 

volunteering and/or visiting events! 

Movies in the park 

Movie showing: Top Gun: Maverick 

Date: July 25, 2023 

Time: 8:15 p.m. (dusk) - 10:30 p.m. 

Location: A. Montgomery Ward Park 

630 N. Kingsbury Street (Erie & Kingsbury) 

Tuxedo Park 

56 Units 

Movie showing: Minions: The Rise of Gru 

Date: August 15, 2023 

Time: 8:00 p.m. (dusk) - 9:30 p.m. 

Location: A. Montgomery Ward Park 

630 N. Kingsbury Street (Erie & Kingsbury) 

River North Pet Parade 

Date: July 29, 2023 

Time: 11 a.m. 

Location: Main Stage 

627 N. Wells Street 

Register for the Pet Parade today! Email 

dominique.cowens@fsresidential.com 


12 


IT 

Seven ways to ID a phishing or suspicious email 

1. Emails demanding urgent action 

Emails threatening a negative consequence, or a loss of opportunity unless urgent action is 

taken, are often phishing emails. 

2. Emails with bad grammar and spelling mistakes 

Another way to spot phishing is bad grammar and spelling mistakes. Many companies apply 

spell-checking tools to outgoing emails by default to ensure their emails are grammatically 

correct. 

3. Emails with an unfamiliar greeting or salutation 

Those that start “Dear,” or contain phrases not normally used in informal conversation, are 

from sources unfamiliar with the style of office interaction used in your business and should 

arouse suspicion. 

4. Inconsistencies in email addresses, links & domain names 

Another way to spot phishing is by finding inconsistencies in email addresses, links and 

domain names. Look to see if a link is legitimate by hovering the mouse pointer over the 

link to see what pops up. If an email allegedly originates from (say) Google, but the domain 

name reads something else, report the email as a phishing attack. 

5. Suspicious attachments 

Most work-related file sharing now takes place via collaboration tools such as SharePoint, 

OneDrive or Dropbox. Therefore, internal emails with attachments should always be 

treated suspiciously – especially if they have an unfamiliar extension or one commonly 

associated with malware (.zip, .exe, .scr, etc.). 


16 


IT 

Seven ways to ID a phishing or suspicious email (continued) 

6. Emails requesting login credentials, payment information 

or sensitive data 

Emails originating from an unexpected or unfamiliar sender that requests login credentials, 

payment information or other sensitive data should always be treated with caution. 

7. Too good to be true emails 

Too good to be true emails are those which incentivize the recipient to click on a link or open 

an attachment by claiming there will be a reward of some nature. 


17 


PROPERTY 

HIGHLIGHTS 

LAKEWOOD FALLS 

Join Lakewood Falls for their latest event featuring The 

Lounge Puppets! Admission is free, come join the good 

times! 

Date: Friday, July 21st 

Time: 7 P.M. 

Location: Bruce Ponti Park 

But that's not all! We have some fantastic additions to 

enhance the whole experience. Two local vendors will be 

joining us to satisfy your taste buds. Joey's Red Hots, 

renowned for their mouthwatering hot dogs, will be 

setting up their food truck, ready to serve some 

delicious treats that will keep you energized during the 

concert. Moreover, for all the fro-yo fans out there, TCBY 

will be present, offering their delightful frozen yogurt 

flavors to keep you cool and refreshed throughout the 

event. Grab your friends, family, and neighbors, and join 

us for an evening filled with nostalgia, great music, and 

fantastic food options! 

PROPERTY 

FEATURES! 

Is your property/community doing (or 

did) something cool that you'd like to 

highlight in our OneVoice newsletter? 

Submit your community happening(s) 

on or by the 15th of each month for a 

special feature, here, in the upcoming 

OneVoice newsletter! 

Email Dominique Cowens with details 

and photos (if applicable) pertaining 

to the event. 

dominique.cowens@fsresidential.com 


18 


@FirstServiceResidentialIllinois 

@FirstServiceResidentialIllinois

OneVoice Newsletter_July_2023_FINAL

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