Elevate your knowledge v1 i4

Give me good news, give me bad news, just don’t give me surprises.  

There’s nothing worse than having an elevator out of service and trying to solve the problem with limited information.  

Surprises in our business come in all forms, and the majority can be prevented with preventative maintenance and proactive communication.  Here are the 5.5 things you can do to prevent surprises like untimely service calls and unwanted extra charges:

1. Have building staff verify that the elevator is in fact out of service prior to making placing the call.  
2. Is the elevator not arriving to a floor when called? Have staff check the “independent service” key switch that may have been left in the “on” position by an owner or tenant using the elevator for a move.  The switch is located inside the car, sometimes behind the service cabinet door.
3. Clean the door tracks and save hundreds of dollars.  Many times, a pen-cap, or rock in the track can prevent the door from closing.  Ensure these tracks are clean and minimize the pain to your pocketbook.
4. Is the “elevator communications failure” LED on, and sounding an alarm? Check the power to the phone line.  A power issue with the phone line will provide a phone problem that has nothing to do with the elevator.  
5. When placing a service call, speak directly to the office staff or equipment technician who can help you assess the situation prior to mobilizing a mechanic.  This can save you money, especially on nights and weekends.

5.5) We are officially at the half-way point of the traditional calendar year.  How many maintenance visits has your elevator received? Have the annual tests been completed and correctly validated in the logbook?  Deficiencies in either of these areas could bring about many unwanted surprises.

Don’t let the above referenced oversights cost you time and money.  If you have a contractor that treats your elevator like an asset, keep them.  That is why you pay them after all. 

There you have it, 5.5 ways to minimize untimely surprises to your business.  Thanks for reading and keep an eye out for the next issue of “Elevate Your Knowledge” from The Team at Rideau Elevator Services.