In this episode of Contracting Conversations, we sit down with Terell Weg, CBSE. Her company MSWN, Inc., is based in Washington State, and area was the first in the U.S. to experience a widespread outbreak of COVID-19. For Weg, it was an unsettling experience, but she and her team rose to the challenge.

In this episode, you will hear:

- What it was like in the onset of COVID-19 in, what was at the time, the area hardest hit by COVID-19

- Understanding the struggle of obtaining PPE

- Lessons learned when it comes to leading during crisis

- The importance of safety in the workplace

- How having a wide support system of BSCs was reassuring during uncertain times

In the latest episode of BSCAI’s podcast Contracting Conversations, we sit down with Dr. Eugene Cole, an expert in the ecology and cleanliness of indoor and work environments. He explains to us how understanding how viruses work and thrive will help BSCs refine their cleaning schedules, and how people overall are now acutely aware of the hygiene of their environment.

In this episode, you will hear:

- A breakdown of what makes a coronavirus, and how COVID-19 fares among them.

- The difference between a pandemic and an outbreak.

- The difference between cleaning and disinfecting.

- How COVID-19 will change the way we view more common illnesses.

-- Specifically, how will our COVID-19 response affect the way we view the flu.

- The impact COVID-19 will have on practices and building service contractors in general.

-- Understanding types/frequency of cleaning and how they might change.

-- The importance of education and training with workers.

-- Reevaluating procurement of PPE and types of disinfectant.

- Some findings for Dr. Cole’s research in a public school system, and reexamining the cleaning schedule to reduce absenteeism.

- Cleaning for specific environments: Health care facilities versus other types of buildings.

For additional resources related to COVID-19, please visit www.bscai.org/covid-19.

This our inaugural episode of BSCAI’s Contracting Conversations, we talk with BSCAI President Todd Hopkins and President-Elect Eric Luke, CBSE, discuss top-of-mind issues for BSCs. From PPP loans to what the future of cleaning schedules look like, Hopkins and Luke dissect the challenges BSCs are facing and give tips on what they can do to weather through them.

In this episode, you will hear:

- How BSCs immediately responded to the crisis.

- Lessons learned from COVID-19.

-- The impact of increased unemployment, both during and after COVID-19.

-- What PPP loans will mean for BSCs, and how BSCs are using that money.

-- Dealing with customers who suspend services.

- The importance of sharing information among peers—even competitors—during this time.

- How this pandemic will highlight the importance of janitorial and sanitation companies, and of cleaning for health.

- The importance of communication with customers.

- How we move forward from here—and how we can be proactive for any future events.

For additional resources related to COVID-19, please visit www.bscai.org/covid-19.

Welcome to Contracting Conversations by BSCAI