GRS Group Newsletter_April 2018

Update
ISSUE.006 2018 Q2 EDITION

Customer Satisfaction In this issue

Wecome to Newsletter Number 2! As we move into the 2nd quarter, Customer Satisfaction P.1
we’d like to remind everyone about the importance of exceeding Practice Group Updates P.2
client expectations on each and every project!
In our last newsletter, we discussed the formation of a On Your Feet America! P.4
Customer Satisfaction Task Force. Here is the Charter Statement: Green Services Update P.5
We will create a system to express our appreciation while soliciting Mindfulness and Million Steps P.6
both positive and negative feedback from our current and Accounting & HR Update P.7
potential customers. This feedback will be the foundation from
which we will develop and deliver a level of service that Sales Tips P.8
consistently exceeds the expectations of our customers—resulting Birthdays and More P.9
in a measurable increase in customer loyalty and referrals.
The task force has made significant progress in the past couple of
months and we’ll share this, and more, inside!

Why is Customer Satisfaction So Important?

Customer Satisfaction is a term that measures how our services meet or exceed client
expectations. It’s important because we can use the feedback we receive to manage and
improve our services, process and delivery!
Our Customer Satisfaction Task Force is piloting a survey this quarter to collect feedback
and we plan to roll it out to all reps in Q3.
Here are the top six reasons why customer satisfaction is so important:
• It’s a leading indicator of our client intent to reengage us. Customer satisfaction is the best indicator of how likely a
customer will make a purchase in the future.
• It’s a point of differentiation. In a competitive industry like ours, customer satisfaction is seen as a key differentiator.
In order to succeed, we need to make customer satisfaction a key element of our business development strategy.
• It reduces customer fade or churn. A recent Accenture global customer satisfaction report found that price is not the
main reason for customer churn; it is actually due to the overall poor quality of customer service.
• It increases our customer’s “lifetime value.” Satisfaction plays a significant role in how much revenue a customer
generates for our business.
• It reduces negative word of mouth. It’s one thing to lose a customer because they were unhappy. It’s another thing
completely to lose 20 customers because of some bad word of mouth!
• It’s much cheaper to retain customers than acquire new ones! This is probably the most publicized customer satis-
faction statistic out there. It costs six to seven times more to acquire new customers than it does to retain existing
customers. Need we say more? Drop the mic!

Practice Group Updates

FP Update Phase II Update

At the initial meeting the practice group Thanks to Erika, Rick and Ross we have
decided to divide into 3 subgroups to completed the following activities:
address Recruiting, Onboarding / Training
and Feedback. • New Phase II Subsurface Investigation
Report
Recruiting has identified several geographic
areas to focus on for new FPs, along with • New Phase II Proposal Template
contacting former colleagues for referrals and using Linkedin to attract more
prospects. • Spreadsheet for profit review

Onboarding / Training chair Nancy Conner has created a new document for FPs We are still working on soil and
on completing new Freddie Mac scope. groundwater summary tables.

Feedback subgroup worked on generating questions for a Survey Monkey to FPs - John Burkart
and chair Theresa Pappas sent it to FPs on 4/2 and responses will be presented
at our next meeting on 4/19. Our Practice Group is on track with fulfilling our GSE Update
Charter Statement, which is: Enhance FP Recruitment, Onboarding / Training,
and Feedback to ensure coverage, better relationships and quality reports. The GSE team jumped right into work to
get the latest template releases from
- Michael Knudsen Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae set up and
available to our field teams.
2-Second Lean Report
Freddie Mac released a new product for
For the Q1 2018, we incorporated five 2-Second Leans for templates: smaller loans, FRED (aka Form 1108), and
the GSE team put together in-depth
1. Fannie Mae 4099e - Immediate and RR tables “Assessment Date” field instructions to make sure the first project
re-routed to correct cell feed from Executive Summary Title Page worksheet. is perfect!

2. GRS Standard Reserve Tables - Total Reserves (top box) - cells changed to John and Nancy started work on the new
Currency to fix formatting; decimals spaces (per unit/Reserves) updated Freddie Mac PPR. Erika is working hard to
make sure everyone understands the new
3. The Freddie SBL takes some time to assemble because there are so many Freddie Mac O&M requirements –
back-ends to drop in. The Service Coordinators often don’t get all of the appen- templates and instructions are being
dices back from the FP, either…specifically App C (Purpose and Use). Malissa updated.
created a Word doc which combines all of the appendices flysheets with Appen-
dix C pages built into it! - Nancy Conner

4. Database Reviews – We built a template on Parcel to write and review 74
database reviews in only 10 days.

5. The Vault – The Title team is copying the link to a project to drop into an email
for their client. This allows them to send a more personal message via Outlook
and, real bonus, it will not get caught in a spam filter which is confusing and
frustrating to a client.

- Nancy Conner

Practice Group Updates (cont.)

ASTM Update Heather Pryor, Theresa Pappas, and Ross Simmons have been meeting as the new ASTM Practice
Group, and are all now registered members of ASTM. GRS | Corteq will be represented by Ross at
next week’s ASTM Committee Week conference in San Diego.

ASTM is an organization that develops standard practices by consensus of those in affected industries.

The process for development of ASTM standards requires participation of a balanced membership of

both the Users and Producers of the affected practice. In our business, that means a balanced mix of

developers, lenders, attorneys (Users) and Producers (mostly consultants). Committees of Users and

Producers develop the original standards through consensus. ASTM rules then require that accepted

standards be re-visited at least once every 5-8 years.

The current Phase I ESA standard practice was adopted in 2013, and the process to review, revise or renew the standard is beginning with a
meeting of the E1527 committee at next week’s San Diego conference. The process for E1527 is complicated by the fact that the USEPA
specifically recognized the E1527 practice as a means of complying with All Appropriate Inquiry regulations. Thus, unlike most voluntary ASTM
standards, the E1527 Standard Practice also has the force of law. This also means that any significant modification to the Standard requires
UESPA concurrence through a complicated new federal rule making process. Given the mood of the current administration in DC toward new
rules, the prospects are not favorable for any significant modifications to the standard. The revisions considered by the ASTM committee will
most likely focus on small clarifications of language which the USEPA will deem to be administrative in nature, rather than any substantive
changes. But that, of course, depends on the consensus of the committee that begins meeting next week. Stay tuned for updates.

The PCA Standard Practice (E2108-15) will next be up for review and renewal beginning in 2020. In the meantime, the PCA Standard committee
is considering proposals to add a procedure for measuring and documenting Building Energy Efficiency as a voluntary add-on to the PCA process.
Some industry representatives are strongly in favor of this addition, arguing that requirements for disclosure of Building Energy Efficiency
measurements in real estate deals are becoming more widespread in markets across the country. Others have stated that this is unnecessary
because there is not a market willing to pay for this additional service among the bulk of PCA clients.

- Ross Simmons

On Your Feet America!

Let’s all take part in a national day when workers across the United States
of America unite together and participate in a variety of fun
and simple activities to #SitLess and #MoveMore at work on
Friday April 27th.

The On Your Feet America Challenge dares you to take James Brown at his
word and convert 'sitting time' to 'standing time.' Follow some simple
changes - it’s easier than you think:
• Stand during phone calls
• Stand-up and take a break from your computer every 30 minutes
• Use the stairs rather than the elevator
• Have standing or walking meetings
• Eat your lunch away from your desk
• Walk to your co-worker’s desk instead of phoning or emailing them
• Stand at the back of the room during presentations
• We’ll have our Friday Dance Party activity to really get everyone moving



GREEN Services Update!

The past quarter has been one of growth with our Fannie/Freddie green
program projects. These programs allow multi-family properties to lower
their interest rate by investing in water or energy savings projects. As
interest rates have begun to rise, this program has become very popular and
I see that continuing on throughout the year.

“The greatest threat Last month I attended the PACE Nation conference and learnt about the
unique PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) financing vehicle. In short,
to our planet is the financing is provided for energy upgrades and payments are made through a
belief that someone property tax bill assessment. Because the repayment is made through an
assessment, each jurisdiction must enact laws to allow this collection
else will save it.” method. Therefore, this program is currently only available in 30 states (and
– Robert Swan, Author only in some counties within those states in some cases). I am working with
Mark Halloran and some outside sources to develop one of these projects in
GREEN FACT: Commercial Real the near term and will then begin to roll this out to be offered by everyone.
Estate Has Some of the Most
Potential for Improving Energy We are also beginning to offer energy benchmarking services. Benchmarking
Efficiency is a way to summarize the energy usage over a given period of time
(generally 12 months). This information can then be used as the basis for an
According to the United Nations energy savings project or to compare various buildings’ energy usage within
Environment Programme (UNEP), a portfolio to prioritize energy projects. There are also many states/local
the building sector has the largest jurisdictions that have benchmarking submission requirements for buildings
potential for delivering significant above a certain size. These include Assembly Bill 802 in California and Local
long-term progress on greenhouse Law 84 in New York City. I will be putting out more information internally
emissions, as large buildings are about this within the next week.
responsible for more than 40% of
global energy consumption! The next item on my agenda is to roll out services geared towards asset
management clients with multiple holdings. Look for those to come out
towards the second half of Q2.

Finally, I recently finished Start With Why by Simon Sinek where he discusses
the need to have a solid WHY for your business versus the HOW of actually
doing the work. The WHY that I see for our green programs is to help our
clients lower their energy usage to both save money and protect the earth.
If you have other service ideas that you believe fit this WHY, please reach out
to me as I am always interested in adding new services to our line-up.

- Sol Rosenbaum

Six Ways to Go Green in Everyday Life

• Turn off water when brushing • Pay bills online
- Saves 5 gallons a day! - Help save 18.5 million trees/yr in the US!

• Telecommute or Cruise Control to work • Use a re-usable cup for coffee or water
- Cuise control 15% better mileage - 90% of water bottles not being recycled!

• Use both sides of paper! • Turn off computers at night

- US businesses throw out 21M tons/yr - Save the wattage!

Mindful Leadership 1 Million Steps Update

The class of 2018 has completed a number of exercises including New research suggests walking can add years to your
reading Headspace by Andy Puddicombe, reviewing meditation apps lifespan:
and trying out some alternatives to traditional meditation.
If you think about what happens when you meditate, you usually think • Regular daily walking has been found to trigger an
of having no thoughts or letting your thoughts float by and focusing on anti-aging process and help repair old DNA
one thing – often your breath or a voice if you’re using guided medita-
tion. There are many activities that can provide the same response. The • Those who engaged in moderate daily exercise, such as a
reason these activities act like a meditation practice is that often they brisk walk, experienced anti-aging benefits that could add
require the brain to focus so carefully on the task at hand that it three to seven years to your life
doesn’t allow other thoughts to enter, or the thoughts that enter float
by, leaving you feeling relaxed and peaceful. • The researchers recommended a 20-minute daily walk to
reap these benefits, but striving to walk 10,000 steps a day
Walking is a better goal

With walking not only do you get a nice endor- • Walking is an essential movement that we all require,
phin release which makes you feel great, but you ideally in addition to a regular exercise program
can also really put your focus towards whatever
it is you want. Try focusing on the four senses – We’re off to a great start this year – with over 14 million
sight, sound, smell, and touch steps logged so far and 22 people participating on a regular
basis. And we’ve issued two special Star Awards to Erika
Showering Dahlem and Nate VonGunten for hitting the 1 million step
milestone.
The feel and sound of the water is relaxing. You
are usually focused on shampooing, shaving, etc. The goal is not necessarily to be the first person to get to
so your thoughts are competing with one 1,000,000 steps but to support one another to help get as
another. There are minimal distractions many people as possible over the goal. You’ll have the ability
to earn GRS Bucks along the way when you reach certain
Insert Your Favorite Hobby Here milestones or when you get others out walking with you.
This program is a really easy way to earn bucks for something
Have you ever had a hobby (or you have one that you’re probably already doing.
now) that when you’re fully immersed in it, you
lose all track of time? • 1 GRS Buck for every four weeks of consecutive walking
When you find a hobby like this, you are able to
give your entire focus to that specific task • 1 GRS Buck for every 100,000 steps logged

Puzzles • 3 Bucks for every walking buddy you get to participate

When you’re working on a puzzle, whether it be There are two basic ways for you to log your steps: post
jigsaw, sudoku or a word find, you are usually them to Socialcast #1millionsteps either on the Home page
focused on one thing – the puzzle pieces/num- or in the 1 Million Steps Public Space; or enter them directly
bers/words/etc. – which makes this a great into the 2018 tracking spreadsheet which can be found in
non-meditation meditative activity. the Socialcast folder on the G Drive.

Coloring The human body is designed to move, so
we should move it!
The benefits of coloring include an increased
state of meditation and mindfulness, reduced - Noreen Clindinning
stress and anxiety. If you have kids, this can be
something you can do together

- Noreen Clindinning

Accounting & HR Update

Reminder: New Remittance Address Virtual Suggestion Box!
for GRS | Corteq Customers
Our Virtual Suggestion
As a reminder, GRS | Corteq has closed its bank account with Box is now live. Please
Wells Fargo Bank and opened an account with Chase Bank. email any ideas you
In addition, the remittance address for customer payments have for suggested pro-
has been changed. Payments are no longer to be sent to the cess improvements or
Richmond office. Instead, please direct clients to mail new initiatives for us to
payments (including deposits) to: explore to the following
email address:
Global Realty Services Group LLC
29388 Network Place [email protected]
Chicago, IL 60673-1293
Quarterly 401(k) Calls Our next quarterly 401(k) call is
GRS Bucks Balance to be Reflected on
Paystubs Quarterly coming up in May. Exact time and
date TBD. The purpose of these calls
Starting with the April 15th payroll, your GRS Bucks balance, is to help you maximize the benefit of
as of the prior quarter end, will be reflected on your paycheck your 401(k). Please consider taking
stub. For the April 15th payroll, the balance will be as of advantage of this valuable resource.
March 31, 2018. The message listing your balance can be
found near the top right of your paystub in the box entitled
“Check Message.”

StarAwards!

We are making an important change to our STAR Awards program in 2018

Each full-time employee will be given a bank of 3 GRS Bucks at the
beginning of each half (January 1st and July 1st). Any unused bucks will not
roll over into the next six month period. You will still have a total of 6 bucks to
give away, but the hope is we can do an even better job of awarding them
through the year versus everyone doing it as somewhat of an afterthought in
December.

GRS Bucks are to be awarded to co-workers when the employee feels they or
their work should be recognized as an exemplary example using one of the
following categories:

Collaboration – Working well together on a joint project.

Problem Solving – Providing constructive criticism and suggestions for improvement,
being creative.

Agility – The ability to change course or direction as needed, flexibility.

Teamwork – supporting others internally

Service – supporting our customers or other external partners

Sales Tips: Stop Networking, Start Relating!

I attended a CREW Chicago Lunch & Learn on
Relating (formerly known as Networking). The event
was an exchange of ideas on how to get more out of
networking events.

Many of the ideas which were presented are aligned
with our pre-conference planning worksheet. So
dust off that worksheet next time you go to an
event!

Here are some of my take-aways:

Prepare:

• Have a positive mindset

• Be authentic

• Give to Get (be prepared to help others network) Jackie Loewe of Sheridan Park Consulting

• Plan your wardrobe. Events often have a dress code, but there is a wide band of acceptability when you see “business casual”
(if you aren’t sure what the typical dress is, look at photos from the same event last year to see how people dress.)

• Plan your ‘elevator speech’ – maybe you have a few different ones depending upon the audience. You should try to end with a
question that will engage the person.

• Plan your small talk (Avoid the obvious bad topics—religion, sex, politics)

• Plan out ways to disengage (“I have had the chance to meet a lot of people here, and I want you to get the same opportunity. It
was a pleasure talking with you.” Or “I don’t want to tie you up – I will give you the opportunity to meet others.”

Engage with others:

• Make the discussion about them- not about you.

• Try to get to know them as people. Sample questions might be “what do you do when you are not in the office?” or “Did you
go on vacation last summer (for fall conferences)?” or less personal – “What brings you to this conference/event?”

• Save the elevator speech until after you have established rapport.

We participated in an exercise which was a wonderful ice breaker. Each of us wrote on a name tag our name and something
about us. Examples were “daughter getting married this summer,” “hiking Appalachian Trail,” “Just bought a new house.” We
spent time chatting with people using those phrases as ice breakers. It was amazing how much we learned about each other by
asking about those phrases and continuing the dialogue. At the end of the exercise, the facilitator commented that, in our
networking (relating), we should strive to get to the level of discussions that we were experiencing in the exercise. That becomes
the seeds of relationships.

- Julie Sorensen

“Networking is rubbish; have friends instead.” - Steve Winwood

New Employees in the Richmond Office!

Ann Garris: Ann is a seasoned real estate settle- Kathy Belcher: Kathy Belcher comes to GRS with
ment and escrow agent, paralegal and commercial 20+ years as a commercial examiner and under-
property manager. She is a nice, hard-working and writer. She is a licensed VA underwriter and a
fun-loving individual who loves to hike with the lifelong Richmond area resident. Kathy enjoys time
family dogs and spend most of her time outdoors on at the beach and her lab. We are glad to have her
weekends. Ann is always eager to learn something join the Richmond GRS team.
new everyday; and she loves to laugh! Welcome to the team Kathy and Ann!

Upcoming Birthdays! “A report prepared by GRS will be

Amy Regal - April 23 accurate, concise and will contain the
Barry Bain - April 26
Malissa Hernandez - May 17 information needed to make an
Nathan VonGunten - May 18
Joseph Kim - May 23 informed decision about a property.
Richard Levis - June 17
Larry Kriz - July 12 GRS Group’s service and reliability are
Chris Dyer - July 15
Robin West - July 16 something you can depend on...
Stephen McNeil - August 7
Linda Morris - August 21 GRS Group is one of the best and

we always look forward to working

with them.”

- Rosemarie Frontzak
Senior Director, Loan Closings

PPM Finance Inc.

Dance Party Fridays!

Fridays always seem to be busy, and everyone is trying to wrap things up before the weekend. Dancing is a great way
to boost your energy levels and relieve stress - so don’t forget to check Socialcast for a video to
dance along to, turn up the volume on your speakers, get up out of your chair and give this exercise
a try. Rate your energy level 1-5 (Barely Breathing - King of the Hill!).

Now start the video and get moving, wait 30 seconds and then rate your energy level again.
Did you see any improvement? This exercise can help you when you are procrastinating, feeling
overwhelmed, fighting boredom, and need to motivate yourself to perform at peak performance!