Property Services Survey

Property Services Survey conducted by the residents.
A substantial portion of our budget each year is spent on what PCM euphemistically calls “Customer Service” as listed on the phone directory list they mail out each year. It is more commonly referred to as “Property Services.” We all have to bear with them and work with them. In Third almost all “services” are chargeable services meaning we pay for them and even if no service is rendered we are charged a “service charge”. In United more services are covered under the agreements but the money still comes out of resident’s pockets since it is part of the budget. We all know that the money in the budget doesn’t just come off the money tree by the Serpentine Walk.
Horror stories about “services” abound and are enough to make the very word an oxymoron in the PCM context. I’m sure you have your own stories but I’m going to relate a few here.
Recently a dishwasher was replaced in a manor in United. The resident requested an upgrade in the standard for dishwashers for which he would pay. Now, the dishwasher belongs to the mutual, not the member, so when one is replaced it is NOT a chargeable service beyond the upgrade. The member/owner asked specifically THREE different times if there was a service charge. THREE different times he was told no. The dishwasher was installed and it works. The invoice arrived and sure enough, there was a $10 service charge listed right on the invoice.
As you know we are experiencing a severe drought. We are also having our water availability reduced substantially thanks to the Delta Smelt and politicians. Our water usage in the village is being restricted and serious financial penalties are in place for over use of water. When there exist such conditions, plants and lawns and gardens are stressed. It takes special attention and care to keep from losing them all together. The attention isn’t something that requires anything more than common sense and thought. One simply doesn’t do such overtly stupid things as park trucks and vans on the lawn even though PCM is allowed to do so (residents and guests are not.) While sitting in a car awaiting the arrival of a friend a resident witnessed a PCM property service employee get in his van after leaving a manor, drive it about 20 yards down the street, pull over right onto the dying grass and take a break. This is on a very quiet cul de sac with almost no traffic beyond the residents and plenty of guest parking and on street parking available. This happened on CDS 339 on Monday morning and the van had 2 numbers on it. One was 540 and the other was P2865. The resident who saw it prefers to remain anonymous because they fear repercussions from the boards and PCM. In any event, who knows what damage was caused by this sheer lack of thought. One thing is for sure. WE WILL PAY FOR IT.
The last example was the worker who finally came to the manor after more than 2 calls to property services where a great deal seems to get lost in the computer. He entered the manor to take a look at the problems. He informed the resident he would have to go get a step stool. He was then gone for over 90 minutes while he disappeared to get a ladder. He came back in time to climb up, take a little look around, make some humming noises and descend to say he would be back after lunch. He did return after a very long lunch and did part of the work. This went on until the problem was resolved over several visits. The resident was presented with a BLANK service charge form to sign. The resident refused to sign a blank form and when questioning the worker about the long absences and coming and going he told the resident that “they were told to do things that way.” That’s called “make work,” by the way, when task is turned into many more hours of work than are required. This resident also prefers to remain anonymous.
So, what to do? We know that the people working in property services are just trying to do a job and get a pay check. PCM is their employer as long as PCM is here. PCM is to be held responsible. They love to hear when things go well and ignore it when things do not go well. What has been suggested is taking a survey via residents and this is how it works:
When a call is placed to property services:
Log the time and date and name of the representative. Note the time of the appointment. Is it a chargeable service? Is there a service charge?
Did the worker show up on time? Did they do the work required? How long did it take overall? How many trips back and forth did the worker have to make while performing the task? Did other issues arise as a result of the original task? Did they fix/repair/coordinate the repair of the secondary issues? Did they explain what was going on to you? Did they answer any and all questions you had? If not what did they not answer? What was the name of the worker(s)? Are you completely satisfied with the job performed? If not why not?
Were you asked to sign any kind of form? Did you sign it? (DO NOT SIGN ANY KIND OF BLANK FORM OR DOCUMENT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. If you are presented with a blank form to sign write in the blank space: BLANK FORM PRESENTED FOR SIGNATURE and then draw a diagonal line through the entire page and sign it.)
Were you charged a service charge as indicated? What other charges were included? Were the charges itemized. (If charges are NOT itemized, do not sign the form.)
Be sure to secure a LEGIBLE copy of any form or document signed. Then send the information to me. Feel free to ask to remain anonymous and that will be respected. I will gather this information over the next 6 weeks and if there is anything to report I shall do so. Please indicate whether you are in United, Third or the Towers. Please also give me your contact information so I can reach you.
John Paulus, Third director, says he will stand on his record of 7 years of service to this community and was very seriously surprised when the daughter of a resident in the very building where Paulus is CAPTAIN (a garden villa) came in with a long and sorry list of long term problems that had been unresolved. He would like to think he has any influence with PCM and Jerry Storage (head of M&C) but it is substantially less than his dreams. You remember Jerry Storage. He and Kurt Rahn are known around here as the “On the Border Boys” because of their daily credit card charges of $25-30 daily at that restaurant.
The problem isn’t with the workers here. They a just doing what they have been told to do by their masters. There is no oversight. PCM has got to go! Milt Johns has to go and so does his entire executive staff. That includes Jerry Storage and Kurt Rahn. The workers can stay and have proper direction and oversight.