The Power of Proactive Maintenance
Advanced Building Services, Inc. keeps commercial HVAC systems running smoothly
Located in Sterling, Virginia, Advanced Building Services, Inc. (ABSI) is a commercial HVAC contractor specializing in building maintenance engineering for the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.
“Our sweet spot is service contracting, repair and replacement of equipment,” says President Michael Kaminski. He started ABSI in 1997 after working for a large HVAC company. His goal was to create a business that prioritizes both customer and employee longevity.
ABSI’s 40 highly skilled employees provide services for a diverse clientele ranging from large multiple-building campuses, condominium and commercial office buildings, to churches, schools and single residences. They service a variety of equipment from large boiler plants to residential HVAC units.
Michael is committed to keeping both a sustainable pace of growth and maintaining customer loyalty. Some customers have been with ABSI for 20 years. The business has grown mainly through customer referrals.
Equipped for Problem-Solving
Most of ABSI’s employees are HVAC service mechanics and building engineers. Additional professionals on staff include plumbers, an electrician and a handyman.
“Building operations have multiple needs; it made sense to branch out from our mechanical foundation and provide a complete service solution,” Michael says. “This work makes you think. If you love HVAC work—and we do—you love to solve problems.” So, when customers have an unusual mechanical problem, ABSI’s staff digs in and solves it.
Recently, a customer located in an old steam plant building was experiencing significant steam hammering—banging noises caused by the presence of condensation in his system. ABSI discovered an extremely long condensate return line that wasn’t pitched properly and fixed it.
The team includes engineers who hold a Steam Engineer-Class 3 License from the District of Columbia Board of Industrial Trades. This skill is critical for customers located in 100-year-old downtown Washington, D.C., buildings with boilers that are 50 to 60 years old.
“Not many younger technicians understand that early technology,” says ABSI office manager Debby Ammann. “Each building has a different design, style and type of steam boiler, with old coal chutes off to the side. Our ‘D.C. Steam Guys’ are experienced in repairing and upgrading them.”
Proactive Maintenance
According to Debby, a proactive approach to maintenance is the most cost effective one. Consistent, correctly performed maintenance can reduce or eliminate premature breakdowns and failures. It can also add years to the life expectancy of mechanical equipment.
“We educate customers on the critical importance of a maintenance contract,” she says. “It’s for the sake of their equipment—to keep it working and operating efficiently. We look for ways to save our customers money. We are a part of their facilities team. They know we are always a phone call away to resolve issues.”
Building Customized Maintenance Contracts
ABSI builds contracts that ensure the maintenance scope is achieved and customizes them to fit specific facility needs and sizes.
“Why do companies look for a new contractor? Because someone else has failed them in some way,” Michael says. “We find out what went wrong. Was it communications? Improper servicing?”
ABSI’s investigative approach to maintenance includes asking many questions, completing on-site equipment and facilities evaluations and discussing concerns and desired outcomes. The company then develops the contract and walks the customer through the agreement.
“We also determine what makes sense financially for the customer,” Michael says. “Our contracts are unique as they are typically several pages long, not just two or three pages of line items. We include a lot of detail in the scope.” The contract clearly defines which services ABSI will provide to ensure equipment is cared for according to manufacturer guidelines.
For example, if a piece of equipment has a 20-year life expectancy, ABSI’s goal is to reach that milestone—and, if possible, exceed it—through proper maintenance. The company alerts customers when it is time to budget for equipment replacement and order reserve studies.
Continuity Builds Relationships
“By building relationships, we help our clients do their jobs better,” Debby says. “We provide them with information and help them stay one step ahead of mechanical maintenance.”
She has managed the office since 2007. That’s when her brother, Michael, needed someone to manage his growing business. As a master organizer, Debby was ready for a new challenge after working 19 years as an information technology contractor. “It was great timing and a great fit,” she says.
“As we grow, we strive to maintain a personal connection with our customers,” says Debby. To accomplish this, ABSI assigns an engineer or mechanic to a customer for the duration of their contract. Typically, the customer will call that mechanic directly for services.
“This creates a bonded relationship,” Michael says. “The mechanic reports verbally and in writing to customers, giving them a status update on the work completed, where we are at in the contract and upcoming services. That’s how we start and keep relationships.”
Treating Employees Like Customers
ABSI shares its successes and profits with employees. During its monthly lunch meeting, the team discusses jobs, the business and safety in an open format, allowing everyone to communicate. Employees tell Michael they feel respected.
Turnover is low. Some longtime supervisors and building engineers have retired from the company. That makes Michael happy. “In this day and age, you don’t often see people stay with a company for a long time, much less actually retire from that company,” he says. “We’re always striving to improve.”
To provide employees with opportunities to succeed in the facilities engineering and maintenance fields, ABSI provides in-house mentoring and outside training. Each employee is allotted $1,500 per year toward college classes.
The company also hosts employee events that include fishing, hunting, baseball games and canoe trips. “We always involve our employees’ families in these events,” Michael says.
ABSI recognizes outstanding performance with Employee of the Month and Employee of the Year awards. The highest level of recognition, however, is the Dana Ammann Above and Beyond Award. Michael and Dana met early in their HVAC careers. They became friends, then brothers-in-law. When Michael started the company, Dana joined as Vice President. He died in 2011.
To honor Dana’s memory and work ethic, Mike established—and Debby designed—the award that bears his name. The glass award portrays a mountain range, symbolic of climbing to new heights. It is presented during the annual holiday party to employees who demonstrate, as Dana did, going above and beyond what is expected in serving ABSI customers.
Customers First, Company Second
From the start, it’s been important to Michael to create a professional, customer-focused business. Team members arrive on-site in uniforms; their appearance reflects their professionalism. “We’re in the service business,” he says. “When a repair is complete, it’s imperative we remain on-site until we’ve verified that the system is fully operational.”
Michael instills this philosophy in his team: “Put the customer first, the company second and everything else will fall into place. If they do that, they will establish long-term connections with our customers, and they are going to have a great career with ABSI.”