SPECIFICATIONS THE UNIVERSAL COMMUNICATION SKILL

Specifications are the vital vehicle of communications that make-or-break if construction objectives are achieved. There are several forms, and I’ve written hundreds of “specs”, yet at essence, all are a contractual document: the purpose is to establish the quality of materials, products, and workmanship required in a project, as well as any administrative requirements. Many projects include specifications for literally hundreds of products and systems. Each involves descriptions of the work to be done, assignment of responsibility, delineating any prohibited activity, and criteria that define substantial completion of the objectives. The latter is perhaps the most important because satisfaction of mutually-agreed objectives is where and when the owner gets what they paid for, and every one providing their role in the solutions gets paid. Additionally, a tight and well-written specification drives projects done right – and that limits frustration, delay, and litigation.

My capabilities in specwriting focus on the MasterFormat system driven in North America by coordination and endorsement by the AIA (American Institute of Architects), the CSI (Construction Specifications Institute), and CSC (Construction Specifications Canada). MasterFormat is a hierarchical classification system—a standard set of numbers and titles for subjects included in a construction specification. I also have some limited experience with BSI and NATSPEC (the UK and Australian specification authorities, respectively

SPOTLIGHT – RECENT WORK – 2019-202? PANDEMIC

My complimentary strengths and skills in regulatory demand analysis, dissection of competition, surface disinfection chemistry, and rapid assembly of a nimble, broad-audience, and informed education program – all these, plus experience, came together in a pandemic response that served the company well.   Market share and reputation that could have been lost, were instead improved.  Standard revenue in disinfection that dried up, was more than compensated for with new sales, often in new channels, for pandemic surface disinfection.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

·       Trained almost 5,000 unique attendees in surface disinfection and advantages of company’s products.  All remote learning from March 2020-Fall 2021.

·       Developed content and presentation strategy for unprecedented disinfection paradigm, and incorporated changeable knowledge modules to seamlessly adjust for audience.

·       Sustained disinfectant sales at or above pre-pandemic levels despite collapse of traditional demand.

·       Provided constant monitoring of regulatory positions, and was primary analyst of competition, to facilitate rapid response to threats, and maintain educational value because content was cutting edge.

·       Primary educator for national public webinars hosted and promoted internally; as well as instructor for “train-the-trainer” and for influencer/specifier focused events.

·       SHEP (Surface Hygiene – Epidemic & Pandemic):  Designed a transition program to help retain lessons learned during the pandemic, and frame for the specialty contractor how to “bolt on” enhanced surface disinfection into service portfolio.

CONTEXT:  At the time in late winter 2020, when the new strain of coronavirus was being recognized as a public health threat of global proportions, the Environmental Restoration Group (ERG) of Innovative Chemical Products (ICP) had several disinfectant brands of varying market strength, and all were known only in the trades of insurance restoration and disaster response. Suddenly, it was apparent that a frenzy over surface disinfection would be a major component of the popular panic regarding the pandemic. It was also evident that the restoration contractors and public health professionals that ERG worked with on an everyday basis, would now attempt to translate their talents into pandemic response services. As lockdowns placed a premium on disinfecting for safety to reopen public spaces as soon as possible, the everyday mold and water restoration businesses went into temporary suspended animation.  In short, the initial interest in disinfectants like ShockWave and Benefect for COV-2 would come from the existing restoration customer base that would use known brands for new uses.

That was only a fraction of the oncoming demand however, because facilities, agencies and companies of all types and stripes across North America were handling surface disinfection themselves, but were unsure what to use and how to effectively make their surfaces safe.  They wanted to use their own people to clean and disinfect, but were barraged by product marketing making outrageous and irresponsible claims.  These customers lacked the skills to interpret this overzealous marketing and extract the truth.

Finally, the distribution channels and the makers of application equipment were struggling to adjust like everyone else.  They would look to their leading disinfectant brands, of which Fiberlock and Benefect were included but not without competition.  To an extent, early on, decisions were made based on availability.  However, as production sorted itself, the opportunities were to be won by the disinfectant that made the most compelling case.  In addition to the usual antimicrobials used in restoration, there were on one extreme the titans of the infection control/healthcare industry that had unlimited resources and powerful branding; and at the opposing extreme there were pop-up products making ludicrous performance claims and unworried if authorities shut them down.  

The company first needed information, analysis, and translation into messaging for sales and marketing.  There was no time for consultants.  A steady source of internal expertise would be needed that was reliable and responsible.  Second, outreach was needed to connect with audiences much larger than restoration and which had urgent demand.   Fortunately, I could leverage the following skills:

·       Understanding intricacies of disinfectant regulation and labeling

·       Use contingency planning and disinfection preparedness messaging acquired during prior events (bird flu, swine flu)

·       Alliance-building between distribution channels and application equipment with established compatibility promotion between equipment and our products

·       Adjustment of presentation skills to the remote learning environments of Zoom, GTM and Teams

·       Source and create content to populate special pandemic websites, campaigns and a new Technical Bulletin series

·       Analyze competitor positions and formulate rapid response messaging for sales, often within hours

·       Utilize reputation and relationships from 20+ years in Sales to leverage co-branding of education events, and priority of promotion versus competition

While pandemic education and training was still operating at a high volume, the next phase was developed to retain both lessons learned and business gained.  I invented and developed the SHEP concept.  An acronym for Surface Hygiene – Epidemic and Pandemic, this curriculum was conceptually aimed at the restoration contractor that would resume being a core customer post pandemic, but it is logically extendable to facility services and in-house services.  The message and structure of SHEP are based on retaining the best practices of surface disinfection learned during the emergency, and transforming those skills into a permanent capability.   With local and regional epidemics a common occurrence, and COV-2 persisting as an endemic threat (killing an annual average 100,000 US citizens as of July 2022), the SHEP model benefits communities with specialty services and skilled cleanup crews that can respond quickly to control potential outbreaks.