Other companies and organization call this department, Facility or Building Organization
Introduction
General Services or GSD is a group or department within an organization, of which its primary function is to supervise or manage the following (Other companies calls it Facility or Building Administration:
1. Facility Management and Equipment maintenance
2. Project coordination and implementation regarding renovation, construction, office reconfiguration, movement, branch office construction, and other technical matters.
3. Cabling and termination for data, telecommunication, and electrical.
4. Event support/assistance.
5. I.T. support.
6. Archiving and records management.
7. Security, housekeeping, motor pool and messenger administration.
8. Safety precaution.
9. Scrap and waste management.
10. Process selected legal documents and office admin responsibilities.
11. Others or added responsibilities set by management.
In some cases, smaller companies add these responsibilities to general services:
12. In-house Advertising and marketing services.
13. In-house printing and photocopier management.
14. Other task, as mandated by management.
The General Services can either be under the supervision of human resources or finance division, or it can be a division in itself. It plays a crucial part and serves as the technical arm of the organizations’ management or executive department. Some companies calls this department as Corporate Services or Building Admin.
To bigger companies, this department or division is composed of a group officers and staff who are specialized in various and related fields. On the other hand, the general services head for smaller firms is required to perform on multi task to juggle all responsibilities required.
Below are the common description or areas of responsibilities under general services:
I. Facilities and/or Equipment –
For proper handling and administration, all facilities must have a systematic recording from acquisition to maintenance and the like. In most cases, MS Access and MS Excel software are used for easy access on data information. A diagram of the equipment must be kept for familiarization. On venues and location, updated floor plan is also recommended to have on an easy access files.
Air-conditioning
1. Self-contained (package) room air-conditioners for mounting on windows and walls.
2. Floor and wall mounted console split systems.
3. Ceiling-mounted and duct systems, both self-contained and split.To properly monitor this equipment for its required function and preventive maintenance, it is recommended to monitor the following:
Preventive maintenance details:
(See recommended sites above)
Recommendations:
- There should be a stand by air-con technician and/or electrician.
- Maintenance ledger and service report should be regularly filed and updated.
- File copy of dealer, installer, and manufacturer. The invoices, purchase order, warranty card and other related documents should be kept and filed accordingly.
- Complete details about the equipment should also be recorded. If possible, a diagram or an “as-built-plan” should also be on file.
Office furniture
Frequently used office furniture, by category:
1. Executive officers' furniture. Commonly placed inside carpeted rooms with special wall paper or well painted walls:
- Executive well-crafted wooden table with attached side tables.
- Shelving cabinet at the back with space for coat hanging.
- Lounge within the room (1 unit of 3-seater sofa, 1 unit of 1-seater sofa, end and center tables for the accessories).
- Specialized accessories, wall paintings and lampshades.
- High contoured back chair for the officers and visitors' chairs fronting the table, and chairs for the round or rectangular meeting table.
- Rectangular or round mini meeting table with chairs.
- Display table.
- Coffee table.
- In-door plants or plastic ornamentals in a plant box .
2. Middle officers' furniture (e.g. Manager, Supervisor, and the like)
- Desk with side table with manager's chair medium back, gas lift, in fabric, including visitors' chairs fronting the table.
- Shelving and filing cabinets
- Filing Cabinet
- Others as recommended by the interior designer
3. Modular partitions and furniture for staff and meeting area
- Modular partition cubicle
- Desk- Chairs
- Meeting table with chairs
- Accessories
- Pedestal drawers
- Others
4. Technical staff furniture (e.g. furnitures for Architects, Designers, Mechanical sfaff, etc.)
5. Counter
- Reception counter- Cashier counter- Customer service counter- Receiving/Releasing counter- Others
6. Storage and shelving
- Filing cabinet (e.g. lateral, vertical, vault, etc.)
- Storage (e.g. lockers, Cabinets, pedestal, etc.)
- Steel Rack
- Shelves cabinet
- Wooden Cabinets
- Others
7. Conference Room furniture
- Boardroom furniture
- Mini conference cubicle or room with desk and chairs
- Irregular shape discussion desk with chairs
Note: Tables can either be round, rectangular, or irregular shape. It may depend on seats required or recommended.
8. Lounge or Waiting area furniture
Lounge:
- 3-seater sofa, with 1-seater sofa, center and end table for accessories
- Display and Shelves cabinet
- Accessories and wall display
- Others
Customer waiting area:
- mostly used 3 to 4-seater customer chair
- Brochure or display rack
- Others
9. Others
- Office Canteen furniture
- Office Pantry
- Housekeeping and technician room furniture
- Audio-visual or hall room
- Outdoor furniture
- Assembly line furniture
- Other facilities/furniture
Telecommunication
All telecommunication cable lines are harnessed within an MDF (main system's area). On some cases, it passes through TTC cabinet if an office occupies various building floors. Same with data, telecommunication cables on ceiling and inner walls should be placed inside a PVC pipe, or on plastic moldings if it drops off on outer walls. The electrical and data/telecommunication cable should not be mixed in one PVC pipe or plastic molding.
1. Local Telephone
- Local units (e.g. digital unit, analog unit, etc.)- PABX- Consul and PC for consul- modem
- others
2. Direct Line
- Unit
- Others
Local telephone features depend on the PABX brand and/or its unit models. Variety of trunk lines is no longer limited to one. Telephone companies offered other types with advanced features. You may inquire on your line provider for details.
Common features available and type of line available:
(under construction)
3. Lease Line
These lines are commonly used for internet and intranet. There are varieties of lines available (e.g. dial up; DSL; broadband; etc). You may inquire on your line provider for details that will suit to your company needs.
4. Others
Company vehicle
1. Company Car
- Car Loan
- Car Plan
- Service Vehicle (Car; AUV; Van; Coaster, etc.)
- Others
2. Delivery Vehicle
- Delivery Van
- Delivery Motorcycle
- Messenger's Motorcycle
- Others
3. Warehouse vehicle
- Forklift
- Others
Category:
1. Brand new
2. Used
3. Re-possesed
4. Total loss
Items numbers 2-4 are may be damaged/repaired vehicles caused by vehicular accidents, as declared by Insurance. It is recommended to have a checklist of documents to avoid looting.
5. For Disposal/for junk
(under construction)
Preventive maintenance details
(under construction)
Familiarization
It would be better to have a checklist and diagram on parts to be familiarized.
Generator
The equipment is too technical to discuss. Please consult your distributor and technician for proper data and preventive maintenance. It can also be identified in various types and categories. Most big generators are located within a building’s power center. Leasing companies were mostly dependent and are connected to building generator.
I.T. Support
On most cases, I.T. has its own maintenance engineers and technicians. For familiarization and emergency assistance, these are the common equipments:
- Server(s)
- UPS (uninterrupted power)
- Hub
- Modems
- Main system rack (with harnessed cables and connectors)
- PC’s
- Voltage regulator
- PC assembly
- Other I.T. equipment assembly
- Others
Note: Crucial facility must be kept for an efficient I.T. performance:
- Electrical. It is recommended to have its own electrical panel boards and breakers, within the premises is a must.
- Precision air-con or heavy-duty type with back up in case of breakdown. Temperature is to be maintained.
- Specified type of fire extinguishers and sprinklers are necessary.
- Emergency lighting and quick back-up electrical is a must, in case of power interruption. UPS mostly supply from 30 minutes to 1 hour only.
- Others
Assembly Line Machines
Office machines (e.g. typewriters, calculators, others)
Safety facilities
Listed below are suggested websites for an in-depth knowledge on general services regarding Preventive maintenance:
ftp://newstandardinstitute.com/articleFiles/Applying_the_Predictive_Approach.pdf
ftp://newstandardinstitute.com/articleFiles/Planning_and_Scheduling_Machine.pdf
ftp://newstandardinstitute.com/articleFiles/Determining_Spare_Parts_Requirements.pdf
ftp://newstandardinstitute.com/articleFiles/Shutdown_Managers_Pre-Shutdown_Checklist.pdf
ftp://newstandardinstitute.com/articleFiles/Surviving_the_Maintenance_Shutdown1.pdf
ftp://newstandardinstitute.com/articleFiles/Take_Stock_of_your_Maintenance_Storeroom1.pdf
II. Engineering & Architectural plans –
Renovation and opening of new office/sRenovation or construction projects are usually initiated by management, as the need arise based on reports or request from a particular department or division.
The steps may differ depending on company policy or procedure
1st step
Be sure to get a clear instruction with procedural paperworks to avoid blame traps in the end. In a company where I came from, we always required requisition form with attached details of the request and justification.
2nd step
Set a meeting with concerned division or department representative, technical people, concerned officers, others who should be there for consultation.
3rd step
From the data gathered, visualized the requested project with recommendations for presentation. AutoCAD is the standard drafting software but you can also use MS Vision for a simplified application. Out of comments and constructive criticism from concerned officers and staff, revisions will follow until it reaches the desired design.
4th step
The agreed design proposal will be shown to the concerned technical people and officers for proper analysis and recommended scope of work.
5th step
Invite accredited bidders/contractors showing the approved scope of work. In some cases, expected materials and furnitures are also offered for bidding to accredited suppliers. There should be a deadline set on the submission and due date of construction/delivery of supplies required, and corresponding penalty if the requirement were not met.
6th step
Let the Procurement department or authorized price evaluators analyze the submitted quotation. They should be the one to provide a report to approving officers’ decision, to avoid doubts of under the table dealing.
7th step
It is the Procurement department’s duty to call the winning bidder and issue a Purchase Order or whatever paper work is necessary. 50% down payment is usually requested. Both the contractor and supplier must report to you or whoever is in-charge for instruction and supervision. The following must be cleared:
- Time table
- House rules / Security rules / Violation and corresponding penalties
- Project standard
- Checklist and/or corresponding delivery receipt, with receiving staff/guard counter checking
- I.S.O.
- Storage of equipment of materials
- As built plan and/or diagram
- Finish work inspection or quality control
- Others
8th step
Construction proper
9th step
After construction/renovation -
Works done should be inspected, including the contractor’s compliance on various agreed rules. Full payment should not be released right away. There should be at least 10% retention, hold the amount that represents full payment in case a problem arises related to the renovation works or something is still to be done.
Electrical plan
These should be on its proper place and in-order:
- Power center
- Panel boards
- Wiring/cabling path
- Preventive maintenance
- Outlets and switches
- Main and sub breakers
- As-built plan and diagram (updated)
- Data and code files
- Others
Admin files and other plan
Files must be properly filed (soft and hard copy). Microsoft access software may be used.
Telecommunication plan
As built plans and Catalog of instruction must be filed
Other Technical projects
There are lots of technicalities in General or Corporate Servoces. All of it must be properly filed and be familiarized for present and future plans, trouble shooting and related task.
Cabling requirement
Cabling is categorized into various types:
- Telecommunication
- Data
- Electrical
- Audio-Video
- Others
For computer/data networking, see my other sites for details
http://networking-guide.blogspot.com/
Technical facility code and monitoring ledger
(Through MS Access or other related monitoring software)
- Signage and Streamers
- Lighted panaflex (with cut-out letters and logos using 3M stickers, or 3D design/photo
- Spectacular lightings
- Tarpaulin streamer
- Coco Cloth streamer
- Others
III. Office Administration
Billing and Payment processing
- Electric bills evaluation/payment
- Telephone/lease line bills evaluation/payment
- Premise lease/rental bills evaluation/payment
- Courier bills evaluation/payment
- Agency personnel bills evaluation/payment
- Insurance evaluation/payment
- Other monthly or annual dues
Selected legal documents processing and filing
- Deed of Absolute sale
- Affidavit
- CTC (Philippine government requirement)
- Others
Memorandums and letters
(under construction)
Permits and Contract monitoring
- Permits (e.g. business permits, fire department requirement, sanitary permit, etc.)
- Lease contract
- Insurance
- Others
Procurement
- Office Supplies
- Issuance of Purchase Order
- Canvass of requested items
Warehousing
- Storage
Forms
Photocopier machines administration
Housekeeping
- Janitorial task
- General cleaning
- Others
Messengerial, Snail Mail and/or Courier
- Foot and motorized messengers (limited location)
- National and International courier delivery
- Regular and Postage Stamp mail c/o Post Office
Motorpool and vehicle maintenance
- Service vehicle and scheduling
- Vehicle preventive maintenance
- Acquisition of desired vehicle as mentioned on carplan, carloan or service vehicle
- Others
Security
- Security guard services and electronic type security
Scrap and Waste management
http://money-from-junk.blogspot.com/
- Segregation and audit inspection
- Bidders’ invitation
- Disposal
- Others
Records management
- Records boxing and content monitoring through computer data recorder
- Policy and procedure implementation
- Disposal
- Others
Pest control
Type of pests: termite, mice, cockroach, mosquito, etc.
Support assistance
- Event backdrop
- Audio-video presentation using multimedia projector or more sophisticated equipments
- Employees in-house annual medical examinations
- Outdoor activities
- Powerpoint/Flash presentation
- Others
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