WSA Member Update 5.1.24

May 1, 2024 Dear WSA Members, I have received member requests for some additional safety-related information that would be suitable for tailgate talks. I thought Automotive Fleet’s “8 Tips to Avoid Collisions” fit that category. It’s valid for operators of sweepers and even more so for operating your other vehicles. They relate there are simple solutions to help drivers avoid collisions, and these are also useful rules that will assist drivers from being involved in parking, backing and sideswipe collisions. I also added another article to the WSA website that’s suitable for that purpose. It’s called “Ways to Emphasize and Obtain Fleet Safety.” On April 8th Mark Graham, Sr. Manager for Walmart Exterior Services, suggested that the way to obtain an interview with him or another senior manager on the Auditec Solutions back-auditing situation would be to contact Walmart Media Relations. I did so on the same day. Yesterday, I sent Mr. Graham, along with a variety of other Walmart contacts I have in my database, the following email:  Mark, as you suggested via your email on April 8th, I contacted Walmart Media Relations, as Director of World Sweeping Association (WSA) and Editor of WorldSweeper.com, on the same day. However, since then I have not heard back from the Walmart organization. Can you offer any updates on when a response might be received? Previously I told you that I send out a WSA Member Update on the 1st and 15th of every month, as well as a monthly e-newsletter that goes out to our @3,000 sweeping industry subscribers. It would certainly seem to be in the interest of both Walmart and the U.S. power sweeping contractor community to conduct an interview with you, or a designate, to learn first-hand about the reasoning and details of Walmart’s contract with Auditec Solutions. In tomorrow’s WSA Member Update I will be providing information about the cancellation of a contractor who has provided uninterrupted, quality services to Walmart for 30 years. The reason stated for the cancellation was the “need for vendor consolidation.” I am also interested, on behalf of the industry, in finding out more about that process Walmart is now pursuing.  As for the cancellation, I was sent an email exchange from an Arkansas-based contractor where he told me he had received a notice of cancellation from Walmart for no reason other than the “desire for more consolidation.” The email he sent them included “We understand your desire to have vendor consolidation but I would hope that nearly 30 years of uninterrupted service would account for something. We have complied with all your changes and requirements including terms of net 60 in pay on invoices. When I incorporated in 1986 things were much different, we were considered community partners.” If you have more info to share on the ongoing changes at Walmart please  let me know. WSA Advisory Board Member, Dave Ross of Millennium Maintenance, has agreed to investigate FarEye’s routing program. We’ll get back to you when we have his analysis.  The idea of an elevator pitch is to quickly explain what you and your company do, and what makes it appealing, in no more than the time it takes to take an elevator ride. Having that type of very brief – but comprehensive – information is something all of your employees (and you!) should have memorized and be ready to speak whenever the instance might come up. This brief info on “How to Make a Great Elevator Pitch” will help you develop your pitch so you can transmit it to your staff and others. As always, if you have questions or comments about this WSA Member Update, or anything else to do with the World Sweeping Association or power sweeping in general, please let me know. Good Sweeping, Ranger Kidwell-Ross, Executive Director World Sweeping Association