OneVoice Newsletter August 2023

Back to school
August, 2023
Inside you'll find...and more!
Associate Survey
New package
management app
Summer events

Core values
Aim high
We are passionate about being the
best at what we do. By attracting,
training, and retaining great people,
we set the standard for service and
professionalism in our industry.
Build great
relationships
Relationships based on respect,
trust and effective communication
are the cornerstone of our success.
Be genuinely
helpful
We take pride in serving each and
every one of our communities.
Whether it’s opening a door with a
friendly smile or tackling a problem,
being genuinely helpful is what defines
us.
Do what's right
Our clients trust us to do what’s best
for their community. We are guided by
our ethics and clients’ interests in
everything we do.
Improve it
Own it
We learn from our experiences. We
are open-minded, collaborative, and
continuously looking for ways to
improve.
Each of us is accountable. When
facing any challenge, we see it
through to resolution with
perseverance, integrity, and open
communication.
fsresidential.com/illinois
Life, simplified

Table of contents
Online Reputation Tap
Human Resources
Culture Champion
Customer Service & Personal Development
Accounting
Connect
FirstService Project Management
In Good Company
FirstService Construction & Maintenance
FirstService Energy & FirstService Financial
Business Development & Marketing
IT
Property Highlights
2
3
4-5
6
7
8
9
10-11
12
13
14-18
19-20
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How are we looking
Online reputation
Simply Ask campaign
Current review status:
Simply Ask July Trailblazers
Rhonda Allen
Jenny Kozik
Rose Hasan
Jenn McFarlane
Thank you to everyone who participated
in the Simply Ask campaign.
To learn more about our Online
Reputation program please reach out to
your direct manager.
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Human resources
VOICES ASSOCIATE EXPERIENCE SURVEY
Between today and August 8th, all associates are asked to complete
the annual associate experience survey, VOICES. In this survey, you
will be prompted about your personal experience as a FirstService
Residential associate, how likely you are to recommend FirstService
Residential as an employer as well as your impressions of how well
your team and the organization contribute to your growth &
development, intention to stay, and commitment to living our core
values. Your feedback is valuable, and we ask for your honest and
thoughtful responses.
The work has only just begun.
Throughout September, the AX committee will host Listening Sessions
with all teams. We encourage all associates to attend your teams'
listening sessions and be active participants. These sessions are
intended to share the survey results but, more importantly, learn more
about the feedback provided and discuss helpful solutions.
Please be on the lookout for more communication on the next steps
from Asa Sherwood and invites from the HR team.
Thank you for your time and participation in this important, annual
initiative. For any questions on accessing the survey, please get in
touch with the HR team at humanresources.il@fsresidential.com.
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Culture champion
The five inclusive mindsets
Everyone can be an inclusive leader by practicing and
consistently demonstrating the following five mindsets:
Self-awareness – The ability to notice and monitor your own
emotions and why you are feeling them. Being able to
understand the impact of your emotions on those around you
and on the performance and culture of our organization.
Curiosity – A desire to learn, grow and challenge. This enables
you to seek out new thoughts, experiences and perspectives.
Having an open mind allows for more creativity, innovative
thinking and solutions.
Courage – Acting and leading from the heart even in the face
of difficulty. The ability to make bold moves with clarity and
trust despite the fear of failure, pressure or obstacles. To
stand up for one another and hold each other accountable.
Vulnerability – Surrendering control and taking the risk to be
emotionally and intellectually seen, without knowing how
others will react or respond to us. We may open ourselves up
to criticism and attack, but we do it anyway.
Empathy – The skill and ability of being able to recognize and
feel the emotions of another while refraining from judgment.
Listening for understanding, perspective and picking up on
facial, vocal and non-verbal cues. Putting ourselves in the
shoes of others, it’s as if we are experiencing the situation
ourselves.
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Culture champion
The five inclusive mindsets continued
Make a difference.
These five mindsets can create a connection that makes a
difference. The instinctive recognition of when and how
these behaviors show up is something that most inclusive
individuals internalize, so they can “check in” with
themselves at any given moment, as to whether they’re
embodying these behaviors or not. Not all of these
behaviors are always an equivalent strength for everyone.
They can change based on your circumstances and what’s
going on. We move up and down depending on our
situation.
Ask yourself which of the five mindsets is the one that is
naturally strongest for you? Which one do you find the most
difficult? Use this exercise as a tool to help you better
understand your own inclusive tendencies. By activating the
five inclusive mindsets we can better enable and empower
an inclusive culture within our organization and teams.
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CUSTOMER SERVICE PRO TIPS
Active listening
Great customer service takes more than just
listening to what people are saying and then
giving them exactly what they requested. CSS
tries to determine what our client needs and
see if we can provide more. (Example: If a
manager wants labels, we don’t just provide
the labels but ask why they need the labels.
Occasionally, you can save the manager a lot
of time by providing pre-addressed envelopes
or having our team do the mailing versus the
manager).
Communicating in the best way possible
When CSS is sent an email, sometimes the
best response is not an email in return. Often,
it is a good idea to call the person or go and
see the person as a way of providing personal
service and “hear” what cannot be written in
an email.
Friendliness
CSS wants to make the person asking for
assistance feel as if their request is welcome.
Sometimes a client is stressed or
overwhelmed and our goal is to provide
support and not be an added burden to the
client making a request.
Sharing feedback
It is important to have good rapport with your
clients. CSS tries to provide tips on how our
clients can be more successful in their
requests. When you have a good rapport, it is
a lot easier to discuss the ways CSS can
improve or the clients can improve. (Example:
Timing of requests, format of requests, errors).
Responsiveness
Most of CSS requests are high turnaround,
so our awareness of incoming requests is
crucial. Our clients appreciate our quick and
accurate processing of requests and we
truly appreciate their quick response to our
questions.
SOFT SKILLS DEVELOPMENT
Actively engage
Actively engaging in the work community around you
shows that you're invested in the success of your
coworkers and the company. Positive engagement
also shows care and dedication to your role.
3 ways to actively engage:
1. Show up to work a few minutes early.
2. Show genuine care in the tasks you do.
3. Particpate in organization events.
4. Volunteer to particpate in projects.
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Self-Care tip
Stretch your body daily. Sitting in a
stationary position daily can cause our
muscles to become tight. Stretching helps
to increase muscle mobility to create
strong, flexible muscles. Additionally,
when we stretchy it helps release tension
in our joints.
Life, simplified

ACCOUNTING
AP INSIGHTS
Avid Invoice Processing
Dealing with duplicate invoices?
Avid Bill Pay will reject any document that has a
duplicate invoice number from the same vendor.
The AP team must research each duplicate
invoice that Avid rejects.
Often the invoice is in the manager’s queue
waiting for approval, has been approved or has
already been paid.
One way to avoid duplicate invoices being sent
in is for the vendor to submit all invoices for
payment.
In 2021 the Midwest Region of FirstService
Residential paid $55,000 to Avid for duplicate
invoices received.
To avoid duplicate invoices being sent to
Avid we ask that all invoices are sent in by
the vendor and not the manager.
For additional questions, please contact
Kathy Gordley, Midwest Accounts Payable
Supervisor
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CONNECT
NEW SPAM RELEASE FORM
Safety is part of our culture, and we take it very
seriously. When we think about safety, we tend
to consider physical safety, but there are also
real dangers we need to remember when using
the internet and receiving emails. If the
Communication Recipient Data report shows
your residents on the SPAM list, click here to
learn more
Krisztina Hynes: eMail Addresses SPAM list release form
More security updates are coming to Connect
By year's end, ALL accounts in Connect will
need an email address. This includes door staff,
receiving staff, maintenance, etc. The Connect
team will be auditing the status of accounts
already in the system. Please be aware that
from now on, we will require email addresses
when creating new accounts in Connect. The
email addresses don’t need to be FirstService
Residential email addresses. They can be gmail,
protonmail, etc., that the community manager or
employee maintains. Please stay tuned for more
information.
NEW PACKAGE
MANAGMENT APP
We are excited about the delivery of the
long-awaited smart app “Connect Front
Desk.” This initial version allows you to
take a picture of the package label and
package and the delivery location. When
the picture is taken of the label, the unit
and occupant will be found automatically,
reducing the package scanning time
immensely. Further information and guides
are available on the Corporate Menu Tab
within Connect or on Teams at this
location: 2023 Package Management 3-1
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FIRSTSERVICE
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
SMART CONSTRUCTION
Better projects
FirstService Project Management delivers
a well proven and used "Smart
Construction Platform" that expertly
constructs capital projects of all types from
concept though completion.
This six-phased approach ensures that
each project is delivered in the most
comprehensive, time and cost-efficient
manner.
How it works...
1.Feasibility Study - comprehensive evaluation of the project.
2. Project Design/Specification/Construction Permit Drawing Development - finalize the project
design, specification, & construction permit drawings.
3. Competitive Bid Solicitation - FSPM performs a comprehensive & competitive sub-trade bid
process.
4. Open Book Competitive Bid Solicitation Review - FSPM provides each association board with a
comprehensive open book review - FSPM provides.
5. Construction Phase - FSPM performs a comprehensive & competitive sub-trade bid process to
select qualified sub-trades for the project.
6. Project Closeout - Expedited final punch list item performance, submission of applicable as built
drawings, operations manuals, warrantees, and final billing.
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IN GOOD COMPANY
Vendor highlight:
The moisture problem
It has been generally known, for many years, that
most causes of unsatisfactory performance of
exterior house paints can be traced back to water in
one form or another. Moisture moves its way behind
the paint coatings, saturates wood, promotes the
growth of decay and incidentally, destroys the
adhesion of the paint to the surface. Water behind
paint coatings is the primary source of peeling and
unsatisfactory performance. However, all paint
coating failures are NOT attributable to moisture.
Other causes include: incompatible coats of paint,
painting under the wrong weather conditions,
condition of the substrate, or simply poor quality
paint. The easiest way to determine the cause of
peeling is to remove a piece of the failed coating. If
the paint coatings has failed to the point that the
substrate is completely bare, then moisture has
penetrated the backside of the coating. When the
sun evaporates the water, it pushes all the coatings
away from the substrate. If a paint coating fails and
previous coatings are still adhering beneath the
failed area, the source of the problem is usually not
moisture. Since the most recent coating of paint is the
portion of the surfaces which meets the eye, the
tendency of the casual observer is to blame the type
of paint or the application by the contractor for all
failures. Only after prolonged trials with various
brands and types of paint and numerous contractors
does it become obvious that some other factor is at
work. Water is the primary offender and shutting off
its sources is absolutely essential to ensuring the
longevity of a paint coating.
Sources of moisture
The first step toward a solution to
moisture failures is to identify its sources.
A smaller percentage of water may
penetrate paint coatings from the exterior
of the building by the following means: (1)
Siding which was warped, split, or shrunk
presents an excellent opportunity for
moisture to enter, (2) Exposed ends of
boards in contact with damp areas such
as soil, masonry surfaces, brush, shrubs,
etc…act with a capillary action drawing
moisture. An excellent example of this
failure involves the placing of wood
window sills on top of decorative concrete
window sills.
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IN GOOD COMPANY
Vendor highlight:
The concrete sill acts as a sponge drawing moisture to
the underside of the wood window sill. When the sun
heats up the top of the wood window sill, the moisture
is drawn up through the wood by evaporation. As the
water evaporates, it pushes all existing paint coatings
off in the process. The application of primers or finish
coats on top of the wood window sill will not alleviate
this problem. (3) The lack of adequate drip caps around
doors and windows causes water to penetrate a
building. Horizontal surfaces only create ledges for
water to stand. Over time this water will eventually
penetrate these surfaces. Many times, the use of
traditional J channel on horizontal surfaces only
creates a trough in which water will sit. (4) Gutters and
downspouts working improperly can cause major
backflows of water into soffits and siding areas.
Gutters and downspouts must be continuously cleaned
to avoid clogging in the spring/summer and the
forming of ice barriers in the winter.
Gutters must be inspected for proper pitch. If the
gutters do not pitch toward the nearest downspout,
the water will simply not flow in the proper direction.
The downspouts must also be inspected to ensure that
their length is adequate to carry water away from the
building.
Another source of exterior moisture is inadequate
caulk. With today’s building materials, i.e. cedar siding,
caulks must have increased elasticity. Most substrates
expand and contract with substantial weather
changes. In some parts of the country, the weather
only changes a few times a year.
The moisture solution
Several solutions to the above sources of
moisture would include the following: (1) Priming
of all six sides of replacement wood. (2) Avoid
abutting wood surfaces to damp surfaces, i.e.
support posts for balconies or concrete pads,
without applying some type of concrete sealer to
slow the flow of water or place a metal boot at
the base of the post between the wood and
concrete. (3) Install flashing above horizontal
surfaces with proper angles to shed water rather
than collect it. (4) Clean all gutters and
downspouts twice a year and maintain proper
pitches on the gutters and (5) Consult AAA
Painting & Construction for the proper caulk for
your building. The use of polyurethane based
caulk is recommended for this market.
Mark Youngberg
MYoungberg@aaapaintco.com
C: 630-878-0714
O: 630-384-6150
529 W. Roosevelt Road,
Wheaton, IL 60187
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FIRSTSERVICE
CONSTRUCTION & MAINTENANCE
NEW VIDEO RELEASE
Learn more about FSCM, watch our new video!
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FIRSTSERVICE ENERGY
FIRSTSERVICE INSURANCE
To enhance our property management
business by leading our clients to
reduce energy consumption, cost, and
emissions.
FirstService Energy (FSE) was
established to help our clients
significantly enhance their building’s
efficiency by providing data and
support to boards and managers to
drive informed decision making.
Below are some services we provide:
Energy procurement
Education and training
Utility bill auditing
Energy assessment & advisory
FirstService Financial (FFI) offers
comprehensive financial services
exclusively to properties managed by
FirstService Residential. Our goal is to
provide exceptional financial value to
the associations we serve.
Below is a list of our services.
Banking Programs
Reserve program
Lockbox program
Cash reserve program
Lending services for associations
Insurance Programs
Commercial insurance products
Premium financing
Learn more about FirstService Energy
Learn more about FirstService Financial
Contact Information:
killeen.mcdonald@firstserviceenergy.com
212 .324.9627
Contact Information:
sean.gaynor@firstservicefinancial.com
312.231.9447
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BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
& MARKETING
Welcome
new suburban properties!
Willowcreek
85 Units
Upcoming business development &
marketing events
Throughout the year Business Development and
Marketing sponsor local events from the suburbs to
the city. All associates are encouraged to participate
by volunteering and/or visiting events!
Upcoming Movies in the park
Movie showing: Top Gun: Maverick
Date: August 7, 2023
Time: 8:15 p.m. (dusk) - 10:50 p.m.
Location: A. Montgomery Ward Park
630 N. Kingsbury Street (Erie & Kingsbury)
Kelmscott Park
24 Units
Movie showing: Minions: The Rise of Gru
Date: August 15, 2023
Time: 8:00 p.m. (dusk) - 9:30 p.m.
Location: A. Montgomery Ward Park
630 N. Kingsbury Street (Erie & Kingsbury)
BONUS!
August 15 we're
participating in the
River North Back to
School Bash from
5:30 P.M. - 7:30
P.M.
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IT
Seven ways to ID a phishing or suspicious email
1. Emails demanding urgent action
Emails threatening a negative consequence, or a loss of opportunity unless urgent action is
taken, are often phishing emails.
2. Emails with bad grammar and spelling mistakes
Another way to spot phishing is bad grammar and spelling mistakes. Many companies apply
spell-checking tools to outgoing emails by default to ensure their emails are grammatically
correct.
3. Emails with an unfamiliar greeting or salutation
Those that start “Dear,” or contain phrases not normally used in informal conversation, are
from sources unfamiliar with the style of office interaction used in your business and should
arouse suspicion.
4. Inconsistencies in email addresses, links & domain names
Another way to spot phishing is by finding inconsistencies in email addresses, links and
domain names. Look to see if a link is legitimate by hovering the mouse pointer over the
link to see what pops up. If an email allegedly originates from (say) Google, but the
domain name reads something else, report the email as a phishing attack.
5. Suspicious attachments
Most work-related file sharing now takes place via collaboration tools such as
SharePoint, OneDrive or Dropbox. Therefore, internal emails with attachments should
always be treated suspiciously – especially if they have an unfamiliar extension or one
commonly associated with malware (.zip, .exe, .scr, etc.).
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IT
Seven ways to ID a phishing or suspicious email (continued)
6. Emails requesting login credentials, payment information or
sensitive data
Emails originating from an unexpected or unfamiliar sender that requests login credentials,
payment information or other sensitive data should always be treated with caution.
7. Too good to be true emails
Too good to be true emails are those which incentivize the recipient to click on a link or open
an attachment by claiming there will be a reward of some nature.
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PROPERTY
HIGHLIGHTS
Feature your
property!
Is your property/community doing (or did)
something cool that you'd like to highlight in our
OneVoice newsletter?
Submit your community happening(s) on or by the
15th of each month for a special feature, here, in
the upcoming OneVoice newsletter!
Email Dominique Cowens with details and photos
(if applicable) pertaining to the event.
dominique.cowens@fsresidential.com
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Making a difference. Every day.

@FirstServiceResidentialIllinois
@FirstServiceResidentialIllinois