• According to the study, homes with an inviting exterior sold for 7% higher than less inviting homes. 
• In a cold real estate market, the impact was even more significant at 14%. 
• Additionally, neighboring properties that were well-maintained helped increase all home values in the area. 

Given these findings, the professor who led the study highlighted the impact HOAs can have on curb appeal. He concluded, “This study also brings to light the value of homeowners’ associations and their covenants, which tend to maintain a uniformly positive curb appeal for the neighborhood.”

Curb appeal means higher property values, and HOAs can ensure better-looking properties by hiring the right professionals to service their community.

How do HOAs directly impact curb appeal standards and services?

Depending on the community’s governing documents and rules, an HOA may be responsible for landscaping and maintaining common areas or, in some cases, individual homeowner yards, too. 

Whatever the case, an HOA’s priority must be finding the most efficient way to achieve the community’s desired standards to protect their property values.

They will usually form committees focusing on their landscaping, maintenance, and other essential initiatives. These committees will create a budget, send out RFPs, and submit their recommendations to the board. 

Some HOAs may hire professionals internally to service their community, but it can be more effective and financially efficient to hire a professional property maintenance and landscaping company to handle the day-to-day upkeep and repairs.

Let’s review some of the benefits your HOA should experience when you bring in the experts to maintain and upgrade your community’s curb appeal.

Increase Property Values

We previously mentioned how inviting exteriors and curb appeal can increase home values by 7% or more. For HOA communities, specifically, a recent paper revealed that their home prices are listed at least 4% higher on average than homes not part of an HOA. 

Part of the reason for increased prices ties into what the lead researcher of the joint University of Alabama and the University of Texas at Arlington concluded above about HOAs.

Homeowners are willing to spend more to live in a community with enforced standards and complementary maintenance and landscaping services to achieve a familiar aesthetic. 

As HOAs already do this, there is more demand for their homes, which increases property values. 

Of course, you need skilled and reliable professionals to perform all the day-to-day duties to meet those standards. 

A professional property maintenance and landscaping company can use their knowledge and experience to help you maximize your budget to enhance your community’s curb appeal.

If you work with a full-service company that does both property maintenance and landscaping, you may be able to bundle your services for additional savings and peace of mind that you have consistent quality across your community.

Enhance Livability in Your Community

One of the biggest perks of living in an HOA community is the amenities. Many communities will have common areas, like a member clubhouse, a gym, or a pool, to boost wellness and fun and extend the value of being a community member. 

However, these amenities only bring value if the members use them. Maintained common areas and amenities encourage resident participation, which will help them reconnect with their neighborhood and drive participation.

By hiring a professional company, you can work together to determine the best schedule to ensure cleanliness and landscaping in all common areas and boost member happiness and satisfaction. 

And if something goes wrong, some full-service companies, including Berman, offer 24/7 repair services to handle emergency maintenance requests around the clock, so issues are resolved faster.

Ensure Community Safety and Security

A professional property maintenance and landscaping company can also help deter criminal activity, prevent hazards, and boost safety. 

For one, the technicians will get to know your properties and can report any suspicious activity they see to your security team. When you work with a professional company, you will have trusted, vetted experts to monitor your properties. 

Landscaping also reduces opportunities for criminals to hide in tall grass and access homes by trees and shrubs. If there are fewer places to hide and case a property, criminals may look elsewhere where landscaping is more of an afterthought. 

A professional crew can even identify and prevent hazards before they affect your community. For example, landscapers ensure trees are pruned and healthy, preventing storm damage. If there is a malfunctioning piece of equipment in a common area, technicians can fix it before it becomes a severe and dangerous problem.

Extend Your Budget

We already hinted at this earlier when we talked about bundled services, but there are many ways a full-service provider can help you save on maintenance and landscaping costs. 

One of the costliest parts of any maintenance and landscaping budget is supplies. Inflation is still a concern for every community, and HOAs must figure out ways to stretch their budgets while maintaining the quality of their services. 

Professional service providers can usually purchase seed, shrubbery, and other supplies at a bulk rate, saving HOAs money and enabling them to accomplish more. 

They also typically supply their equipment, so HOAs don’t have to worry about purchasing and maintaining equipment as these can significantly strain a budget.

Strengthen Communication with Residents

In our experience, the best-governed HOA communities involve robust communication and engagement with members. Residents need to know what you’re doing to improve their community and why you’re doing it. 

If their only interaction with a landscaping committee is a warning letter about grass length, it won’t produce a healthy conversation. 

One of the ways a professional services company can support positive engagement is by attending board and community meetings when appropriate and reporting on topics related to landscaping and maintenance. 

Representatives can answer questions and provide updates on various initiatives and projects to keep residents informed and engaged. 

They can also offer landscaping and maintenance tips and clarify responsibilities to ensure everyone is on the same page and understands all community standards and procedures.

Improve your curb appeal with Berman

We have only scratched the surface of how a professional property maintenance and landscaping company can boost your curb appeal and serve your community’s interests and needs. 

When you have an experienced and reliable service partner like Berman to help you manage your community responsibilities, the sky’s the limit on what we can accomplish together. 

Let’s explore ways we can help you improve your community’s curb appeal,
enhance safety, and increase resident happiness and satisfaction. 

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The post 5 Reasons Why Your HOA Should Hire a Professional Property Maintenance and Landscaping Company appeared first on bermancorp.com.

By working with your board members, HOA manager, and residents, you can take proactive steps to make your community safer and avoid critical coverage, like this story, that paints a bleak picture of your neighborhood.  

And often, the most effective step you can take is hiring a professional security agency to bolster your security efforts.

A neighborhood watch is a good starting point, but it can’t replace professional security

As public police forces are spread thin for a myriad of reasons, the onus is often on HOAs to address many or all of the security challenges for their communities. 

HOAs are responsible for establishing community security procedures, keeping residents updated on all security issues that could impact them, and actively safeguarding against threats whenever possible.

For some boards and community managers, addressing security begins and ends with a neighborhood watch program.

A neighborhood watch could help deter crime and allow residents to feel safer, but its limitations and potential for legal headaches may make it ultimately ineffective on its own. 

As a volunteer program typically made up of residents, a neighborhood watch will not have the training, experience, or equipment to match sophisticated criminals. In extreme cases, it may put residents at risk and increase your liabilities if things go badly. 

While a neighborhood watch can be useful, wouldn’t you feel more secure in your community with a professional security firm watching over you and your loved ones?

What are the benefits of hiring a professional security agency for your HOA community?

Hiring a professional security agency is a critical decision that should involve input from everyone in the community. Good communication and transparency are essential to ensuring the widespread acceptance and adoption of any community initiative, and security should be no different. 

Here are some potential benefits of working with a security agency that all stakeholders should know in advance to make the best decision for your community. 

1. Understanding threats

We mentioned earlier how one of the drawbacks of relying on a volunteer neighborhood watch is that it could increase your liabilities if something goes wrong. This is true even if the threat isn’t real. 

A real threat is a dangerous event that requires immediate attention, as someone’s life or health could be in danger. An assumed threat may cause anxiety or fear, but it usually leads to nothing. 

Trained professionals will be able to distinguish more easily between real threats and assumed threats. This enables them to avoid unnecessarily putting themselves and the community at risk.

Identifying real threats is challenging, as personal beliefs and experiences often shape perceptions of risk. A professional security company should have comprehensive training and procedures to help their patrols accurately assess threats and mitigate personal biases. 

This will lead to safer outcomes and fewer incidents that could impact your HOA legally.

2. Access to the latest technology

Buying a few security cameras from Amazon is easy, but a professional company will have significantly better detection and protection technology.

If you can buy a camera from Amazon, criminals can, too, which means there’s a good chance they’ll know how to bypass these simple surveillance systems. 

Stories about emerging surveillance technology like AI and robotics are encouraging. Security companies, including Berman Security Agency, will have tested and invested in the best options, including command centers, AI cameras, and access control systems, to keep criminals guessing and your community safe. 

Another concern over technology is ethical use and balancing security with civil liberties. One of the biggest debates over security technology and civil liberties over the past few years involved using license plate readers in some HOA communities, public towns, and cities.

While there was some evidence of crime statistics going down after the readers were implemented, there was also community pushback led by privacy advocates who cried foul over the potential for abuse and privacy concerns. 

A professional security company can work with your board, community manager, and residents to balance safety and privacy while leveraging the best technology available.

3. Quicker responses

Recent studies have shown that a faster response time increases the likelihood of an arrest. This is attributed to various intuitive factors, including eyewitnesses being better able to identify a perpetrator the sooner they are questioned. 

With trained professionals watching out for your community, they can act quickly with established procedures. 

Some ways security agencies can accomplish this include mobile patrol services conducting regular walk-throughs of all entry points and common areas, establishing a command center for 24/7 monitoring, and ongoing training and assessments. 

A security agency will have professionals with the experience and equipment to identify real threats, act fast according to their training, and contact the authorities when necessary to address those threats in the safest manner possible. 

4. Smoother prosecution

From large metropolitan areas to gated communities, it’s essential to have strong public-private security partnerships to increase safety and security. 

Public police forces often communicate with private security on potential threats and suspects to help them investigate and prevent future crimes.

Not surprisingly, trained professionals understand how to work with law enforcement and prosecutors on identification and other aspects to make their jobs easier. 

As police forces struggle to maintain their numbers, a professional security agency can utilize its human resources and surveillance capabilities to assist them and ensure criminals don’t get away with any crimes they commit against your community. 

5. Deters crime

Even though criminals are becoming increasingly sophisticated with their tactics, they don’t want to work too hard or spend a lot of time casing targets. Even visible signs about professional security and monitoring make criminals think twice before entering. 

In one University of North Carolina study, 25% of burglars would walk away without further investigation if they saw a surveillance or security sign on the lawn. 

When patrols are out and visible, deterrence is even more effective. In an English study, 41% more patrol visits and 29% more minutes spent by security agents led to a significant 16% reduction in victim-generated crimes and a 49% increase in police-generated detections.

Criminals know that an increased presence of security and surveillance makes them more likely to get caught, which may be enough on its own to deter crimes. And if not, trained professionals have the capabilities and experience to stop them.

If you are interested in learning more about our security services or have any questions about the benefits mentioned in this article, please contact us. We are happy to share our knowledge and help your HOA strengthen security in your community. 

You don’t have to go at it alone or rely on a volunteer watch. From professional human security patrols to next-level surveillance technology, we have the resources to make your community safer.

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The post 5 Reasons Your HOA Should Work with a Professional Security Agency appeared first on bermancorp.com.

Before the Storm

It really starts before the storm. 

In some cases, you can spend the time on these steps yourself, but in most cases, it’s best to have a professional review your property. 

As your partner, Berman can assess your properties to ensure everything is in the best condition possible. This means taking the time to look over every inch of your property – inside and out – and note which things need to be fixed or tied down to prevent larger issues during and after the natural disaster.

We’ll want to focus on foundation damage, roofing issues, and unsupported windows and doors because they can create larger problems during the storm.. If things such as your roof or overall structure have any damage or weaknesses, it is important to take the time and have them repaired before disaster hits.

This is why it’s so important to have a preparedness plan in place months in advance of natural disasters. It gives you the proper time to ensure your structures are hurricane ready and your grounds have been properly prepared.

Repairs to Prepare For

The bigger the storm, the bigger the damages are going to be to your facility. Sometimes, it’s just some small things that can be taken care of before the storm. Some of this may be done in-house too!

The bigger the storm, the bigger the damages are going to be to your facility. Sometimes, it’s just some small things that can be taken care of before the storm. Some of this may be done in-house too!

Smaller repairs that should be fixed before the storm could include:

• Minor Leaks
• Leaky Faucets/Pipes
• Replacing Damaged Ceiling/Floor Tiles
• Resealing Gaps or Cracks around Windows and Doors
• Replacing Broken Glass Panes
• Replacing Light Fixtures
• Repairing Switches and Outlets
• Minor Roof Issues
• Clearing Debris from Gutters and Downspouts
• Replacing Side Trim
• Clearing Outside Debris

It is always important to remember that minor damages can be easy fixes, but if you need more clarification about what you are doing, it is always best to have a professional, like Berman, on hand with you during the assessment. That way, they can help you manage which repairs you can handle safely and which need to be delegated to contractors and electricians.

On-demand professional teams are there to help with the before and after so that your only worry is maintaining your business. We know that you can help us with the repair work, but know that you don’t have to if you put your trust in Berman.

This is why it is vital to set up your own on-demand professional team for those weeks after the storm when things are most uncertain.

Organizations such as Berman are on hand to provide on-demand repair services in the event of a natural disaster. However, they can only help you as quickly and efficiently if the arrangements are made ahead of time.

The Importance of an On-Demand Repair Plan

Every year, when disasters hit, businesses are left scrambling to find a solution for their structural and aesthetical damages. The problem, they soon realize, is that these companies designed to help with such events are completely booked and can’t get to your structure until weeks, sometimes even months later.

By booking your on-demand team before the event, you guarantee that your damages and cleanup will be handled more promptly, creating less downtime for you. No one wants to be left with their hands in the air losing out on vital business operation time because they can’t find an available professional clean-up crew.

You want to ensure that your facility remains operational as much as possible before and after a major disaster. This means your preparedness plan needs to include having a team to help you clean up in the aftermath.

There are many things to consider about hurricane cleanup, which is best done with the help of a team of professionals. You might know how to clean up some basic damages and debris, but an on-demand professional team will be able to assess which repairs need to be done by them for safety reasons.

Another key benefit of having this on-demand crew already in place before the storm is peace of mind knowing your business and facility are in the best hands. By booking ahead of time, you have ensured that the team will have time to tour your facility and learn the ins and outs of what you need concerning structure and aesthetics.
 
Too many times, a market is flooded with unscrupulous businesses looking to take advantage of people and businesses who are hurting. Having your team in place will give you comfort the professionals will be there for you years after the storm too. 

How Berman Can Assist You

A couple of years ago, we created a Hurricane Preparedness and Cleanup Guide, which walks you through the basic steps you need to take to prepare for the worst weather has to offer. This guide is a stepping stone toward everything Berman has to offer in terms of helping you recover from a major natural disaster.

We start by helping your organization create the perfect preparedness plan and get you on the road to preventing as much damage as possible. We can assist you with any pre-hurricane measures of re-enforcement that your structure might need and be on hand afterward to ensure you get back on your feet as quickly as possible.

You can always prepare for the worst-case scenario, and Berman can help you. Contact us today to get started. Your facility is important to us, so we want to ensure you save valuable time and money waiting to get everything back in working order. We look forward to hearing from you.

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The post Why You Should Have A Hurricane Repair Plan In Place For your Investment Property appeared first on bermancorp.com.

Mary Lantz is the Senior Director of Property Management at Berman, where she is responsible for leading and overseeing our property management division and mentoring our team of property managers. Mary is an experienced executive manager specializing in Mixed-Use and Class “A” Office assets, managing millions of square feet of commercial real estate assets. 

An esteemed expert in the commercial real estate industry, Mary has served in various leadership roles at the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA), including her current positions as Chair of Government Affairs for BOMA International and Committee Member for BOMA Internationals Industry Defense Fund Committee. Mary can be frequently found on Capitol Hill, fighting for commercial real estate owners and ensuring their best interests.

Mary is a pioneer in our industry, and we are so happy to have her here at Berman. We sat down with Mary to discuss her current positions at Berman and BOMA and what she has learned from such an accomplished and diverse career in commercial real estate and property management. 

You’ve had a great career in the property management field. What do you love about this industry? 

Every day is something different, and each day is never the same. I truly enjoy helping people such as my clients/building owners, saving them money for a better return on their investment, and lobbying on Capitol Hill in their best interest. Helping my team; mentoring them to be the best they can be in the industry.  

What’s the biggest mistake you’ve seen by property owners when they try to keep the value of their property high? 

Value engineering instead of investing in the front end, which will cost them in long-term maintenance costs on the back end.

What is your favorite place to spend a few days on vacation? 
Anyplace tropical to sit on the beach or by the pool and relax.

What do you believe Berman does better than any of its competitors? 

The owner is hands-on, which helps control the quality of service and stay competitive in pricing with the market. Also, Marty was very strategic in his hires to ensure the highest degree of experience and knowledge for each company division.

Why have you invested so much of your professional career and time with BOMA? 

To continue to educate myself, to grow in my career, for the networking as well as the relationships that I’ve built in the last 15 years, which is invaluable, and to fight for the commercial real estate industry/building owners when the government flippantly enacts laws which cost building owners money. Thus, increasing the operating expenses, which are passed back to the tenants.

Who was your mentor (or inspiration), and how did they impact your life and career? 

Sandy Chace, a broker with CBRE. I met Sandy 10 years ago while applying for a position with CBRE. We worked together for over six years and have continued the relationship since I’ve moved on. She is a successful self-starter who empowers, fights for, and lifts up other women. She has been an amazing mentor to me and has impacted my life both personally and professionally. She inspires me every day.

What book is your absolute favorite and why? 

Any book for self-improvement. If I’m going to spend time reading, I want to grow and learn something.

What advice would you give 20-year-old Mary as she is starting her career? 

Be patient. Your time will come.

Thank you, Mary, for speaking with us and all you do to help our clients. You can connect with Mary on LinkedIn or contact Mary by email for more information. 

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The post Meet Mary Lantz, Senior Director of Property Management at Berman appeared first on bermancorp.com.

Utilizing an outsourced property services company will ensure that your vision becomes a reality and your workload is focused on the management of the community overall. Knowing you can rely on one set resource to cover all the services needed will save you time, headache, and money. Over time these benefits add up, making your community the top choice for residents.

Cost Management

Using one service provider to cover all your services means you pay one flat rate and get uniform quality across the board. By selecting a bundled services provider, you can get the services you need for a cost that a single provider dictates and determines versus dealing with multiple contracts. When it comes to things like inflation, this can be very cost-effective. 

Hiring a company like Berman gives you the most cost-efficient solution for your entire community. For example, with a bundled services provider, the price of an inflated item wouldn’t impact the overall cost because there are other ways the provider can offset the increase in price for performing a specific service. If the price of gas increases, but the cost of supplies for landscaping services don’t, the provider can offset the higher cost against the lower to keep your overall price within reason.

By working directly with companies like Berman, you’re guaranteed to have the most cost-efficient solution. Effectively lowering the cost of services throughout your community will make the residents happy because it’ll be less costly for them and gives them a sense of pride from the high quality the service provider produces.

Expertise and Efficiency

Whether you are managing a small gated community or a larger master-planned one, knowing exactly who to hire for upkeep and maintenance is daunting. Hiring a different service provider for each service you need might be your first choice, but ensuring you find the right one for each takes time and leg work.

Looking into outsourced bundled services will save you time and headaches in the long run. Going with a property services company allows you to make one decision and receive all the services your community needs. It is the most efficient solution to your challenge because you need to express your vision to a single provider, and the quality and aesthetic of your community remain across the board.

Companies like Berman have the expertise to train employees to fit your community’s needs. This way, time isn’t wasted on getting the next service provider up to speed. You start from day one with everyone knowing what needs to be done and how you wish your community to look and feel. 

Having one team means that if you need help with a problem immediately, your bundled service provider can have a technician or groundskeeper there in minutes. There is no downtime waiting for a go-between to contact the skilled worker – they are just one phone call away. This means efficiency for you and happiness for your residents.

After all, no one wants a molehill to turn into a mountain.

Reliability and Flexibility

It is one thing to say that a service provider will always have your back, but another entirely for it to ring true. When you choose a bundled services option for your community, you ensure that come rain or even a natural disaster, your team of skilled workers will pick up the pieces as quickly and efficiently as possible.

That isn’t a flexibility guarantee you can rely on from just any service provider. When you go through individual providers, you often have to contend with work schedules, labor shortages, and general response times. But when you choose one provider to cover all your needs, you guarantee that you’re their number one priority. They are your team and will make sure that your last-minute emergencies and situations are handled with the quality you expect from any other day.

A perfect example of this is Lake Nona and the LPGA Tournament of Champions. Berman handles Lake Nona’s property services daily, so it is no surprise that when a special event came up, they were hired to provide for it as well. There was no need to train for particular service needs because while the Tournament of Champions was a special event, Lake Nona was familiar to Berman as a community. The community knew they could rely on Berman to provide the highest quality services for their high-quality event because that is what they provide Lake Nona during the normal day-to-day operations.

Finally, reliability can also extend to security – in fact, it should and does with Berman. Whether you are in a gated community and need protection at the front gate or your community needs on-the-ground security for when situations arise, a bundled service provider can add that service to their roster – eliminating a third-party provider. If you can rely on your bundled services provider to give you top-quality aesthetic services, then it stands to reason that your residents can feel protected with their security services as well.

After all, choosing security with your bundled provider means a more intimate knowledge of the area being tasked with protecting. By allowing your service provider to handle security as well, you are cutting back on response times, which goes a long way toward making your residents feel safe. Even further, if you rely on a combination of technology and human security, you ensure that all areas of your community are protected and looked after. 

Improved Quality

One of the other concerns for your residents is the overall aesthetic and quality of their community. They choose to live within its boundaries to feel part of something unique and special. This means you must focus on ensuring the common areas fit that desire.

Using bundled maintenance services helps ensure that quality. Having the same skilled person perform the services constantly improves your community’s aesthetics. Just as no two people are the same, no two people are going to do the work you ask of them the same way.

By choosing a team of providers to control all the maintenance and general upkeep of your common areas, you ensure that the same level of service is provided every time. This equates to consistently top-quality work over a period of time. 

Berman Has Your Interests At Heart

All this to say that here at Berman, we put your needs and your vision first. We have helped to maintain some of the greatest communities in the area and continue to grow in that market every year. Our customers come to us because they want professional quality services and know they can rely on us to get that.

Our work with Lake Nona is a fine example of how no community is too large for us. Contact us today if you have any questions about what services we provide.

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The post Benefits of Outsourcing Property Services For Your Community appeared first on bermancorp.com.

The concert series occurred over the course of three nights and had headliners such as En Vogue, Ellie Goulding, Maren Morris, and Celebrity DJ Paris Hilton. Meanwhile, the Tournament of Champions Golf Tournament was a 4-day event with a mixture of sponsors, celebrities, and professional female golfers.

The Tournament of Champions event pairs golfing pros and celebrities to play together on a team for a golf tournament at the Lake Nona Golf and Country Club. This is where Berman comes in – Berman acts as an owner’s representative for all of Lake Nona’s property management and operations. 

We handle all their janitorial, on-demand repair/setup, and security needs. They love the work we do for them year-round. Berman also provides Hilton with various support, security, and cleaning services. Therefore, Berman was their first thought when looking for someone to manage all these aspects of the big event.

Previous Hilton Relationship

Berman being chosen to spearhead security, cleaning, and other support services for the Tournament of Champions came from our longstanding relationship with Hilton Grand Vacation events. It started with Berman managing the janitorial services for Hilton. 

When Berman expanded into the security sector, Hilton asked us to manage the security for their big events and concerts. Our professionalism and experience spoke for themselves from the start. We ensured that everyone we brought in as security personnel was properly vetted and trained to manage such a massive event.

With no concerns during their events, Hilton knew we would be perfect for being a key operational resource for the significant undertaking of the Tournament of Champions event – which had tighter security needs than average concert events. With multiple A and B list celebrities involved, the security needed to be top-tier.

Over the years, we have proven to Hilton that we could handle significant security needs with discretion and professionalism. Berman takes pride in knowing who will be showing up to manage the setup for an event, security during, and clean up after. By using our vetting process, we proved that we could be relied upon to handle a multi-location series of events.

The Tournament and Concert Series

Adding the Tournament of Champions to the list of Berman events was an honor. It was held at the Lake Nona Golf and Country Club, which was about five miles from the location of the Hilton Grand Vacations’ Concert Series. We worked hand in hand with Hilton to be sure that security for both events – which had similar guest lists – went off without a hitch. 

Our years of managing the Lake Nona properties every single day gave us a leg up for this event because we already knew the ins and outs of the properties and were, therefore, able to know everything this event needed from us. Our janitorial skills made for an effortless setup and clean-up, while our security talents were utilized to ensure that professionals and celebrities were protected. There was no need for extra time to learn every inch of the property therefore, preparation for the event could focus on the service details instead.

We have the understanding and experience to know how to handle events where attendance is significant. The biggest difference for this event is that it was mostly focused on VIP-level attendees – therefore, tickets were not easy to obtain. This made securing the property less of a hassle during any point of the tournament and the adjoining concerts.

There is a level of trust between Berman and Hilton that allowed both events to have no significant complications. Our security details ensured that people who didn’t have tickets weren’t allowed into either of the venues – the tournament or the concert. It was a massive undertaking that was smooth and seamless because we are a company that does daily property management and security services for all kinds of high-traffic campuses.

As we look toward the future, we know that there will be more LPGA and Hilton-related events because our relationship with them continues to grow. We get selected to do more work for them yearly because we always go above and beyond. Both organizations and their attendees have left this event feeling satisfied and secure.

Berman Can Assist

This exciting event is only the tip of the iceberg of what Berman can handle. Our elite bundling services allow us to ensure your property, campus, or venue will always be in good hands. 

Contact us if you want to learn more about our property management or facility services.

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The post Berman Helps With the Hilton LPGA Tournament of Champions appeared first on bermancorp.com.

Onsite security patrols can only get you so far. By adding technology, you are ensuring a situation will be handled without pause and that you’ll be prepared for anything.

Benefits of Human Security

Having a mobile security team on-site is your best option to pair with a technological security system. A highly trained security team that can move throughout your property ensures every situation will be handled swiftly. Security personnel is trained to handle problems and prevent crimes from happening in the first place. 

There is something to be said about the human eye. Having an extensively trained team ensures that your property remains safe at all hours of the day. The best security team is the one that is present and yet manages to do its work without disrupting everyday operations. Criminals see security and think twice about committing crimes against your property.

After all, human security existed long before technology became such a significant player in the game. Humans can problem-solve more quickly and efficiently than a piece of technology. Which means they can protect your business more thoroughly.

That said, even the most observant human is likely to miss something or be slow to notice movement near them. In moments like these, a backup option will be your best bet: to ensure 24/7 protection. 

Any time a study has put a human up against a “simulation,” the human has proven to possess higher intellect than the computer when it comes to thinking on its feet and making snap decisions based on experience. 

However, humans are also more likely to have vulnerabilities where technology doesn’t. When you have humans and technology working in tandem, your property will be the safest it’s ever been. 

Bringing Technology to Your Security

Adding the best technology to your security plan could mean the difference between absolute security and giving it your best shot. Technology bridges that gap between perfect surveillance and human error. 

When you have technology as your first line of defense against crime, you can monitor every inch of your property with up-to-the-minute feedback. Technical feedback and monitoring allow human security to react faster and catch even those things that may escape their notice otherwise.

A faster response time is key to preventing future crimes from occurring and deterring other offenders from trying to break into your property. For example, if someone breaks into the property to steal assets, the faster a security officer responds, the less likely the person will get away or destroy property. 

Technology is instrumental in situations where obstructions block human vision and visibility is limited. Night-time surveillance is best conducted with the combined efforts of technology and humans. With cameras that can detect motion or heat signals, darkness is no longer a hindrance to security, eliminating weaknesses to your property’s safety. 

With the addition of technology, you can reduce your human security team, but you can’t eliminate it. A smaller human team is a selling point financially, as long as you don’t forget what a human can offer your peace of mind that a camera or alarm system cannot.

Neither element can do the work alone. No matter how advanced the technology protecting your property may be, if there isn’t a trace of humans to enforce the rules, criminals can take advantage every time.

You can ensure your property remains safe and secure between the latest technology and trained security personnel.

The Berman Security Difference

This year, The Berman Corporation expanded its reach to include security. One thing is for sure, in that short time, we have proven to our clients that our security services can be trusted. Our services are the most high-tech, with an added human element – which everyone needs in a security team.

Unlike other security teams, Berman ensures that all its personnel are trained in the latest security measures and that you use the best equipment for your property.

What can you expect if you secure your property with Berman Security?

On-Site and Mobile Security

Our trained security personnel will patrol the property around the clock. This ensures your whole property is secure.

We will handle anything from disturbance calls to break-ins and everything in between. 

24/7 Remote Camera Monitoring

Teamed up with your on-site security is a Command Center whose number one priority is communicating incidents to the people on the ground. Our team monitors every remote camera and then alerts your security team to any situations they need to handle.

Security Consulting & Risk Assessment

Even before we put a security plan in place, Berman Security will help guide you through a risk assessment of your property. This assessment will give a more comprehensive picture of what security measures are needed. If you aren’t sure yet what you want, we can consult you on making the best choice for your company.

Best in High-Tech Security

If your property needs more than strategically placed remote cameras, we can deploy drones and other robots to increase the mobility of service. What you want in your security features is up to you. We work with you and your on-the-ground security team to ensure the most substantial support.

You trust Berman to manage your properties. Now, let us keep your locations secure as well. Contact our team today.

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The post Combining Technology and the Human Element for Security appeared first on bermancorp.com.

It is hard to do great things for your campus with less in today’s changing landscape. Budgets are diminishing because of the current economic climate, but the work remains the same, leaving academic leadership with a difficult question.

How do we keep our campus’s aesthetic within budget?

When you outsource to multiple vendors, some elements move beyond your control. You may find yourself needing more communication, consistency in quality, and vetting of personnel.

So, how do you approach this issue? By bundling your services.

Why Bundling?

We have discussed how bundling your services can help with overall costs. We have even touched briefly on how this affects the aesthetics of your campus. 

In our previous blog about bundling, we explained that you use one company to outsource multiple services. This allows you to take care of all the elements of your campus under one roof. 

Communication:

Using a bundled service provider means you have complete control over the image you want to present to the public. The bundled services may comprise multiple industries, but these services are provided by one full-service company that responds to you. There are fewer opportunities for communication to get muddled or confused.

Would you rather have control of multiple people for each little job needed to keep your campus functional, or would you rather have a conversation with one person about everything? Most would choose to talk to one person.

That’s because a message is heard loud and clear the first time it is conveyed but becomes more convoluted the more times it has to pass through someone. Think of it like the game telephone. The first person you speak to likely has the correct information, but then they convey it to the next person, the message is slightly different, and so on.

Taking control of your aesthetic through bundling means that communication will be at its most substantial level. The fewer people have to be told your standards, the more uniform those standards are going to look at the finish.

Consistency in Quality:

To better understand how bundling can help you control your aesthetic, you need to look at it like a group project. When you have a group project due, and everyone in the group is doing their part without communicating with the other members until the end, there is not likely to be a cohesive result. However, if your group is the one that works on each part of the project together, you know that by the end, your finished product will be uniform and beautiful.

Campuses are the same way. If you trust your landscaping and your janitorial services to the same company, you can bet that they will both be to the standard you’ve created when everything is done. 

A bundled service provider will have trained all employees to serve your campus best. This means you are guaranteed the same quality of service every time with the same standards of care met.

Companies like Berman make it their mission to know your company in and out. This way, we can provide the best quality every time.

Vetting of Personnel:

When you choose a bundling service, you will likely see the same people repeatedly as they help you with your campus. This gives you peace of mind because you will come to know what you can expect from your personnel each time.

In our blog about self-performing vs. subcontracting, we talk about how bundling allows you consistency and trust with the people doing these tasks for you. When you hire out from different companies for each facility service, you run the risk of seeing different people each time they perform work for you, which could affect trust and loyalty.

Labor shortages are less likely to affect your campus if you are using a self-performing bundled service provider because they perform all their own work instead of contracting it out. This means when you request work from them, you are guaranteed to have a professional at your door faster and who has knowledge of your company’s aesthetic and standards.

Take Back Control

As time goes on and budgets become even tighter, know that you don’t have to handle everything yourself. You can save time, hassle, and money by switching to a bundled service provider. They will handle the everyday facility services so you can focus more on your other management duties.

Just because you are putting the control of services into someone else’s hands doesn’t mean you have to skimp on your aesthetic quality. Bundling will allow you more control over that aesthetic than when you were trying to contract out all the work yourself.

Don’t let the unknown frighten you. You can control the outcome in many ways, even when you give your services to a bundled service provider. 

The bridge of communication and control is still within your hands – we just want to help ease the load. Bundling your facility services will only do as much or as little as you need. The quality of work will remain consistently high based on your standards. 

The other great aspect of choosing to bundle is the relationship that forms between you and the service provider. By bundling, you can ensure that your needs are being met while also looking ahead to the future.

Bundled service providers are not just in response mode all of the time. They are preventing issues and developing long-term strategies to ensure better-looking properties and a better experience for people who see and use these facilities. 

Building this relationship between you and them ensures that you are doing your job to the best of your ability. You are putting your campus first and foremost, which is a fantastic path to be on.

Trust the Berman Quality

Still unsure about how bundling can help ease your stress and maintain your aesthetic? Contact Berman and allow our team to walk you through the process step-by-step.

Berman has been a top bundled service provider for two decades. You can trust our name, but more importantly, you can trust our quality.

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The post How Does Bundling Help You Control the Aesthetics of Your Campus? appeared first on bermancorp.com.

How does bundling benefit corporate campuses?

Corporate campuses were initially designed to enhance collaboration and convenience for workers. But times have changed, and so have companies’ space requirements. 

Fewer workers are coming to the office, and some companies now offer hybrid schedules and remote work opportunities, leaving more office space and facilities unused. Combined with challenging economic obstacles, most companies are considering ways to use their space more efficiently and economically. 

Many CFOs and regional facility managers are increasingly realizing the benefits of bundling their facility management services:

Bundling offers companies various benefits because you only work with a single provider.

Financial Flexibility

A full-service provider can streamline their resources to prevent issues that lead to price increases. This means they can typically offer service packages for less than if a company chose to work with multiple providers.

For example, a full-service provider will probably cross-train their employees to handle various facility services needed for better workforce allocation. This reduces labor costs and increases flexibility when there is a pressing need, enabling the provider to offer discounted pricing for multiple facility services.

Faster and Fewer Repairs

There is a technician shortage in the country because of a myriad of factors. Fewer young people are going into trades, so there aren’t as many hungry upstarts to replace aging professionals retiring in droves. And those who go into the field often have a learning curve before they can acquire the skills and experience to be proficient.

With fewer skilled technicians to go around, it makes it much more difficult for organizations to find reliable facility services. And preventative maintenance is likely an afterthought, increasing the likelihood of more severe equipment failures and other adverse events. 

A full-service provider should have more resources available to offset these concerns and deliver better, faster service. In addition, cross-trained employees working within the same organization will likely communicate and collaborate more effectively, so issues are caught and resolved earlier.

Friendlier Environment

There’s always a friendly face with Berman. 

We’ve had the privilege of working with many great organizations, and we always try our best to acclimate to their culture and be the best reflection of their organization. 

Having the same people service your facilities and perform repairs daily is beneficial in two ways:

1. We get acquainted with your systems, procedures, and people to offer better service and high-quality work. 
2. Your employees and customers get familiar with us and see us as an extension of your environment. 

Achieving this level of professional friendliness, which creates a better overall experience, is much easier when you can work with a single provider.

Do you want to simplify your company’s facility management strategy? 

At the end of the day, it’s all about your budget and facility management needs. If you feel using multiple providers for various services is suitable for your organization, that’s great!

But if you feel there’s room for improvement, please know that we can help you. Through Berman, you can achieve higher quality and efficiency that reflects positively on you, your employees, and your organization. 

Let us know if you are ready to bundle your facility management services for better results and more significant savings.

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When you work with one company that performs all services, like landscaping, all maintenance tasks, repairs, pressure washing and janitorial, you can reduce disruptions and interruptions that end up affecting your tenants or customers.

Still, there is one issue we want to bring up that may impact your decision-making: hiring a facility management company that self-performs or one that subcontracts. 

We prepared this blog post on self-performing vs. subcontracting to help you understand their differences and find the best provider. Let’s get started!

Self-Performing vs. Subcontracting, What’s the Difference?

Self-Performing is when a bundled service provider does all the services in-house. They hire their own workforce and then dispense them directly to the client to provide the service needed. 

Subcontracting is when a bundled service provider gives the client one set price for the services they will be controlling but then hires out those services and trades to a third-party vendor who will work under the bundled service provider. 

In an ideal world, choosing the self-performing bundled services provider could benefit your company, in the long run, more positively than choosing the provider who subcontracts the work. The benefits are more than just cost-driven – though cost is a significant factor.

Benefits of Choosing a Self-Performing Bundled Services Provider

When looking at facility management companies that self-perform or subcontract, the biggest difference is quite obvious – it’s more cost-efficient. However, that can’t be your only deciding factor when choosing a provider.

Cost – By selecting a self-performing provider, you can get the services you need for a cost that this provider dictates and determines. If the provider subcontracts, they will have to set prices based on the cost of the people hired to do the service. 

When it comes to things like inflation, this can be very cost-effective. With self-performed facility management, the price of an inflated item wouldn’t impact the whole overall cost because there are other efficiencies that offset the increase of the impacted services. 

Whereas with subcontracting, the price could be impacted from multiple directions due to the companies being hired to do the service – much like if you hadn’t bundled your services in the first place.

Quality of Work – With self-performing, the quality of the work is uniform across the board because the company hired to do your bundled services hires its own talent directly. This means they control the training for said services. 

The self-performing service provider is going to ensure that only the best quality of people perform the work on-site. Quality control is standard and consistent because the responsibility falls on the shoulders of one company vs. many companies.

Subcontracting may be helpful for the service provider; but, for the client, it means there is a chance the quality of performance will take a hit. There is no guarantee that the level of work for one service will carry over to the next service and the next. 

Trust in Work – When a client sees the same faces with the same brand time after time for a service, they start to trust that individual. Plus, they start to see that there is a level of trust in the work itself as well.

We live in a world where face-to-face interaction between a client and a service provider is very important because it dictates the speed and efficiency of the work to be performed. If you see the same face each time a service is provided, you start to know them by name and start to see them as human.

This can work in the positive with regard to the provider’s confidence and pride, but it can also work well for the provider should a mistake be made. If the client trusts your level of service a mistake won’t be seen as the end of the working relationship, just merely a hiccup along the way.

Aesthetics – As with anything, if you ask one person to do all the tasks vs. multiple people, you are going to get a more uniform, consistent look. This can go for anything and everything. 

By bundling your services together, you think you are going to get a uniform aesthetic for your company. However, unless that service provider self-performs, you may be stuck with many different opinions on what is best for your company. 

It’s like looking at it from the perspective of a design meeting. If you (the client) have a meeting with one person (the self-performing service provider) it’s more likely that the two of you will reach a consensus on what should be done for your company’s services. Whereas, in a design meeting with you (the client) and ten other people (a subcontracting service provider who has to answer to all their contractors) you have to contend with many different opinions, and nothing gets done the same way twice.

Efficiency – Finally, there is the factor of work efficiency to think about. Self–performing bundled service providers can cut down on a client’s downtime because they can contact a technician, worker, provider, etc almost immediately. 

Because self-performing providers hire their own team of workers, they control things such as labor shortages, response times, and quality of work because there is no middleman to contend with. Unfortunately, contractors can’t predict anything about response times or who will show up to perform the service – or if the contractor will even have someone available.

This factors into the efficiency of the services being provided because the responsibility only falls on the shoulders of one person versus multiple people. By controlling the quality of work, a provider can ensure that the work won’t have to be repeated in order to fix mistakes or shortcomings. 

How Does Berman Stand Out?

First and foremost, Berman has been a trusted name in bundled service providers for 17 years. With that longevity comes a name and brand people can trust. 

One of the big reasons we can be trusted is we are a self-performed bundled services provider and we utilize that to your advantage for the overall success of your company and property. Contact us today to get started.

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The post Self-Performing vs. Subcontracting Bundled Services appeared first on bermancorp.com.

A facility manager and their team can significantly reduce headaches and bolster your planning. By working with your facility manager, you can delegate responsibilities and take full advantage of their knowledge and expertise. 

We will share the differences between facility and event management and list some common questions you should answer for your facility manager to ensure your event goes off without a hitch. 

What is the difference between facility management and event management?

There are some similarities and overlaps between facility management and event management, but, ultimately, they are very different. 

What is facility management?

Facility management encompasses a comprehensive set of disciplines and activities and is relatively difficult to define because of its broad scope. 

We’ll start with the most obvious first. Facility management involves the upkeep and maintenance of all facilities in an academic, corporate, or medical campus. 

The facility manager is the main point of contact to ensure all equipment is working as it should, maintain vendor contracts, improve assets, and implement cleaning programs. 

But facility management also comprises security, disaster response, building technology, systems integration, and more. 

What is event management?

Event management is narrower in scope and pertains primarily to the who, what, when, where, why, and how of events on campus. Event planners act as the project manager for a particular event, festival, or conference.

Some of the most common activities related to event management include the following:

• Managing the event schedule
• Budgeting the event
• Delegating responsibilities to participating staff and volunteers
• Planning how to utilize facility space
• Maintaining event guest lists and handling invitations and event promotion
• Scheduling keynote speakers and presenters
• Identifying resources, supplies, and technology required

How do event planners and facility managers work together?

Event planners and facility managers often work very closely together to plan and manage various campus events, whether for a company, hospital, or academic institution. 

When coordinating with a facility manager and their team, an event planner should have the following information available so the facility manager can provide the most informed guidance:

How many attendees do you plan to have at the event?

From venue selection to parking, the number of attendees will figure into much of the decision-making between the event planner and facility manager. Knowing how many people are expected to attend, a facility manager can offer basic recommendations and coordinate with their team to ensure availability. They can also provide information on occupancy limits and other issues related to attendance and facilities. 

How will you check attendees in and manage security?

Facility managers are typically responsible for access management and security, so they need to know how you will check people in and direct them to various event spaces. Will you be checking attendees in electronically? Will they have lanyards and name tags to identify themselves as attendees? Is there enough wayfinding for the attendees to know where they’re going? A facility manager will want to know these things to recommend suitable security measures and restrictions. 

How long will the event take place? 

A facility manager and their team may have to make special arrangements if an event is scheduled to occur after regular business hours or extended all day or multiple days. For example, they may need to adjust power settings and access if a facility is being used when it’s normally unoccupied. They may also need to scale facility services teams up to take on the additional workload, which will require advance notice and planning. 

What equipment and technology will you need?

Most conferences and events require various AV equipment and technology to support speeches and presentations. A facility manager will need to know what equipment you have and still need to source and test it and recommend where and when to set it up. If there is an issue, they can also provide alternatives so you’re not scrambling on the day of the event.  

Will part or all of the event take place outside? 

If your event is outside or there are parts outdoors, your facility manager can ensure you have access to power, water, seating, and other things you need to be fully operational and accommodate your guests. If there is inclement weather, they can also help you create a backup plan to ensure the festivities go on and the event is a success.

Do you need a facility management team to partner with?

As a full-service provider, Berman is a go-to partner for many clients in corporate campuses, hospitals, and academic institutions. As such, we work with event planners and coordinators to ensure their events and conferences run smoothly. If you’re looking for a new facility management provider to create a seamless experience for everyone involved, you’ll be impressed with Berman.

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The post Five Things to Tell Your Facility Manager about an Upcoming Event or Conference appeared first on bermancorp.com.

According to a recent Gallup survey, only 24% of employees strongly agree that their employer cares about their overall well-being. This is down from 49% in May 2020, when most offices were closed or updated to reduce virus spread. 

The other 76% who did not strongly feel their employers cared about their overall well-being were likelier to feel burned out and actively search for a new job. 

This should caution employers who wish to return to the pre-pandemic workplace. Many workers want a workplace consistent with their perception of positive health and well-being. That perception, of course, was influenced by the pandemic.

But, this shift in consciousness may also be an opportunity for forward-thinking organizations. According to Gallup’s research, organizations that create health-focused work environments “achieve higher customer engagement, profitability, productivity, lower turnover, and have fewer safety incidents.”

What can the WELL Building Standard teach us about workplace health and wellness?

The WELL Building Standard is an evidence-based system established in 2013 by a design company called Delos. Rather than LEED, which focuses on materials and sustainable building practices, the WELL Building Standard is concerned with mental and physical health and how well a particular environment supports them. 

The WELL Building Standard sets rigorous performance standards in ten environmental concepts that projects must pass to be certified. 

• Air
• Water
• Nourishment
• Light
• Movement
• Thermal Comfort 
• Materials
• Mind 
• Community
• Innovation

How does the WELL Building Standard work?

Let’s take Nourishment, for example. Healthy foods and snacks can produce better health outcomes that help employees feel better and reduce absenteeism and other adverse effects that affect productivity. 

• To achieve this concept, the project team must show that the built environment promotes healthy eating habits through education and providing access to fresh fruits, vegetables, and other healthy snacks. 

• The Nourishment concept has a wide range of features that address artificial ingredients, food allergies, hygiene, and more to support health through availability and awareness. 

• Each concept will have similar features designed to impact health and well-being positively. We encourage you to learn more about each concept and its features here. 

Is it difficult to become a WELL-certified building?

To become a WELL-certified building, a project team must undergo an extensive process that can be time and resource-intensive, depending on the state of the facility. This process is overseen by the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) and is third-party certified by the same company responsible for LEED certification. 

Unlike other certifications where the responsibility may lie primarily on the facility management team to implement the required standards, WELL centers on people. HR and leadership will have a heavy influence on the project’s success as well. A design firm may also be recruited to assist with large-scale design and development components. 

Four levels of certification (Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum) will require varying points based on performance outcomes derived from a policy, design, and operational scoring system. 

Regarding costs, there is an initial registration fee as well as a certification fee. This does not include any costs to upgrade the built environment to meet WELL certification. A project team can expect to spend more than $10,000 for the initial certification. 

Additionally, certification lasts three years, and the organization must submit annual performance data and other reporting to provide evidence of its compliance with the standard.

Does Berman have experience with WELL certification?

The WELL Building Standard is still relatively new, so there aren’t many facility managers and facility management services providers with experience in WELL certification compared to LEED, BREEAM, and other green building certifications. 

At Berman, we are lucky enough to partner with Lake Nona and were part of the WELL certification and recertification of an office in the Lake Nona Town Center. We worked with architects, engineers, contractors, HR professionals, and leadership to oversee the project and ensure its success.

As WELL is a comprehensive and expensive endeavor for any project team, we encourage you to work with professionals with experience in WELL certification to ensure the project stays on track, on time, and within budget. 

You can read more about the Lake Nona Town Center project here. 

Do you need WELL certification to enhance health and well-being?

As organizations deal with labor shortages and increased costs due to inflation, certifying a new building or renovating an existing facility for WELL may not be possible right now. 

We encourage you to use WELL for inspiration on how you can implement policy and amenities to support your employees’ health and well-being. 

You can include the following examples in your workspace to promote wellness and improve employee health outcomes.

Air: Inspect and install HVAC systems that improve filtering and remove airborne contaminants. Adding indoor plants to the office has been shown to reduce sick days and improve employee productivity. 

Water: Provide various options to access filtered water across the office space, near all workstations, and in all common areas. 

Nourishment: Provide healthy snacks and educational programs dedicated to nutrition. Offer alternatives to individuals with dietary restrictions and preferences.

Light: Add smart lighting systems and glass that align with the body’s circadian rhythms.

Movement: Encourage regular daily activities throughout the day by making standing desks or treadmill desks available, providing bikes and access to gym equipment, and offering discount coaching and gym memberships.

Thermal Comfort: Implement ergonomic design best practices for all workstations and provide wearable technology for employees to monitor their health metrics.

Materials: Develop a waste and pest management framework and source “greener” cleaning products to reduce exposure to hazardous materials. 

Mind: Provide time and space for employees to engage in meditation and other quiet activities. Incorporate the natural environment into design whenever applicable and appropriate. 

Community: Partner with local organizations that provide services and awareness aligned with your organization’s values and principles. Encourage your employees to get involved with causes important to them and offer volunteer time off and other resources to support them.

Innovation: Research, identify, and implement policies, tech, and resources that drive the organization’s mission forward. 

The WELL Building Standard is an excellent resource for ideas, but we encourage you to speak with your employees to understand what’s essential to them. Your leadership, HR, and facility management teams can work together to review and implement the requested changes to enhance your workplace and make it one where your employees will thrive. 

Create a people-focused workplace with Berman

As workplaces evolve at lightning speed to address the changing business climate and shift in the consciousness of what a workplace should look like, Berman is here to help you meet the moment. If you are interested in becoming WELL-certified or need to upgrade your built environment to include health-friendly amenities and policies, contact us today to get started. 

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