Improving Trammell Crow

The firm has lowered the cost of building maintenance without improving the quality or speed of facilities services. Trammell Crow has succeeded in cutting the cost of services, keeping about $1 million a year in efficiencies. But the quality of service -- the other half of the equation -- has not improved. Employees say departments are understaffed and lack necessary equipment. Response times for repairs and housekeeping services are up, as well. Penn officials recognize that changes need to be made. But they say that Trammell Crow should be given more time to demonstrate that it can improve the quality of service. It seems unlikely that time will solve the current problems. Trammell Crow has been operating on campus for more than a year and a half, long enough for growing pains to be outgrown and kinks to be worked out. But by focusing on the bottom line, Trammell Crow has hampered its ability to deliver promised services. The company must change the way it does business at Penn in order to truly improve quality. Among the areas in which Trammell Crow must improve are using its workforce more effectively, responding to staffing and equipment shortages and listening to its employees and customers. Company officials maintain that they've simplified maintenance operations by distributing them among five campus zones. But equipment has not been distributed to each area, leading to unnecessary service delays. Furthermore, some zones lack adequate staffs. Instead of hiring new workers, Trammell Crow has often insisted that its staff work overtime. The company has also failed to ensure that supplies are available when needed. Penn and Trammell Crow must do more to ensure that feedback from both employees and the University community is solicited and considered. Doing so will guarantee that problems are addressed in a timely fashion. We trust that the University and Trammell Crow will work to ensure that better service does indeed go hand in hand with lower costs.