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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPurchase of ComputersCITY OF PALM DESERT STAFF REPORT REQUEST: APPROPRIATE $35,000 FROM UNOBLIGATED GENERAL FUNDS FOR THE PURCHASE OF COMPUTERS FOR THE INSTITUTE FOR SALES AND SERVICE EXCELLENCE AT WESTFIELD PALM DESERT AND OPERATED BY THE CENTER FOR TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT AT COLLEGE OF THE DESERT SUBMITTED BY: RUTH ANN MOORE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MANAGER DATE: FEBRUARY 23, 2006 CONTENTS: INSTITUTE FOR SALES AND SERVICE EXCELLENCE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OUTLINE OF COSTS FOR THE COMPUTER LAB Recommendation: By Minute Motion: 1. Appropriate $35,000 from the unobligated general funds for the purchase of computers; 2. Approve funding the computers in the lab at the Institute for Sales and Service Excellence operated by the Center for Training and Development at College of the Desert; and 3. Authorize the acquisition of the computers through COD's purchasing process. Executive Summary: The Institute for Sales and Service Excellence (ISSE) is an industry driven, collaborative training program funded by the California Community College's Economic Workforce Development programs to meet employer needs for the high -growth, high -demand industries of retail and hotel hospitality. The ISSE is currently under construction at Westfield Palm Desert. Funding will pay for computers in the lab to be used by future and current employees in Palm Desert and the Coachella Valley. G:\BusCtr\Ruth Ann Moore\WPDOCS\stfrpts\1SSE computers.doc Staff Report Computer Funding for Institute for Sales and Service Excellence Page 2 of 3 February 23, 2006 Discussion: The City of Palm Desert's economic well-being relies on retail sales and hotel transient occupancy tax. While jobs within these industries will continue to grow in the future, training and customer service are key factors to the success of local business and attracting future business to the City. The purpose of ISSE is to establish a premier training center for careers in retail, sales, hospitality and tourism. Training at the Institute will meet or exceed National Certification Standards set by the National Retail Federation Foundation in retail and customer service, and the American Hotel and Lodging Association in hospitality and tourism. Both entry level and advanced classes in management, loss prevention, logistics, and merchandising will be taught in order to develop highly trained employees in these local demanding fields. The staff from the Center for Training and Development at COD, who will operate the institute, estimate training approximately 1,600 new and existing workers in the retail and hospitality fields each year. Classes, which in some cases will be paid by the business, start at $90 for a four-hour training session. This 6,000 square foot center, which will be located on the first floor at the Westfield shopping center, has many organizations investing both time, staff, and money to bring the project to fruition, including: • Westfield Palm Desert — Tenancy agreement for $1.00 per year, valued at over $300,000 • WWCOT Architects — Developed drawings and obtain building permits, valued at more than $40,000 • College of the Desert — Allocated $300,000 toward the construction costs • California Community College's Economic and Workforce Development - Earmarked $328,032 over two years for operations • National Retail Federation - Contributed $50,000 in cash and in -kind services • Riverside County Economic Development Agency — Designated over $30,000 of in -kind contributions such as staff support and equipment to provide one -stop services for the training center G:\BusCt Ruth Ann Moore\WPDOCS\stfrpts\ISSE computers.doc Staff Report Computer Funding for Institute for Sales and Service Excellence Page 3 of 3 February 23, 2006 While operations for running the facility, construction costs and rent have been covered by the various contributors, there is still a need to fund equipment, desks and seating at the site. By assisting to fill this gap, the City of Palm Desert will contribute toward the development of new and existing employees for our business community, that in turn supports the economic development of the City. With a continuous need to develop and grow staff for the various job opportunities in the area's required fields of retail and hospitality, staff recommends the above motions. Submitted by: Economic Development Manager Approval: in McCarthy Redevelop Paul S. Gibson Director of Finance Carlos L. 0 City Manager G:\13uscMRuth Mn Moore\W PDOCS\sdrpts\ISSE computers.doc Institute for Sales Service Excellence Computer Lab Proposal D RAFT 2/13/2006D RA FT Unit Cost Extension ISSE Computer Needs 23 computers (20 lab stations-3 staff) $1,449.91 $33,348.00 ADA adaptive computer $1,992.53 $1,993.00 4 Laserjet printers 0 lab-3 staff) $6,365.00 24 Anti -virus licenses (lab packs) $51.17 $1,228.00 24 MS office software licenses (lab packs) $104.16 $2,500.00 T-1 one-time connection for internet and connection to campus services $1,600.00 Computer Lab Smart Classroom Teacher Station $12,000.00 $12,000.00 Total for ISSE Computer Lab $59,034.00 er for Cent(0,07, OF TNFO F� TM T[ZAI N 1 NG and DEVELOPMENT Institute for Sales and Service Excellence 195% INSTITUTE FOR SALES AND SERVICE EXCELLENCE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY REPORT NOVEMBER 23, 2005 i , Cent& for AGE OF T)f TIM z TRAINING and DEVELOPMENT 1959 Overview The Coachella Valley's key economic clusters are retail and related services, hospitality and tourism. The Institute for Sales and Service Excellence (ISSE) is an industry driven regional collaborative training program funded by the California Community College's Economic and Workforce Development programs to meet employer needs for these high -growth, high -demand industries. Opportunities exist for the College of the Desert to expand its not -for -credit and credit programs through the curricula and training that will be offered through ISSE. Strategic Opportunity Since its inception, the Institute for Sales and Service Excellence has leveraged resources through its unique partnerships with the National Retail Federation Foundation, Westfield Palm Desert, College of the Desert, WWCOT Architects, Riverside County Economic Development Agency -One Stop, and the California Community College's Economic and Workforce Development (CCCEWD) program. The purpose of ISSE is to establish a premier training center for careers in retail, sales, hospitality and tourism. Training at the Institute will meet or exceed National Certification Standards set by the National Retail Federation Foundation in retail and customer service and the American Hotel and Lodging Association in hospitality and tourism. Additional training will be developed utilizing industry standards established by appropriate Advisory Committees. The Institute will be housed in over 6000 square feet at the Westfield Palm Desert under a tenancy agreement for $1.00 per year, valued at over $300,000 over three years. On a pro bono basis, WWCOT has developed the floor plan and will coordinate mechanical, electrical and plumbing drawings that are necessary to obtain building permits, valued at more than $40,000. College of the Desert has allocated $300,000 toward the construction costs for the Institute. CCCEWD has earmarked $328,032 over two years for this project. The National Retail Federation Foundation (NRFF) has contributed over $50,000 in cash and in -kind services. The Riverside County Economic Development Agency has designated over $30,000 in in -kind contributions such as staff support and computers to provide one -stop services for the training center. Inscawce for Sales and Service Excellence 1 of 4 Next Steps Construction Westfield Palm Desert, under the Tenancy Agreement and as Landlord, has agreed to manage the initial construction of the mall space. The District, as Tenant, has agreed to pay the Landlord $300,000 to be kept in a Disbursement Account for construction. Westfield, as Landlord has submitted a request for proposal to three (3) general contractors, as a result, Whitley's Remodeling Incorporated has been selected with the lowest bid of $377,580. Contract negotiations with the successful general contractor have been initiated. The building permit process will begin in early December 2005. It is our expectation that actual construction may begin as early as mid -December 2005 with a completion date of early March 2006. Marketing A marketing plan and advertising plan is being coordinated by Kiner Communications which includes development of a logo and other collateral material. We anticipate that the presentation materials will be completed by December 2005. The marketing strategy will roll out January 2006 starting with speaking engagements, press releases and television and radio appearances. Business Plan Having a business plan is a necessity for the success of this project. ISSE has contacted the Inland Empire Small Business Development Center to begin the development of business plan. This plan will be critical to ensuring sustainability of the training center. We anticipate that this plan will be written and ready for implementation by January 2006. Demand and Job Growth Ultimately, the basis for employment demand within these key industries is derived from economic forecasts, occupational projections for California, and labor market information for the region. The top growing occupations, with over 167,000 new jobs and a median salary range of $7.41 - $14.74, are the retail trade, accommodation and food service industries. Nearly 40 percent of these jobs will require 30-days of on-the-job training and 15 percent will require 1-12 months of on-the-job training. The Institute will be positioned to provide soft -skills training to prepare workers for entry-level jobs in these occupations and increase their chances of success in the on-the-job training provided by employers. In addition, the Institute will provide additional training that allows employees to advance the career lattice in the fields of retail and hospitality. These types of skills training may include: supervisory/management, loss prevention, logistics, information technology, and merchandising (as examples). J Insmuce for Sales and Service Excellence 2 of4 M Benefits The benefit of this program for workers is that they will be better prepared to enter the job market with the requisite skills employers are seeking. The Institute is also in a position to encourage individuals to continue their education in the community colleges and on to a four- year college. While many of the entry-level positions in these industries do not require a college education, it is the goal of the Institute to introduce individuals to career pathways/lattices within retail, sales, hospitality and tourism that can be attained through further higher education. The benefit for employers is that they will have access to trained employees with the customer service skills, industry specific skills, and credentials to be successful across all industries through the public workforce system. Skills, Competencies, Type and Scope of Traininq Employment seekers often view entry-level positions in these industries as low -skill, low -wage, dead-end jobs. ISSE will be the premier source for quality education, training and professional certification for retail, sales, hospitality and tourism through its extensive course offerings developed by the Center for Training and Development, NRFF and the Educational Institute - American Hotel & Lodging Association's (EI-AH & LA) . These courses were developed with input from industry experts, frontline workers, managers and trainers to ensure the most current industry practices and trends. • Workers benefit from training that is based on national skills sets and the opportunity to become certified in customer service and hospitality skills • Individuals will experience an increase in industry knowledge, as well as earn certificates, and prepare for career advancement • Employers will benefit from access to workers who are trained, motivated and professional By using curriculum that integrates both industry standards and application skills, the training can be taught as part of a lifelong -learning process. Designed with customer service at its foundation, the training will help individuals successfully test for national certification in the areas of customer service and hospitality. Traininq Goals NRFF Customer Service training program is designed to enhance the participant's progress as they learn to communicate and meet the needs of internal and external customers. The course is structured so that each component builds on the previous lesson, ensuring that participants develop a strong foundation of transferable skills. Successful participants complete the training with a set of marketable skills that will help them climb the retail and sales career ladder/lattice. EI-AH & LA Hospitality and Tourism training program is designed to give individuals who are seeking an occupation with solid career opportunities a foot in the door. Potential hospitality workers will receive training for entry-level positions such as front desk clerk, reservationists and PBS operators. Individuals learn not only how to do these jobs but also the professional skills necessary to explore the food and lodging industries' career ladder/lattice. J Insvtu[e for Sales arrl Service Excellence 3 of4 Key ©biectives for ISSE Retail and Hospitality Traininq Proqrams By the end of training, participants should be able to: • Handle entry-level positions • Communicate effectively, using strategies for listening and speaking • Use decision -making skills and math to solve problems, communicate and plan • Apply customer service skills • Take responsibility for their own learning by reflecting, evaluating and assessing their own abilities • Adjust strategies as necessary to become more effective at what they do • Develop confidence and positive work ethics • Learn specific skills training that leads to professional certification • Realize the smooth transition to higher -level course work to advance in their career choice ISSE Traininq Proqrams Building on prior knowledge, these training programs will provide workers with portable and transferable skills and credentials that will be recognized in and across industries. • Customer Service Academy (Center for Training & Development) • ServSafe, Food Managers Certification (National and California Restaurant Association) • Equipped for the Future and Sales & Service Voluntary Partnership Retail Sales Curriculum (National Retail Federation Foundation) • Skills Tasks And Results Training (START -American Hotel & Lodging Association) • Customized Training (Center for Training & Development) The role of the Institute is to offer innovative skill -based training programs that meet the needs of the individual participants and of the employers in this region. Instntuce frr Sales and Service Excellence 4 of 4 �IeI :ir111,l111:l010I10 Marketing, Sales Fromatiorr, and Advertising Develop creative and competitive ways to effectively present retail products to potentia! customers. Average salary S105,000 District Manager Supervise several stores in a specific geooraphlc area, including training management staff, overseeing sales and profits. and improving operations. Average salary 5105,00(i Store Manager Ensure that a store meets its aoals for financial success. merchandising and promotions. recruiting and training. cus:cmer relations. legal relations, and community involvement. Average salary S60,000 Department Manager Ensure the quality of a departmen"s appearance and financial swell -being by supervising merchandise orders and displays. controlling inventories. scheduling personnel. managing staff, and achievina financial coals. Average salary $45,000 Loss: F7reventiorr Save millions: of doliars every year for retailers using cutting edge sur`veiHance technology to ensure store merchandise an facilities arerotstclen or destroyed by misuse or abuse. Average salary S90,000 Distribution, Logistics, and Supply Chains Management Use information technology to manage the process of mgvina goods, services, and information from rave material to supplier to customer. Average salary $110,ON Entrepreneurshirr Gain retail experience that is an important springboard to starting your own retail business. With hard work and retail savvy, the earning potential is limitless! Retail provides an array of exciting career options and opportunities! You can begin your career in the retail industry with no prior experience. Although promotion times vary according to size of V store and company, 1,vith hard work and motivation you can be promcied to managerial positions in as little as 18 months! A college degree v-f11 speed your climb up the retail career path; and is required in some positions. Check out ^JI;jw.nrf.com/Reta^iiCareers for more information on starting h your retail career today. Sales and related occupations accounted for almost 65% of workers in this industry in 2000. Retail salespersons comprise 42% of employment in the in- ditstry. Office and admiristrativesupportoccupatiow make'up thenexilarg- est group of employees, accounting for 17% of total employment in the industry. (Source: Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2002-2003) Retail salespersons Managers of Cashiers, except gaming -Welerks Stock clerks and order fellers 5. 0 $20,920 Cki-thejob training 14.2% $14,460 On-thejob training 8.5% $18210 On the -job training Please note occupzuons chosen based on gewul retail rr&n" *fimho?z and posdwe grMoth nzfe$ Total retail industry 8,179,286 100.0 Cashiers, except ganihigg 2,873,501 3 5.13 st workers Parts salespersons 150,947 1.35 Thisis not a comprehensive list of occupations- Please refer to the U.S- Bureau of Labor Statistics at www.bis.gov/oco/cg/cg1004-htin for more retail occupa- tional information. WE Ryk E _0 AW U )NRF FOUNDATION - NESF Anr,n EUVf.d:.0s 325 7`h Street NW Suite 1100 =_ Washington, DC 20004 Tel: 202-783-7971 Fax: 202-737-2849 www.nrf.com Lead the way to National Professional Certification in Customer Service National Professional Certification in Customer Service is an industry driven and endorsed credential that helps employers identify qualified professionals, and recognizes the qualifications of employees, job seekers, and students. The computer -based Customer Service Assessment is the vehicle to achieving certification; it is the key to questioning and documenting an individual's achievement of the knowledge and skills in the industry -based Customer Service Skill Standards. The importance of Industry Certification Industry -based certification demonstrates competency in the most important skills that industry experts require for high performance in their workplace. Certification is derived from a set of skill standards, which spell out the fundamental knowledge, skills, and abilities that both current and prospective employees should have in order to succeed in related jobs and careers. The National Professional Certification in Customer Service is based on Customer Service and Sales Skill Standards, developed with employers and employees from the retail, wholesale, personal services, and real estate industries. The Certification was designed to capture the core Customer Service duties for a broad range of entry-level through first -line supervisory positions across the sales and service industries. As such, it is appropriate for anyone interested in obtaining a job or pursing a career in retail and other customer service focused industries. These include workplaces such as retail stores, warehouses, flower shops, hair salons, rental car companies and many more business that value customer service skills. High school and older students, adults, incumbent workers, transitioning and potential employees all can benefit from a portable credential that demonstrates their qualifications as a customer service professional. About the Assessment The 70-question Assessment comprises real -life customer service situations, some delivered through video and audio; with questions presenting possible courses of action. The assessment relates to four work functions identified in the Customer Service Skill Standards: • Learns About Products or Services • Assesses Customer Needs • Educates the Customer • Meets Customer Needs and Provides Ongoing Support The Assessment is delivered via the Internet; however, it must be proctored and other minimum requirements/specifications must be met. The highly interactive assessment takes about an hour to complete. Candidates receive their score report as soon as they finish the assessment. t Where to take the test = For more The test can be taken at one of our private assessment sites or at one of our technical information, contact: partner's testing sites across the country. Companies, schools, and training Shana Mack organizations may apply to become a private assessment site and offer the exam at their _ Certification Manager testing center. For more information on becoming a site, please contact Shana Mack. 202-626-8182 macks@nrf.com - ONRM003 Cesuftwiw.doc 100103 iz I iu tit. wit%AmiiiLMIIVIV Ut-IAKI Some Potential Mobility Paths & „ . Approximate Yearly Salary Ranges Human Resource Manager i $42.0 - $81.5K Sates IController I Manager ` $50.2 - $a8.3K $50.4 - $105AK Assistant Director, II Catering { Controller �SaleslCateringl Managers i $34.0 - $56.3K $37.1 - $76.OK II $29.7 - $36.OK Purchasing Night Auditor Administrative { Director, Agent I $22,5 $33.8K I I Assistant I Customer Service $33.5 - $54.3K $22 0 - $32.OK $28.0 - $48.OK Accounts Receivable $22.5 -- S38.8K I j General Office I Clerk $18.0 - $27.9K Engineering Housekeeping Manager Manager I $71.5 - $111.3 KI $17.2-$31.5K I Ass. Eng Mgr I Housekeeping 4 $48.1 - $79.OK II Inspector $16.8 - $22.OK I A Room ! Laundry I Attendants 1 Worker $13.4 - $17,9K � 1$13.4 - $17.6K lHouse Person II $13.4 - $17.9K GENERAL MANAGER $47.8 - $104,5K w Fobd/Beverage Director; $29,7 - $43.8K_ ' Front Office Banquet Executive Chet Restaurant Bar. Manager Manager II Supervisor Supervisor $28.0 - $48.OK $22.0 - $36.OK $25.0 - . $22 p - $36.OK $18.8 - $31.4K 1 Banquet I ` Sous Chet I Food Server I Cashler/Host I Captain 1 1 $20.9 - $32.3K $15.2 - $16.3K I $13,0 $18.8-$31.4K ♦ III Asst. Mgr AM/PM Dish Bartender I Front Office I Cooks �jr Was I Bus Person ` $13.1 _ $26,5 - $41.3K $14.2.-. $13.0 - $13.0 - $14.8K II $17.8K NUL upS v ` Security Reservation AM/PM Agent Supervisor $14.2 - $19.8K $18.5�$•35.OK Front PBX Opr Reservation Desk A nt 16,5- 9 Agent $14.3 $24 6K .$14 3 - $20.3 K. $20.3K $20.8K $15.8K May 2001. I QX u, a 0 U c� un ¢ H 0 CQ vc�� ?G vv�� V cc-�� C� w Co cn •cG P. U cn U cn U cn U cn U cn U v, U cn U cn U cn U u7 U cn U cn U En U cn U cn U U U C ° � a °D 29 U u V . � •L /\ y y > 'C7 z, u cn C o C N cn u +• U U w° v .. y e �w U CIO) V)Cn ° 0 u o d w 9 = m W awl L �+ b u u 8 v go. c .� Cs- 3:' tI. 4 0: � . 0.:. G� �uj•' �: O''y' oj lu CE U 4 ` :•E St a C �. O. C.y u aj ' u O• �. 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