In every issue of our newsletter, we spotlight AffinEco employees who go above and beyond in their job. This issue, we focus on a group of employees known as “route workers.” During the pandemic, these employees have demonstrated the kind of resilience illustrated in this quote from U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, “There are uses to adversity and they don’t reveal themselves until tested…difficulty can tap unexpected strengths.”
Route workers are dispatched to various client properties to perform inspections or provide additional services. In some cases, the route guys deliver extra equipment, replace equipment or replenish supplies. While many service companies employ route workers, what stands out for AffinEco, is the quality of the people on the team. AffinEco Director of Operations Sam Rodriguez referred them as trouble shooters.
“They are very important. Because there is a limited supply of people, we have to have those guys go from place to place, taking care of all the supplies and equipment,” Rodriguez said. “Route workers are the guys we rely on to make sure it gets done right.”
An AffinEco service region can span many miles and many counties and properties are often spread out. That means route workers often end up traveling long distances in the course of doing their jobs. Jose Bueso is a route worker who understands that the travel is part of the job and has no problem doing what needs to be done for the clients.
“I’ll go as far as necessary to complete the work for our clients,” he says. “We need to do a quality job and do it in a reasonable amount of time.”
Jeronimo Perez Cosetl works in the Special Services unit of AffinEco’s New Haven branch office, and has travelled all around Connecticut and into parts of New York. Cosetl is regularly called into jobs that are beyond the scope of what regular cleaners do. Not only are route workers brought in for deep cleaning of floors and carpets for example, they are also the ones who are leading the disinfecting efforts called for by the coronavirus pandemic. Despite the challenges, Cosetl says he’s happy for the work.
“I like the job very much,” he says. “It keeps me busy and I’m happy to know we’re doing what we have to do to keep our clients happy.”
He and Bueso both shared the pride the feel when their clients are satisfied. AffinEco has received positive feedback on their exemplary efforts performing essential work during the pandemic, which has prompted promotions and greater responsibility for both men.
Despite working in what can, at times, be challenging conditions, both have been able to prevent themselves from contracting COVID-19. Neither worker, nor anyone in their immediate families, has gotten sick.
“Thank God we have avoided that for the moment,” Bueso said.
AffinEco Director of Operations Carlos Nique addressed the value the route workers bring to his team.
“They’re basically someone you can send to anything. When a problem comes up you know you can rely on this person to fix it, no matter what it is.”
