The first after-hours call is a bad time to discover that nobody knows who can approve a repair. Get the dispatch number, spending authority and access instructions settled when the vendor account is opened.
A direct relationship works best when store managers, your facilities team and the contractor are working from the same instructions. Here's what to put in place.
If you're still deciding whether to manage the trade directly, start with the local contractor versus FM comparison.
Draw the service boundary
List the work the vendor is expected to handle: board-up, glass, doors, closers, locks, exit devices and film. Identify anything that needs another specialist, such as a separate electrical or access-control scope.
Then separate the immediate job from the follow-up. Securing broken glass tonight and ordering its permanent replacement are different authorizations.
For a failed exit device, the instructions also need an immediate safety escalation. That request shouldn't sit in the same routine queue as a scratched pane.
Give every site and opening a name
Provide the location list, hours, site contacts and landlord access restrictions. Use consistent opening IDs in requests and invoices. “Rear delivery door” is far easier to track than three different descriptions of the same opening.
Add photos, hardware models and glass specifications where they're known. Keep fire-rating documentation with the opening record. Leave uncertain details marked as unknown rather than calling every steel door fire-rated.
Sensitive alarm or access information belongs in your approved secure process, not an openly shared location sheet.
Put spending authority in writing
Agree on the pricing method for assessments, emergency securing, scheduled work, equipment, disposal and extra trips.
The not-to-exceed amount (NTE) is the ceiling for authorized work within the agreed scope. It isn't a promise that every fault can be repaired for that amount. When the work exceeds it, the technician needs a reachable approver and a way to record the decision.
For a larger repair or replacement, require a proposal before materials are ordered. The door repair decision guide helps reviewers compare what each option includes.
Make the store's instructions short
A manager reporting a fault should be able to provide:
- Site and opening ID.
- What the door or glass is doing.
- Whether exit, access or security is affected.
- Photos taken safely.
- An access contact and the hours someone will be there.
Staff don't need to diagnose the closer or remove a panic-bar cover. A clear description gets the request moving without turning the manager into a technician.
Keep a phone escalation for immediate problems, alongside the work-order requirements. Link the instructions to the break-in plan and maintenance checklist.
Don't lose the job after the first visit
The completion record should explain the cause found, work performed, parts installed and remaining work. If glass is on order, name the person responsible for the next update.
Match the invoice to the approval. When board-up and replacement appear on the same bill, account for the emergency charge once.
For customers using Corrigo, ServiceChannel or Ecotrak, the platform guide covers the handoff. Test the actual process before sending work from every location.
Start small enough to learn
Use a manageable group of sites or jobs for the initial rollout. Review communication, repair outcomes, documentation and billing together.
Keep the reasons for delays visible. Waiting for a supplier is different from waiting for your team to approve a quote. Repeat faults deserve a better diagnosis before another identical part is ordered.
Once the routine is working, consider planned improvements such as security film where the site's risks support them. Measure the benefit rather than assuming the new relationship saves money from day one.
Discuss a multi-site account with Hal's Glass or contact the team. The service scope can include board-up, storefront glass, commercial doors, hollow metal doors and ADA hardware.