Any custodial worker knows they are more than "just" a janitor-- and we agree!
At Accurate Building Maintenance, our team members are the backbone of our team and the heartbeat of our #purpose: creating clean, healthy, safe communities. They take care of our customers, so we take care of them like family—the best kind! We are so grateful for all they do each day and love to see them grow and succeed.
Our monthly Employee Spotlight series features one of our amazing team members, showcasing what it’s like to work in the cleaning industry at Accurate, where we #keepitfun.
This month we are happy to introduce you to Daniel Williams! He's been a proud Accurate team member for nearly 6.5 years. Daniel was nominated for his outstanding work ethic, expertise, and efficiency on the job. His warm-hearted willingness to share both professional and personal wisdom with coworkers sets him apart. Additionally, his unwavering commitment and respect serve as a source of inspiration and camaraderie to the Accurate team.
I had the privilege of getting to know more about Daniel as both a person and a professional during a recent Question & Answer session. His wise, observant, humble, and self-aware nature shines through and highlights his conscious decision to cultivate contentment, which is both evident and uplifting. We all have a story to share... so read on and be inspired by Daniel's! (As usual with our Employee Spotlight series.)
Special thanks and kudos from creator/author Erin Williams (Marketing) to our Customer Service Manager Dee Perez for her devotion and assistance in carrying out all the necessary pieces to make this article unique and impactful every month!
WHAT OTHERS HAD TO SAY ABOUT DANIEL
Alex Finken nominated Daniel for this month's Employee Spotlight. "Daniel epitomizes dedication and excellence in everything he does. His commitment to doing things the right way is not just commendable but also an inspiration to all of us," said Alex.
"As the OG ("Old Gangster" 😉) of cleaning, Daniel brings a unique blend of expertise and enthusiasm to his work. His ever-present smile is a testament to his positive attitude and love for his job. He takes immense pride in his work, setting a high standard for everyone around him.
"To the new employees, if you're looking for a role model, look no further! Working alongside Daniel is a learning experience like no other. He's not just a colleague; he's a mentor who imparts valuable lessons through his actions and work ethic. For those who've worked with Daniel, you know it's a challenge to keep up with him! His energy and efficiency are unmatched. But what truly sets him apart is his ability to teach and uplift others, making our workplace a better environment for everyone."
Thank you, Daniel, for being an integral part of our team and for teaching us all valuable lessons both in and out of work. Your hard work and positive spirit don't go unnoticed, and we're grateful to have you with us! - Alex Finken, Accurate CEO/Visionary
Daniel's coworkers, Accurate's leadership team, and our customers quickly joined in with their compliments. Irene R., Office Manager for the corporate building where Daniel works for Accurate, was excited to see Daniel nominated and recognized for his excellence. "He is such an amazing person to work with!" she said.
"Every morning I see Daniel come in first thing with a SMILE! That positive attitude can change anyone’s day from bad to good. - Irene R., Corporate Office Manager and Accurate Customer, Las Vegas
Irene went on to say, "The next thing I see, Daniel is rushing to help out any way he can. He comes in every morning to check on my staff and me to make sure we have everything we need. He also takes this time to let us know of any issues he has to report that are beyond his scope of work. No matter what time of the day I go in to the restrooms, and no matter how busy the main building gets, the restrooms are always filled with supplies and clean. Daniel stays on top of all his daily duties and beyond.
Irene shared an incredible example of how much Daniel really cares about his work and goes the extra mile.
"We asked Daniel to take care of the deep cleaning for our new coffee machines. I showed him how to do it once. But on his own time, Daniel looked up the model number on the internet and found videos on how to properly clean them. He didn’t have to do that! But he cares enough that he researched it himself, and that coffee machine is serviced way better than I could ever do. I cannot stress enough how much I value Daniel and his work. His work ethic is displayed every single day! - Irene R., Corporate Office Manager and Accurate Customer, Las Vegas
I’ve only been trained one time on any building since I’ve worked for Accurate, and it was by the incomparable Daniel Williams on my very first day in the field. He made sure I knew every trick and every secret-- and the rest, as they say, is history! Daniel is not only my personal inspiration to stay in shape and believe that age is just a number, but he’s also a valued friend and confidant. I can’t think of anybody I’m happier for to receive this recognition than my friend Daniel. Congrats, my friend! - Michael Milner, Accurate Area Manager
Bonnie Miller said, "I first got to know Daniel while in HR at Accurate. He has a well-known reputation with Accurate as our resident OG (Old Gangster 😉). He takes great pride in his work and genuinely cares for the facility and our client. He is well organized and is always willing to help us with training new employees."
One of my favorite things about Daniel is how incredibly polite he is to everyone and always gets the job done with a smile on his face! - Bonnie Miller, Accurate Director of Workplace and Employee Experience
"Daniel goes above and beyond, day in and day out for our client!" said Accurate's former Operations Director Roman G. "He always has a smile on his face as he enjoys what he does, and he understands why that's needed."
Daniel is the nicest man I've ever known so far coming up in this world. He's very knowledgeable on a lot of things, not just his job. He uses his time to quickly and efficiently get his tasks done. Working with him is like working with the CEO of a Fortune 500 company! Everything he taught me, I’m putting it to use as the days go on. I’m proud to call Daniel a friend and an excellent coworker. - Thomas Douglas, Accurate Team Member
"Daniel really takes the time to ensure that everything is very clean to a high standard and responds immediately if there are any issues brought to his attention," another Accurate customer's staff member raved. "He really goes the extra mile when cleaning! It's definitely not just a cursory wipe, which we all appreciate in this post-Covid environment."
Daniel is a gem! His work ethic is admirable. He is full of grace, wisdom, and displays the greatest level of respect to our customers and coworkers. His smile and sense of humor are heartwarming. Thank you, Daniel, for all you do for Accurate. and for serving our country! - Dee Perez, Accurate Customer Service Manager
WHAT DANIEL HAD TO SAY ABOUT THE JANITORIAL INDUSTRY, ACCURATE, AND THE VALUE OF WORK
What brought you to Accurate and the cleaning industry? In 1975, I worked as a janitor for a year while I attended night college full time. I kind of enjoyed it at the time. I also served in the military and was a welder for 9 years. I got sick in 2007, and I went through the VA's Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment program, but I wasn’t hired for the field I chose. I applied at a Nevada Job Connect center, and they sent me to Accurate. My prior experience was helpful. After looking over everything, I thought, "Hey, I know how to do this." As far as the work is concerned, there’s no real stress about getting the job done, even though there are other factors.
What makes you feel proud and satisfied about your work? I started at our customer's property before the pandemic. When COVID hit, I was the last one here cleaning all the buildings. I like responsibility that I can handle, and I know all the buildings here. It makes me feel good that I’m able to do something that’s meaningful to somebody, and it's meaningful to me that I can take care of that.
What was your first job?
My first job was when I was 11 years old and in 6th grade. There were seven kids in our family, and I would always look at the kids at lunch eating candy, and I didn’t have any. I would pass by this service station on the way to school, and I’d notice papers and trash lying around where the cars drove up. I needed to make some money, so I asked the service station owner if I could sweep those papers up before school in the mornings. He paid me $1 each day I did that, and it wore me out—but I had my spending money. That was my start at learning how to work. I didn’t like it—my hands were hurting, I was tired—but I worked through it, because I learned that I got some of the things that I wanted.
Which of Accurate’s core values resonates most with you and why? (Keep It Fun, Opportunity, Respect, Solutions, and We Keep Our Word) RESPECT – I give respect, and I want respect too. I respect my coworkers in the field; Dee, Tammy, and Alex at the office. You don't have to go overboard to respect me, but don’t disrespect me. That’s the most important one. OPPORTUNITY – If I’m showing somebody the way I do things on the job, and they grasp it, then I pat them on the back—"Hey, good job." It's an opportunity to pass on wisdom and encourage them to grow, go with it, and be their best when they run on their own.
What keeps you motivated at work?
I always want to do the job a little better than I did it last time. I know I can do the job, but I look at things with a real critical eye—mostly detailing. I can see if something is out of place as far as what I’m supposed to be doing; I try to keep it in place. If I do those things right and keep building on that, then if something else pops up, I'm able to deal with that. I manage to keep things to where I can get through each day with a sense of accomplishment and time management. 90% of people appreciate us; the other 10% can be nitpicky. But that's probably true of any industry or work environment.
What is the most important career lesson you’ve learned?
Learning how to work and the value of pushing through when it’s hard. I was raised on a farm; my dad was a carpenter. He instilled work ethic in me. He wanted to build his own house. When I was 11 or 12 years old, they were running the freeway through our area. My dad bought an old motel for $1.00—that was where he got most of the materials and supplies. My siblings and I had to tear it down, straighten the nails, pull down and salvage the lumber.
What has been your proudest moment working at Accurate?
I was Employee of the Month five years ago. I had gone on vacation to see my children at Thanksgiving, and I got the news when I came back to work.
What makes you proud of being an Accurate team member? I’m working with people who enjoy what they’re doing and are good at it. I get along with everyone on my crew. I’m not an “office” guy. If I see something that the crew before me didn’t get, I try to get it the best I can. If it gets out of hand, I tell Dee (Customer Service Manager) and help the communication between crews improve. It took me three years to get to where I’m at with training and knowledge. I don’t feel threatened by someone challenging me. I love it when someone comes to work with me and learns from me how to clean a building and pays attention. It may change when they go out on their own, but I always tell trainees, "If you do it this way, you’ll always know where you’re at [on your workload]."
What is one thing you wish people knew about your job? The majority of people have never had anything to do with the cleaning industry. The work that I do is considered the lowest on the totem pole. I wish people would understand that it is very important work, and I try to provide that as a SERVICE to them. I go out of my way on to deliver this service and notice extra things that are needed. This is valuable, important work. The occupants in our customers' buildings are there to draw a paycheck. I’m obligated to provide a clean environment for them, but I take pride in doing that with excellence.
WHAT DANIEL SHARED ABOUT HIMSELF
What advice would you give to yourself at age 13? "Daniel, you should have run a little faster and stopped looking at the girls, and you might have won the race!"
What’s your favorite holiday?
Christmas, because I think it draws more people together than Thanksgiving. Everybody expects gifts, but families get the opportunity to share love with each other. Not as many people show up for Thanksgiving.
You can have an unlimited supply of one thing for the rest of your life. What is it? Money! ‘Cause then I could go do all the things. 😉 Truly, I’m easy to please. There’s a lot of things I like, but I have everything I need. I've got a roof over my head, a TV, a basically new car....
What is your #1 pet peeve?
For people to judge me before they know me. Don’t picture me as being somebody that you think I am, like the Good Book says… when someone is judging me, it seems like that is THEIR character they're trying to put on me.
How do you define success? Being content with who you are, having knowledge of what you’re doing, having a good attitude, developing proper skills and good habits. If you’ve got all that, it’s hard for you not to be successful.
Tell us about your family now. I have two kids and seven grandchildren, and a stepdaughter from my wife’s previous relationship. I like to travel to California and visit my family.
If you could do another job for just one day, what would it be?
I’d be a compulsive sleeper. A professional napper!
If you could meet or interview one person (dead or alive) who would it be?
John Wayne. I liked his attitude in all the movies he made. He played a good character. He was never the kind of guy that anybody got him down. He was steady. How do you do that?
If given a chance, who would you be for one day? You know honestly, I’m so content with myself right now, after looking at everybody else, I’d still be me. I look at people with all this money, and that isn’t the answer to everything.
What is your greatest accomplishment?
PROFESSIONALLY: That I've been able to maintain these buildings for as long as I have. Hopefully I can for a few more years! PERSONALLY: To have been able to keep working at this age.
What job did you want to have when you were a kid?
I studied business administration in college, but I was carrying too many credit hours to work full time and I couldn’t maintain it. I also realized I did not want to do that kind of work! I started hanging with my friends and moved around, exploring— I was young. I took welding and I was good at it, but I had to stop that line of work after 2 years because I got sick and couldn’t physically continue.
What did you want to be when you were growing up? I was a rock and roll singer and was in a few bands as a young adult. But it was too much stress and not enough money. I didn’t love being the center of attention. I enjoy serving more.
If you could see anything achieved in the world, what would you want to see?
World peace.
If you could have witnessed any historical event, what would it be?
The first World’s Fair-- London in 1851.
Do you have a work nickname? Boss. Chief. OG = Old Gangster 😉. I know what it means, but I’m not sure THEY know what it means—to them, I think they think it means showing me respect.
You can have an unlimited supply of one thing for the rest of your life. What is it? Money. ‘Cause then I could go do all the things. But truly, I’m easy to please. There’s a lot of things I like, but I have everything I need. I've got a roof over my head, a TV, a basically new car...
What's your favorite book? At age 75, it seems like I’ve read almost all the books! What I have found most valuable and interesting is the Holy Bible. I didn’t in the beginning, but I do now. I found Who I really needed and Who would guide me, when I couldn’t find it in my friends, siblings, or anyone else.
Do you collect anything?
I have a few old coins that are pretty neat, that I pull out and look at... from 1957, and I have a 1919 penny.
What do you like to do when you’re not working? I’m an old man. When I get off work, I relax, kick back and go to sleep. But I’ll go to the casino once a month and play the slot machines. I got peace there because everybody seems happy in there. If Hollywood made a movie about your life, who would you like to see cast as you? Denzel Washington.
So what's your favorite Denzel movie?
He has a lot of them. A Soldier’s Story—that was one of his first ones. I didn’t like the movie, but his performance was good; he was the culprit/ended up being the bad guy. He was intelligent and too smart for his own good—I got something out of that; a what not to do.
What TV show or movie are you embarrassed to admit you love?
I like Bad Ass with Danny Glover and Danny Trejo. Two old guys that were trying to enforce the law, and they stumble over each other. It's really funny!
What's the most important thing you've learned in the last 3 years? To stay calm when things seem like they’re not going exactly as they should go. When it seems like circumstances are allowing people to take advantage of you mentally, to stay calm. I read and watch programs. I try to motivate and encourage other people that “This too shall pass.”
You're happiest when ____. (fill in the blank)
When I’ve had a good day at work and a good night’s sleep, and no one else is upset that doesn’t concern me or bump into me.
If you were stuck on an island, what three things would you bring?
A life raft, warm clothes, and a chainsaw so I could build something!
If you were an animal, what would you be?
A dog, because they say dog is man’s best friend.
Thank you, DANIEL, for being a #HumbleLeader, #Mentor, #RoleModel, #TeamPlayer, #Inspiration, #MakingADifference, and going #AboveandBeyond. You set the bar high, and we're proud of you! We’re so glad you’re part of The Accurate Family.
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