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General Affairs Processes

The General Affairs function operates through systematic processes that ensure facilities, vendors, equipment, and logistics support Kyndof's production operations reliably. Here are our core workflows.

Facilities Maintenance​

Keeping production and office spaces operational

Our facilities maintenance process balances preventive maintenance (scheduled upkeep to prevent failures) with reactive maintenance (emergency repairs when equipment breaks). The Facilities Coordinator maintains a master maintenance schedule tracking all facility systems:

  • HVAC systems - Quarterly filter changes, annual inspections, immediate response to failures (critical for fabric storage climate control)
  • Lighting - Monthly checks, bulb replacement, color accuracy verification for design studios
  • Plumbing - Annual inspections, immediate repair for leaks or failures
  • Electrical systems - Quarterly safety checks, load testing for production equipment circuits
  • Building envelope - Roof, walls, windows inspected annually, weather damage repaired immediately

When maintenance issues arise, the Facilities Coordinator assesses urgency (production-blocking vs. routine), schedules vendors during minimal-disruption windows, coordinates access, and follows up to verify completion. For major repairs exceeding $5K, the GA Manager approves before proceeding and consults with Finance on budget impact.

Detail page: Facilities Maintenance Process (coming soon)

Sample Room Management​

Organizing the fabric and materials library

The Sample Room houses thousands of fabric swatches that designers reference daily when selecting materials for costume projects. Our sample room process ensures fast retrieval and systematic organization:

Intake workflow:

  1. New samples arrive from suppliers with material specifications
  2. Sample Room Coordinator logs samples into inventory system (material type, color, supplier, date received)
  3. Samples get tagged with unique IDs and filed by organization system (material type, then color family)
  4. Inventory system updated with location codes for quick retrieval

Access workflow:

  1. Designers request samples via Notion form or direct Slack message
  2. Sample Room Coordinator retrieves samples within 15 minutes (KPI target)
  3. Designers sign out samples for project use
  4. Returned samples get refiled in correct locations
  5. Damaged or insufficient samples flagged for reorder

Maintenance workflow:

  • Weekly: Climate control verification (temperature 68-72°F, humidity 45-55%)
  • Monthly: Organization audit to correct misfiled samples
  • Quarterly: Obsolete sample purge (materials discontinued by suppliers)
  • Annually: Full inventory reconciliation

Detail page: Sample Room Management Process (coming soon)

Equipment Maintenance​

Asset tracking and preventive maintenance scheduling

Production equipment (industrial sewing machines, sergers, cutting tables, steamers) requires regular maintenance to prevent failures during active production. Our equipment maintenance process uses AssetTiger software for tracking:

Preventive Maintenance (PM) Schedule:

  • Industrial sewing machines: Monthly servicing (cleaning, oiling, timing adjustments)
  • Sergers: Monthly servicing (blade sharpening, tension calibration)
  • Cutting tables: Quarterly calibration and blade replacement
  • Steamers and irons: Monthly descaling and safety checks
  • Dress forms: Annual inspection and padding replacement

Each piece of equipment has maintenance cards tracking:

  • Purchase date and warranty expiration
  • Maintenance history with dates and work performed
  • Technician notes on recurring issues
  • Next scheduled maintenance date
  • Replacement timeline based on expected lifespan

Reactive Maintenance Workflow:

  1. Production operator reports equipment malfunction via Slack #general-affairs
  2. Facilities Coordinator assesses urgency: production-blocking vs. can-wait
  3. For critical equipment, loaner arranged while primary undergoes repair
  4. Technician scheduled during production downtime
  5. Repair documented in asset tracking system
  6. Operator confirms equipment functionality before returning to production

Repair vs. Replace Decision: When equipment needs expensive repairs, the Facilities Coordinator analyzes:

  • Repair cost vs. replacement cost
  • Equipment age vs. expected remaining lifespan
  • Frequency of recent repairs (multiple failures suggest replacement)
  • Production impact if equipment unavailable during extended repairs
  • Technology improvements in newer models that justify upgrade

If repair cost exceeds 50% of replacement cost and equipment is >50% through expected lifespan, replacement typically makes financial sense. The GA Manager makes final call consulting with Finance and Operations.

Detail page: Equipment Maintenance Process (coming soon)

Vendor Onboarding​

Qualifying and setting up new suppliers

When departments request new vendors—fabric suppliers, equipment technicians, cleaning services, shipping carriers—GA manages the onboarding process to ensure quality, reliability, and proper documentation:

Qualification Phase:

  1. Department submits vendor request with requirements and justification
  2. GA Manager reviews need and approves proceeding with evaluation
  3. GA collects vendor proposals, references, and certifications
  4. Finance reviews payment terms and credit requirements
  5. Legal reviews contracts for liability and compliance (if applicable)
  6. References checked for reliability and service quality

Onboarding Phase:

  1. Vendor selected and contract finalized
  2. Vendor added to Notion vendor database with contact info, contract terms, performance standards
  3. Payment setup coordinated with Finance (payment terms, invoicing procedures)
  4. Security Lead grants facility access permissions if vendor needs on-site access
  5. Using department notified that vendor is active and ready to engage
  6. Trial period initiated (typically 90 days) with performance monitoring

Performance Monitoring:

  • Monthly: Review delivery timeliness, quality, responsiveness
  • Quarterly: Formal performance review with using department feedback
  • Annually: Contract renewal decision based on cumulative performance

Vendors failing to meet performance standards receive improvement notices. Persistent underperformance triggers vendor replacement search.

Detail page: Vendor Onboarding Process (coming soon)

Studio Scheduling​

Coordinating shared production space access

The production studio operates with multiple concurrent demands: active production orders, client fittings, marketing photo shoots, and equipment maintenance windows. Our studio scheduling process balances these competing needs:

Scheduling Priority Framework:

  1. Emergency production (concert-week rush orders with imminent deadlines)
  2. Scheduled production (normal production timeline orders)
  3. Client fittings (pre-scheduled appointments with clients)
  4. Marketing photo shoots (content creation for sales and promotion)
  5. Equipment maintenance (preventive maintenance during off-peak hours)

Scheduling Workflow:

  1. Teams submit studio reservation requests via Google Calendar with: date/time needed, duration, space requirements (fitting room, main studio, both), and priority level
  2. Facilities Coordinator reviews calendar for conflicts
  3. If no conflict, reservation confirmed immediately
  4. If conflict exists, Facilities Coordinator evaluates priorities and consults affected parties
  5. GA Manager makes final call on priority disputes
  6. All affected parties informed of final schedule
  7. Changes communicated proactively via Slack #general-affairs

Conflict Resolution Example: Production team has studio booked for Tuesday 10am-4pm for routine sewing work. Client requests emergency fitting Tuesday 2pm for costume needed Wednesday (concert week). Facilities Coordinator consults Production Supervisor: can production work pause 2-3pm? If yes, fitting inserted. If no (production also time-sensitive), GA Manager evaluates: which has more severe business impact if delayed? Decision communicated immediately with rationale.

Studio Etiquette:

  • Reserved party arrives on-time or forfeits reservation after 15-minute grace period
  • Spaces left clean and organized for next user
  • Equipment returned to designated storage locations
  • Overruns beyond reserved time require explicit approval from next scheduled user

Detail page: Studio Scheduling Process (coming soon)

Procurement Process​

Coordinating purchases across departments

When departments need materials, equipment, or services, GA coordinates procurement to ensure cost-efficiency and timely delivery:

Routine Purchases (under $500):

  1. Requester submits purchase request via Notion form: item description, quantity, justification, budget code
  2. Admin Assistant verifies budget availability
  3. Admin Assistant obtains quotes from preferred vendors
  4. Order placed with best value vendor (balancing cost, quality, delivery time)
  5. Tracking number provided to requester
  6. Receipt confirmed and invoice submitted to Finance

Capital Purchases ($500-$5,000):

  1. Requester submits detailed purchase request with business justification
  2. GA Manager reviews need and approves evaluation
  3. Admin Assistant collects quotes from 3+ vendors
  4. Quote comparison shared with requester for input on specifications
  5. Finance consulted on budget impact
  6. GA Manager selects vendor and approves purchase
  7. Purchase executed and delivery coordinated

Major Capital ($5,000+):

  1. Requester submits capital request with ROI analysis or operational necessity justification
  2. GA Manager and Finance jointly review budget impact
  3. CFO approval required before proceeding
  4. Admin Assistant coordinates vendor evaluation and quotes
  5. Final selection by GA Manager with Finance and requester input
  6. Contract negotiation if needed
  7. Delivery, installation, and user training coordinated

Procurement Optimization: The GA Manager reviews quarterly procurement reports to identify:

  • High-volume items eligible for bulk discounts
  • Multiple small vendors who could consolidate to single vendor for better pricing
  • Recurring purchases that justify vendor contracts with negotiated rates
  • Opportunities to switch vendors for cost savings without sacrificing quality

Detail page: Procurement Process (coming soon)

Shipping Coordination​

Managing outbound costume deliveries

When production completes costume orders, GA coordinates shipment to clients through systematic logistics:

Standard Shipping Process:

  1. Operations notifies Shipping Coordinator that order is ready (via Notion production status update)
  2. Shipping Coordinator retrieves order details: destination, delivery deadline, special handling requirements
  3. Costumes packed according to standards: garment bags for individual pieces, protective boxes for embellished items, tissue paper for delicate fabrics
  4. Shipping method selected based on deadline and cost: ground for non-urgent, 2-day for standard, overnight for rush
  5. Shipping labels generated via ShipStation
  6. Tracking number provided to Customer Service for client notification
  7. Delivery confirmation monitored; exceptions (delays, damage) escalated immediately

International Shipping Process:

  1. Shipping Coordinator verifies destination country customs requirements
  2. Commercial invoice prepared with accurate product descriptions, values, and HS codes
  3. Customs forms completed (manual or electronic based on destination)
  4. Freight forwarder engaged for complex international shipments (multiple boxes, oversized items)
  5. Shipping arranged with signature required for high-value orders
  6. Tracking shared with client and Customer Service
  7. Customs clearance monitored; issues escalated to freight forwarder

Damage Claims Process:

  1. Client reports shipping damage to Customer Service
  2. Customer Service forwards to Shipping Coordinator with photos and description
  3. Shipping Coordinator files claim with carrier
  4. Customer Service coordinates costume repair or replacement with Operations
  5. Claim settlement pursued with carrier while customer issue resolved immediately
  6. Packaging review if damage suggests inadequate protection

Performance Metrics:

  • On-time delivery rate (target: 98%)
  • Shipping damage rate (target: \<1%)
  • International customs clearance issues (target: \<5%)
  • Carrier cost efficiency (target: 5% annual reduction through vendor negotiation)

Detail page: Shipping Coordination Process (coming soon)

Process Improvement​

GA continuously refines processes based on operational feedback and performance data:

Monthly Process Review:

  • Maintenance response times analyzed for bottlenecks
  • Equipment downtime patterns identified
  • Vendor performance issues flagged
  • Procurement cost trends reviewed
  • Shipping delays and damage incidents investigated

Quarterly Improvement Initiatives:

  • Process inefficiencies addressed through workflow redesign
  • Vendor performance issues resolved or vendors replaced
  • Equipment maintenance schedules adjusted based on failure patterns
  • Training needs identified for GA team skill development

Annual Strategic Review:

  • Facilities adequacy assessed for growing production volume
  • Vendor portfolio optimized for cost efficiency
  • Technology investments evaluated (facilities management software, asset tracking, shipping automation)
  • Team capacity reviewed against workload demands

Last Updated: 2026-02-03 Maintained by: GA Function Questions? Ask in #general-affairs on Slack