Building chiefs improve business environment
A “building chief” program in Putuo District has been upgraded in an effort to optimize the city’s business environment, the district government said on Thursday.
Under the program, senior district and subdistrict officials serve as “chiefs” for commercial buildings under their jurisdiction to better serve their companies and solve any difficulties.
The chiefs work with the district’s market supervision, industry and commerce, taxation and police authorities to offer “one-stop” services, ranging from administrative approval, talent services and legal consultation to employees’ housing, education, medical and even matchmaking issues.
Over 4,800 companies in 103 office buildings have been covered by the program since it was launched in February 2018. It has been promoted citywide as part of the city's business environment campaign.
The scheme has helped develop a dozen office buildings with annual tax revenue over 100 million yuan (US$14.5 million), said Gu Xinyu, a Putuo official. They include the Liziyuan Building in Taopu, known as the “milk tea building” as two of the city's most popular local milk tea franchises are based there.
Zhou Jingfang, chief of the milk tea building, helped Taiwan-based Yidiandian (A Little Tea) expand its office space to 1,000 square meters after the company complained its former 150 square meters in the building could hardly meet the rising number of employees and businesses.
Without the building chief scheme, companies might have to ask for help from multiple government bodies.
Another drink franchise, Funlemon, asked to take part in the city’s garbage-sorting promotion. Zhou then organized a campaign within the office building so employees are awarded with drinks from the company after correctly sorting their office garbage.
In another case, a government-funded “white-collar canteen” has been established with the help of the building chief for the Baochengwan business zone, which has benefited over 2,000 employees in six nearby office buildings. Employees in other buildings can order lunchbox deliveries.
An electronic platform for the building chief scheme will be launched in August. Building chiefs will also be able to accept and solve problems through the online and mobile platform. Alerts will be sent to the chiefs automatically if any company is about to leave or when a lease is about to expire. The chiefs must visit immediately and solve problems for them, Gu said.