FOCUS DIGITAL WORKPLACE
DIGITALPLAYERS have also developed several solutions
WE ASKED A CROSS-SECTION OF FM SUPPLIERS FOR THEIR VIEWS ON THE
DIGITALISATION OF FACILITIES MANAGEMENT AND THE ROLE PLAYED BY DATA
ANALYTICS IN MEASURING THE QUALITY OF SERVICE LEVELS IN THE FUTURE
Despite being a smaller player in the
FM market, Eric Wright FM, part of
Eric Wright Group; a property services
business including property development,
construction, civil engineering and
house building, has made substantial
investments in developing its digitisation
strategy. The aim was to improve customer
experience and empower its workforce
to optimise operational e iciencies and
service delivery.
The company believes there are a range
of activities that businesses can undertake
to work towards a digital future, including
building mobile apps that capture data
electronically, at the source; and creating
their own drillable dashboards, capable of
analysing data from multiple sources at the
same time (data sources can include CAFM
38 FEBRUARY 2021
databases, financial systems and external
third parties, i.e. half-hourly meter readings).
However, while these investments allow FM
organisations to self-develop in-house apps
and dashboards, o -the-shelf apps are still a
viable solution, says George Lilley, Managing
Director of Eric Wright FM.
“If the value to the business is
right and the solution is needed
quickly, third party platforms
can o er a favourable route
to digitisation. Some of our
most recent purchases
have included business
tools for competency
management; automated
training; asset condition
assessments and frontline
employee engagement. We
in-house. These include an innovative
carbon dashboard that enables the
monitoring of progress to carbon
neutrality; a change management
app to track contract variations and a
cleaning audit app to give our clients
confidence on cleaning standards.”
As the biggest FM operator in the UK,
responsible for managing thousands of
facilities and workspaces across the UK,
Mitie is a keen advocate of the use of digital
technology for business e iciency.
To realise the huge potential for
the FM industry by moving
towards digitalisation,
the company dedicated
the last three years to
investing in technology
solutions that o er
Our clients have already
started to see the beneƛ ts of our
investment in technology. With
safety a key priority for businesses,
technology has allowed us to
Tuickly roll-out a number of
a competitive edge
by enabling smarter
facilities management.
Says Carlo Alloni,
Mitie’s Managing Director
of Technical Services
and Integrated Facilities
Management:
“Our clients have already
started to see the benefits of our
investment in technology. With safety a
key priority for businesses, technology has
allowed us to quickly roll-out a number of
solutions, such as thermal imaging cameras
and desk booking apps, to give people peace
of mind that their employer has done all it
can to create a safe workplace. In addition to
this, we’ve installed sensors across o ices –
desks, meeting rooms and washrooms – to
monitor occupancy levels throughout sites
to ensure there’s su icient space for social
distancing. And, developed a new feature
for Aria, our workplace app, to allow our
customer’s employees to see the building’s
real-time occupancy and book desks for
their ‘days in the o ice’, helping us improve
employee experience and reduce the spread
of viruses.”
Is the move towards adopting a digital
platform amongst FM services suppliers
primarily a response to client demand for
innovation or a proactive move to increase
competitive advantage? Both, according
to Steve McGregor, Group MD at property
services specialist DMA Group: “In a sector
where margins are tight, transactional
solutions...”