FMJ Facilities Management magazine providing industry-specific intelligence to FM and property professionals
TECHNOLOGY INVESTMENT TO TRANSFORM EFFICIENCY
Staff shortages undermine every aspect of efficient facilities management, from day-to-day servicing and repair to strategic goals, including compliance and sustainability. Organisations’ drive to improve the effectiveness of the existing facilities management team is very clear, with driving efficiency and increasing productivity (73 per cent) the top goal to achieve from FM software. Additional goals include ensuring compliance (60 per cent) and improving reporting (56 per cent), as well as ensuring safety (44 per cent), working more collaboratively (43 per cent) and improving data driven decision making (44 per cent).
Adopting technology that can eradicate tedious manual tasks and enable insight-led prioritisation of activity will support efficient PPM, minimising the budget damaging emergency call outs and supporting timely compliance to equipment servicing deadlines. Collaborative working models supported by anytime, anywhere access to information will transform efficiency, improving regulatory compliance whilst also enhancing staff morale.
With a single source of all information, from asset location and history to service deadlines, CAFM systems can optimise staff schedules to minimise travel time. Engineers can access a web portal to view work orders, update progress and check if there are any other jobs at that location that could be swiftly completed to avoid a time-consuming return trip.
In addition, the CAFM system can enforce safety protocols as engineers arrive on site by flagging the need for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for specific jobs, for example, and including risk assessments to highlight problems such as asbestos in a building. For the FM, not only is the workforce more efficient but with a single system to manage the entire operation, the visibility of service compliance deadlines and maintenance schedules is transformed.
FMs are increasingly clear about their technology priorities, with CAFM integration with IoT and data visualisation/ business intelligence the two most important goals, closely followed by automation of tasks. The integration of CAFM with a network of IoT sensors will provide FMs with the chance to monitor equipment both to further enhance PPM and gain the insight required to reduce carbon emissions. Proactive management of heating and lighting, tied into information about building utilisation, empowers FMs to drive greater efficiency, supporting sustainability goals.
Better, trusted data will also enable FMs to provide vital support to the new workplace model. Soft FM services, including catering and cleaning, can be assessed and improved in response to employees’ changing expectations. Accurate building utilisation information can be combined with insight into costs (leases, equipment, management) and opportunities to close buildings (lease end dates) to assess the implications for reducing carbon emissions. With a robust CAFM system that supports hard and soft FM and provides accurate asset tracking, FMs are empowered to provide the business with the in-depth insight required to take critical decisions.
CONCLUSION
As this research confirms, FMs are now tasked with influential and strategic roles and many of the key decisions – such as closing offices – cannot be taken in isolation. FMs need to be embedded in strategic decision making and, as such, require trusted, accurate and up-to-date insight to support discussions with wider management teams.
With the on-going pressures on people and budgets, however, FMs also require robust technology that supports efficient, collaborative day-to-day working. Investment in IoT and smart buildings is an important priority, but how will FMs maximise the value of this investment when existing processes are inefficient and many are still relying on spreadsheets? From efficient, collaborative, working for engineers to PPM to increase equipment lifespans whilst also improving compliance, CAFM allows FMs to improve efficiency irrespective of budget pressure and workforce shortages. It creates the collaborative, web-based model that is key to attracting and retaining staff and delivers the insight to support strategic goals, including sustainability reporting.
Without this foundation, will FMs maximise the chance to deliver a strategic remit?
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