4 Steps To Transforming Your Facilities Management Processes
Facilities management companies are in an ever-changing field. Facility management are a vital part of any operation. It not only supports business-critical applications but also ensures your premises are fit for purpose. FM generally includes property maintenance and environmental services, but also extends to cleaning, health and safety, and much more besides.
If you’ve been managing FM in-house, you’re probably finding that your paper-based approach is struggling to keep on top of the latest compliance and regulations. Furthermore, this antiquated infrastructure is not going to allow you to adapt and transform.
Many businesses assume that simply digitising files is enough to streamline FM processes. While digital formats can make resources easier to retrieve, it’s only one small step in the right direction. It’s not enough to take control of costs or enhance the function of your workplace.
To make real changes that deliver measurable results, you need to think about transforming processes. At Brosnan Property Solutions, we’ve provided total facilities management solutions to clients throughout Ireland for more than two decades. Looking for industry-leading insights into reshaping your approach to FM? Read on for everything you need to know.
What Does Facilities Management Mean?
Facilities management is a broad term that not only encompasses property maintenance but also the upkeep of essential equipment and systems. This can include safety and security systems, as well as mechanical and electrical ones. When we talk about FM, we also tend to include cleaning services.
Facility management best practices need to be followed to ensure health and safety requirements are met. For businesses, this is essential for reducing risk factors and mitigating liability. For this reason, many organisations choose to outsource FM.
Why outsource cleaning services and general FM tasks? For starters, it’s far more efficient and cost-effective. Furthermore, smaller businesses benefit from industry-leading expertise and insights that an in-house team would never be able to provide.
Are Your FM Processes Calling Out For a Change?
Even if your FM processes seem robust, there’s likely plenty of scope for streamlining. Unless you’ve embraced digitisation, your FM processes are likely based on paper documents and manual administration. However, digitising alone won’t yield efficiency gains.
In simple terms, digitisation involves you translating paper documents into digital formats. Utilising software can make quick work of drafting floor plans and reduce the chance of human error. However, adopting digitisation won’t truly transform your FM processes. Instead, you need to be thinking about how integrating technology can redefine FM. Rather than leaning on computer-aided design (CAD), you should be looking into building information modelling (BIM) software.
How Technology Can Redefine FM Processes
There’s no shortage of tech solutions that can reshape FM processes. Artificial intelligence allows for automation, while IoT-enabled devices deliver connectivity. Too many businesses focus on migrating information to digital form, rather than utilising technology to redefine FM processes.
It’s all well and good to convert paper documents to digital files, but you’re ultimately left with the same resource in two formats. You’re improving accessibility, but hardly reinventing the wheel.
Avoid digitisation as a stepping stone and, instead, make the leap to transformation. When you do this, you can quickly identify workflow inefficiencies and bottlenecks. Wasting too many man-hours on repetitive tasks? Automation can now be rolled out. Transformation also makes for better organisation, increasing accessibility to data and resources.
There’s also the advantage of improved communication between interdepartmental teams. Ultimately, transformation will ensure data is centralised. Analysis is now much easier, making it simple to spearhead improvements.
4-Step Plan for Transforming FM Processes
Now we’ve discussed the importance of transforming FM processes, it’s time to explore how to make transformation a reality. Below, we’ll outline the four most crucial steps involved in transforming FM processes for the better.
1. Make a Plan
Before you start actively making any changes, you’ll need to make a plan. The first part of this stage should be identifying potential opportunities. What are your ultimate objectives? What new technologies are you thinking about integrating into your processes? Bringing together your plans in a central database is recommended.
At this point, you’ll want to consider current FM trends to help you identify new opportunities and rewarding avenues. Has your business been impacted by a shift to remote working? Perhaps you’ve adopted a hybrid working model. In both instances, there’s a good chance the physical footprint of your business premises will be shrinking. You may also be rethinking your environmental impact and want to commit to a more sustainable business model. All of these will have implications for FM planning.
True transformation is only possible by harnessing the power of artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and connected devices. Smaller businesses may struggle to determine which technologies to integrate. When in doubt, think about bringing in the insights of a third-party provider.
2. Go Digital
We’ve touched upon digitisation a little already. Although making the transition to digital formats alone won’t transform DM, it’s a big step in the right direction. Think about all those paper documents and hard formats that fall under the FM umbrella.
Even small operations will find they have an overwhelmingly large archive right under their nose. That mammoth pile of operating procedures, maintenance checklists, and building floor plans are calling out to be digitised.
Once these documents have been migrated to digital formats, they’ll be much easier to access and utilise. It does not just reference materials that benefit from digitisation. Digitisation also makes it easier to capture and analyse data. With digital datasets at your disposal, you can easily identify cost-saving opportunities and new revenue streams.
3. Think Seriously About Software
Many businesses make the mistake of purchasing software to resolve issues as and when they arise. This reactive approach is not only cost-prohibitive, it leads to inefficient operations down the line. Eventually, businesses find themselves having to awkwardly patch individual software solutions together. The results are rarely harmonious and almost always end up in spiralling development costs and headaches for users.
The good news is you can offset these issues by simply implementing the right software at the right time. Forward planning is essential here. If you’re lacking the insights to identify the right software, consult a third party to help you make the right choice.
4. Asset Mapping
Asset mapping plays a vital role in transforming FM processes. You’ll need to take stock of all your key assets. Asset management software will come into play here. Key things to consider when asset mapping include compliance requirements and specific maintenance tasks. By mapping your assets, you’ll be able to pinpoint crossovers and scope for consolidation.
Speak to the FM Professionals Today
Searching for an industry-leading facilities management provider that can help you transform your processes? Brosnan Property Solutions are experts in FM, providing services for the healthcare, commercial, and residential sectors.
Our full-service FM solutions make it easy for businesses to embrace digitisation and transformation. Need some help identifying which services your business requires? We can help.
Brosnan Property Solutions will work alongside you to pinpoint the services your operation needs to thrive. Whether it’s regular boiler service support, electrician services, or plumbers, our teams are on hand to ensure you can concentrate on your core business activities. We can also provide landscape gardeners, roof repairs, and handyman services.
Looking for a full-service FM in Ireland? Get in touch today to see how we can help you overhaul processes. Alternatively, call us on 1850 911939 to speak to the team in person. While waiting for a response, you can read our blog on facility management best practices.
