A recent report from market researchers AMA suggests we should see increased demand for FM outsourcing in the corporate sector next year, which is clearly excellent news.
However, those FM providers wanting to take advantage of any upturn need to be sure they are in shape to take on their competitors. And that means being able to offer more than a standard FM contract, as it will be a buyer’s market for some time.
At the same time many companies have been forced to reduce their staff resources during the downturn, which makes it difficult to take advantage of any upturn AND add value. So it makes sense to look at ways of doing more for the client that don’t eat into your resources.
For example, sustainability management and initiatives such as the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme can be a major drain on resources for an in-house FM team, so the ability to outsource this area of operations will be very attractive. In such cases, it’s necessary to be armed with the appropriate tools to make the whole process efficient and cost-effective. Dedicated sustainability/CRC management tools (e.g. www.sustainabilityiq.com) make it possible to offer a high quality sustainability management service without tying up resources.
CAFM software is another area that’s worth paying close attention to, and cloud computing (often also known as Software as a Service) offers a sensible solution. Rather than having to set up software on the client’s servers all of the software and data is hosted remotely for a monthly fee. Thus there are no major capital outlay or IT issues and the system is up and running quickly, facilitating fast mobilisation of new contracts.
So letting information technology take care of the ‘donkey work’ that has traditionally tied up people’s time – freeing them to focus on more strategic areas – is certainly a way to take advantage of an upturn without over-extending yourself.
