When it comes to multi-site facilities management (FM), maintaining the visibility of store-level operations is an ongoing challenge. Limited team resources and a widely distributed fleet can make tracking service delivery and quality especially demanding.
This can negatively impact the in-store customer experience, which can hinder company growth.
Service verification via a technology-driven Integrated Facilities Management (IFM) solution improves operational transparency, employee performance, and customer experience. Let’s take a closer look at the benefits of IFM-enabled service verification.
First, What’s Service Verification?
Typically, service verification entails an FM management company contacting a store manager or employee after a service provider visit to ensure the specified service has been completed to their satisfaction.
It seems simple, but what sounds like a straightforward exercise can become burdensome in no time. For example, a store employee may be too busy on the sales floor to take a call from the FM management company, which can draw out the service verification process until the parties connect.
Other challenges can occur if there’s been a shift change at the store. The recent on-shift employee may not be able to address service verification for a prior service visit when the FM management company inquires.
Multiply this by several stores, and you could have a program-level problem resulting in lost time on the sales floor, inaccurate or incomplete provider performance data, and even unhappy in-store customers.
This is where technology-driven service verification can move the needle.
Benefit #1: Frees Up Floor Staff to Focus on Customers
NEST’s work order management system Facilitate一an integral part of its IFM solution一makes service verification easy and efficient.
Once service delivery is completed, an employee or manager can rate the service via Facilitate一directly from their desktop or mobile device. This means they don’t have to leave the sales floor to take that phone call from the FM management company一because a phone call won’t be necessary. Store staff can complete service verification digitally when and where it works best for them.
Across your store fleet, this process minimizes employee downtime required to deliver important feedback and maximizes their time with customers.
Benefit #2: Enhances FM Program Clarity
Suppose a store manager isn’t prepared to give feedback on service when the FM management company calls, or an extended game of phone tag exacerbates delays. In these cases, service verification一once completed一will likely be less comprehensive or specific.
This can negatively impact program visibility because particulars regarding the service provided and service team are missed. The effects can compound over a large or distributed fleet, impairing aggregate data used for program-level decisions.
Alternatively, when service verification is easy, data is more accurate.
NEST’s approach to service verification empowers store staff to be candid and comprehensive with their feedback when they’re ready to provide it. And better data from stores boosts overall program clarity, which helps improve FM service, resource management, and budgeting.
Benefit #3: Real-Time Updates on Service Satisfaction
IFM-enabled service verification also provides real-time updates on service satisfaction. With NEST Facilitate, users from your FM team to the C-suite can view operations on a store level一including a review of the repair, janitorial, or maintenance visit. This gives a more accurate view of operational performance and the customer’s current shopping experience.
For example, if a part needed to repair leaky plumbing in the restroom isn’t available during a first visit, customers may go elsewhere. Linking the two events together with real-time data at the store level enables your FM team to make more informed decisions regarding localized inventory management.
Benefit #4: The NEsT Promoter Score
NEST takes service verification one step further with its innovative NEsT Promoter Score. Often, there can be a disconnect between the corporate team and location management regarding their FM solution provider’s performance.
NEST resolves this issue by requesting on-the-ground store management to rate the service provided using the NEsT Promoter Score criteria. Field ratings are then aggregated into a single NEsT Promoter Score from each IFM client.
The NEsT Promoter Score informs program operational metrics with granular data from actual locations, thus enabling companies to better calibrate their KPIs with field input.
It also improves the corporate team’s understanding of their customers’ shopping experiences, which can inform strategic decision making at the highest levels.
The NEST IFM Solution
Service verification is only a part of NEST’s best-in-class IFM solution. Our unique combination of leading technology, outstanding service delivery, expert consulting, and centralized management 24/7/365 drives efficiencies, cost savings, and better customer experiences with immediate financial and on-the-ground impact.
Contact NEST to learn more about our cutting-edge IFM solution, service verification, and NEsT Promoter Score to maximize your FM program performance today.
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