FM Industry Changes Are Impacting Business
The facilities management (FM) market has seen significant changes in recent years. As the industry evolves, the nature of FM has transformed from a purely tactical play into a complex array of services and functions with strategic weight and bottom-line impact. More organizations recognize how FM—specifically, Integrated Facilities Management (IFM)—can create operational efficiencies and organizational opportunities. As a result, they increasingly look to third-party partners for specialized services and strategic support.
Why Specialization in IFM Matters
Choosing an FM provider that is solely focused on Integrated Facilities Management offers distinct advantages. Companies that concentrate exclusively on IFM bring a level of expertise and dedication that generalist providers cannot match.
Some commercial real estate firms, for example, have acquired or bolted on specialized FM companies into their broader operations, but these divisions often struggle to maintain the same level of excellence and focus. This shift can lead to a dilution of service quality, demonstrating that bigger isn't always better.
Quality & Control
When you hire someone to provide a service, whether doing your taxes or cutting your lawn, you expect them to do a thorough job. The same goes for retailers seeking FM services—consistent, high-quality performance is at the top of the list of priorities. If this expectation isn’t met, the rest of the engagement is likely to unravel.
Providers focused solely on IFM have the experience and know-how to provide exceptional support. They understand the intricacies of optimizing an organization’s FM program from the ground up. These specialized entities are not burdened by the complexities of unrelated service offerings, allowing them to deliver superior quality and service without inflated costs.
Program Delivery
New technologies are changing how many businesses operate, and FM is no exception. Most FM providers offer a tech platform or portal as part of their solution. These offerings can provide value if correctly leveraged; however, technology alone cannot solve your problems—you need human expertise, insight, and context to capture your data’s maximum value.
Look for an IFM partner that is just that: a partner. Ensure they will provide not just the technology, but the support, process improvement, and industry edge to elevate your current team’s effectiveness. Also, keep an eye on costs—providers focused exclusively on IFM tend to offer more competitive pricing as they are not supporting an inflated infrastructure.
Consistency
Consistency is key for businesses that want to maintain a strong brand presence. Quality or service disruptions ultimately lead to a lack of consistency, which can harm the public’s perception of your brand. To preserve your organization’s identity, your facilities must present a unified image to your customers so they know what to expect when they walk through your doors.
FM providers dedicated to IFM have established processes and a depth of experience that ensures minimal disruption and consistent service delivery. They have honed their expertise over time, allowing them to manage change effectively and maintain service quality.
Organizational Agility
The broader business ecosystem has also seen unprecedented change in recent years, with a confluence of events that has accelerated the need to pivot quickly to keep corporate strategy on course. These influences include the coronavirus pandemic, ongoing global supply chain kinks, climate disasters, and geopolitical conflict, to name but a few.
In response, companies now must contend with digital transformation, hybrid workplaces, sustainable solutions, and workforce shortages in ways unimaginable just 30 months ago. Facilities management is at the nexus of organizational systems, facilities, and assets, and must be able to leverage these resources in new ways as our “new normal” continues to emerge.
An IFM provider that can adapt to your evolving needs—scaling up, down, or laterally in real-time—is more than just a service vendor. It is a strategic partner that can help your organization move with the times while staying on track.
Consider a NEST IFM Partnership
It’s no secret that if you want something done right, you should seek the guidance of a trusted expert. Experience and time in the field go a long way in generating results. To get the most out of your next FM partnership, find a vendor company such as NEST, with a track record of quality service and skilled expertise who knows what success in the facilities industry looks like—both now and in the future—and how to take you there.