Facilities Management is the unsung hero of the world, both for leisure and for work. Any shopping centre we visit, office we work in or building we pass has a team of individuals working around the clock, making sure everything works perfectly. A window breaks, it gets fixed. A door handle breaks, it gets fixed. Any issue gets fixed by the facilities management team. But how does this work behind the scenes?
Traditionally, paper logbooks, emails and even phone calls are used to record, track and communicate maintenance issues, but times are changing. Slowly but surely, software is entering into every part of our life. Take a look at Microsoft Word; they've changed the way we write and collaborate with Google Docs and Netflix disrupted the film industry almost permanently.
Even in the world of facilities management, software is changing the way things are being done. We’ve written here about what it is, but why does it matter?
Maintenance teams already use technology to record and communicate, whether it’s through emails, spreadsheets or phones. But that's the issue, they’re using three different platforms, for one job. Isn’t that overcomplicating it? Having to double-check emails and constantly update spreadsheets reduces productivity and wastes valuable time for the maintenance team.
That's where software, specifically designed for facilities management can help out. Giving teams more oversight, seamless communication and important clarity on any faults, who’s fixing them and any updates, all on one platform. Before we get into any of that fun stuff, let's talk about why.
As mentioned above, teams already use technology to enhance their management experience. Probably thousands of emails, texts & 50 phone calls a day...Sounds a bit complicated, if you ask us. Why have multiple channels to track & store information, when you could have just one?
That's where the future is headed. The pandemic has shown us how critical facilities management teams are to us in our everyday lives, as well as how inefficient the way we currently do things are.
Technology is now available to not only host all our information so we’re not juggling between three different platforms, but it also allows us to be socially distant, which has been critical during the past year. Additionally, tech solutions help us store all the important information securely (so nothing gets lost, e.g. compliance documents, certification, etc.), making sure we’re in full control of all our maintenance across our property and facilities.
Regardless of what suits you best, the world is clearly changing. Facilities software is becoming more and more popular and making lives easier & teams efficient. Although it is difficult to make the change to new systems, we’re here to guide you through the process & simplify your maintenance process.
