Australia
January is upon us, and a new year provides a fresh start with many using this time of year for reflection and setting goals to achieve. Certain resolutions are more common than others, but many are broken within a month or two. However, with the right support, facilities managers can ensure that their resolutions keep them progressing right through 2017, and beyond.
- Improve fitness
One of the most common resolutions, but without an action plan in place and a like-minded person or team to provide support and motivation, this is often the first resolution to be broken. Workplace fitness was a growing trend last year, and is set to continue for 2017. Employers are keen to promote health and exercise, especially in office environments, through walking challenges (measured through Fitbits or pedometers), discounted or in-house gym membership or even early morning yoga classes in the office. These schemes provide great benefit to the health of employees, and also to the employer who can expect reduced sickness and more alert, engaged workers.
- Spend less money
Many feel the pinch after Christmas, resolving to save money by not eating out or shopping, for example. By contrast facilities management professionals feel the pinch all year round – required to carefully juggle budgets to meet service levels and quality standards. Computer-aided facilities management (CAFM) software such as Service Works’ QFM is an ideal tool for this. It can predict the most cost effective way to maintain an asset and recommend a maintenance schedule, produce and share reports on the costs for different assets or how budget has been spent across different contracts or even integrate with other systems, like BMS, to reduce spend on heating and lighting unoccupied rooms.
- Become more organised
Lack of organisation is often the root cause of failed projects. Without a management system in place, deadlines could be missed and a facilities manager is left firefighting instead of proactive planning. While paper-based systems were a popular, cheap way to report reactive maintenance, record jobs and manage budgets, an increasing number of FMs are turning to CAFM software for a more secure, efficient system. For example, using QFM’s web-based self-service portal, building occupants and engineers can log jobs, report breakdowns and request services 24/7, as well as track jobs from notification through to completion. Stored in a central database, these tasks are colour coded according to priority, and picked up by engineers on their mobile devices for faster job resolution. This centralised data also allows for more accurate reporting, which can be automatically distributed to key stakeholders as required.
- Learn something new
While some choose to learn a new language, perhaps for a holiday, as their resolution, maintaining a team with up-to-date skills is essential in FM. For example, if an engineer without the requisite skill set is deployed to a task, time is wasted and deadlines could be missed. Our CAFM system can be used to intelligently allocate the correct operative to a job based on their skills, allowing an FM to stay in control of the workload and improve first time fixes and rectification times. By managing work in this way, skills gaps can be identified and training can be arranged to ensure an efficient team.
- Quit smoking
Smoking is a difficult habit to give up, with cravings often triggered by stress. QFM can help alleviate these feeling of stress through its efficient management of assets, buildings and service activities. Its comprehensive reporting provides in-depth insight into a wealth of areas which support accurate decision making, and QFM’s performance management tools mean that SLAs can be more easily met. Furthermore, Service Works’ CAFM software is accessible via any mobile device, and has offline capability to ensure the FM team is always connected and working efficiently. With access to all information at the touch of a button, a facilities manager can be more confident of meeting the challenges of the New Year.
Find out more about QFM facilities management software and the impact it can have on your business. Contact your local Service Works office or email info@swg.com
To receive Service Works’ weekly blog straight to your inbox, sign up to our email service: http://swg.com/aus/blog-signup/