Australia
“I can’t get no satisfaction”, sang the Rolling Stones, but things have come a long way since then. With the right technology in place, satisfaction can not only be gained but also measured and analysed in order to increase its occurrence in the future.
As a service-based profession, facilities management has always worked to ensure the functionality of the built environment, but increasingly FM service providers are distinguishing themselves from their competition, and to their clients, by prioritising customer satisfaction. This not only serves to increase working relations and communication with clients / building users, it can ultimately improve the bottom line.
Self-service
Many people’s first point of contact with the FM team is through the help desk when making a request. Problems can arise even at this early stage, with customers being held on the phone too long, information incorrectly relayed onto the system, or worse – jotted on a notepad and not added to the system at all. By providing self-service functionality in a building through public computers, kiosks or mobile devices, users can log a request directly to the FM team at their own convenience and not restricted to the working hours of the help desk. Furthermore, users are automatically emailed a confirmation of the request as well as an update upon completion, saving time for both the user and the help desk staff.
Satisfaction surveys
Following completion of the work, operatives can ask customers for feedback via their smartphone or an email. Questions can be tailored and responses provided using text, drop downs, check boxes or a star rating, making it for the customer to provide a response. Signatures can also be requested as evidence of work completion and customer satisfaction. Surveys can also be used in a wider sense: emailed to departments or whole buildings to understand how they feel about aspects of their environment. Results can be reported on via the FM software and compared against SLAs, where strategic decisions can be made to improve upon performance, or included in bids for future contracts.
Service with a smile
Workplace productivity is a topic for extensive discussion, but in addition to creating a productive working environment for other building users, the FM team must also feel valued in order to perform at their best. Unlike static workers, operatives may not benefit from features like real-time availability maps of meeting rooms or an office dog, but adjustments can be made in other ways. This could take the form of providing mobile phones so operatives can receive (and close) jobs in real time through the CAFM system rather than relying on paperwork; deploying effective resource management so engineers are allocated work appropriate to their skill set and location; or even the provision of regular performance review meetings and training. These front line staff are the face of the FM business, and whose technical performance and willingness to help make or break the business.
By utilising a blend of technology and personal performance management, satisfaction can be more easily achievable from both customer and FM team alike.
For more information on customised satisfaction surveys and how to use them to measure different services, contact your local Service Works office.
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