UK
Despite the difficulties of 2020, many businesses were able to adapt and innovate to meet the needs of their customer base. Facilities management has been at the forefront of the pandemic – implementing heightened cleaning measures, planning workplace social distancing and ensuring the safety of assets across an estate – and Service Works Global has continued to provide the tools and support to help.
COVID-19 and cheerless news stole the headlines of 2020, so we’d like to look back on the year and celebrate some of the achievements within the SWG family.
Software launches
In response to the pandemic, we launched a trio of new software applications to help FM teams meet the emerging challenges. QFM Express is a light version of our regular CAFM system allowing FMs to log, allocate and report on services, but designed for small / medium companies looking for a lower cost system with quick and easy set up. QFM Return2Work allows organisations to graphically assess suitability of existing desk layout and make new plans in line with COVID-19 guidelines, and QFM Workspace helps with longer term space requirement planning, for example to manage hybrid workspaces or future growth.
To help those going into the office, we made the process of finding and booking space much easier. Users can now use interactive floorplans to find available rooms or desks in an area, or a static floorplan to view the floor as a whole and zoom in on different spots as necessary.
We also developed an auditing module to allow FMs to monitor the quality and effectiveness of completed tasks, ensuring work is of high quality and meets compliance guidelines, where necessary. Audit inspections can be created, scheduled and carried out via the QFM app, with results recorded centrally for easy reporting and analysis.
Partnerships
In June we welcomed the transfer of Excitech’s CAFM team, following Excitech’s acquisition by Addnode Group. “This transfer means SWG and Excitech’s CAFM clients will benefit from an even stronger, broader product and service offering, to further extend our technology capability in an evolving facilities management landscape. We’re pleased to welcome Excitech’s experienced CAFM team to the SWG organisation”, commented Service Works Global CEO, Gary Watkins.
Around the same time we formed a reseller partnership with IWMS provider Archibus, providing property managers and FMs in the UK with a wider range of products and services.
And, once again, we were awarded ISO certifications 9001 for quality management, and 27001 for information security management; as well as renewing our Microsoft Gold Certified Partner accreditation, recognising our ability to deliver best-in-class solutions and expertise with Microsoft enterprise technologies.
Research and knowledge share
We started 2020 by conducting industry research in partnership with FMJ and FM magazine. The FM Tech Survey was conducted for the first time across the UK and Australia concurrently to gain an accurate reflection of each FM market at the same moment, to learn the priorities and challenges from across the world, and to see how close at heart two geographically distant sectors are.
As COVID struck later in the year, we created a white paper addressing the evolution of FM technology in response to the pandemic. FM and Technology: Adapting to the New Normal looks into the reshaped the responsibilities of FMs, and the tools available to navigate new workplace demands.
We rounded up the year with a complimentary three-part webinar series, explaining how buildings constructed without BIM can be digitised. This included creating digital drawings and 3D models from old paper or CAD plans or starting fresh using laser scanning, and how to create a digital twin of your building and what the benefits are of doing so.
Looking ahead
Over the year ahead we look to continue collaborating with our clients and industry partners to provide knowledge leadership and software to make FM, property and space professionals’ roles easier. We also continue to grow as a company and are currently hiring for our London office – click here to view our vacancies.
If you’d like an online demonstration of any of our software applications (QFM, QFM BIM, QFM Space, P3rform or Archibus), or a discussion about how SWG can help you meet your business objectives more easily, please contact us.
