As a busy facility manager, you’re always looking for ways to work smarter — not harder. Implementing an integrated facilities management (IFM) strategy helps you close process gaps, streamline operations, control costs, and save time and money.
Here are 3 benefits of integrated facilities management.
Streamline Vendor Contracts
Managing multiple different small-vendor contracts is tedious. Not only do you have to manually schedule service, you also have to coordinate different billing cycles with different payment terms. Additionally, vendor contracts should be reviewed and renegotiated annually, but many facility managers don’t have the time to do this, or they stick with the same vendor because ‘that’s the way we’ve always done it.’
With an integrated facilities management strategy, small-vendor contracts are eliminated in favor of a single vendor with consolidated services. Outsourcing to a facilities management services company means you have a single point of contact for everything you need — one call for service, one invoice every month, and one company managing vendor contracts to get you the best service at the best price.
Improve Processes & Technologies
A major component of integrated facilities management is closing process gaps and upgrading technology to eliminate manual tasks and gain better visibility into data. For example, outsourcing to a facilities management company helps you streamline the work order approval and invoicing processes. New CMMS software helps you effectively track maintenance activities across every asset in one central location. And installing new technology, like IoT HVAC sensors, helps you save money with condition-based maintenance that is scheduled based on the actual health of your system — not a date on the calendar.
Control Costs
By streamlining vendors and improving processes, you will naturally realize cost savings. Outsourcing facility maintenance is a prime example of economies of scale, as a FM company leverages contracts with national vendors to get clients better pricing than they could get on their own.
A good FM company can also help you realize operational cost savings by helping you perform energy audits, implement predictive and condition-based maintenance, and manage asset maintenance.
Getting Started With Integrated Facilities Management
Making the shift to an IFM strategy should be accomplished over time to minimize operational disruptions:
- Analyze current processes – Review vendor contracts, who is responsible for what tasks, and what your costs are to identify a baseline ‘state’ of your facilities management strategy.
- Make your case – Communicate the plan to shift to an IFM strategy with key decision makers and stakeholders. Highlight the ROI and benefits of IFM to justify the changes to processes.
- Identify goals – Compare current costs to the ROI of IFM. Use data to set measurable goals for saving time and money.
- Implement technology – As mentioned earlier, consider IoT technology, new CMMS software, and other technologies that can help you streamline manual processes and save money.
One Call To Trillium Facility Services Does It All
From electrical to general maintenance to seasonal landscaping, our facilities maintenance company’s expansive network of national service providers offer full service 24/7 support. Let us simplify and streamline time consuming and complicated cost breakdowns and budgeting for maintenance tasks as you move to a more efficient integrated facilities management strategy.
Contact us today to work out a comprehensive, cost-effective and efficient plan that meets all your needs.
