It’s time for Facilities Management professionals to embrace effective data management.
Data plays a critical role in the Facilities Management (FM) industry. From decision-making to operational management to aligning performance and customer satisfaction, data management can bolster FM goals that can help improve service delivery, enhance customer satisfaction, and improve overall enterprise performance.
Across the core elements of Facilities Management, from contract management to asset management, service operations, performance management, end-user customer experience, and financial management, data analytics brings resourceful information that helps make prudent and timely decisions. However, the FM industry has not leveraged this aspect well, with very limited use of data across its decision-making processes.
For various reasons, the industry has not explored its full potential in making use of data to improve business performance. For instance, data can help in many ways to achieve cost efficiencies by monitoring manpower productivity and service excellence audit trail through historical data analysis in terms of asset breakdown, customer feedback, and a plethora of critical information that can be extracted.
Data analysis from service operations is increasingly being used for compliance purposes. Also, it brings better transparency to help make informed decisions on KPI and scorecard assessments, reducing conflicts between service providers and clients.
However, its true impact depends on its accuracy and capture of relevant content to help analyze and promptly make effective decisions. Some in the industry might contend that CAFM (computer-aided facilities management) systems supposedly have inbuilt comprehensive data management capabilities across different FM processes.
I agree that these systems can, but the reality is otherwise. By and large, very few CAFM systems have integration capabilities beyond service and asset management. Also, data derived from asset registers or past historical maintenance records and conditional asset reports are often not well synchronized or unavailable for integration.
Multiple and fragmented data hosting is also an issue. Because of this, CAFM systems fail as they do not often have access or are not robust or dynamic enough to support integration needs between the third party or multiple data platforms.
The issue of data in built environments emanates from design to construction to building handover processes where, most often, relevant data is either missed out or not rightly provided in the regimental format. Secondly, data integrity issues are present in data migration between various third-party systems.
In more than two-thirds of our engagements, there are always challenges between building management systems and commissioning data, leaving major roadblocks to be having the right asset register.
Benefits of Good Data Management in FM Processes
I want to reiterate some of the salient benefits of good data management in FM processes and how embracing a good data regime can help.
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Service Management
Data on maintenance job cards, from reactive to preventative maintenance with asset breakdowns, is critical for building a sustainable maintenance regime. It helps Facilities Managers predict when maintenance is needed by analyzing data from equipment and systems.
Predictive maintenance helps reduce downtime and repair costs. This approach is essential to maintain optimal equipment performance and extend the lifespan of assets.
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Resource Optimization
Data can help track manpower, the most critical resource in FM. It helps in monitoring deployment and attendance analytics. Data analytics also helps track resource usage such as energy, water, and materials, allowing for better management and waste reduction.
This leads to significant cost savings and promotes sustainability. In many new-generation contracts, space utilization is added to the FM scope. Gathering data on space usage helps organizations optimize their layouts and occupancy levels, reducing the need for costly additional real estate.
Organizations can also recalibrate their MEP asset maintenance programs, such as for chillers, escalators, generators, and lifts, based on occupancy and usage to reduce operating costs. This data can inform decisions about redesigning spaces for better efficiency.
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Performance Metrics
Data is a fundamental driver in most KPI assessments. Therefore, it allows Facilities Managers to establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure service quality. Facilities can proactively improve service delivery and address issues by continuously monitoring these metrics.
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Security
Data enhances security and compliance. Data from security systems like cameras and access controls can be analyzed to identify risks and improve safety protocols, ensuring a secure environment for occupants while potentially reducing insurance costs.
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Customer Engagement
Customer satisfaction and engagement require an excellent data regime. By leveraging data to understand occupant needs and preferences, facilities can tailor services to improve tenant satisfaction, leading to better retention rates and overall service excellence.
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Benchmarking
Benchmarking is an essential tool for making informed decisions. Data allows facilities managers to compare their performance against industry standards or similar organizations, identifying areas for improvement and implementing best practices.
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Profit and Loss Management
Both in terms of costs and profit management, critical data analysis can help in making prudent decisions. From budget compliance to cost benchmarking of workforce productivity, analytics can help upend margins and mitigate risks.
It gives access to real-time data that provides insights to facilitate informed decision-making regarding budgeting, resource allocation, and strategic planning, ultimately leading to cost efficiencies.
In summary, efficient data management practices no doubt helps effectively leverage data in facilities management to improve operational efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance service quality, ultimately contributing to an organization’s overall success.