As a growing business with multiple premises, the chances are that you’re considering the benefits of investing in facilities management services. But before you do, we’ve put together some of the questions that you should ask to ensure you’re making the right decision…
Could you do this in-house?
Depending on what you’re looking for from a facilities management company, you might find that it’s more cost-effective to hire a member of staff in-house. Hiring a cleaner that visits your office every evening, for example, will be cheaper than enlisting a facilities management company to handle your entire portfolio, but it’s often the opportunity cost that you need to consider. If you’re not running a technology company, you don’t need to have an internal IT department. If you only run small retail outlets, you don’t need full-time cleaners. We recommend that, if a task doesn’t support your core product or service, outsourcing is a wise business decision. Think strategically to maximise your investment and reduce waste.
Will this be a one-off job or something ongoing?
If you need assistance with a particular task – reorganising your office space to increase productivity, for example – you might be better off paying for someone that specialises in that field. If you’re looking for something more permanent, for example, constant monitoring of your retail space to maximise sales, then it would make sense to enlist a management firm to work on your behalf. And more often than not, facilities management companies will offer additional services and benefits that you hadn’t first realised you needed, whether that’s security, customer support, or hard maintenance and support, like office refurbishments.
Can you comfortably afford their services?
Something else that you’ll need to bear in mind is whether or not your business can afford to pay for a management company to oversee your day-to-day operations and maintenance. It could be that you’re looking for something that they cannot offer at your price point, and that you have to get creative and instead hire a member of staff on a part-time basis. Speak to a few local facilities management companies and ask for quotes; good ones will break down a contract into the exacting services they can offer, giving you more flexibility. Know what you will be paying for and be clear on the services you’re not interested in – whether that’s CCTV cameras, on-site support, or maintenance of your equipment – to get a personalised quote.
Is this the company for me?
Finally, you need to consider whether you’re choosing the right company to manage your facilities. Ideally, they’ll have experience working with clients in a similar background, and if not, you’ll still be able to ascertain whether they’re good enough from their general customer service and attitude towards your business. You should also for case studies and seek out testimonials and reviews on third-party websites; they’ll tell you whether the firm is a good choice. Once you’ve made up your mind, it’s time to sign contracts and let them take over.
We hope that the tips we’ve offered in this article will give you some food for thought. If you have any questions, leave them in the comments and we’ll do our best to help you out.
