10 QUESTIONS WITH... TEN QUESTIONS WITH…
Alistair Scott, Founder and Operations Director at Integrated Estate Management (IEM), answers the Tomorrow’s FM 10 Questions to reveal his biggest inspiration and where he thinks the industry is heading.
Q1WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB? INDUSTRY? From a part-time perspective I worked in a Lancia
car garage at 13, on weekends, doing car service and maintenance. My first full-time job was when I joined the military at the age of 16 as an aircraft technician.
Q2HOW DID YOU GET INTO THE FM
I was trained as an engineer in the military and initially got involved from the engineering angle, as I understood electrical, mechanical, and electronic systems. On top of that, I had the leadership competency to put people in the right place, with the right piece of equipment to do the job first time…which at the end of the day is what facilities management is all about.
Q3HOW DO YOU CHALLENGE THE STATUS QUO?
I believe that’s what we are doing at IEM, removing all the complexity from the industry and making it as simple and understandable as possible. Our aspiration is to move the industry from risk and cost to value added.
Q4SINCE YOU STARTED IN FM WHAT
INDUSTRY HAS SEEN / YOU HAVE OBSERVED? Facilities management and estate management hasn’t always had the best reputation. Yet it’s a necessity as 90% of businesses have a building. Years ago, businesses went to large FM companies to do everything for them, and at times their standards weren’t being met. Now, companies are realising that having the right people, with the right skill set within the FM sphere, is more of a benefit than just going to a general FM provider. It’s like the high street - people are flocking back to local butchers or bakers because it’s more personal and better quality. FM is no different. People like companies that are specialists in what they do.
HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST CHANGE THE Q5WHO, IN ANY OTHER INDUSTRY, DO YOU MOST ADMIRE?
Ron Dennis of McLaren fame, I really admire his fastidious attention to detail and the way he grew McLaren to be one of the most admired and sought-after brands in the world.
Q6WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE FILM? My favourite film is Platoon. I always wanted to be
a soldier and the film really resonated with me and was a key influencer in me joining the military at a young age.
Q7IF YOU COULD HOST A DINNER PARTY
WHO WOULD THEY BE AND WHY? Guy Martin (brilliant motor racer and adrenalin junkie but also massively down to earth). Jordan Peterson (not afraid to speak his mind and discuss controversial topics in a very well thought through and structured way). Margaret Thatcher
WITH THREE GUESTS, DEAD OR ALIVE, Q10WHICH AREA OF FM DO YOU THINK
THROUGH TECHNOLOGY? Tech can be useful in any number of areas if it is implemented for a strategic purpose. Let’s say you install all sorts of sensors and monitoring devices - what do you do with that data once you get it? The challenge is understanding the data or having the time or know-how to properly analyse it. Tech should be installed with a clear rationale and it should seamlessly integrate with other systems already in place.
COULD BE BEST TRANSFORMED
www.integrated-em.com 58 | TOMORROW’S FM
twitter.com/TomorrowsFM
(would be fascinating to hear her story and reasoning behind some of the decisions she made during her tenure).
Q8ANY ADVICE TO SOMEONE JUST STARTING OUT IN THE INDUSTRY?
Enjoy the journey. So often, people just want to get to the end result, when actually, business is a continual journey. You’ll always have another destination, you’ll always have another objective, so try to enjoy it along the way.
Q9WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE FUTURE OF THE FM INDUSTRY?
I think technology is really being pushed and for the right reasons. However, I have on a few occasions added a cautionary warning into going down this route. Overall, I really like IoT, especially if utilised correctly. It can give you plenty of warning if things go wrong and can be really useful for a range of services. However, it’s important we still remember the basics and not rely too heavily on technology. It all links back to simplicity - you don’t always need lots of advanced equipment and the latest tech, just the right tools and the right people.
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