COVER STORY PROTECTING YOUR ASSETS
This year, facilities management will be shaped by simplification and efficiency; technology will offer the best solutions for the most pressing issues, suggests Access Maintain.
Commercial business premises may have been some of the most overlooked assets over the last year but the facilities maintenance equivalent of spring cleaning is more important than ever in 2021.
Depending on operating situations, some business owners may be prioritising rent negotiations, business rate relief and loss of income because of restrictions placed on trade whilst others are striving to maintain their property within strict access and safety protocols. Now is the time to review how this valuable resource can be preserved and protected in the midst of numerous other considerations.
Many companies have made the difficult decision to reduce headcount, with a string of redundancies announced in property teams around the country. So, simplification and efficiency will shape facilities maintenance in 2021 and technology will offer the best solutions to the most pressing issues.
Access Maintain provides easy-to-use, cloud-based software for property management systems with a range of benefits that are safe, compliant and cost-effective, including:
• Enabling you to see all maintenance work being carried out and the associated cost in real-time.
• Giving operational reviews of completed work and contractor performance.
• Scheduling statutory planned maintenance to manage compliance obligations.
• Providing a pre-approved list of contractors from which to select the best performing suppliers, achieving more first-time fixes and assured prices.
• Compliance test certificates uploaded electronically by contractors so they are instantly accessible via the portal.
• Supplying a full audit trail and asset history, assuring a high level of accountability and compliance.
The agility of the reporting system not only monitors day to day expenditure and assists planning but can provide more autonomy for the facilities team, with expenditure sign-off rules being relaxed.
Greg Robinson of Lifeways Social Care Solutions explained: “The reporting structure delivered greater reassurance to the Lifeways Board, as we were able to demonstrate that we had full control over what was being spent and that the value and effectiveness was being measured. This gave them the confidence to increase authorisation levels so that the property team have greater ownership and autonomy, making the property maintenance process even more efficient.”
Businesses looking for supply only procurement can also benefit from Access Maintain, purchasing goods, parts and assets through one automated system to achieve the best prices and assured service levels.
28 | TOMORROW’S FM
Sometimes, FM can also be about when to stop repairing and when to replace, as a Facilities Manager at Five Guys burger chain found: “I’m able to see what equipment keeps breaking, along with the associated cost, and compare that to what replacing the equipment would cost.”
For companies that have had to reduce their property teams, or remove the function altogether, an ideal option to remain compliant, safe and protected from long-term facilities decline is the Access Maintain outsourced property management service.
This provides the same intuitive property management system with complete control and transparency across multiple locations but is operated on your behalf. With the proliferation of remote working and off-site support services, we offer a highly experienced, outsourced virtual property maintenance manager to handle all aspects of your facilities management.
Daily management of cost checks, allocation and authorisation of jobs to pre-defined limits, monitoring and reviewing contractor performance and adherence to legislative regulations ensure you receive high service levels, preferential costs and remain safe and compliant.
www.theaccessgroup.com/hospitality/software/property-maintenance/
Call: 0845 340 4542
www.theaccessgroup.com
twitter.com/TomorrowsFM
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