PRODUCT FOCUS: CAFM & IT THE RETURNS OF EFFECTIVE FM
Investment in any new technology must have a justification of costs, be proven to be a worthy asset and identify a return on the investment made in its purchase and deployment, suggests The Access Group.
Every business owner needs to have a basic knowledge of many different aspects of their operation and understand how each contributes to their success. They seek specialist advice on everything from finance to HR and legal matters to marketing to ensure the smooth running and efficiency of their business whether they provide a product or service.
But one area is not so immediately associated with business success and investment in property maintenance and facilities management can feel harder to rationalise, especially where technology solutions are considered. This may be because it doesn’t directly deliver sales or profit or because a lack of understanding it as a cost without any obvious benefit. Add to this a frequent misconception that additional spend over and above the original planned activity is inevitable and it is no surprise that it is often one of the last considerations for a technology transformation.
A more important reflection, though, is what the cost of doing nothing could be and how facility management software can ease the pain points. Computer Aided Facility Management (CAFM) replaces a mountain of paperwork that requires regular manual updates, price comparisons, and checking of renewals and deadlines with digital, instinctive and reliable information that is available across the business. It eliminates storage of out of date records and streamlines the facilities management process from start to finish.
The value of Access Maintain Access Maintain is a CAFM technology solution that is efficient, cost-effective, simple and intuitive to use that will protect business premises from damage – physically and reputationally. It is powered by Access Workspace to give an accurate, real-time overview of all maintenance work being carried out as well as the associated cost, enabling you to reduce admin, manage costs and make speedy fixes. The return on investment can be illustrated by focusing on three key criteria: cost savings based on the average charge of planned and reactive maintenance achieved through pre-screening and approval of the best contractors for each job at rates negotiated at scale; cost savings realised from streamlining the contractor invoice process, with authorisation and handling possible by one click on a mobile device through property maintenance software; and, control of expenditure of FM related consumables and equipment across the property estate through planned procurement and authorisation.
As your Board may not be familiar with facility management, particularly one that involves spend on property maintenance software, the onus will be on you to demonstrate the return on investment that CAFM
can deliver. To understand the true value of facilities management software and to put your case together, consider some key questions: Do you have maintenance budgets in place (reactive and planned) across the estate? Do you regularly seek additional quotes for remedial work carried out onsite? How do you currently authorise additional work carried out over and above initial tasks carried out onsite? Can you accurately verify how long contractors were onsite for and how that relates to the invoice that you receive? On average, how many maintenance invoices are you required to consolidate/ process on a monthly basis?
Then provide answers to show the efficiency and benefits of Access Maintain that sit alongside the cost savings they might reasonably expect to see.
Cost management Maintenance costs can be reduced by at least 10% by improving efficiency with a CAFM solution.
The process is quickly managed online and choosing only the best-performing contractors from your pre-approved list, helps you achieve more first-time fixes at the most cost-effective rates. Spend can be managed by an individual site or at estate level in real time, with budgets
60 | TOMORROW’S FM
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