Problems Faced by Facility Management in Managing Businesses
A well-trained facility Manager is aware that there are a lot of facility management problems that will surely occur and must be faced in order to keep their building in the best position. It is not enough to know and be able to identify these challenges or problems, but a good manager must also be able to proffer adequate and effective solutions to the problems.
Having considered this, we came up with a list of the most occurring facility management problems that a typical manager will face, with some suggested solutions to the problems.
- Controlling Costs
Take into consideration: The board of directors called you into a closed-door meeting and asked if there are ways you can help the company save money by minimizing your costs. Here, your method of cost control will help you. If the method is not effective, then you have given your directors the impression that you haven’t been managing your facility efficiently.
Controlling Cost- Control Method
You can control your cost by tracking your inventory accurately (checking the ordering and holding cost) and make sure the prices are well negotiated with the vendor. There are many inventories when it comes to facility management, it could also be materials used to light bulbs throughout the facility. This will definitely minimize cost and send a signal to the supervisor that you have been keeping the costs low.
Some bulbs are actually left on, without using them, you can also reduce cost by switching off all light bulbs that are currently not in use. Bulb consumes energy, having two or more bulb on without the use of it, will definitely add to the amount of energy consumed daily, hence, you can put off bulbs that are currently not in use, this will reduce the amount of energy consumed daily, reduce cost and save money. This is called energy audit.
2. Extending the Life of Your Resources
If your boiler goes off or your heating and cooling system does not work, it is a cause for alarm. These large items can have a big impact on your company's bank account. If you do not do everything in your power to extend your life, you are partially responsible.
Establish procedures to properly manage the resources of your facility. Whether scheduling routine HVAC inspections or thoroughly cleaning the carpet of your building in a regular rotation, it is important to protect these large investments so that they continue to work for as long as possible.
3. Keep Accurate Records
How to maintain an accurate record is a big problem in facility management. Maintaining accurate records is one of the biggest challenges in integrated facility management services and its one of the most important aspect of ensuring that useful data is available at the necessary interval.
You are to manage a large building, for instance, it shows that you have a lot of different systems to manage and this can only be done if you have reliable data about each and every system, if not, it will increase cost and consume more time.
Maintaining RecordsFor instance, you lack records of maintenance on the building HVAC System, you won’t know when the next service should be placed; this will lead to potential breakdown or to an appointment scheduled to hold prior to the date, which is a waste of time and money. Or the frequency to which the carpet has been cleaned has not been kept by anyone. To replace carpets are very expensive, so carpets must be maintained to keep them in their best state, if not their lifespan will be significantly shortened.
Solution
Create a list that shows the service and maintenance work done and also the date, it will help you track the work done, how they are being done, and what is left to be done. This will help you determine when it’s time to make a replacement or repairs.
- Choose the Right Vendors
Outsourcing work is very necessary in facility management, this made it very important for facility managers to make a move by outsourcing their work. The question is, how do you recognize if the vendor you chose is the right one for the work? Vendors, especially janitors have a large part to play in facility management, when it comes to facility maintenance, ensuring that the environment is healthy and safe for the employees and visitors.
Vendor SelectionAlways ask your vendors these questions before employing them:
- Does your team have a high turnover rate?
- Do you conduct background checks for your workers?
- What is your training process?
- Do you have experience working in facilities like this?
- Are there routine inspections to ensure work is done properly?
- Is there an established method to communicate with facility managers?
- May I speak to current or past customers?
If a proposed vendor is able to answer these questions correctly, then you should be sure you are employing the right person for the job and there is no cause for alarm.
