M is for...

Management:

A quick thought or two on a Saturday.  A recent conversation with a former client made me consider that although owners or occupiers of large real estate portfolios will probably have a contracted resource to help with elements of the management of that estate, will it necessarily be the right resource?

The management of a large mixed usage asset portfolio, for instance, will present the owner/occupier with a number of challenges in the management and running of that estate and buying in services to help with that undoubtedly has the potential to assist greatly.  This will only be the case if the resource contracted has specific knowledge of the requirement.  A management company primarily used to dealing with urban and office environment will not necessarily be as used to dealing with the land agent and agricultural role.

Have a think about who is managing your activities and consider whether there are areas that could see improvement.

F is for...

Facilities Management:

It’s not just about getting the toilets cleaned and making sure there are enough pencils in the stationery cupboard; the modern facilities management professional is regarded as a key member of the management team at any self respecting organisation.

In recent years, the value to an organisation of an efficient and well run facilities management provision has become recognised as a key component in the success of the organisation.  The role covers many elements that do not fall into most organisations core activity and thus, like the real estate remit, are often liable to be overlooked, until, that is, something goes wrong.

Trends in the field have changed over time.  Once, an Office Manager would have a department of staff who would, to greater or lesser effectiveness perform the tasks and activities required of the organisation.  In the 1990’s the dawning of the era of “Total Facilities Management” saw many of those in house teams, including the management, subsumed into the new style service providers, large organisations who were often no more than a collection of smaller service providers themselves.  This change did not quite hit the mark; whilst there were undoubted cost savings and some improvements in areas of efficiency the loss of the Management function and “ownership” proved to be an unsettling experience for some client organisations.  The perceived loss of control and an apparent impersonal aspect to the arrangements heralded the next era.  It would appear the solution is a mix of an in house management function which controls a contracted provision of services.  The age of the Facilities Manager as a contract manager is here.

Increasingly the FM is looking after a plethora of legislative compliance for the organisation, with environmental and sustainable aspects to the fore.  The range of compliance requirements in the workplace is vast and whilst some of the technical aspects are taken care of in their execution by contracted service providers, the FM has to be up to date and aware of what is required and what they need to be ensuring the organisation is covered against.

So, next time you visit the photocopier and press the button, remember not only the person who has filled the trays with paper, but also the person who has arranged for that to be done!

James Alexander Consultants are expert in assessing your facilities management requirements and, with you, determining a strategy to develop the correct balance of service.  We develop, plan and implement the strategy, leaving you to focus on core activity and opportunity.

eMail us on innovation@jaltd.co.uk or see our contact page for our numbers.  We look forward to speaking with you.

C is for...

Contracts:

Most businesses operate a model whereby significant elements of the business needs are supported by contracted services.  It is possible to outsource just about any element of your “back office” functions and it is almost certain that aspects of your property and facilities activities will encompass some element of contracted service provision.

Your estate and facilities management processes are there to support the core activities of the business and, as such, perform a vital task for you.  It is without doubt that the only time anyone in the business who would count themselves as a customer would notice these services is when there is a problem!

It is therefore most important to ensure that the contracted services you have are fit for purpose, compliant, up to date and relevant.  There have been many instances where contracted service provisions have been allowed to roll over from year to year without a proper review and assessment of the changing requirement, resulting in an imperfect provision and certainly wasted money.  We are all aware of the more usual facilities management services, often bundled up into those unfortunate headings of “hard” and “soft” services (how so?) but the outsourcing of professional services is becoming more and more frequent.  Outsourcing your estate management can mean the difference between being able to do your day job or not. Address the seemingly endless queries from tenants and other occupiers can mean that you do not have the time to undertake those tasks that are actually part of your job description!

James Alexander Consultants are expert in assessing your facilities and estate management service requirements and, with you, determining a strategy to develop the correct balance of contracted and in house services, their relevance and performance for you.  We develop, plan and implement the strategy, leaving you to focus on core activity and opportunity.

eMail us on innovation@jaltd.co.uk or see our contact page for our numbers.  We look forward to speaking with you.