Where is the added value in FM?
I will answer in this post, to those who have asked me where is that added value in the Facility Management activity. In another article I explained what is added value in a more generic way, but it is necessary to locate it and also know how to use it or what is its meaning.
We are going to work on the summary cycle of a service and the 3 main phases that compose it. The first one, the definition, is to establish what needs to be satisfied, for example of a particular aspect. It will be in this phase where this service is dimensioned as clearly as possible, and always aimed at covering what the client company demands. There is where the value appears, what is going to be requested, what is interpreted as scope, which is another way of calling value.
Once defined what I seek objectively, that will have the scheme of a level of service, it will be used in the bidding phase, which must determine which supplier is chosen, among those who may be the best Candidates. Here the action to be carried out is to select, also objectively, and based on certain criteria and that may change depending on each situation. If a company bills a lot, it may be better than another small, it is a scenario where that aspect is valued. If, on the other hand, a criterion is established where the proximity is valued more closely, a smaller company may prove to be more interesting. Both should cover the scope requested but should not be in the process, but one may be more interesting than the other, depending on each scenario. They are working with the differential values of each one, and they will position better or worse, depending on the selection criteria.
Finally, in the third phase of this summary cycle, it is where the provision of the service appears, and what is done is to receive what has been contracted. It is at this moment where you look at how the service is being delivered, and the evaluation is carried out. Here we can find that there are aspects of the performance that go beyond expectations, and that can represent added value. This will depend on the perception of the interlocutor who is carrying out the measurement or the evaluation. For some people, if the service is done in silence is something to be grateful and for others may seem impersonal that they do not speak or greet the operators. It is a matter of personal perception. You can see in the figure a summary of where each of the values appear.
If there is something that is good for everyone, it could become part of the value that is requested. And that is the ultimate goal of finding, measuring and taking into account this added value, that if this becomes value, will be explicitly requested in the definition next time. This would be integrated into the process of continuous improvement that every FM model should have.
To close with the example of the restaurant of the previous post, something that could be unanimously an added value, as that the foods do not carry pesticides or that they are of fair trade (and that had not been requested of specific form) should be included in the definition of what is requested for the next time.
Another issue that may be subject of another post is to determine the added value of FM for companies, but for that, you should first establish what the value is, and then follow the cycle, on the corresponding scale.
Author: David Martínez, PhD. Strategic consultant, coach, researcher and international speaker. Renowned Facility and Asset Management expert. Specialized in multicultural property management models and productivity applied to workplace.
