For most of us, the need to start fresh each year means; new company strategies and goals, new ways of working, new business tool options and new agreements with your facility services provider. With the ever-changing economic situation and work being disrupted with working from home options, the need to be flexible and constantly be looking at working smarter, rather than harder has certainly been highlighted.
Here, we outline important factors when selecting a new facility services provider and give you 5 key things you need to look for.
It’s important to note that selecting a new facility service provider is a huge decision for any organisation. A facility service provider can influence the overall workplace performance, maintenance of the property, employee well-being, talent acquisition and retention, not to mention the cleanliness and efficiency of the business as a whole.
So how can you ensure that you select the right facility services provider (FSP) for your unique business?
Throughout our more than 20 years of award-winning experience within the industry, working with a wide selection of businesses in a variety of industries, we have learned that there are 5 top things that you should always take into consideration before signing on the dotted line.
1. Does the FSP have a transition plan?
When you consider changing service providers, or even outsourcing services for the first time, it can seem like an overwhelming process. This is because it entails a level of risk. As a business owner, you are relinquishing control of your business unit to someone else and are also assuming a potential financial risk.
Many transitions fail, despite the obviousness of these risks.
Successful transitions take time because there are many moving parts. To ensure that the business relationship starts off on the right foot, the facility services provider needs to be able to produce a plan of how the transition will take place as seamlessly as possible.
Although the length of time can vary according to the complexity of the contract, a well-planned transition process typically occurs over a two to six-month period.
In cooperation with the relevant stakeholders, a facility services provider should be able to manage transition expectations and develop a clear risk management plan for your organisation. Discussing the potential issues and troubleshooting is key to ensuring a smooth transition.
2. Is the FSP dedicated to employee training and development?
It is quite possible that facility services employees might become integrated into your organisation, playing an integral role in your daily operations. If you haven’t considered it, these service employees are responsible for making sure that the company’s visitors, partners and customers get the best service experience on visiting your business.
When selecting a new facility services provider, ask for their expertise within the field of employee training.
They will need to have a clear understanding of your facilities and requirements and be trained to interact in compliance with your unique needs. We know first-hand how it’s become a priority when communicating with our customers over the years.
3. How important is diversity to the facility services provider?
Workforce diversity plays a central role in an organisation’s success, according to several studies. One might ask, “what does diversity have to do with the selection of a new Facility Services provider”? Studies show that people are more likely to share culture, values, as well as do business with other organisations if they match each other on dimensions such as colour, background, disabilities and race.
A facility services provider that values diversity is more likely to match the culture of your organisation.
Did you know? A diverse workforce generally has a higher staff retention rate and lower absenteeism, which equals fewer disruptions in day-to-day service as well as less chance of failure.
4. Does The FSP Offer scalability?
We touched on flexibility in the opening and given the rapid shifts that occur in today’s work environment no to mention, global marketplace, it is essential to have a facility service provider that can scale at an agile pace, efficiently responding to new work and market change demands.
If your business is expanding into the local market or have already established a national presence, entering into a partnership with a facility services provider that can scale nationally with you is something to seriously consider. This will aid in creating more efficient workflows and provide consistency in service delivery across your organisations’ national footprint.
5. Does the FSP serve your purpose?
Each business is unique. Perhaps, what worked on a previous contract does not necessarily work for your business today. Therefore you must find a facility services provider that invests time in understanding the purpose of your business, your work processes, the way you think and the goals you have.
The facility services provider also must be trusted and empowered by the employer to recommend changes in processes and innovate whenever a change is needed as business changes.
Starting up a new facility services contract can be a complicated affair, but choosing the right one that is dedicated to understanding your reality, business, goals, visions, and ways of working will see you benefit greatly from the relationship. It is also important to note that live reporting systems are made available by reputable Facility Services providers to keep organisations up to date with progress on their property management.
Talk to us today to see how we can assist with all your facility needs and more.
