FM has historically struggled to capture and manage accurate data, and to use that to drive innovation or continuous improvement. Efficiency in what is a complex discipline can be hard to measure, let alone to improve. For procurement and finance professionals, cutting through that complexity to ensure value is a challenge. Without detailed understanding of engineering, operations management or skilled trades, it can be difficult to make an effective assessment of proposed or existing programmes.
While many FM providers now make the effort to provide clarity on what they do, their underlying data often does not support that endeavour. And, in many cases, self-interest can take over. In a sector where margin pressure and underinvestment has created endemic inefficiencies, the temptation to interpret data in a favourable fashion can be strong. Over time, that can corrode trust and creates frustration.
Procurement and finance leaders have the skills to cut through the smoke and mirrors, and drive value from the FM function. Asking the right questions saves time, effort and frustration, and Cloudfm’s latest white paper provides a starting point for that process. In ‘9 Questions FM and Property Professionals Don’t Want You to Ask’, we draw on research and input from across the industry, to offer guidance on the questions worth asking, and what to look for in the answers.