A few years back, facilities management was quite tiresome due to the lots of manual work involved. From paperwork to physical inspections and even guesswork sometimes, it was hard work that was also prone to errors.
Fast forward, things have changed now. Technology is here, and most work in facilities management can be done even off-site.
In the comfort of your home, you can see and even control how things are done. As a result, facilities management has become easier and more efficient.
Here we’ll take a look at how tech has transformed this industry and made work more manageable, and the impact it has on the future of facilities management. Keep reading to learn.
Table of Contents
Understanding Facilities Management
Facilities management encompasses the efficient delivery of support services to companies. These services include health and safety, security, cleaning, and space management. With proper facilities management, clients get timely and efficient services, while the providers save time and money on the same.
Technology helps efficiently deliver facilities management, allowing both the company and clients to benefit. For instance, in senior care cleaning, proper facilities management ensures the building and the people in it are safe for the people inside. And it makes cleaning more manageable and efficient.
Types Of Technology Used In Facilities Management
Here are the key technologies that companies in facilities management use:
1. IoT Sensors
These sensors are mostly used to monitor equipment performance in real time. They also help monitor temperature, humidity, and even air quality in a specific place in real-time. With them, you don’t have to keep checking how the equipment works or be physically there, as they send timely information. Most facilities managers use them to know the condition of some areas and the performance of some tools, even when they are far away.
2. Mobile Apps
Mobile apps have increasingly become popular in facility management for good reasons; they are easy to use and highly effective. The apps help technicians send or receive timely alerts and updates on their phones. That way, it becomes easier for them to know what’s happening on the sites, even without their physical presence.
3. Robots & Drones
Drones mainly help inspect tough areas and collect data from hidden places. On the other hand, robots carry out patrols, and others can clean hard-to-reach areas. Facility managers often use drones and robotics to access the secret areas, clean them, and ensure they are in good condition.
4. Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence and machine learning play a vital role in facilities management.
One of the most common uses is chatbots, which are used to facilitate communication. When customers visit the website, if the facilities management provides, they chat with the bot and get the most answers to their concerns. That way, customers don’t miss anything even when the facilities management team is unavailable.
Besides chatbots, artificial intelligence is also used to predict possible failures of equipment based on performance patterns.
5. Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS)
Most companies in facilities management utilize CMMS in task scheduling and equipment maintenance. The systems help them in tracking orders with high accuracy. Also, they help reduce guesswork, as they keep proper records on the performance of most assets and how they work, enabling timely maintenance if needed.
6. Cloud Computing
Cloud computing makes it easier to access different platforms at any time, from any place. There’s no need for onsite services to access a certain website or platform. Through cloud computing, teams in facilities management can collaborate well despite the distance between them, attend meetings, and get real-time updates through the cloud.
7. Access Control & Security Systems
Biometric control and smart locks are common types of access control tech systems that facility managers use. They improve security, ensuring that clients remain secure. Others include surveillance systems, which replace having a person monitor a building at all times. These types of technology make work easier for managers and improve efficiency.
Benefits Of Using Technology In Facilities Management
Below are the most common benefits of implementing technology in facilities management.
1. Operational Efficiency
IoT devices and sensors, among other types of technology, help improve operational efficiency. They automate some tasks like lighting and energy usage monitoring to minimize errors. These tools make real-time tracking possible, and thus, they reduce the most common human errors.
2. Cost Savings
The facilities management tasks can be quite costly when done manually, because you may hire many people to oversee the work and some tools. Most tech tools work through automation, helping cut the costs of hiring many people for the same job. Besides, they are quite efficient, so they reduce the repetitive costs of dealing with human errors.
3. Centralized Control & Access
Technology enables facilities managers to monitor their systems remotely and even access them without going there. Remote access is quite beneficial in situations where there are multiple sites, and all need close monitoring.
4. Better Compliance
Facilities managers should always be compliant with health and safety regulations. Technology helps them remain compliant through automated audits and alerts/reminders. It also minimizes errors that could make the company non-compliant.
Future Of Facilities Management With Technology
More companies in facilities management will most likely embrace technology in the future, as it has been the trend in recent years. That way, the manual work will be less, and the mistakes will also be fewer.
On the flip side, facilities managers should be cautious about cyberattacks if they don’t have strong data safeguards. Companies adopting technology in facilities management should be aware of cyber security measures to protect their data well and seek professional help managing the system when needed.
Conclusion
Facilities management has had a major shift regarding the use of technology. Many companies have already embraced the shift, and others are still learning to make the bold move. Those who have realigned themselves are already enjoying the benefits, such as smoother operations, reduced costs, better time use, and improved decision-making.
So, if you haven’t yet, you should adopt it to avoid staying behind in this fast-paced industry.
