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What Is Facility Management Software and Why Do Small Businesses Need It?
Utilizing the small business confederation ensures that you are embarking on a challenging journey. Many people need to handle tasks. These include scheduling employees and managing operations. Keeping everything running smoothly is important. At times, it can all feel too complicated. This is exactly the part where Facility Management Software is well suited. But the question arises as to what it is and why is it even important to a small business. Let’s make it easier for you.
In this article, we will explain how software for facility management works. We will also discuss its uses and why it is important for small businesses. Keep reading to know how this software assists in operational efficiency, reduces cost, and provides a competitive edge.
What Is Facility Management Software?
FMS, or Facility Management Software, is an important tool. It helps manage all the assets and the look of buildings and spaces. Your own personal hero exists. It takes care of everything like maintenance, scheduling, planning, and safety compliance.
Primary Functions of Facility Management Software
We can see all aspects of FMS through the lens of an assistant who is always on duty.
Maintenance Scheduling: Never forget a routine checkup of your HVAC systems again! This is exactly when FMS steps in and ensures that all team members complete tasks and schedule maintenance on time and regularly.
Asset Tracking: Keep an eye on all the assets and equipment your organization owns, like computers and coffee machines. This helps ensure they are working well and have few breakdowns.
Space Management: Use tools to check how much space you need in your office or warehouse. This helps you make the most of your space.
Data and Reporting: Use different reports about building performance and energy use. This will help create strategies for better results in the future.
Evolution of Facility Management: Manual-Focused to Technology-Centric
As technology improves every day, we can say goodbye to using endless clipboards or spreadsheets to make deals work. Many organizations cannot ignore the current revolution. This change affects both head office operations and facility management. This required advancement is especially important and easy for smaller businesses to adopt.
Why Small Businesses Need Facility Management Software
Challenges Small Businesses Face
Small businesses have a limited number of resources. They often use even fewer resources because of tight budgets. The consequences of this are quite remarkable. Here are some common challenges:
Overspending on maintenance because of lack of planning.
Poor management — wasted costs because of improper management of available space.
Problems with the oversight and management of their assets.
Safety codes. How does a business stay compliant?
What FMS Brings To the Table
Here’s how the software can change the direction of your small business: facility management software.
Cutting Costs: A survey by Capterra found that 68% of small businesses using FMS saved money. Specifically, they saved at least 10% on maintenance costs in the first year.
Increased Productivity: Automating repetitive tasks enhances productivity by freeing up time for higher revenue areas of your business.
Increased Security: FMS actively safeguards the interests of customers and employees by ensuring adherence to safety requirements.
More Space: Understand and evaluate how people utilize spaces and make informed decisions about layout or expansion.
What to Consider When You Are Choosing a Facility Management Software
Before you go FMS software hunting, here is a list of features that you need to consider and check with the selling company:
1. Maintenance Scheduling
Whether it's routine maintenance or deep cleaning, always finish your tasks. Do everything on time without waiting for a reminder.
2. Asset Management
Even well-made software helps with asset management. It keeps track of an asset's entire life cycle. This includes situations when you need repairs or replacements.
3. Space Planning
As co-working spaces grow, there is a greater need for smart planning tools. These tools help manage and organize floors to boost efficiency.
4. Reporting and Analytics
Many tools are available in the market. The best FMS tools provide users with dashboards and reporting systems. These features help track KPIs effectively.
Facility Management Software from Different Sectors
Facility Management Software is beautiful because it is not limited to one sector. Its versatility allows it to serve many industries.
Healthcare
To improve its services, a small healthcare institution in the US started using Facility Management Software. This led to a significant transformation in how it operated. By carefully maintaining important health equipment, they improved their operations and stayed within industry standards. Better delivery of care with lesser operational issues was what they achieved.
Education
A university faced issues trying to manage its several academic facilities but resolved them after integrating an FMS. This software improved classroom usage. It provided better daily maintenance and lowered costs. This allowed for better budget allocation for learning materials.
Government
Another case study justifies this point—a government department utilized facility management software to improve security levels and manage building maintenance. Their response time was much slower. With technology, they could address problems before they happened.
Startups
FMS helped a telecom firm with global operations and many offices. A strong tool for improving office real estate plans existed. The company aimed for international growth. Cost savings and employee satisfaction were the immediate dividends that ensued.
Data to Back It Up
Nonetheless, the calculations speak for themselves as to why FMS is more than just a trend and offers a path into the future;
Research shows that the global market for facility management software will reach $57.8 million by 2028 (Grand View Research).
A Capterra survey asked seven users about FMS. They found that FMS made operations 72 percent more efficient in the systems that used it.
The initial first-year adoption of FMS resulted in facility maintenance averaging around a 10 percent reduction in costs.
Choosing the Right Software
Selecting a facility management software is not as simple because everyone has different needs. The following are some of those significant factors you should consider;
Scalability: Does this software fit within your organization and allow for future expansions as well as growth?
Ease of Use: One of the key features of a software application in international standards should be easy to use, especially for those teams that are not very technical.
Integration: Confirm the linkage of the facility management software with other tools, e.g. accounting or CRM.
Customer Support: Effective after-sale assistance changes the situation altogether.
Yet, if you have no idea where to start from, Viqsa Solutions is a good case to start from!
Successfully Implementing Facility Management Software
Good software is only considered effective if it is properly implemented. Here’s how you can avoid implementation issues:
Train Employees: Equip team members with the necessary skills to manipulate the software.
Establish Goals: Define the objectives you wish to achieve through the use of FMS (reducing costs, increasing productivity, etc.).
Regularly Review Goals: Ensure that the level of performance is satisfactory in comparison to the targets you had set out.
Future Trends Shaping Facility Management Software
Real estate managerial tendencies are not static, as an illustration, the following trends are coming:
IoT Integration: Smart devices will report how much energy is used at what times, when maintenance needs to be carried out, etc.
AI and Predictive Analytics: AI systems will forecast maintenance or space requirements in the future, which improves things even further.
Cloud-Based Systems: The increased use of cloud solutions allows off-site team distribution and current data along with updates.
Here’s how you can manage your business premises and be successful in your micro-business
The small business facility management software is not an out-of-reach asset for big corporations only. It is the software every small business looking to maximize what they have, minimize expenses and anticipate growth should have. With these features oriented towards your facility, it is only time to step your game up.
Want to learn or see how FMS can improve your business? Connect with our experts today to find the perfect solution for your business. It’s time to bring efficiency to your doorstep!
