5 CORE FUNCTIONS of a Facilities Team
In-house or outsourced, your facility team should be focused on these 5 Core Functions.
Preventative Maintenance
Also known as “planned maintenance”. Don’t get us started on why it’s important. Preventative Maintenance includes planned or scheduled maintenance services on any part of your facility. Anything from landscaping, to snow removal, to HVAC maintenance, to cleaning can be put into a contract and scheduled ahead of when it’s needed.
(You know those bathrooms should be cleaned at LEAST once a week if not more.)
Your facilities team should be writing a clear scope of work, putting the work out to bid regularly, negotiating with contractors, issuing a contract, and ensuring the work is done according to the contract.
Work Order Management
Think about the life cycle of a work order. Who submits work orders? Who receives work orders? Who dispatches work orders? Who completes work orders? Who inspects and closes out work orders? Who bills work orders?
Standard operating procedures should be in place for all functions of the facility department but it’s particularly important when it comes to managing work orders.
Related Blog Post: 8 Reasons to Track Work Orders
Capital Planning & Improvements
Complete a capital needs assessment for short and long term planning and budgeting. Stay tuned for a post on best practices and what to expect from a professional commercial building inspection.
Contractor Management
Your team should be continuously sourcing, qualifying, and managing third party contractors to cover various trades. Get your third-party vendors under contract and in compliance with your insurance requirements. This may fall under a legal team or risk management team, but facilities related contracts and the relationship with the contractor is truly the responsibility of the facility team.
Customer Service
Your facility team’s “customers” are all the building occupants. Whatever your business is, customers could be manufacturing technicians, administrative staff, bank customers, students, restaurant patrons, museum visitors, and even contractors on site. That’s right. Contractors. The facility team must interact and communicate effectively and professionally to building owners, managers, occupants, and contractors completing work orders.
Stay tuned to our blog for more FM Pro Tips on commercial building maintenance and facility management strategy.
