The Goals Of A Modern CAFM Solution

Since 2008 and the global economic downturn there has been an increasing pressure put on organisations to streamline and optimise their operations. As part of this drive to optimise, many companies have implemented CAFM solutions in an attempt to bring down the significant costs incurred through the running of facilties.

Facilities management is important as physical space, offices, land and buildings are typically the second largest expense within an organisation, after labour costs. By centralising the flow of information about an organisation’s facilities through a CAFM solution, that organisation can reduce waste and inefficiencies within its operations.

A modern facilities management customer is in search of the ‘one stop shop’ approach to information flows. Moreover, information must be delivered quickly and up-to-date to wherever and whenever is necessary. The quality of the working environment is also an increasingly valued consideration.

The goals of a CAFM solution can be split into four categories:

1. Improve Operational Efficiency

By accurately tracking which tasks are being performed and by whom managers can better organise resource and staff allocation. Moreover, CAFM solutions improve communications between an organisation’s employees and allow easy access to relevant information and data.

2. Reduce Response Time

When an organisation’s situation evolves a CAFM solution can quickly identify (often in real time) the changes that should made to optimise space, staff and resource allocations. Moreover, CAFM solutions place the responsibility of information retrievable with the individual requesting that information, cutting out the middle man and further reducing response time.

Consequently, organisations see a dramatic reduction in response time when compared with traditional facilities management that require regular, manual analysis of resource allocations.

3. Increase Customer Satisfaction

An effective CAFM solution will be available to employees and customers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Moreover, both employees and customers benefit by making information easily accessible. The best solutions allow the delivery of services to customers based on that customer’s individual requirements.

4. Improve Information Management

Finally, an effect CAFM solution allows facility managers to keep track of projects and resource allocation with ease. Costs, for example, are far easier to monitor and resource requirements can be met in real time.

Usually included within a CAFM programme will be an integrated workplace management system (IWMS) which is the centralisation of several workplace disciplines into a single solution. Plus a computerised maintenance management system (CMMS) is integrated with facilities, project and real estate management.

Regardless of the industry, almost any organisation can benefit from the centralised flow of information and streamlining of workplace management that these offer.

The key to all four of these goals is the improvement in communication. A centralised system that allows the real time flow of information between an organisation’s employees can break down barriers to efficiency and the optimal allocation of resources and facilities.