16th September, 2002

help at hand for facilities managers

An increasing number of companies are discovering the benefits of facilities management in helping to reduce the cost of unscheduled repairs, and improving customer service through minimizing equipment down time and failures in their buildings. Recent research from the Building Services Research and Information Association has revealed that growth in the UK facilities management market is set to continue at 10% a year from £16bn last year to reach £25bn by 2006.

As more businesses employ in-house facilities managers or outsource their requirements to facilities management contractors, so the demands and expectations of the profession have grown. The role, remit and responsibilities of the facilities manager, whose time is solely dedicated to protecting, nurturing and adding value to the environment in which a business operates, has developed quickly.

As the profession develops, expectations have been raised for facilities managers to deliver highest quality maintenance across different sites, and for them to take on an increasing range of tasks. And though the market is still relatively young, the technologies available to support facilities managers in delivering highest quality asset management are advanced.

Software such as IMPACTxp automatically schedules predictive and preventive maintenance tasks, working alongside a streamlined user configured help desk system for emergency and call out work. Facilities managers rely on IMPACTxp to improve the quality of asset maintenance whilst reducing costs and maximizing equipment life. Multi-site capabilities provide opportunities to rationalize spare part usage and resources while budget and cost controls give managers the tools to monitor performance. Facilities Manager can configure the IMPACTxp work order control system to link with a schedule of rates, whilst the contractor billing option can be used by FM contractors to manage contracts and raise invoices for the services they provide. And because IMPACTxp is continually updated to reflect growing advances in technology and is driven by customer feedback, facilities managers have the assurance of knowing their systems employ the most up-to-date technologies.

In a demanding market place, IMPACTxp improves maintenance practices and provides FM managers and on site maintenance contractors with one of the best opportunities for a fast return on investment.