Total Facilities Management (TFM) is a single-service approach to managing all aspects of an organisation’s built environment, including property, assets, and equipment. This approach to facilities management (FM) aims to streamline and optimise facilities management processes by consolidating them under a single contract.
But is total facilities management as effective as it sounds?
In this article, we will explore the pros and cons of TFM, and outline why we believe Computer-Aided Facilities Management (CAFM) software can be a more effective solution for property and facilities managers (FMs).
What is Total Facilities Management?
The primary goal of TFM is to streamline and optimise facilities management processes by consolidating them under a single contract, thereby reducing operational costs and increasing efficiency. This comprehensive management strategy is often provided by a third-party service provider. Common services included in a total facilities management programme encompass both “hard” and “soft” facilities management.
Hard Facilities Management focuses on the physical elements that make up a facilities or building. These are the tangible, structural components that contribute to the functionality and safety of a space.
Soft Facilities Management deals with the people-centric and service-oriented aspects of facilities management. It revolves around enhancing the overall well-being and comfort of your building’s occupants.
Some key examples of services provided by total facilities management include:
- Waste management.
- Repair and maintenance.
- Energy management.
- Cleaning services.
- Pest control.
- HVAC systems.
- Fire safety systems.
Ultimately, TFM providers aim to understand and meet business requirements, ensuring statutory compliance, enhanced safety, and improved operational efficiency. However, although there are some pros to total facilities management, there are a few possible drawbacks which makes CAFM software a much more appealing option.
What are the pros of Total Facilities Management?
Efficiency and Cost Savings
By consolidating all facilities management services under one contract, TFM (in theory) can reduce operational costs and time. TFM is also considered a cost-effective solution, particularly when it comes to building maintenance work. Since FMs only have to deal with one point of contact, they save time and money that would have gone into managing other business priorities.
However, with the risks associated with a single-service approach, the TFM model could end up costing organisations a lot more money if anything were to go wrong.
Streamlined communication
Since total facilities management has one single point of contact, it is thought to simplify communication and coordination, reducing the complexity and effort spent on managing multiple service providers.
This streamlined can allow businesses to focus on their other core priorities and activities while ensuring that their facilities are maintained under one umbrella.
Simplified Management
The idea of having a single point of contact for all facilities management activities sounds like an enticing concept. This is because TFM reduces the complexity of managing multiple contractors and service providers, allowing organisations to focus on strategic objectives rather than day-to-day operational details.
Although this might sound good in theory, there are some possible downsides to taking this approach.
What are the possible downsides of Total Facilities Management?
Potential Loss of Control
Outsourcing all FM services to a single provider can sometimes lead to a loss of control over specific service areas. Organisations may find it challenging to address issues quickly or customise services to their unique needs.
Procurement Processes
When it comes to signing a deal with a total facilities management service provider, it can become complicated.
After choosing a TFM provider to commit to, you might find it difficult to get out of the contract if you need to in the future.
Being tied into a single-service provider can be risky because it means if your organisational needs change, you are still stuck with the same fixed TFM services.
Possible Risk of Dependence
Relying on a single provider for all facilities management needs can be risky. If the provider fails to deliver, the organisation may face significant disruptions. With the TFM model, organisations are completely reliant on the TFM provider.
This means that all the risks associated with your facilities management activities would depend on one provider. So, if anything were to go wrong, all FM services could be unexpectedly suspended or stopped. For example, let’s not forget the impact of Carillion after its collapse in 2018.
Carillion were working on around 450 public sector contracts when they entered compulsory liquidation. This collapse had a major domino effect, causing projects to be postponed with escalated costs. Over £2bn was owed to 30,000 of their service providers and it’s thought that Carillion cost the taxpayer approximately £150m.
The level of risk is always higher when putting all your trust in a single company, so it is definitely worth considering when thinking about adopting a TFM model.
Limited Flexibility
TFM may lack the flexibility to adapt to changing organisational needs or incorporate new technologies and practices quickly. In the world of property management, facilities managers need a solution that will evolve and grow alongside the industry. With a single-service provider, there are a lot of services that need to be covered and it can be difficult to keep up with customer demand.
Not to mention, if TFM providers are trying to cover all FM areas, it’s possible that quality might not always be to the highest standard.
CAFM Software: A More Effective Solution
Ultimately, it’s better to have multiple service providers to carry out your facilities management activities. By taking this approach, you can spread out the risk across your service providers and increase flexibility across your FM services.
A single-service approach is often enticing to businesses because it means they don’t have to manage multiple service providers. However, with an effective CAFM system, it’s easy to manage multiple service providers.
CAFM software allows FMs to easily streamline the management of their service providers . How can CAFM simplify the process of managing multiple service providers?
Enhanced Control and Customisation
CAFM software provides organisations with real-time data and analytics, enabling them to maintain control over facilities management processes. This allows for customised solutions tailored to specific needs, addressing the loss of control that is often seen in total facilities management.
Elogs CAFM is integrated with Prosure360, a supplier management system. This integration means that FMs can vet which service providers they work with. This reduces risk and makes it easy to work with multiple, high-quality service providers.
Simplified Management
A CAFM system acts as a single source of truth for facilities managers as it simplifies the management of multiple contractors by centralising data and workflows.
This reduces the administrative burden and allows for more agile decision-making.
Reduced Risk of Dependence
Since CAFM software enables organisations to manage multiple service providers effectively, it reduces the risks associated with dependence on a single provider. This diversification ensures continuity and resilience in service delivery.
Increased Flexibility and Adaptability
Another useful aspect of CAFM systems is that they are highly adaptable, allowing organisations to integrate new technologies and practices seamlessly. This flexibility ensures that facilities management processes can evolve with changing organisational needs and industry advancements.
While Total Facilities Management offers some benefits, it also comes with a few possible downsides such as potential loss of control, complex procurement processes, and limited flexibility.
By using Elogs CAFM, FMs can manage multiple service providers with ease. Leveraging CAFM software can lead to more efficient and responsive facilities management, ultimately driving better outcomes for the organisation.
Say goodbye to the risky single-service approach and use Elogs CAFM to make service provider management simple!
