Five reasons tech firms forge IFM partnerships

Under pressure to bring technology products to market faster than ever, advanced manufacturing companies are iterating their business models to scale strategically. Tech business leaders are streamlining processes from day-to-day facility operations to procurement procedures to optimize results, resources and revenue.

As a result, the role of facilities management (FM) professionals has changed. Gone are the days when they only executed work orders or janitorial tasks. These days, leaders in corporate real estate (CRE) are responsible for adding strategic value by implementing operations technologies, improving productivity and reducing costs. Equally important, businesses are relying on FM leaders to create a workplace experience that helps attract, grow and retain talent.

Experienced integrated facility management (IFM) service providers bring a wealth of knowledge to support safe, compliant and efficient manufacturing facilities, R&D environments, warehouses and office spaces. A leading IFM partner will use proven practices and cost-saving initiatives to deliver high-value results.

The following are five ways an IFM partnership can deliver benefits for technology innovators and manufacturers.

It’s common to assume a new IFM service provider will replace an in-house facilities team with its own people. However, the reality is that a third-party facility management partnership can deliver the best of both worlds. Ideally, the relationship will combine the knowledge and skills of the company’s in-house team with the techniques and cross-industry expertise of the service provider.

To provide continuity and a high level of service, an IFM partner aims to keep as many existing team members as possible. If done right, your workforce will find many reasons to stay, including:

• Professional growth and career opportunities

• Access to leading technology solutions

• Specialized training and certifications

With the need to keep tech manufacturing facilities and labs productive, safe and cost-efficient, companies need a strategic, comprehensive approach to ensure capital investments align with their mission. A leading IFM partner won’t just stick to a checklist of the basics. Instead, they will identify new ways to save a company time and money, like total cost of ownership—an approach that mitigates the potential risks of unexpected costs.

One of the greatest pressures on tech manufacturing companies is operational costs. A skilled IFM service provider will use a total cost of ownership approach to manage facilities and optimize long-term spending and operations. For example, through the total cost of ownership method, an FM service provider can leverage advanced technologies, like artificial intelligence and predictive analytics, to improve facility performance. Using smart systems, teams can remotely monitor and gather intelligence on building operations, generating insights about performance. This provides senior leadership with the ability to move from insight to action, driving revenue and value.

Technology innovators occupy a range of different facilities, including offices, lab and manufacturing sites. To prevent disruptions and ensure that your production operations are aligned with business goals, it’s important to ask the right questions about how your facilities are managed.

A qualified IFM outsourcing partner will have the answers you’re seeking and will be experienced in managing a variety of settings and ensuring safe and efficient operations with minimal downtime. They’ll bring deep knowledge of health and safety standards, as well as proven processes and technologies for mitigating risks.

A strategic IFM service provider will collaborate with an organization to establish shared goals, ensuring your technology company retains control over outcomes. Key performance indicators (KPIs) are a standard part of every FM outsourcing agreement and provide a quantifiable measure of success. Also, performance guarantees can be structured in a variety of ways, including incentive compensation for achieving stated goals.

Financial KPIs are common, but nonfinancial goals, such as retaining transitioned employees for a specific period, can also be included. If a company is undertaking mergers or acquisitions, KPIs related to streamlining technology solutions or facility operations following a transaction can be established.

To help extract the most value from the outsourcing partnership, the IFM provider will seek to align its activities with business goals as operations evolve. What’s a priority for every tech company? Top talent. The right IFM partner will offer expertise on how to provide an engaging workplace, while streamlining occupancy costs.

Talent retention is a focus to reduce knowledge loss. Your IFM partner can use data and actionable insights to understand where employees enjoy working within the company’s facilities, and where they are dissatisfied with the physical environment. They’ll transform those insights into strategies for creating a more coveted workplace, such as bringing in more natural light or re-designing the layout to better support flexibility, collaboration or focus. While excellent CRE leadership can’t solve every workplace problem, research shows physical environment strongly influences employee satisfaction.

Partnering with a skilled IFM service provider allows your company to focus on its core business, while becoming more agile and better equipped to respond to future challenges and opportunities. An IFM partner will proactively engage with your portfolio’s data and business intelligence to drive better-informed facilities decisions, heighten efficiency and productivity, and manage risk—all while improving financial performance. When thoughtfully structured, an IFM outsourcing partnership can help transform facilities from a cost center into a strategic investment that adds long-term value.