Facilities Management Software

The cost of Facilities Management Software ranges from £99 per month to £260 per month. The mid-point - or industry average - cost of purchasing CAFM Software is around £1900, or £161 per month.

Most facility management vendors will charge a fee based on the number of users, included features, and deployment type (mobile, cloud-based, on-premise, etc.).

Structured payment options (per user or device) are also available and provide a favourable cost solution, particularly for FMs that are responsible for 1-2 sites. With a structured pricing solution, the lowest cost for Facilities Management Software is just £1 per device, per month.

A CAFM system is implemented to assist facility managers with automating various facility management tasks. A CMMS, on the other hand, has a more narrow focus on providing tools for the management of maintenance within a building.

Although there are similarities between Computer-aided Facilities Management software and a Computerised Maintenance Management System (CMMS), there are also critical differences between the two when deploying them in the facility management industry.

A CMMS system includes features for:

• Work order management
• Building preventative maintenance schedules
• Providing maintenance reports for technicians
• Tracking machine and equipment repair history

CAFM is short for Computer-Aided Facilities Management. It is essentially the action of performing facilities management with the support of IT tools. CAFM is used by facility managers to assist them with the planning of facilities management tasks with the objective being to streamline workflow and improve workplace efficiency.

There are two main Facilities Management Software deployment options; cloud-based and on-premise. Cloud-based Facility Management Software is a SaaS solution where the software is owned and provided by a third-party vendor. Whereas an on-premise CAFM system is owned by the business and operated from on-site by purchasing specific infrastructure.

CAFM Software vendors will also introduce other forms of deployment and usage methods such as web-based, mobile, and app-based.

Although Facilities Management Software provides the tools for a small business to succeed, it isn’t always a necessity. Whether responsible for one site or a handful of rooms, small business owners should weigh up if using a CAFM tool will generate a good return on investment.

For small businesses, it’s important to consider other tools besides software - such as spreadsheets, as they may not have a use for the features of a software solution. Spreadsheets are also cheaper, easy to use, and can cover the most basic FM services.

Key benefits of CAFM for small businesses include:

Delegating Duties to Focus on Business Operations

Whether you’re a small business of under 20 employees or under 5 employees, there’s a lot of work that needs to go into effectively managing and maintaining facilities. And, most of the time, all of these responsibilities fall to one or two people. But, with a CAFM tool, managers are able to delegate duties to other staff or outsourced teams. This produces an organised structure within the workplace and promotes a more coordinated effort to help the business grow.

Reducing Downtime of Business-Critical Assets

Some facilities management solutions are coupled with an asset management tool, which is valuable for keeping business-critical assets working at an optimal level and avoiding unplanned downtime.

Storing Data Regarding Outsourced Facilities Management Teams

As most small businesses employ only a handful of staff, the need to outsource certain maintenance and management tasks is unavoidable. This can include anything from cleaning services and building maintenance, to waste management and catering. By having a facilities management tool, you’re able to store all data regarding tasks that have been outsourced. These include outsourced personnel details, maintenance schedules, and support channels.

Most Facilities Management Software vendors provide the capabilities for system integration. This allows a CAFM system to become a central hub for data management. Integrated systems include:

• Building Management Systems (BMS)
• Security systems
• Accounting//ERP systems
• HR Software
• IoT sensor integration
• Third-party integration

Core Functions of Asset Management Software

The main function of an asset management system is to track, measure and analyse the complete value that is provided by all assets throughout the company - both tangible and intangible. The typical functions of an asset manager, include:

• Maximising ROI of assets
• Improving maintenance efficiency
• Tracking asset lifecycle from acquisition to disposal
• To achieve profitability objectives by minimising expenditure

Core Functions of CAFM Software

Although a focus on assets in crucial for a facility manager, their priority is to improve productivity and efficiency within the workplace. While also handling workplace needs and demands. Typical functions of a facility manager, include:

• Optimising the work environment
• To utilise all assets that support the business’s operations
• Focusing on end-user needs throughout the workplace
• To effectively manage corporate social responsibility initiatives

With a mobile facility management solution, FMs can access data such as maintenance schedules, contact numbers of outsourced personnel, space utilisation, and energy-use statistics from anywhere at any time.

When using a cloud-based or web-based facilities management solution, you’re able to access all facility data via a mobile device. This could be your smartphone, tablet, laptop or other specific hardware. The ability to do so grants you and other teams members access to data when on the move and in the field. This is particularly handy if you need instant access to the system but are not within a distance of your work desktop.

Facility Management Software allows FMs to store and access all outsourced data from one single dashboard. This provides an overview of technician information, work order progress, and budgets.

By choosing to outsource facilities management processes (outsourced FM), you’re transferring the decision-making to third-party outsiders. When outsourced effectively, this can lead to better efficiency around the workplace and a general improvement of skills within the organisation.

Outsourcing FM processes with a CAFM can benefit businesses in a number of different ways. Including:

Saving Time and Money

Taking staff training and operating costs into consideration, in-house facility management can be an expensive outgoing. Although outsourcing would require payments, these would be considerably lower in comparison.

Staying Flexible With Staff

Particular facility management processes are only required on a seasonal or cyclical basis, such as building and ground maintenance. So, instead of hiring staff and keeping them around just in case, processes such as these can be outsourced.

Providing an Increase in Service Quality

Outsourcing your processes and jobs to an experienced facilities management service provider will guarantee that the job gets done as intended. This experience proves crucial to making sure only the best maintenance staff and engineers are kept on the premises.

Moden CAFM software offers many benefits to an FM manager, including allowing the integration of multiple third-party applications. These can be email programs, data storage, fleet management tools, Building Information Modeling (BIM) services and Computer-aided Design (CAD) applications.

Having the option to use third-party tools with a newly installed FM solution can be beneficial in a number of ways, including:

• Offering more tools for accurate data collection and analytics
• Saving costs by not disregarding previous tool purchases
• Being able to keep using tools that are already familiar with employees
• Keeping a familiar workflow of orders and processes

Two applications that are beneficial to an FM manager are CAD and BIM services. These tools are used frequently throughout the facilities industry and provide greater efficiency for data and maintenance management when used with a CAFM solution.

How Do CAD and 3D Modelling Tools Benefit FM Managers

Computer-aided Design and 3D modelling tools are used to assist architects and other professionals in the design of buildings and space. These applications provide a variety of imagery and simulations, allowing a large amount of a building’s technical data to be stored.

As well as architects, a CAD system can be a useful tool for an FM manager as well. With access, they’re able to:

• View premises layout plans
• Produce scenario modelling
• See blueprints for occupation designs
• Track cabling control
• View floor plans
• See building and property information for better maintenance control

How Do BIM Services Benefit FM Managers?

Contrary to popular belief, knowledge of CAD or other 3D modelling tools aren’t required in order to use BIM. Now a mandatory requirement for public sector projects, Business Information Modelling is a process of using computer models to help design, construct and maintain a building.

By integrating a BIM system with your CAFM tool, FM managers are able to reap benefits such as:

• Reducing costs at the delivery and operational stages of a building
• Improving efficiency in communications and work orders throughout departments
• Accessing asset profiles for each modelling object to gain greater maintenance insight
• Gain awareness of asset and equipment location
• Improve the health and safety of occupants with predicted scenarios
• Being involved in the early stages of space planning

A computer-aided facilities management tool is packed full of features and functionality to help FMs and executives gain a greater understanding of their expenses. This includes identifying how much re-locating employees is costing and understanding the business’s total churn rate percentage.

With the right FM solution, you’ll be able to:

• Gain a holistic view of all spaces and amenities such as workstations and data cabling outputs
• Manage and track assets to reduce wait time and easily locate equipment or furniture as they move between workstations
• Schedule and plan for moves in the building
• Outsource maintenance tasks to reliable technicians
• Increase efficiency of move management and space planning through applications such as CAD and BIM

What Is Churn?

Most facility managers will have experienced and dealt with the relocation of occupants within the workplace; also knows as churn. But, without the use of an effective computer-aided facilities management tool, many FMs are unaware of their exact churn rate and the expenses that come with it.

A building’s churn rate is presented as a percentage to indicate the total amount of employees or occupants that have been moved workspace. For example, if 300 occupants move workstations in an office building that has a total of 1000 people, that building’s churn rate is 30%.

Although businesses may strive for a lower churn rate resulting in fewer bottom-line expenses, there can be some benefits to having a higher churn rate. One advantage is being able to implement the latest workspace trends, such as effective move management through hot-desking.

Currently, the median churn rate for Corporate America organisations is 45%. But some facilities tend to experience percentage rates much higher than this, such as 100% to 200%. On the other hand, there are many facilities that experience low churn rates. Although this may seem ideal, it usually means there are moves taking place that aren’t tracked or FMs aren’t aware of.

Depending on your focus as either a dynamic workplace setting or a more stable business with long-term goals, poor management of your facility’s churn rate can be costly. For instance:

• You’re unaware if you have a high or low churn rate percentage
• You are damaging your chances of implementing positive and progressive changes in the workplace
• You’re unaware of the huge expenses associated with occupants moving from one location to another

What Are the Costs of Churn In a Facility?

Whether an employee has relocated due to a companywide restructuring or because of business downsizing, the costs incurred can be huge.

These types of costs can also depend on the different elements and types of churn. For example, box moves (occupants moving to existing workstations in the facility) average a cost of $160 per move. Whereas furniture moves (reconfiguration of existing furniture or the addition of new fixings) average a cost of $729 per move.

One ‘soft cost’ that can damage a business’s bottom-line as a result of churn is downtime. This occurs when an employee has relocated in the premises but is without the necessary tools to continues working. Such as waiting for the right data and network cabling to be operational.

As well as ‘soft costs’, the relocating process will incur expensive ‘hard costs’. Such as:

• Labour rates
• Extra materials needed
• Wall constructions
• Technician support for cabling

How Can CAFM Software Reduce Churn Expenses?

A computer-aided facilities management tool is packed full of features and functionality to help FMs and executives gain a greater understanding regarding their expenses. This includes identifying how much re-locating employees is costing and understanding the business’s total churn rate percentage.

With the right FM solution, you’ll be able to:

• Gain a holistic view of all spaces and amenities such as workstations and data cabling outputs
• Manage and track assets to reduce wait time and easily locate equipment or furniture as they move between workstations
• Schedule and plan for moves in the building
• Outsource maintenance tasks to reliable technicians
• Increase efficiency of move management and space planning through applications such as CAD and BIM