What are Facilities Management Support Services?

Think of the last time you’ve visited a building for a meeting. You probably had to show some ID to get into the building, used the lift and perhaps visited the bathroom facilities. Everything went smoothly and you left the building feeling satisfied with your visit. You can thank the facilities management team for this seamless, trouble-free journey. Often an unseen business, facilities management support services is an area responsible for ensuring the safe and efficient operation of a given infrastructure, such as buildings.

Facility management support services include maintenance, commercial cleaning, waste management and security, amongst others. In this article, we explain all you need to know about this discipline, including how your business can benefit from it.

Why are facilities services important?

Facilities management services are more than just improving efficiency, they are all about providing a pleasant work environment, making it an enjoyable place for people to visit. Given that we spend so much time at work, a good business environment can actually contribute to employee satisfaction and happiness. The team behind all this often operates in the background, to make sure office owners, visitors and employees can go about their day without having to worry about the functioning of the building.

What type of services are included?

It depends on the company you choose and the services they provide, but in general, no task is too big or too small. And because the range of facilities support services is so broad, the area is often divided into what is called ‘soft’ and ‘hard’ services.

Soft services can vary from cleaning to pest control. Other soft services include waste management, security, concierge and reception services, gardening, painting & decorating, as well as catering services. When it comes to the building structure, hard services might be needed and they can include maintenance of air-conditioning, water supply, gas and electricity, for example.

How often are these services needed?

It depends on the type of infrastructure, but some services are performed daily, such as cleaning and waste management, whilst others can be less frequent, such as maintenance services. Other types of services can be scheduled according to a timely need, such as catering services.

Why should you outsource these services?

There are various reasons why outsourcing facilities management staff can be beneficial to your business. First, you benefit from skilled professionals that have access to relevant equipment, which can be more cost-effective than having to manage an in-house team and having to buy all the equipment and products needed.

With the experience these professionals have in their area of business, it also comes a fresh perspective about what can be done to improve the operation of your building or office. It’s also important to note if the company you’re choosing provides additional services, in case you need them in the future. Last but not least, hiring an external company means more time for you to take care of your employees, visitors and, ultimately, your business.