In the “subliminal” language of most large companies, optimisation means reducing services. The same applies to facility management, where optimisation measures are clearly related to a reduction in quality, volume and/or price.
While this is understandable, one should be careful not to generalise these measures, as they can have perverse effects in the medium term and generate more problems than solutions.
Rationalisation is often part of the arsenal for improving the P&L, but it can also be understood as an improvement in processes, a simplification of approaches, or even a combination of several services that now form a single package.
The first step is to redefine the strategy if the need arises: what do we want to achieve in terms of facility management? What is essential in terms of image, safety, and quality, and what is more a purely internal wish or requirement? The Anglo-Saxons make this interesting distinction between “need” and “nice to have”.
Once this distinction has been made, it is necessary to analyse whether the FM service can be applied indiscriminately to the entire portfolio or whether it needs to be adapted according to the use. Finally, the FM objectives must be combined with those of the company. An example is preventive maintenance: does this really extend the service life of installations? And if so, what is the gain between these interventions and the residual value of the installation?
This small example shows that the “optimisation” often put forward during cost-cutting measures can be transformed into more significant investments in the medium term. There is no right or wrong answer, but it is important to think about the consequences before taking any strong measures.
Finally, when working with an external service provider, one must have the courage to put all the elements in the balance and discuss with the provider what could be optimised and what could be the tracks to reach the objectives. A unilateral decision with pressure on the provider is, in our experience, nothing but smoke and mirrors: free meals do not exist to our knowledge: someone always ends up paying and often it is the client!
This is how an optimisation does not necessarily have to turn into a reduction…
Good thoughts, good courage, good autumn, and good reading.