Telereal Trillium has 150 facilities managers working on its prime contract with the Department for Work and Pensions.
These staff are responsible for delivering service level agreements (SLAs) for 13 FM services across 1,070 DWP sites.
To do this, each FM manages a number of service partners, as well as health and safety, planned maintenance and minor projects. The FMs juggle site visits, client and service partner meetings, and administrative work, using a range of different processes and systems.
Previously, all of these were paper-based and required desktop computer inputting, which meant that only so much could be done on the go.
Considerable time was spent transcribing notes taken on site on to a PC or laptop, emailing these to the customer, saving to file or sending on to the customer service centre (CSC) for action.
Where work orders were required, the FM would email the CSC requesting one, and the information would be re-entered on to a separate system to raise the work order with our service provider.
FM QUICK FACTS
£7,000 ($13,500)
Annual cost saving based on elimination of need for 3G dongles
22
Amount of predicted cost savings expressed in terms of FTEs
While our bespoke work order management system could provide reporting information such as volume and types of orders being raised, it was unable to produce reports that assessed the standards of our sites.
Our systems also did not have the ability to monitor the workload of our FMs. Managers were therefore unable to look at levels of work being done by an FM from both a performance and health and safety point of view, or identify whether an FM’s time was being balanced between their many responsibilities.
We recognised that significant improvements in the efficiency of our FMs and overall quality of our service delivery to the DWP could be made through the development and use of software through tablet technology.
To support the business case, a complete analysis of the FM role was undertaken, which included breaking down the role into approximately 100 tasks and looking at the process required to complete each task, including the time it took.
Taking five tasks into account, it was estimated that Telereal could save a possible 18 per cent of an FM’s time by implementing improvements through the use of a tablet computer. Using this estimate as a guide, it was calculated that the time-saving would equate to employing another 22 full-time employees on the contract annually. This is measured in units of ‘full-time equivalent’ or FTE, where the work contribution of one full-time employee is equal to one FTE. The total cost of procurement, software and packages alone equated to approximately five FTE.
While the proposed time-saving initiative represented an investment by the company with no initial payback, the expected benefits of the move provided enough justification to take it forward. These were the benefits expected after the transition between systems:
- Information being captured and recorded after one initial input
- Automatic integration of information with back-end systems
- Updates pushed to the iPad (the chosen tablet) as required
- Easy access to core estate information when on site
- Additional data capture and workflow processes able to be added relatively easily and quickly
- Management reports providing insight into process performance
- Existing 3G dongles supplied to FMs withdrawn, resulting in annual cost-savings of £7,000
- The potential for further efficiencies in the future as additional business procedures are added.
The roll-out
Two senior FMs were taken out of their operational roles to work alongside our information systems (IS) team to research and develop the tablet platform.
This team evaluated different tablets that could be used and Apple’s iPad was chosen as it was thought to offer the best security solution at the time, including default data encryption and a mechanism ‘Mobile Iron’ to manage and secure devices.
Telereal used its in-house IS team to develop the platform applications, which allowed us to build in a secondary level of application encryption. Three applications were developed and made available on the facilities management iPad:
1. Process Library This application hosts a range of different forms on the iPad, from site meeting minutes to risk assessments, allowing an FM to input and collate information on to the iPad while on-site.
2. FM Dashboard
This application displays information, such as open or overdue work orders from our service providers, in a dashboard format that an FM can view. Line managers are also able to access information, via the dashboard, for each direct report.
3. Property Portal This software holds site-level information across property, projects and FM activities in one place on a system that can be accessed by all departments. It allows FMs to access data, such as lease information and general building details, on the go and on site.
The Telereal team piloted the FM iPad platform by testing it within its north-west England regional team. Each of the 24 users was given an iPad and initial training, then asked to use the new platform in their day-to-day activities.
In January 2012, we rolled out the FM iPad platform to the remaining 125 FMs across the UK. Initial training was conducted and we appointed two ‘super users’ in each region to act as conduits.
To encourage uptake by the FM team, regular communications activities were initiated (and continue to take place), including iPad-friendly video messages and email communications.
FMs are also encouraged to use the iPad outside of work and explore applications that could be useful in their role. Applications that have since been identified by FMs and promoted to the wider team include Audionote, which allows verbal notes to be taken and Crime Map, which has since been integrated into the security risk assessment process.
Twelve months on
One year after its roll out, the FM iPad platform is already delivering significant benefits to both our FM staff and our service to the DWP.
In developing the Process Library application, we found it was possible to interface the application with existing systems, initiating automatic actions, such as closing down work orders.
Through both the FM Dashboard and Property Portal applications, FMs are now provided with more readily accessible information to enable proactive management of their sites and portfolios. Information drawn from existing systems is displayed in a quick and easy-to-read format through the FM Dashboard application.
This data is updated every 15 minutes wherever 3G or Wi-Fi access is available, providing real-time information while an FM is on site and allowing them to action tasks as necessary, and ensure the service promised is delivered. The system also allows instant alerts on actions, removing the need for the FMs to set reminders.
The Property Portal application allows the FMs to have up-to-date data on hand when they are on site, including information from both the property and project teams.
A key element of the Process Library application is the cleaning inspection form. Previously, this was an informal, paper-based task carried out by our FMs. By formalising this inspection and making it available on the FM iPad platform, we are able to collate the data and ensure a standardised approach by our FMs. We are now able to automatically see cleaning ‘scores’ for each site, for either the entire site, or for the type of cleaning completed, and different areas cleaned.
Benchmarking
Working alongside our improvements-managing standards, through the Process Library application, we have also been able to incorporate methods of benchmarking and understanding of our FMs’ levels of work. Through Process Library, the number of necessary re-visits completed is captured and the timeframe in which the FM has completed the work is recorded. This enables individuals to better manage their workloads and managers to better understand the performance of staff.
Unexpected extras
The development and roll-out of the FM iPad platform has seen a number of additional benefits that were not initially expected. Standard applications that come with the iPad, such as email and calendar, mean our FMs can respond to email enquiries and book meetings and appointments on site.
Additional applications available through Apple’s app store are also having a positive effect. These include note taking tool AudioNote and lux and decibel readers. A significant reduction in paper-use by our FMs is also being seen, with an estimated saving of approximately 25 trees per year.
Last but not least, all the benefits outlined are having a positive effect on staff morale. The 2012 Telereal Trillium employee survey saw a 5 per cent improvement in responses to the statement “I am provided with the right tools to do my job well”.
Once the iPad platform was developed, it was vital that the FM community actually used it. As with the introduction of any new technology, there were some staff who were averse to it, or not fully engaged in the use of the platform. Through training programmes and by monitoring usage, the team was able to identify these people and offer additional support. The super users are also on hand to support and advise those in their region.
By streamlining processes via the FM iPad platform, our FMs have more time to spend on their core role — the provision of good quality, flexible and cost-effective accommodation for staff and customers.
The ability to measure and monitor the service standards means we are able to collect and report on data captured, and demonstrate that we are meeting and maintaining acceptable standards at site level, and contractual standards at management level.
The team continues to work on the FM iPad platform. It intends to build on the ability to report information in order to further streamline opportunities, using the platform to improve services to the DWP and increase job satisfaction of our people.
Developments in the pipeline include additional inspections and forms to be added to the process library, in areas such as security, fabric and M&E. The development of the FM iPad platform demonstrates improvement and innovation in the contract with the DWP.
The FM iPad platform has brought new life and energy into the service of the contract, and many of Telereal’s staff have shown improved morale and enthusiasm as a result of this innovation.
At present, the company only uses the iPad platform on one of its contracts. However, the system has been built to be transferrable and it is expected to be rolled out to further contracts in the near future.
