Purchasing FM software: Reducing costs and increasing efficiency

Our industry longevity means we have completed many tenders for FM systems of various sizes and complexities, and we have seen many changes to the way in which FM services are delivered and monitored.

By their nature, most FM systems cover the same basic functions. Some are available as a single all-inclusive package whilst others are sold on a modular basis. Most contain a lot of the same modules but some contain additional peripheral modules, usually at an additional cost for this added functionality.

When choosing a new FM system, always be absolutely sure that the system you are shown is the system you are buying. Many healthcare organisations have complained to us about suppliers who demonstrate a working system which has then been purchased only to find that what is considered essential functionality is only available as an optional add-on module at additional cost. Ask specifically what is included at the price it is being offered to you. If the base system is being offered at the price quoted, it is likely that the functionality you need and have possibly even been shown during presentations is only available at additional cost. HFC has known healthcare organisations where, anecdotally, this has resulted in a price increase of as much as 50 per cent post-purchase.

You get what you pay for
Another area that may require some clarity is the cost of extra services, post-installation. In the same way it is important to know what is included in the software package itself, it is equally important to be clear about what is included in the accompanying support package.

FM systems either have an up-front purchase cost in year one and a lower service cost for support and upgrades from year two onwards or, in some cases, such as with our software, there is no initial purchase cost, just an annual support fee. Be sure you know what is included in the annual service charge. Upgrades? Amendments of existing reports? The writing of new reports? Bugfixing and software updates? If so, how many per annum? Are site visits to correct reported faults included (if required)? If the supplier claims to offer remote support, is it, like our Eclipse-fm software, provided securely and at no extra charge through the NHSnet (n3) system?

All of these things are likely to occur at some point during the early stages of the system’s lifecycle and if they are not included in the support package provided with the system, will incur an additional charge. In this scenario, what appears to be the cheapest option at the tender stage is probably nearing or exceeding the cost of a rejected system that included some or all of these costs as standard in their support package. Be absolutely clear what you could be charged for after you have committed to your chosen system.

Provide some clarity
FM systems are usually quite wide-ranging and encompass many different aspects and functions of facilities management. It is because of this requirement that most tender documents are written by a group of FM professionals from these various functions brought together to compile the complete document and ensure every element is adequately covered.

Being absolutely clear about what you require and what is being supplied is not just a one-way street; suppliers also need to understand your requirements. Chances are that many FM system providers have completed many tender returns for similar systems and they are familiar with a majority of the terminology used. However, because you understand the workflows and internal workings of your estates or facilities department, don’t assume that the supplier will too. Ensure that the tender requirements are as clear and unambiguous as you can make them. Too often we see questions or requirements in tender documents that could be interpreted in any number of ways to an outsider. Likewise, if you use your organisation’s standard tender document template, double-check that it does not request proof of standards compliance that is not relevant to either estates and facilities or the supply of software and related services.

Increased efficiency
Gone are the days when a team of staff worked day in, day out inputting job card data into FM systems. Modern FM systems now include PDA or tablet devices that allow tradestaff to input their job card information live into the system in real-time, thus completely removing the need to input the data back at base and free up resource to work in other areas. The financial and efficiency savings to be made from this are huge – not only in staff inputting time and resource, but in the availability of data for monitoring and performance analysis.

The quicker data can be collected, the quicker it can be monitored and analysed, and the quicker corrective action can be taken if there is a problem. The efficiency of this method of feedback is so good that some systems allow for the monitoring of activity in real-time.

While this is a powerful tool for estates and facilities managers, the instant availability of data can be regarded by tradestaff as a threat and care has to be taken when implementing such systems for the first time to ensure their immediate ‘buy in’. The easiest way is to achieve this is to bring tradestaff online with the PDA/tablet technology in groups, either a trade at a time or in smaller groups if there is any resistance within the wider trade group. All healthcare organisations meet some initial resistance to the introduction of PDA/tablet technology as it may be seen a ‘Big Brother’ way of monitoring their activities. It is best to select the most pro-active and ‘tech savvy’ members of the team as early adopters in such situations. Once other members of the workforce see how quick and easy it is to use the technology to receive and process their daily work, more will want to switch over until they are all online.

The healthcare maintenance environment requires robust devices. It may be worthwhile spending a little more to purchase ruggedised PDA or tablet technology. Cost savings can also be made through the use of web-based job reporting and monitoring. Such facilities enable them to raise new jobs electronically 24/7 and monitor the status of previously reported jobs without the need to refer back to the estates and facilities department. Though such functionality may require some training, it is usually easy to pick up. The benefit to the department is the saving in helpdesk time and, with minimum staff effort, improved service.

Reporting and Analysis
Being able to report and analyse data from a new FM system can be fundamental to its success. It doesn’t matter how much the system cost to purchase if the data it contains cannot be accessed, reported or analysed easily. However, this is often not the fault of the software or its supplier. The key to a good FM system is the way in which the data it contains is structured, particularly when it comes to code files. Well-structured, simple and flexible coding philosophies can make all the difference to the uptake of the software.

A successful coding philosophy combines easy-to-understand structure with the ability to expand that structure in future when new buildings, departments or sites are brought online. Getting this right and not over-complicating the structure is the basis of a strong and reliable system capable of adapting to future needs without consuming time, money and resource to recode everything at a later date.

As discussed earlier, the writing or amendment of reports from any FM system can incur extra cost but can be done locally if the right system is selected. Another question for the tender stage is: can reports supplied with the system be amended locally? If they can, there is likely to be a need for local training, but the benefit is a cost saving through keeping the process in-house and the opportunity to develop new reports to meet local requirements using an in-house resource. The cost of staff training will be more economical than paying a contractor every time an amendment is required.

The use of a Business Intelligence tool such as Dynamic AI, with your FM system will provide an even more powerful set of tools to display and analyse your data, both graphically and statistically. The purchase of the software is likely to require more investment than simple report generation software but it does provide a considerably more powerful set of analysis tools with the ability to drill down through the data to examine finer detail.

A good business intelligence tool will also allow you to combine data not only from your FM system but also from any number of other databases in different formats into a single report for combined analysis. The added beauty of such systems is that interactive executive dashboards are inherent in the functionality of the software so that sets of custom reports can be provided for healthcare professionals at different levels and for different purposes to allow them to monitor data and performance in real-time, highlighting potential problems or areas of concern at the earliest opportunity.

New or replacement FM system selection differs from organisation to organisation and depends on individual needs and requirements. Sometimes it is not the system that is at fault but a reluctance to streamline internal processes to adapt to the way the software works and therefore increase efficiency.

As software developers we try to make our software as flexible and adaptable as possible to meet the varied working scenarios we encounter. No single software package will ever be flexible enough to be everything to everybody so there also needs to be some willingness to modify working methods a little to improve the effectiveness of any FM system.