There are lots of reasons why today’s businesses are making the move to outsource facility management services… and they all lead back to cost savings.

For example, when ADP transitioned from an in-house FM team to a consolidated, outsourced program, they cut facility management expenses by 7 percent, over two and a half years.

Here’s a quick look at how an outside team can improve operations and reduce costs across your buildings, plants, campuses, or laboratories…

1. Lease Review

As companies grow, lease review becomes an increasingly important role—one that requires expert real estate talent. A savvy facilities partner will help you save thousands just by understanding local market values, discretionary costs, and the myriad fees and allowances that are subject to negotiation. An outsourced partner will also keep track of key dates, records, and reports.

2. Contract Administration and Procurement Services

Besides informing your lease agreements, facility management services can include the vetting and administration of all service contracts—from utilities, to window washing, to snow removal—ensuring that opportunities to save money aren’t overlooked.

Working with an established firm gives your business much bigger buying power, too, along with centralized reporting. You can outsource procurement and leverage your FM’s economies of scale. Independently, you would pay a much higher rate for “soft” services like cleaning, security, or catering. And expense data across your disparate locations might be harder to aggregate/analyze.

3. Space and Design Planning

It’s simple: poor layouts cost money. If you’re not making optimal use of your properties, you may be leasing more floor space than you actually need. Some companies mistake their spatial needs or ideal configurations, by failing to account for telecommuting, travel, and meetings patterns. Meanwhile, others are losing square footage to oversize cubicles, desks, storage units, and other recycled furnishings that actually impede productivity. With expert FM guidance, you can ensure efficient workflows and avoid unnecessary barriers between teams and departments.

Bonus: An FM partner is also a great asset when considering sustainability initiatives, since experienced partners bring valuable knowledge to the table (tax incentives, rebates, installation timelines, potential ROI, etc.).

4. Preventative Maintenance

When key systems aren’t working, your employees aren’t working either. And even a day’s worth of downtime, in one pocket of your organization can be costly. That’s why most enterprises invest in preventative maintenance (PM) services that include lifecycle management of all critical equipment (plumbing, lighting, HVAC, life-safety systems, etc.). By documenting accurate work orders and properly archiving this data, preventative maintenance planning is a lot more successful. And you can avoid overpaying for parts, service calls, or outright replacements.

While there are many computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS) available—particularly for assets in manufacturing, healthcare, and other specialized industries—the size and complexity of your company’s inventory may warrant outside support with these tools.

5. Outdoor Property and Landscaping Maintenance

If your company owns or rents its own real estate portfolio, facility management services will help keep your employees and tenants safe, while minimizing upkeep costs. Like preventative maintenance for indoor systems, grounds-based maintenance helps you identify and address small property issues before they become larger expenses—vis-à-vis repair or liability claims. Think roofing, pavement, parking garage structures, etc.

Here’s another prime example: Left unattended, certain trees and shrubs are prone to infestation or disease. Tree removal and replanting is significantly more expensive that annual care. Likewise, weed control is more economically managed on a consistent, seasonal basis. And an overall well-groomed commercial property pays dividends in local public relations and consumer confidence.

All told, facility management services more than pay for themselves—especially if you choose the right partner. While you’re thinking about outsourcing your FM workload, please feel free to reach out with any questions you have along the way. Good luck!