Advances in information technology continue to propel industries forward into the new millennium, and the world of business is no exception. Dedicated software platforms have sprung up to target the better management of practically every area of running a business. And facilities management poses exactly the kind of administrative challenge that these digital assistants are designed to handle.
Gone are the days of facility managers keeping all the moving parts of running their locations and staff in their heads. There are too many variables and too many opportunities for inefficient operations. In an always-connected digital world, the pace of business has sped up exponentially, and businesses are increasingly taking advantage of software and online services to gain a competitive edge. Those businesses slow to embrace digital management workflows will find themselves lagging behind the competition.
Self-storage businesses present the challenge of facilities management as part of the service being offered to customers. Therefore, self-storage providers are uniquely positioned to benefit from the advantages a digital facility management platform offers.
What is Facility Management Software?
Facility Management software platforms offer a full-featured, interactive online tool that eases the administration of a company’s facility locations and the staffs that run them. This flexible interface offers a variety of management tools, reports and notifications linked to a cloud-based back end accessible from any computer or mobile device connected to the internet. This customizable platform allows a business to centralize facilities management company-wide under one unified system, easing the uniformity of company policy and promoting cost-saving efficiency.
What kinds of features does Facility Management software offer?
Integration
The ability to centralize the policies and information about every storage facility in your company into an easy to access platform is the primary benefit of a Facility Management software solution. Artificial intelligence algorithms process an extensive range of data about your company’s facilities stored in a central database. Reports and notifications about tenants, staff, maintenance, taxes and all other aspects of administering self-storage units are available in an instant, any time night or day.
Customizability
No software perfectly suits any user’s needs right out of the box, and Facility Management software comes ready to customize to fit the unique requirements of an individual self-storage company and its managers. Everything from the user interface to the kinds of reports the software generates can be tailored to the unique needs of the business, all without any programming experience or technical know-how.
Automation
Repetitive tasks are easily programmed into the system without any computer coding, saving time and money by letting management staff focus their attention on more important issues. The platform can monitor a calendar of maintenance schedules and other regularly occurring events and automatically notify management when important dates are approaching.
What to look out for.
In addition to ensuring any Facility Management solution provides integration, customization and automation, a self-storage business looking to invest in an FM platform should be on the lookout for hidden costs. All too often FM providers offer a lightweight platform at a seemingly low price, but hide additional costs in the fine print. Additionally, such providers may restrict what third-party platforms your system may interface with, drastically reducing the effectiveness of the platform in the first place. A business shopping for FM software should ensure the provider focuses on their clients’ needs more than making a quick buck.
It’s critical to have a clear idea of exactly what it is you need in a facility management software program before you begin looking. Do your research and choose the perfect fit for your needs now and in the future. CloudApper Facilities is one such solution that can be customized without writing a single line of code to meet your exact business needs.
