Choosing the right facility services partner is key to ensuring operational continuity.

5 key questions to ensure a lasting partnership

So you run a modern healthcare facility providing world-class patient care. Or an advanced executive training and meeting facility catering to the corporate sector. Now think about the complex HVAC, plumbing and electrical systems that run 24/7 to keep your facilities operational. Imagine a malfunction that shuts down your chiller or boiler or water systems just as you’re preparing for a major event.  That’s why you need a rock-solid partnership with a facility services contractor who will not only respond with immediate emergency service but will also provide you with the right maintenance, asset management and energy monitoring solutions to keep your equipment at peak performance and avoid catastrophic failures to begin with.

Choosing the right partner is vital. Here are five key questions to ask before you ink your next deal.

Five Key Questions:

1. Is the vendor willing to be a partner?

You need a partner, not a vendor who will swoop in and be gone. Consider it the hiring of a key expert, not the purchase of a quick fix. They are part of an expanded team, not simply pairs of hands on your systems.

2. Does the vendor take the long view on your project or need?

Do they understand the long-term value to your relationship and are they willing to give the value-adds to boost operations? Will they capture and analyze important data, report it to you and make recommendations on improving processes and applying good judgement?

3. Are they going beyond the servicing to improve your bottom line?

If they are not improving the cost of operating by reducing downtime and repairs, offering energy and administration gains, extending capital life, and increasing productivity, they are not right for you.

4. Do they maintain two-way communication to ensure they are delivering their worth?

Are communications open? Great facilities professionals record and report, and have a handle on whether your key performance indicators are being achieved – so when surprises pop up, they are managed well. You want a partner keenly on top of issues and nimbly able to address them.

5. Will they ensure you achieve outcomes, not just repairs?

Your choice must be frank on whether replacing a piece of equipment makes more sense than repairing, or vice versa, when focusing on best outcomes. The wrong one will focus on whichever profits them more. That’s not the kind of partner you want.

So you want a facilities partner that is a resounding yes on all five. That’s your partner for success.