Big Data

Forget Big Data for FM Decisions – Start With Little Data Instead

You’ve probably heard about Big Data. That’s what your credit card company collects, Google has and even your grocery store uses. For Facilities Management, it’s best to start smaller. Many FM’s don’t even have the basic information they need to manage and make good decisions, mostly because they either don’t have an FM system or…

Do you use the Carrot & Stick approach to managing Outsourced or Subcontracted suppliers? Think Again.

There’s a lot of evidence that the typical Key Performance Indicator (KPI) methods of trying to ensure you get performance from an outsourced or subcontracted service provider don’t work the way you think. In this Video (see below), Daniel Pink, author of “Drive : The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us” presents research that tells…

Now Available: “Managing Facilities & Real Estate” Book by Michel Theriault

My Facility Management book is now available. It’s written for both new and experienced facility professionals, regardless of  level, function or the type of facility managed, who want to leverage existing skills and advance their career with leading business practices, strategy, management and leadership in FM. $39.95  US Soft Cover  7″x10″  532 pages ISBN 978-0-9813374-1-8…

When the Lights Go Out – Is your organization prepared with a Business Continuity Plan?

It can happen  – a power failure that blacks out your building or your offices. What would you do? First Canadian Place, shown here, went black for an entire day from about 7:30am to 4:30pm on October 14th, 2010. It’s a  44 story, 2.7 million sq.ft. building in the heart of Toronto’s financial district.

KPI’s aren’t the answer to getting Performance in Facilities Services

Having been on the supplier and the client side in the past, I know that Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) themselves don’t result in performance. While some people like the carrot and stick approach, you need a management approach that uses measurements (and other techniques, not just KPI’s) to get performance. Don’t just rely on a…