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Spreadsheet Savvy: Strategic Management Hinges on Data Interpretation
October, 2009
By Michel Theriault
Strategic management practices can improve performance for supervisors, staff, systems, suppliers and contractors. All too often, property and facility managers spend their time managing day-to-day issues and focusing on tactical services that their customers rely on. Carving out some time to think ahead, develop ideas and sell both the ideas and the implementation to senior management will yield better results.
Start by looking at an organization's own strategy and goals. What is needed to support them? What is missing that will help achieve results? Are the right staffing, skill sets, systems, internal support and information in place to get results?
While Mission, Vision and Values are often seen as head office issues, they can serve a very important purpose if developed properly from the ground up by a team instead of in a corporate boardroom. Developing a Mission and Vision with staff can foster useful discussion, focus attention on what matters and guide decisions. It can also be a launching board for developing a strategic plan, which is an important way to set direction and identify what will have to be implemented or changed to improve operations.
INFORMATION vs. DATA
Developing strategy and making decisions takes information, not just data. Data is simply a series of facts, while information gives meaning to the data and provides the knowledge necessary to make decisions that improve results.
For example, a performance dashboard that shows results at a point in time is just data. A twelve-month trend graph of the same data provides information.
Focus on the results that are outside of the norm. This analysis takes less time and gives the best value. Filter out the so-called normal results and dig into the issues and problems to find root causes and either correct problems or adopt solutions.
For instance, in analyzing call centre information, an unusually low number of janitorial calls in one building or area may mean someone is bypassing the system, not that there are few problems. Comparing those results to Satisfaction Survey results can reveal a more accurate picture.
Corporate systems may not be designed to provide the needed information in an obvious manner. Leverage existing systems and processes that already tabulate data to get at the information in a different way.
TRACKING REQUESTS
Computerized maintenance management systems do more than schedule regular preventive maintenance routines. They should also track failures and corrective maintenance - whether identified by staff, suppliers or customer calls.
Tracking work requests against equipment and, where possible, identifying the resources, time and cost of the required work will provide information for capital replacement programs and future business cases, both for projects and resources. It should also support decisions about equipment replacement, energy and environmental projects.
Call tracking and categorizing calls from occupants provides information for assessing subcontractor performance, identifying trends that need to be corrected, and supporting capital planning and business cases. While a formal call centre is ideal, a simplified system such as an excel spreadsheet can organize data as calls and requests are tracked in smaller portfolios or buildings.
Be sure to categorize the calls and record the date in a format that can be sorted and analyzed. This includes calls to suppliers, technicians, security staff and property managers. In one example, tracking the number and type of problems related to elevators - which were often made to the security guard in the lobby - helped support an elevator modernization project.
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SURVEYS
Customer satisfaction surveys are an important part of any effort to improve results and service. Informal conversations with tenants often only yield insight from one occupant representative and miss information from everyone else. Nor is the information in a format that can be used to compare trends or analyze results.
Develop customer/occupant satisfaction processes and programs that enable building managers to effectively measure results and act upon the information to make improvements instead of simply benchmarking satisfaction results. An annual survey alone is inadequate. Implement a transaction survey to follow up on satisfaction with specific issues tenants have called about, and to report work performed on a monthly basis.
Ask a modest number of questions. Try to track the location of the response - for instance, by building, floor, tenant or occupant. Keep the same questions each time the survey is conducted to enable comparisons over time. Specific questions are more likely to get responses than an open space for comments.
Once surveys are completed, enter the information into a spreadsheet or other system to allow for comparisons and retrieval of other information. Different results for cleaning on different floors may be related to the actual janitorial staff should be easily corrected. Temperature problems with one tenant may indicate problems with the system. Concerns about response time to issues could indicate a management process that needs attention.
PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT
Performance management is often seen simply as measures in the form of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). There is much more to it, however. Using the techniques as part of a larger process instead of simply a way of measuring and penalizing poor performance can get better results from staff and suppliers.
First, the very nature of measurements looks backwards at past results, not forward. Expand it out by using historical and trending techniques with the data then manage future performance by preventing problems before they result in failed service.
Although measuring key results (i.e KPIs) are important, look at the underlying processes that create those results and measure them as well. Use the data to develop information that will be used constructively with staff or suppliers to analyze and solve problems rather than waiting for failure.
Include costing information in performance measurements. In corporate facilities, this would include cost per square foot, real estate cost per FTE, cost per Move/Add/Change, etc. For commercial property management, this also includes cost per square foot as well as cost of delivering work order services, maintenance, etc.
Have a formal process with staff or suppliers, giving them a chance to see the results on an ongoing basis and identify solutions and changes that will have a positive impact. Sometimes they are beyond their control, but if they identify them, action can be taken to improve results.
Michel Theriault is Principal with Strategic Advisor, specializing in facility, asset and property management consulting and training. For more information, contact him at michel@strategicadvisor.ca or visit his web site at www.strategicadvisor.ca. |
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