Facilities Management and The New Normal

FACILITIES MANAGEMENT AND THE NEW NORMAL KHALEEJ TIMES | ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

Technology vital in new normal Embracing digi transformation ENOVA

Companies are proactively turning to connected building technologies to ensure secure outcomes.

■■ Sandhya D’Mello

F

acilities management (FM) companies in the UAE are facing higher pressure to deliver services as customer demands spiral with the new normal in place.

The UAE’s FM sector was valued at $13.8 billion in 2018 and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of over 10 per cent to reach $27 billion by 2024, according to Research and Markets report.

Prabhu Ramachandran, Founder and CEO of Facilio, said: “Delivering

the best possible occupant experiences, at optimised cost, will become even more of differentiating factor in evaluating FM service providers.

“Technology will be a key pillar, in adapting to the new normal. We have already seen operatives that had a digital structure in place respond better to the pandemic, in comparison to those who didn’t. Being able to make data-informed decisions, in real-time and at portfolio scale, will be a powerful enabler for CRE operatives looking to adopt the agile operational model they will need to succeed in today’s new normal.”

The industry is expected to have a medium to low impact as FM, being an essential service, will only be subject to limited scale downs, pointed out Tariq Chauhan, Group CEO of EFS Facilities Services Group.

“The economic slowdown will def-

initely lead to deferment of the existing pipeline that will impact new revenue growth on a low-medium basis.

The industry is likely to have a Ucurve recovery,” he added.

Sanjeevv Bhatia, Chief Executive of Netix Global, said: “FM companies are harnessing the benefits of techled facilities management, remote control centres and insights-led decision making to meet the rising customer expectations post-Covid. The previous reopening of offices, and businesses such as malls, restaurants and other commercial centres, has given us insights into the measures that will be necessary. More and more FM companies are harnessing the benefits of tech-led facilities management, remote control centres and insights-led decision making to meet the rising customer expectations post Covid.”

Setting benchmarks for QA/QC process CoreServ’s new initiatives for quality assurance and home care come without the confinements of a contract. Malika Bhatti, General Manager, tells us more.

Excerpts: What new initiatives is CoreServ launching for 2020-2021?

We have embarked on the journey of providing two new services “Handover Quality Assurance and Quality Control” and “Home Care Maintenance” to our clients as part of our ongoing commitment to service enhancement. Through our “@ your door” team, we offer customised home service packages that give our clients peace of mind while we take care of the rest.

We initiated this new service for quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) after examining the gap and stress faced by clients during the snagging and handover process of units. One of our main clients cur-

hoc services should not come with the confinements of a contract hence “@ your door” came into existence.

Malika Bhatti, General Manager

rently utilising this service is DAMAC where CoreServ has achieved a milestone by inspecting over 6,800 units across various residential projects in less than one year.

Can you tell us a bit more about the @ your Door service? @your door is a shop on wheels service that can be easily accessed via our website. The FM industry is known to be contract-based hence non-contractual services are still an untapped market. At CoreServ, we believe that ad-

How will these new services help the FM sector?

As the QA/QC service is relatively new within the FM industry, CoreServ is establishing a new standard and setting a benchmark for other companies in the market. The QA/QC process is usually implemented in the construction industry and we are one of the pioneers to be bringing it to the FM sector. I believe that clients will benefit the most out of this service as it will reduce the stress involved in the handover stage of their units as well as make the overall experience more pleasant and satisfactory.

The @ your door service will provide effective, efficient service anytime, anywhere with an emphasis on customer care. Customers can enlist our reactive, corrective, and preventive services around the clock through our capable fleet.

with hi-tech innovations Enova offers a comprehensive range of digitally enabled services to maximise customer experience WITH THE onset of a global pandemic, various industries were subject to evolve in order to reduce impact, climb safely out of an economic lull and implement solutions that would protect it against unforeseen incidents in the future.

Leading the pack in the facilities management space is Enova, a regional leader in integrated energy and multi-technical services, that is embracing the new norm with its digital transformation solutions. Its ground-breaking smart glasses, the Acuity 2.0, for instance, is a revolutionary device embedded with features that allows a remote specialist to provide advice to an on-site technician. The innovation can stream visuals and audio in real-time, bringing in quick solutions to the situation at hand, while maintaining social distancing and other safety protocols.

For its staff, following instructions from a remote expert can quickly become a highly effective learning tool. “Studies have shown the educational benefits of augmented reality and we are delighted to be seeing the first results already,” commented Rachid Hamida, Enova’s Technology and Performance Director.

Other opportunities undertaken by Enova are several digital support tools powered by the integrated real-time monitoring platform Hubgrade, that is aimed to ensure uninterrupted services, operational efficiency, client reporting and transparency to the end-user, which has proven to supply an added advantage amid the Covid-19. Enova’s digitalised approach not only caters to the wide portfolio of clients based in the region’s public, residential, commercial, industrial and healthcare sectors, but also secures the health and safety of its 4,000 highly trained and multi-skilled employees through real-time near miss reporting among other solutions. The holistic digital suite features the connection of smart meters and sensors to the inhouse hypervision platform Hubgrade, which creates opportunities for intervention, on-site management and smart waste management,

alongside customised data analysis and reports via a 24/7 customer service center.

“Since our inception, we have focused our endeavours towards safeguarding the use of environmental resources within the built environment. As part of our contributions towards a sustainable future, we have equipped our highly talented workforce with the latest technologies and best global practices, while simultaneously devising truly novel energy solutions that can be applied to a wide range of facilities,” said Renaud Capris, CEO, Enova.

To date, Enova is a company that has structured a clear growth path through continuous improvement that offers a comprehensive range of digitally enabled services to maximise the customer experience. By routinely demonstrating savings and guaranteeing results on contractual, technical and financial KPIs, Enova is seen to be one of the most regionally trusted energy and facilities management brands regionally.

And this is further proven by its list of accolades, where it was presented the ‘UAE Facility Management Services Customer Value Leadership Award’ at the Frost & Sullivan Middle East Best Practices Awards in 2019.

Capris added: “It is a great honour to be recognised for our continued efforts to expand our capabilities, as well as digitalising our services for the benefit of our customers.”

By employing the latest innovations in smart technology and making full use of enhanced analytics, Enova helps clients optimise the energy usage of their facilities, save costs, and extend the life of their assets, while creating a healthy and safe living environment for all to enjoy.

FACILITIES MANAGEMENT AND THE NEW NORMAL

KHALEEJ TIMES | ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

ServeU to launch first-of-its kind fully automated mobile app New app to digitise customer service and eliminate human interaction.

IN LINE WITH the UAE government’s push towards digital transformation, ServeU, a subsidiary of Union Properties and a leading facilities management service provider in the UAE, has announced plans to launch a fully automated mobile application to eliminate human intervention and digitalize customer service.

A first for the regional industry, the move comes as part of the company’s efforts to adopt digital transformation and using latest technologies for better service delivery, by optimising internal processes, redefining customer touch-points, and upgrading the interaction platforms, through the introduction of WhatsApp business and social media direct messaging services.

“With more than 40 years of experience in the region, we understand the evolving needs of our customers and are committed to incorporating the best of innovation in our business processes. This state-of-the-art application will not only meet customers’ expectation, but it also sets a new trend in the industry that will revolutionize the way our customers interact with us.”

Key features of ServeU’s new mobile application will include:

The application is currently in its final phase of development and is due to be completed in Q1 2021, as part of which ServeU is building a frontend module in the form of an iOS and Android Application for customers.

Gary Reader, General Manager of ServeU, said:

Sustainable masks for FM industry

BILLION BRICKS

‘FM is at the core of building upkeep’ KNOWING THE property market inside out, Ambarish Jethwani, CEO of BLB and Director of AME Tanktainer Services, strongly recommends acquiring facilities management services, a booming industry currently, which would ensure the upkeep of all the amenities and facilities at the property.

“Be it a commercial/residential or an individual/community or a small/large unit, investing in the maintenance of your assets definitely reaps fulfilling dividends, as that markedly increases personal well-being providing with the peace of mind, that enables professional growth as well as gratifying personal time.

“Moreover, the cost-effectiveness of hiring these services is unchallengeable, because there is always a great demand for wellkept properties and therefore, these unarguably rent/sell at a premium. Lastly, now, with today’s up-to-date services, which cover security, reception personnel, etc. our lives are saved totally avoidable hassles, which is a tremendous saviour as we are always pressed for time.”

We, at BLB, have always believed in supporting credible facilities management companies.

This is the first reason. The other being that these companies add to client satisfaction by securing their assets with due aftercare.

This also aids in employment generation, thus aiding the smooth running of the economy, which incidentally, is also the dire need of the hour worldwide, given the bleak financial crisis the Covid-19 pandemic has flung us into and that we need to collectively rise above with concentrated efforts.”

Ambarish resides at Burj Khalifa that has professionals taking diligent care of everything — from its swimming pools to its lounges, fitness facilities, etc. round the clock, for it to showcase its alluring charm without any unwanted glitches. Hence, it is safe to say that Ambarish practices precisely what he preaches.

Ambarish has been a multipletimes-awardee property advisor winning coveted honours back to back as the highest performing real estate consultant in the UAE consistently for 11+ years, before

• Business process mapping: The application will ensure current operations are fully automated — from start to end with zero human intervention.

• Online Store: Moving away from the typical voice call customer service, the new application will allow for the adoption of self-service processes.

ServeU is introducing a new concept of ordering products and service from online stores, using built-in AI in the backend system. While purchasing a product from the store, customers will be

MUHH Customised Branded Mask Ambarish Jethwani, CEO of BLB

taking on his current role as the CEO of BLB. As a matter of fact, awards and titles that have been bestowed upon him, by top-notch developers and partners alike, were created just for him, to reward his unparalleled passion.

Under his unmatched leadership, BLB, as a real estate specialist firm, has established its operations and presence across the globe, along with having carved a prestigious and illustrious name for itself in the UAE, complete with the awards and recognition.

Over the past few years, Ambarish has fluidly expanded into other sectors like financial trading and logistics, which are service industries focusing on customer relationship and satisfaction. He is the Director of AME Tanktainer Services, specialising in chemical logistics and supply chain management, functioning globally.

TO A CONSCIOUS FM firm, the thought of disposable masks should make one a little uneasy, especially in the long term.

Wearing a mask is mandatory and a socially responsible thing to do. But there is no doubt that wearing a mask has its downside.

Besides discomfort, there are environmental impacts to consider.

So, if you are going to wear a mask, why not choose a reusable mask that reduces environmental impact and makes a sustainability statement at the same time? For this, MUHH should be your ideal choice.

MUHH masks come in free and large sizes for adults that comfortably fit different facial structures ideal for the FM industry.

The masks are offered with branding the company logo as well. MUHH 100 per cent cotton reusable face masks in two and three-layer options and are backed with test reports from Dubai Municipality Laboratory.

provided with real-time access to resources, and upon checkout, an appointment will already have been booked with the technician.

• Self-service concept: The application will mainly focus on three business processes — booking an inspection, buying an annual maintenance contract (AMC), and ordering a product from the store. All inputs will happen at the customer’s end in just a few clicks and the customer will be notified about the progress of tasks. In addition, the customer will be able to manually check the status of the job, provide feedback and also escalate issues to management, if required.

• User Experience: The application will replicate human-like experience with minimal inputs, through its interactive and straightforward user interface. It will come with the latest set of features such as contactless payment, real-time resource tracking, live chat with helpdesk and much more to offer a seamless experience to customers.

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