The power of partnership
04 April 2011
The term partnering is often overused or misunderstood, but when it comes to facilities management practice, the cynicism can be misplaced, writes Neil Franklin.
Of all the many overused and misapplied words that clutter the great lexicon of business flannel, none has been more corrupted than the term ‘partnership’. The great shame about this is that there are sectors whose services are so sophisticated and diverse that they cannot function without partners. Facilities management is certainly one of the most important and one of those most able to highlight examples of the benefits of working with other people for mutual benefit. Partnership is the grease in the cogs of FM.
Yet even here cynicism isn’t hard to find, according to Paul Statham of
room booking systems specialist Condeco. ‘Cynicism manifests itself in several ways. For example, one manifestation is the idea that cost has become more important than innovation and service delivery,’ he says. ‘You can see the line trotted out routinely, not least from commentators and suppliers who should know better. But surely this goes against one of the most important trends in facilities management thinking; the growing business case for treating buildings as a strategic asset and not least the idea that there is a balance to be struck between keeping costs down and achieving
a return on investment? And that this can only be achieved when everybody on a project is on the same page and working to each other’s mutual benefit. That is one of the defining characteristic principles of this profession and we need to ensure that it doesn’t get lost in a fog of commoditisation. ’
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Notes to editors:
Condeco is the premium global workspace management suite providing the best
room booking software, digital signage and bespoke solutions to organisations in both the public and private sectors.
The Condeco software solution incorporates
desk booking,
meeting room management software,
digital signage,
visitor management,
car park booking software and
event management. In addition, Condeco is
multi-lingual and works across
multiple times zones to enable bookings across the globe.
The solution is flexible, fully scalable and enables organisations to maximise the potential of their real estate in order to reduce costs improve efficiency and
encourage a greener workplace.
For further information, please contact:
Pervez Gibbs
Head of Marketing
Condeco
+44 (0)20 7001 2026
pervez.gibbs@condecosoftware.com