FM companies take on the growing demand for sanitisation services

 

In view of the rising number of Covid-19 cases, FM companies in the UAE have increased sanitisation drives due to high demand from clients

 
By Namitha Madhu, January 24, 2022 IFM
 

FM companies take on the growing demand for sanitisation services
 

In view of the rising number of Covid-19 cases, many facilities management (FM) companies in the UAE have increased sanitisation drives due to high demand from clients. 

Berkeley Services, for instance, has reported a 70% increase in the number of disinfection drives.

“The UAE has been witnessing a sudden surge in the number of COVID cases during the last few weeks. We have witnessed this surge within our offices, camps and have received information of similar situations from several customers. In view of this threat, we have increased the frequency of disinfection services to our camp and offices. There is a 70% increase in requests for disinfection drives in the month of December compared to November. The demand is continuing and is expected to last for at least three to four months,” says Jiji Francis, senior director for UAE operations, Berkeley.

Other leading FM companies like Concordia, Imdaad, and Tafawuq Facility Management report a similar trend.

"The growing concern over the Omicron variant and the increase in the Covid-19 cases have prompted most organisations in the UAE to carry out regular sanitisation of their offices, due to which Imdaad has increased the frequency of its sanitisation drives," says Mahmood Rasheed, chief operating officer, Imdaad.

"Due to the recent spike in cases, Concordia has increased sanitisation frequency at its communities and its own staff accommodations, offices and transportation," says Faisal Fitriansyah, soft services manager, Concordia Integrated Facility Management.

For Tafawuq the number of sanitisation drives have remained high since the start of the pandemic. “We have continued to keep the same high level of sanitization services, which are delivered by our specialist in-house teams, throughout the pandemic, to ensure the safety of our staff, clients and customers,” says Michael Nicholas, executive director, Tafawuq.

Based on demand 

Companies note that the frequency of sanitisation drives depend on the demands of customers. 

“We perform sanitisation as per the requirements of customers; some clients need our services weekly or biweekly, and others need it less often based on their specific requirements and convenience. Considering the effectiveness of regular sanitisation, Imdaad’s sales team actively promotes it among new and existing customers as well as ad hoc requests,” says Rasheed.
 
Concordia reports a similar spike in its B2C disinfection services. “We have seen an increase in the number of disinfection requirements that come mostly from our Concordia On-Demand B2C business that includes occupiers who want to disinfect their homes, offices or retail units with more frequent disinfection programmes,” says Fitriansyah.

“Most of our customers have asked to enhance the disinfection services to their properties. This decision to increase was based on the number of cases recorded at their properties and as a precautionary measure,” reports Francis.

Staff safety

Companies are also regularly sanitising staff accommodations to reduce infection rates among employees. The health and safety of staff is given high priority as it directly affects business.

“Staff are given the requisite equipment, chemicals, measurement devices and PPEs,” says Fitriansyah. "Adherence to social distancing, reduced office occupancy through work from home programs, regular usage of effective PPE’s and a very robust vaccination program for all our staff has helped us keep infection rates very low. Our staff are deployed across various sites throughout the city and operate in different environments where we have to ensure their safety is top priority.” 

“For our staff accommodations, as a precautionary measure, we carry out sanitisation drives on a regular basis, as decided by our management. However, the frequency of disinfection was increased from December onwards to tide over the increase in cases,” says Francis.

Planning ahead

FM companies say they have been able to take on the growing demand for disinfection services by being proactive and prepared.

"Given the evolving nature of the pandemic and the various variants that are being identified, Concordia took an agile approach to review and update its sanitisation and disinfection requirements based on authority guidelines and best practice,” says Fitriansyah.

With proper planning, companies can provide quality services and exceed client expectations. 

Nicholas comments, "Eltizam’s businesses continually review all government directives, while also taking into consideration client and customer requirements, to ensure that the standard operating procedures for internal and external sanitisation services, exceed all stakeholder requirements.”

Being proactive

FM companies should also be aware of the needs of the hour and sometimes advise clients on the required frequency of sanitisation drives, says Fitriansyah.

“It is a combination of recommending required frequencies due to our expertise and knowledge of best practice in high traffic/high footfall areas plus additional one-offs where cases have been identified in any given work or home environment. Being the subject experts we are always proactive in advising our clients on required frequencies.”

“Concordia has started implementing an ongoing disinfection program at its managed sites. This includes large infrastructures, horizontal and vertical communities, schools and hotels to name a few. Sanitisation and disinfection chemicals became part of the routine cleaning to ensure optimum quality and safety to our communities. ​ This is aside from all our cleaning method statements and PPE which have been reviewed to accommodate the new requirements. Thanks to that, we are always prepared to face any rise in the number of COVID 19 cases and are able to cope quickly to higher demand through our highly trained staff,” he adds.

Increase in revenues

Nevertheless, companies say the increase in sanitation demand is having a positive impact in terms of revenues.

“Since Imdaad has a dedicated team for disinfection services, the company's sanitisation drive has only had a positive effect on our sales revenue without affecting our operational efficiencies or resource allocation,” says Rasheed.

Last, but not the least, is the element of social responsibility. “In addition to the positive impact on our revenues, it also allows us to contribute to the nation’s efforts to mitigate the spread of the virus,” Rasheed.

 

covid 19  sanitization drives  disinfection drives  UAE  FM companies  

MORE FROM BUILT ENVIRONMENT

Dubai’s Mansions OAM Adopts Facilio’s Connected CAFM to Modernise Community Management
Dubai’s Mansions OAM Adopts Facilio’s Connected CAFM to Modernise Community Management

By deploying Facilio’s Connected CAFM platform across 20 premium residential communities, the firm is streamlining operations, optimizing maintenance, and elevating resident satisfaction with real-time data and smart technology

February 13, 2025 UAE PropTech
OMNIYAT Launches Bespoke Segment to Transform Ultra-Luxury Real Estate
OMNIYAT Launches Bespoke Segment to Transform Ultra-Luxury Real Estate

OMNIYAT Bespoke addresses a growing demand for aspirational living that transcends the traditional notions of exclusivity and splendour

February 13, 2025 UAE Real Estate
Sobha One Sets Sustainability Benchmark in the Middle East
Sobha One Sets Sustainability Benchmark in the Middle East

Sobha Realty’s Sobha One in Dubai becomes the first building outside Singapore to earn the Green Mark Platinum SLE certification, setting a new standard for sustainable luxury living in the Middle East

February 13, 2025 UAE Sustainability
Dubai Unveils Car-Free Super Block Initiative and Revitalizes Satwa Neighbourhood
Dubai Unveils Car-Free Super Block Initiative and Revitalizes Satwa Neighbourhood

Commissioned by Dubai Creative Unit, and executed in collaboration with Dubai Municipality and RTA, the revitalization breathes new life into the district’s public spaces as it celebrates the rich heritage and cultural diversity of its resident community.

February 13, 2025 UAE Sustainability
Deyaar reports AED 505.4 million profit before tax, up 14.68% YOY in preliminary unaudited results for YTD Dec’2024
Deyaar reports AED 505.4 million profit before tax, up 14.68% YOY in preliminary unaudited results for YTD Dec’2024

Earnings per share increased by 7.55%, from 10.07 fils in 2023 to 10.83 fils in 2024.

February 12, 2025 UAE Real Estate
RAK and Ellington Properties Partner with Nantong Construction Group for AED 310 Million Porto Playa Development on Hayat Island
RAK and Ellington Properties Partner with Nantong Construction Group for AED 310 Million Porto Playa Development on Hayat Island

Porto Playa will offer a carefully curated mix of studios, apartments, townhouses, and villas, all optimized using advanced AI technology to provide breathtaking views of the Arabian Gulf and lush island landscapes.

February 11, 2025 UAE Real Estate
Addleshaw Goddard enhances Construction practice in the region with new partner appointment
Addleshaw Goddard enhances Construction practice in the region with new partner appointment

Paul Prescott brings over 20 years of global and regional construction law experience, including iconic projects like the London 2012 Olympics and the Qatar World Cup

February 10, 2025 Saudi Arabia Real Estate
Facilities Management Transformed: Navigating Innovation and Challenges in 2025
Facilities Management Transformed: Navigating Innovation and Challenges in 2025

Rapid technological innovation and sustainable practices are revolutionising facilities management in 2025, paving the way for smarter, more inclusive, and resilient building solutions.

February 3, 2025 UAE IFM
Building a Sustainable Future with Infrastructure Digital Twins: 7 Innovative Approaches
Building a Sustainable Future with Infrastructure Digital Twins: 7 Innovative Approaches

Digital twins can integrate automated workflows with carbon calculation tools to seamlessly generate carbon reports and visualize those calculations within 3D digital models, supporting design optimization based on carbon intensity

February 3, 2025 UAE PropTech
Reimagining Communities: A View of Orascom Development’s Sustainable Towns
Reimagining Communities: A View of Orascom Development’s Sustainable Towns

Omar El Hamamsy, CEO of Orascom Development Group, shares insights into the company’s transformative journey in sustainable placemaking over 35 years

January 30, 2025 Egypt Real Estate
 
Subscribe to our newsletter