Here in the Middle East we have witnessed a continued maturing and understanding of the benefits of technology, indeed the Facilities Management Confidence Monitor 2018 states that “91% of respondents noted that they would be using technology to grow their business”. Something that was highlighted and reinforced by level of interest in technology show by visitors to the recent FM Expo

What we have seen during this year is not only a good number of new clients adopting FSI technologies but also many existing clients wanting to enhance their business process and use of CAFM and mobile technology. The demand for mobile apps within the workplace and for facilities management service delivery continues to grow with increasing adoption of apps for the end customer, such as Concept Advantage, and greater take up of apps for operatives via FSI GO.

Increased understanding of the benefits of technology has come from both service providers and directly from building owners who have shown a growing desire to own their own CAFM systems and data and then integrate their system with their service providers. We have also seen several forward-looking organisations introduce strategies for BIM to CAFM and enhanced asset management classification in line with ISO 55001; both are elements that FSI has released enhanced features and functionality within our CAFM and mobile platforms to support. Integration between systems is also becoming more common place between CAFM, IoT, BMS and ERP amongst others.

One major milestone that I would like to recognise is FSI recently celebrated the 10th anniversary of the introduction of Concept Evolution which coincidently took place at the same time as the start of my 10th year with FSI in the Middle East. It has certainly been an exciting journey for both Concept Evolution and me over the last decade with, I am sure, many more challenges and opportunities to come for us both. Turning to the future and 2019; workplace services aligned with traditional facilities services are evolving rapidly, something that is highlighted by BIFM’s imminent change of name to the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management (IWFM). Driven by IoT, artificial intelligence and smart buildings, all of which will contribute to helping improve health and well-being for everyone that visits, works in, or experiences a building workplace will being to be adopted in the region.

The use of CAFM in the Middle East has mainly been focussed todate upon asset registers, PPM, helpdesk and compliance reporting to drive efficiency. We will now see a move towards sensing, automation and recommendation through the use of sensors and data driven decision making. Mobility in all forms will continue to grow, especially apps for the workplace, and greater adoption by operatives that have traditionally not been exposed to technology. There has been a move over the last few years to organisations investing in facilities technology via the cloud and subscription-based services; we believe that the use of the cloud to gain the advantages of facilities management software and systems will continue to grow.

In summary the future for technology within facilities management looks to be smarter and smarter

(The blog is written by Adrian Jarvis, GM, FSI Middle East)