The power of social media in highways services

Here he goes again, another wacky idea. Can we not we just stick to Ceefax I hear you say?
Well no.
Social media is going to be vital to our market place in the years to come. Why?
Because we are going to have no money to do, the things we have done before and we need people to do it for us.
That's Localism I hear you say!
Correct – localism is about letting people do stuff and the power of social media is letting the public do stuff for you too. Let me give you an example…
What's the fastest way to get news these days? BBC? No. SKY? No. MSN? No.
Twitter
Seriously, if you want to know what the latest things going on around the world are – look at twitter.
Why is this?
There are 6 million members of twitter. That means there are 6 million news reporters working free for it. The result (as long as you can see the wood through the trees) is instant news.
Now how is that relevant to us?
Well… Our business is generally about keeping the public satisfied with public services. So what's the best way of figuring that out? Interact with them - ask, understand, listen then act.
If the public are happy with public services, councillors are happy which means officers are happy which means we get praised for doing a good job.
So what can we do?
Listen – use tools like twitter, Facebook to interact with people and find out what they want and what their problems are.
Tell – use tools like twitter, Facebook, YouTube, blogger to tell the public what we are doing and why. It is psychologically proven people won't complain if they are told what will happen – even if it's bad!
Assist – use Yahoo Answers, wiki's, to help people find out about what they want to know- then they won't come and ask.
A number of opportunities we are working on have an increasing role for us in customer services, if you want help or advice please get in touch. I'd be happy to help you trial these tools.

Changing times. Opportunities for FM.

Tony Baldry MP has set up a New All-Party Parliamentary Group for Excellence in the Built Environment its remit will be to present an holistic, cohesive, overarching view from all sectors of demand, planning, designing, constructing, managing and maintaining the built environment and its external landscape. (1)

Does this mean FM will get a bigger voice at the top of government?  Probably in some capacity, I hope BIFM takes up the baton, it’s a golden opportunity to shout about the importance of FM.

The government needs to reduce costs of its own estate and provide better value for money from projects that are fit for the 21^st century i.e more sustainable (2)

Does this mean there is opportunity for FM companies? Definitely! But…

The emergency budget gave little indication for when and how big.  We expect more outsourcing, but IT outsourcing companies are bracing for large cuts.  The government lied about schools capital expenditure – saying it would stay in place and then Michael Gove MP stops all BSF projects that have not signed a contract. (3)

Local Govt budget cuts – 25% (back to 1996 levels) are not going to come through doing services, faster, cheaper, leaner or even, dare I say it, greener.  It will come through providing them differently, but how?  FM can help the public sector change the way it provides services, and we must grab these opportunities.

Contracts are going to be won by organisations that challenge the norm, aren’t afraid to test wacky ideas with clients and innovate so much that its not the goal posts that change it’s the whole game.  Some clients want “more for the same” or “the same for less”.  Perhaps now clients will want “less for even less”!

FM needs to be ready, ready with the ideas, ready with the right people on board, ready to change so that we can help transformation of the public sector and really move FM up the organisational importance ladder!

(1)http://www.biid.org.uk/news/New%20All-Party%20Parliamentary%20Group%20for%20Excellence%20in%20the%20Built%20Environment

(2)http://www.ogc.gov.uk/About_OGC_news_10072.asp

(3) http://www.fm-world.co.uk/news/fm-industry-news/tories-axe-shameful-school-rebuilding-programme/

Compelling Value Propositions

Creating a Compelling Value Proposition (CVP)

When selling most people describe the nuts and bolts of what they are selling:

“Our new car has a turbo charged high bypass engine with lightweight fly wheel and new polywhatsitmebob covered chairs”

How you should sell is:

You will benefit from unrivalled acceleration and fuel consumption lowering your running cost whilst being sat in a new chair clinically proven to reduce back pain in our new car”

Which one would you buy?

Whether you are trying to secure that bit of variable works or wining a new bid, expressing your value proposition is one of the most important activities you should engage in. Your value proposition is your promise of performance and value. It is expressed in a short statement that is aimed at creating and occupying a space in your prospects’ mind called “best buy for this type of problem.”

Here is a link to a guide on creating a value proposition for what you are selling.  It is very useful and I would recommend you read it and test it when getting approval for variable works or trying to summarise your bid to a new customer.

http://www.auxiliumtraining.com/ValueProposition2.htm

In summary when you write your CVP follow this structure:

As a result of our (offerings – outcomes and benefits),

customers (profile – your target audience)

who are facing (compelling reason to act – state the problem)

will (do, experience – what is the primary result/benefit?)

for (investment cost – what will it cost?)

and enjoy (benefits, return) within or by (time)

compared to (alternatives) the advantages of using our offerings are (advantages)

To improve the experience for all users, customers will (engagement – any consequential benefits?).

Where is the workplace of the future?

Where is the workplace of the future?

The Total Facilities Management (TFM) market has grown rapidly as the integration of people, process, space and technology improves the effectiveness of client’s primary activities.  However, FM has largely been about the buildings people work in. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facilities_management)  FM providers position their offering as a workplace integrators, providing environments for customers to excel and positively effect the wellbeing of their staff. http://www.bbworkplace.com/

Imagine this for a minute…. What will my office look like in 2020? Will I even have an office!?

There are numerous forces driving a workplace change

·        Government is turning to the sale of property to generate efficiency savings

http://www.propertyweek.com/story.asp?storycode=3138900

·        Government sees property as the key to a low carbon future

http://www.fm-world.co.uk/news/fm-industry-news/minister-cites-fm-as-key-to-cutting-carbon/

·        Technology will drive the new workplace resulting in ‘anywhere’ desks and the virtual office

http://crave.cnet.co.uk/software/0,39029471,49301286,00.htm http://www.wharf.co.uk/2009/04/virtual-office-is-workplace-of.html

·        Social-economic factors are driving a change in the working population

http://www.flexibility.co.uk/flexwork/general/future-workforce.htm

Flexibility is not new; organisations have been delivering solutions to allow organisations to take advantage such as enabling a wider recruitment pool, lowering recruitment costs, enabling ICT to become more efficient, more agile, and more productive.

http://globalservices.bt.com/LeafAction.do?Record=Flexible_Working_Services_solutions_all_en-gb

What next for FM?

What do FM providers need do to take advantage of the change?  Offer more services or continue to look to the physical environment for its bread and butter? 

There will be many changes over the coming years, and if one things for sure, there is a big prize for those who innovate and continue to support clients and customers.