Be a Good Customer
September 12, 2008
In working with an outsourced service provider, the facility executive is in control of the relationship. For a successful partnership, it’s important facility executives assert themselves in the role and have a clear understanding of the needs and goals of the contract.
Setting the groundwork for good service begins long before the contractor enters the picture. Facility executives need to carefully do their homework. Rather than simply rebid an old contract, facility executives should take stock of any changes in the property, occupants, traffic and usage, population levels, and the contractor market. They should then draw up a fresh contract to bid with this new information in mind.
Facility executives should have a clear understanding of their facility before the bidding begins and know the facts about its operations. Exactly how many square feet of carpeting versus vinyl tile are there, for example?
Especially for facility executives with multiple facilities in a portfolio, it can be difficult to intimately know each one. It is important to become acquainted with the facility in question to make sure an outsourced service provider can deliver.
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