5 Reasons Why a Mobile IWMS is a Game-Changer for Facilities Management and Field Services

In the modern age, smartphones and tablets have made it possible to achieve more in less time from nearly any location.

We use connected mobile devices for just about everything—communicating with friends and family, keeping up with the news, controlling the temperature in our homes, and much more. These devices often make our personal tasks easier and more efficient while giving us the freedom to complete them from anywhere.

Not surprisingly, that same technology is often used to increase effectiveness across the workplace. In fact, CBRE’s 2018 Americas Occupier Survey found that 59% of corporate executives planned to introduce mobile apps sometime within the following three years to improve the employee experience.

Unfortunately, in the facilities management and field services operations sectors, technology is often stuck in the 20^th century. Technicians both in-house and in the field are still using outdated legacy systems that aren’t connected to the cloud and limit their ability to do quality work.

That’s where a connected mobile Integrated Workplace Management System (IWMS) can help. By implementing a connected IWMS with mobile capabilities, organizations can empower their facilities maintenance teams and field service technicians to do their jobs at the highest level.

Let’s break down what a connected mobile IWMS is, and then discuss exactly how it can boost your business operations.

What is a Connected Mobile IWMS?

Connected mobile IWMS software allows organizations to schedule and track their building maintenance and asset management operations within a single system that is accessible via mobile devices.

Traditional CMMS (Computerized Maintenance Management Systems) allow managers to schedule maintenance procedures, optimize workflows, and keep up with inventory from a desktop or other stationary computer. But a connected mobile IWMS allows all of this to occur onsite and in the field, updating the system in real-time for everyone who has access to it. It extends facilities management software beyond its historical limitations.

This capability is an important part of an organization’s complete IWMS system, as it enables technicians to complete their work from nearly anywhere at nearly any time with high levels of precision and accuracy—all while minimizing the amount of time spent away from their work sites.

As we’ll see in the next section, this can save time, reduce costs, and make day-to-day operations far simpler and more convenient for technicians, managers, and clients.

5 Ways a Connected Mobile IWMS Can Improve Facilities Management and Field Services

The major hurdle for most organizations before implementing a connected, mobile-capable IWMS is understanding and communicating the benefits of such a system to stakeholders across the business. It’s oftentimes “easier” to keep using outdated systems to manage your built environment. But investing the time and capital to transition to a connected mobile system can pay huge dividends in the long run.

Here are a few reasons why:

1.   A connected mobile IWMS saves time and increases productivity.

Many mobile IWMS systems are notoriously easy to use. Technicians can simply open the interface on their mobile phone or tablet and gain instant access to view and update any work assignment. This eliminates the need to record data on paper and enter it on a desktop upon return from the work site. All technician-level desktop activity can be done on mobile—including work order management, bar code scan, asset onboarding and off-boarding, purchase order creation, signatures, and more.

Plus, Nuvolo Connected Workplace has additional features that help save time on every job. These include Wayfinding—which tells technicians exactly where an asset is located on a visual floorplan map—as well as detailed information about each asset that can help reduce the time spent procuring parts or researching equipment specifications.

2. The system enables faster and more accurate data capture.

Like we mentioned above, “data capture” with legacy systems has often meant recording data twice—once informally onsite, and another time as it’s manually entered into a desktop or terminal. Not only does this take more time, it also increases the chances of human error. A connected mobile IWMS helps ensure data is entered accurately the first time. Technicians can simply access the data input screen from their device and enter all the information on the spot.

This can even be achieved when no network connectivity is available. For instance, Nuvolo uses a patented mobile synchronization framework that enables technicians to make use of offline data entry while out in the field or handling a service request. Once their device reconnects to a network, the data they entered is automatically synced with the organization’s database within the IWMS.

3. Technicians and managers have a real-time view into every asset.

A connected mobile IWMS brings real-time asset tracking wherever your technicians go. This can eliminate the need for time-consuming phone calls or Internet searches to find the information they need to get the job done. Technicians can simply scan an asset’s bar code, automatically loading accurate equipment details like work history, parts list, and maintenance procedures. They can also see what parts are needed and check for warranty availability before work begins, helping to save costs and increase productivity.

4. Media can be uploaded from nearly anywhere.

If a picture is worth 1,000 words, it’s obvious that a single snap can save service technicians quite a bit of time on work documentation. With modern IWMS solutions like Nuvolo Connected Workplace, technicians can upload photos or videos directly from the job site using a mobile device. This makes documentation fast and simple, and it enables future service providers to quickly reference previous work performed on an asset.

5. Mobile IWMS can help support sustainability initiatives.

Less paper used means more trees saved—and if you have organizational sustainability goals, a connected mobile IWMS can be a huge step in the right direction. Mobile data capture and documentation effectively eliminate the need for paperwork and extensive notes. This can save thousands or even millions of sheets of paper across an enterprise each year. (Plus, your technicians will probably thank you for cutting paperwork out of their lives for good.)

Create More Value Across the Board

A connected workplace management software system can save costs and boost productivity across your enterprise. It may even make your technicians and service representatives happier at work. It’s hard to put a price tag on that.

But at Nuvolo, we like to know exactly how much impact we’re delivering—which is why our team will utilize your data to help you make an internal business case for Nuvolo Connected Workplace. We can estimate several key metrics like time saved, costs recovered, and productivity gained from implementing our mobile-ready, cloud-based solution.

Contact a representative today to learn more, and discover how our Maintenance and Field Service Management solutions can help you bring more value to employees and clients in the office or in the field.