The Facility Management industry is undergoing significant change
Consolidations, acquisitions and mergers are happening at a rapid pace in the facility management industry. At the same time, the demands for documentation, reporting and transparency are increasing – from investors, customers and EU legislation.
We interviewed Camilla Simonsen, CEO of Microbizz, about the new requirements for both organizations and the systems that support operations.
"Decisions are made from above – but there's always someone who has to execute them. This is where systems can be a means to create a more agile business."
In this article, we take a closer look at four key trends in facility management right now – and what they mean for companies in the industry.
1. consolidation requires insight and agility
Mergers and acquisitions are not new phenomena – but the intensity is.
When companies merge, the need for:
- A common overview of operations and performance
- Consistent workflows
- Transparency across the organization
- Rapid integration of systems and data
Without the right digital tools, mergers can lead to data silos, manual processes and lack of overview.
To succeed, you need systems that can:
- Provide real-time insight into operations and key metrics
- Support multiple organizational structures
- Adapt quickly to new business needs
Agility becomes crucial – both organizationally and technologically.
2. Compliance has become part of everyday life
Facility Management companies today are subject to a wide range of requirements. They can come from:
- Investors
- EU (e.g. NIS2)
- Customers
- Industry standards
But compliance is not just about IT security and policies. It's very much about documentation:
- Who did what?
- When was it done?
- How was it done?
- Who is responsible?
Documentation shouldn't become an administrative burden for customer-facing employees.
It should be an integral part of the work process.
When a cleaner or caretaker performs their task via an app, documentation should happen automatically as a natural part of the workflow – without extra administration.
This is where digitalization really adds value: when compliance doesn't feel like compliance, but simply an efficient workflow.
3. Differentiation through proactive communication
Many FM services are similar on the surface: cleaning, window cleaning, technical services.
So how do you differentiate yourself?
According to Camilla, a key competitive advantage lies in proactive communication around service agreements.
Typical challenges:
- Many different service agreements
- Complex planning
- Lack of overview
- Manual follow-up
Automating processes and sending service reports and documentation directly to the customer after a visit provides
- Increased transparency
- Increased customer confidence
- Strengthened customer relationships
- Better opportunity for upselling
Some companies have even won tenders because they can document their work in real-time.
Digital documentation is no longer just internal management – it's a strategic competitive differentiator.
4. The future: From data to intelligent recommendations
The industry has been through several waves of digitization.
But the next phase is not just about capturing data – it's about using it actively.
We will see increasing demands on systems to:
- Create predictability
- Deliver actionable insights
- Identify optimization opportunities
- Benchmark performance against the industry
Imagine a platform that not only shows you what has happened – but points out where you should take action.
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Where are you spending the most resources?
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Where is quality lagging?
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How do you compare to similar companies?
Intelligent recommendations and data-driven management will be key elements in the future of Facility Management.
An accelerating industry - and a choice for management
Facility Management is moving fast.
Companies that manage to:
- Create an overview in the midst of consolidations
- Integrate compliance into daily operations
- Use documentation as a competitive advantage
- Turn data into strategic insights
– will be significantly stronger in the market.
Digitalization is no longer an efficiency project. It's a prerequisite for navigating an ever-changing industry.
4 Short Insights into the Development of the FM Industry
How do acquisitions, NIS2, and increasing customer demands impact daily operations?
Watch the short video interviews with our CEO, Camilla Simonsen, and gain her perspective on how digitalization can create transparency, documentation, and competitive strength in Facility Management.
Read more about digitalization in Facility Management
