How does facility management work in the retail industry?

Although facilities management can be somewhat similar across different types of businesses, specific industries will have particular facilities management challenges to face. If you’re in the retail industry, facilities management will be focused on keeping customer-facing areas up to par.

Maintaining Store Appearance

One major responsibility for facilities management in retail involves keeping the store area clean, safe, and attractive. Maintenance technicians can be assigned to tasks such as cleaning floors, restrooms, and windows as well as assembling and maintaining product displays. In some cases, stocking shelves and other supplies may also fall to the facilities management team. Ultimately, your responsibility is to help the retail establishment enhance its brand in the face of its customers.

Reducing Operational Risks

Since facilities management technicians work in the presence of customers as well as in areas where customers will be spending time, you need to provide qualified, experienced, and responsible technicians or contractors to minimize operational risks. Be sure they are licensed, certified, and insured in their particular areas of expertise. Your maintenance technicians will need to be well-versed in how to quickly manage situations such as HVAC emergencies, snow removal, plumbing issues, and display shelf repairs.

Increasing Efficiency

The facilities management team supports the retail establishment so that maintenance issues can be handled in the background. Ideally, maintenance managers relieve store managers and other retail staff from having to worry about maintenance and upkeep issues so they can focus on taking care of their customers.

Managing Costs

Retail stores must arm maintenance managers with project management tools so that maintenance costs can be tracked and controlled. Having comprehensive information means that the facilities management staff can make better decisions, automate certain tasks such as preventive maintenance scheduling, assign and manage work orders, and track spending.