Business parks and IT/ITES parks top the list of prioritised zones that demand maximised health and safety measures. Considering there are numerous stakeholders, multiple gate levels, block levels, and floor levels involving various management modules, it is no surprise that it is quite complex to ensure the delivery of due tasks.
A proficient facility management pursues the plethora through clear communication and compliance, and it requires seamless integration of cloud technology for data analysis.
Contactless powered by cloud-integrated technology
Let’s take the example of visitor entry. A strict security measure is temperature scanning of personnel entering a premise. The challenges that come with this task without compromising on security are crowding, health risk to personnel making the checks, manual entry and reporting of data, contact tracing, etc. These issues have been efficiently addressed using cloud-integrated technology such as Contactless Infrared Thermal Scanners with optical cameras.
The devices are coded to read the body temperature, photo ID the person, keep a record of their data and also trigger an alarm to the security/admin teams in case one has a fever or sickness. This is a great example of cloud technology reshaping the basic procedures of a facility management function in the covid world. Contactless elevators, vending kiosks, etc. are few other aspects that signify this change in business park functioning.
Cloud technology has changed the game of facility management
The use of cloud technology has also proven to be a gamechanger for facility management organisations responsible for maintaining spaces spread across geographies. Even more so when the lockdown was imposed and reporting to facilities was not an option.
Using IoT-based sensors and customised technology tools that are integrated into unified digital dashboards, the teams have access to analyse data of machine performance, energy utilisation, manpower deployment, etc. by just using a phone.
Hence, accessibility to this data allowed for remote maintenance of assets is the ultimate change in facility management operations.
Future outlook
The pandemic has transformed the way businesses operate. For facility managers, relying on cloud and providing ease of accessibility will become the focus area of innovation.
Moreover, with more centralised and efficiently run practices pursued with data centricity, organisations find it more meaningful to implement technology for facility management related operations. The use of cloud technology and contactless procedures will further equip proficient organisations to set better benchmarks and aid in evolution of facility management on the whole.
This will create great demand for such services in India, which is currently growing at a CAGR of 20 percent, and estimated to reach over 400 billion USD by 2025.
The pandemic has certainly forced everyone to prioritise health and safety. This has created an onset of aware and carefully pursued operational protocols. Seemingly enough, most proficient organisations have been spontaneous and innovative in reducing the overall footprint of the virus.
While business parks and most offices are yet to resume with full occupancy levels, the offices are ready, and people have been well informed to handle transition back to normalcy.
(Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of YourStory.)
