Facilities Management and Customer Experience in the Experience Economy

Traditional retailers and other businesses followed a top-down approach to giving customers products. While this process worked great for decades, it left a hole in customer engagement. The well-established standards have given way to the experience-centered approach to customer engagement. The blending of facilities management and customer experience will continue to augment engagement and derive greater value from the experience economy.

What’s Wrong with Current Facilities Management Processes?

Traditional and current facilities management processes were designed to fulfill the needs of a business for the rise of the Internet and the value of experiences. According to FacilitiesNet, today’s facility management professionals are charged with maintaining facility integrity while fighting for the lowest cost for operating and maintaining such facilities. They must also provide high-performance facilities, ensure investments follow sustainable practices, work with sourcing partners, create safe, productive environments and fulfill an increasing demand for an experience. As a result, modern facilities management has evolved to include a host of new amenities that require faster maintenance, preventative maintenance, the application of data and much more.

How Facilities Management and Customer Experience Affect One Another

The customer experience is the result of a facility’s current assets and amenities that create something more than a transactional purchase. Retailers are looking for new ways to increase Internet access and connect with consumers on a personal level. Simply allowing customers to access facility-operated connections and services via mobile apps requires vast integration with inventory control systems and customer-service platforms. Positive customer experiences will build brand value, and failures in facilities management contribute to the worsening of customer service experiences. Fortunately, Facilities Managers can work to use the combined efforts of facility management and customer experience expectations to generate optimal results.

Ways to Increase Customer Experience through Optimal Facilities Management

The top ways to increase customer experience through improved facility management include:

• Correction of backlogged maintenance items creates a comfortable, pleasant environment. Eliminating backlogged maintenance reduces the risk of injury or disruptions to the customer experience.

• Upgraded systems help Facilities Managers understand the data behind customer interactions and experiences. More data reduces the risk of disruption to the customer experience.

• Applications of data may offer personalized experiences. Data applications will vary by facility. Principal uses may include personalized restaurant orders, recommendations for new products, missed opportunities among store associates and more.

• Continual evolution remains crucial to success. The businesses that succeed today must have a universal capability—flexibility. Higher flexibility ensures companies can adapt to consumers’ needs, and facilities management is not exempt from this need.

• Face facts. Consumers are willing to pay a premium for experiences. Consumers can do most things online. They visit a brick-and-mortar location for the experience. To unlock funding for new features or amenities, implement a preventive maintenance program.

Tap into the Experience Economy

The experience economy is here to stay, and customer service will only continue to grow in importance. Facilities Managers need to take steps to tap into the experience economy, providing much more than a simple product and service. They must create well-rounded, exciting experiences that will attract and retain customers.