Preliminary framework to manage tenant satisfaction in facilities management service encounters

Facilities ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (3/4) ◽  
pp. 171-194 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gayani Karunasena ◽  
Dimuthu Vijerathne ◽  
Harsha Muthmala

Purpose Homogeneity in the main business of renting office spaces among commercial facilities has led to fierce competition. To retain tenant attractiveness, many are now concerned about the quality of facilities management (FM) services in addition to the rent, office space and location. The quality of FM service can be attained with successful service encounters. Thus, this paper aims to establish an initial platform on which tenant satisfaction in FM service encounters can be achieved. Design/methodology/approach The preliminary survey focused on gaining insights into FM encounters in commercial sector and applicability of service attributes under SERVQUAL model. The detailed survey concentrated on determining tenant perceptions on satisfactory levels of service attributes developed in the preliminary study and relationships between FM encounters and different service attributes. The collection of descriptive and inferential statistics was used to analyze the results. Findings This study’s findings reveal assurance and empathy to be highly correlated to tenant satisfaction, while other attributes are less correlated. However, perceptions of satisfaction levels of tenants on tangibility and reliability provides contradictory results to its correlation values. Satisfaction level in remote service encounters is lower compared to phone and face-to-face encounters. Complexity and management concerns toward physical facilities are imperative to uplift satisfaction in remote encounters. Research limitations/implications The scope of study was limited to FM encounters in Sri Lankan Grade “A” commercial office properties with high quality standard finishes, state-of-the-art systems, exceptional accessibility and a definite market presence in Colombo. Originality/value The study developed a preliminary framework that guides users to identify the best combinations of service attributes with respective FM encounters, where tenant satisfaction needs to be achieved.

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 267-283 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oti Amankwah ◽  
Weng-Wai Choong ◽  
Abdul Hakim Mohammed

Purpose Facilities management (FM) professionals state that adopting FM will positively support core service delivery and ensure customer satisfaction. Evidences of such claim are important as it will enhance the rationale for institutionalising prudent FM service quality in hospitals in Ghana. This paper aims to assess the mediating effect of healthcare FM service quality on patients’ satisfaction and overall healthcare delivery. Design/methodology/approach This is a cross-sectional study involving adult patients at the Physician outpatient departments and Polyclinics of Komfo Anokye, Tamale and Cape Coast Teaching hospitals in Ghana. A questionnaire survey using a well-structured five-point likert scale based on the SERVQUAL dimensions and Healthcare core service dimensions rooted in the FM framework was used to collect data from 660 patients. Smart PLS was used to analyse the data of 622 valid questionnaires. Findings The study results revealed that FM service quality mediates the relationship between patients’ satisfaction and three of the constructs under core healthcare delivery. That is, (the quality of healthcare delivery, the quality of healthcare personnel and the adequacy of healthcare resources) – surprisingly, the fourth construct (the quality of administration process) was not supported. Originality/value There is no or at best very limited studies on the contribution of healthcare FM on patients satisfaction of core healthcare delivery in Ghana. Therefore, this study will enrich and contribute to knowledge in healthcare FM in general and that of a developing African country in particular.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nuratiqah Aisyah Awang ◽  
Shirley Jin Lin Chua ◽  
Azlan Shah Ali ◽  
Cheong Peng Au-Yong ◽  
Amaramalar Selvi Naicker ◽  
...  

PurposeThis study aims to discover the perception of persons with disabilities (PWDs) towards facilities management (FM) service quality at hospital buildings in Malaysia.Design/methodology/approachA questionnaire survey was conducted with 99 respondents in selected hospitals in Selangor, Malaysia.FindingsThis study aims to discover the perception of PWDs towards FM service quality, and it has found a gap for improvement. The area that requires the highest attention includes the importance of (1) assurance on accessibility despite maintenance activity being conducted (2) criticality of facilities maintenance itself, (3) assurance on comfort and safety, (4) reliable medium to ask for assistance or giving feedback, (5) signage that is clearly seen and easily understood and (6) staff responsiveness.Research limitations/implicationsThis instrument is validated by PWDs under the physical disability category only, specifically in the hospital context. Future research is recommended to identify the FM service quality aspect for different categories of disability (sensory, mental or intellectual impairment).Practical implicationsThe findings provide evidence for FM to consider PWDs' perceptions in FM strategy development. Even FM provides a healthcare support system. FM service quality partly reflects healthcare service quality.Social implicationsAccommodating the need of PWDs through the improvement of FM service quality aspect will partly fulfil the right of PWDs for equality of access to healthcare.Originality/valueThis SERVQUAL tools can be improvised and used to measure the perception of PWDs on FM service quality systematically and holistically. Understanding the service quality aspect is important for a facility manager to precisely measure and prioritise what is truly important to the building users with special needs and try to accommodate this need in the management activity.


Facilities ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (5/6) ◽  
pp. 270-285 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mei-yung Leung ◽  
Ibukun Oluwadara Famakin ◽  
Paul Olomolaiye

Purpose Quality of life (QoL) for elderly residents of care and attention (C&A) homes has become an important consideration, given the increasingly aging population. Due to the number of hours such residents spend indoors, the quality of the facilities can contribute to their day-to-day QoL. This study aims to investigate the effect of facilities management (FM) on the QoL of Chinese elderly people living in C&A homes. Design/methodology/approach A survey of perceived satisfaction with the components of FM and QoL was carried out with a sample of residents. A total of 18 FM components and five QoL domains, including physical health, independence, psychological health, social relationships and living environment, as well as overall QoL, were identified. Findings The findings show that physical health is influenced by accessibility, doors and windows and signage; independence can be improved by enhancing accessibility, water supply, lighting and ventilation; accessibility, water supply, distance and doors and windows all predict psychological health; social relationships are improved by lighting and ventilation; distance impacts positively on the living environment; and overall QoL is predicted by lighting, ventilation, accessibility, doors and windows, handrails, recreation and signage. Originality/value The study recommends that designers and facilities managers review the micro-climate settings to harness available natural lighting and ventilation, introduce bimetallic strips to the heating systems to maintain a suitable water temperature and install large, easy-to-understand and graphic signage for straightforward wayfinding in C&A homes.


2011 ◽  
Vol 693 ◽  
pp. 208-216
Author(s):  
Leonel S. Batalla ◽  
Oscar A. Godoy ◽  
María Victoria Canullo

It is well known that mold and casting table maintenance has a direct impact on the internal quality and surface quality of billets. In this paper, the evolution of the main key performance indicators (KPIs) associated with the main consumables of the Wagstaff Air slip billet casting technology is shown, such as molds, casting rings, transition plates and thimbles. The strategies taken to preserve a high standard of quality whilst monitoring the associated costs, are discussed. An automated Mold and Casting Table Maintenance Management system has been developed in house to make available the relevant information from the casting table servicing at the casting pit and at the mold room. A case study is described where this tool allowed us to reduce costs, keeping a high quality standard of the casting table maintenance, ensuring the internal quality of the final product.


2016 ◽  
Vol 23 (7) ◽  
pp. 1677-1696 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yewande Adetoro Adewunmi ◽  
Hikmot Koleoso ◽  
Modupe Omirin

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine benchmarking barriers among Nigerian facilities management (FM) practitioners. Design/methodology/approach Data collection were through semi-structured interviews with 34 FM heads from three selected cities in Nigeria. Out of this number, 16 were from Lagos, ten from Abuja while eight managers were from Port Harcourt, respectively. These managers were selected using purposive sampling based on their experience in the field of FM across the various sectors of the economy. The interviews were analysed with Nvivo 10 software qualitative computer software. Findings Those that do informal benchmarking face challenges with data, employees lack of confidence in new initiatives and poor support of senior management, the companies that use best practice benchmarking face constraints of access to information and employees unwillingness to change and comply to company set standards, unwillingness of benchmarking partners to understand the usefulness of the project, and problems that emanate from the quality of data obtained. Practical implications The results therefore suggest that to improve the practice of best practice benchmarking there is need to improve both quantity and quality of data for the exercise and enhance standard practice. Originality/value The study established a new category of benchmarking barriers called the market category of benchmarking barriers and further distinguished benchmarking barriers based on two forms of benchmarking which is informal and formal benchmarking. Also there are limited studies on benchmarking barriers in developing countries.


2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edoghogho Ogbeifun ◽  
Charles Mbohwa ◽  
Jan-Harm Christiaan Pretorius

Purpose All built facility begins to show signs of deterioration immediately after the facility is completed and put to use, thus necessitating routine maintenance. Increase in defects due to age, usage, and other factors, requires extensive maintenance activities known as renovation. The data used for a typical renovation plan can be collected using the condition assessment (CA) tool which depends on physical inspection of the defects or through a facility condition index which hinges on harnessing and analyzing the information in the operational history of the facility. The purpose of this paper is to examine the quality of a typical renovation plan using both tools. Design/methodology/approach The single case study of qualitative research was adopted. The data were collected through the principle of semi-structured questionnaire complemented with interviews and document analysis. The documents include periodic operational reports and a CA report used for planned renovation exercise of the Facilities Management (FM) Unit in a higher education institution in South Africa. Findings The findings revealed that although the FM Unit produces periodic reports, but there was no evidence of detailed analysis of the reports. Therefore, the programmed renovation exercises are based purely on the information from a CA. Research limitations/implications This research is a single site case study of qualitative research; the data collected are limited and not sufficient for generalization of the results. Furthermore, the lack of record of the analysis of the operational history in the periodic reports negatively affected the computation of facilities condition index (FCI). Thus it was not possible to demonstrate the strength of FCI over CA from empirical information. Originality/value The quality of a typical renovation plan is influenced by the tool used for data collection. Although the CA tool is commonly used, experience shows that the renovation exercise developed from such records is prone to many execution setbacks, such as frequent scope changes and the associated cost and time overruns. These setbacks can be minimized if the FCI is used as the tool for data collection.


Facilities ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (9/10) ◽  
pp. 543-556 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rita Henriikka Lavikka ◽  
Teemu Lehtinen ◽  
Daniel Hall

Purpose This study aims to increase understanding about the co-creation of digital facilities management (FM) services with and for FM during a construction project. Design/methodology/approach The paper reports a case study on the co-creation of a digital facilities management service during the Mission Bay medical center construction project for the University of California, San Francisco. The sub-contractors and the FM team co-created a quick-response (QR) code system for valves on the project. This digital service is now used by the FM team for training purposes and in emergency situations when information on valves and their service areas is quickly needed. Researchers made on-site observations, conducted 84 interviews and reviewed archival data in 2012, 2014 and 2016. Findings The findings show that a successful co-creation process consists of three elements: a dialogue between the project parties, the creation of shared context between the project parties and the creation of shared understanding about the FM’s needs and the service providers’ ways of satisfying those needs. The study describes ways to promote these elements. Originality/value Previous studies emphasize the need for digital FM but few explain how FM teams can be involved in creating digital services for them. This paper describes how to co-create digital FM services with and for FM in the context of a construction project.


Facilities ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (3/4) ◽  
pp. 234-250 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mei-yung Leung ◽  
Qi Liang ◽  
Jon Pynoos

PurposeThe world was facing significant aging challenges. Aging in place has long been advocated which reflected the preference of older people to stay in their own home as long as possible. A huge amount of older people resided in private buildings that consist of both indoor settings (i.e. individual unit flats) and outdoor settings (i.e. common areas like lobby and corridor). The effect of indoor environment on the quality of life of the older people has been investigated, while this paper aims to examine the different effect of common areas environment for the older people.Design/methodology/approachA questionnaire survey was administered among over 300 older people living in private buildings. Multiple statistical techniques, including reliability test, correlation coefficient and multiple regression models, were used to analyze the collected data to determine the interactions between facilities management of the common areas in private buildings and the environment domain of quality of life for older people.FindingsThe final results were concluded based on the congruence of all the statistical results, which covered the identification of facilities management factors in common areas of private buildings that could influence the environment domain of quality of life for older people, including overall environment, health-care accessibility, information acquisition and transportation aspects; the overall environment was positively predicted by space and security in common areas of private building; health-care accessibility was positively affected by space, barrier-free facilities and recreational facilities; the information acquisition was only positively predicted by security; transportation was positively predicted by distance and recreational facilities; and building services of common areas in private buildings had no effect on the environment domain of quality of life for older people.Originality/valuePractical recommendations have been made to improve the facilities management of common areas in private buildings to ensure the quality of life for older people, including provision of walking assistance, motion or infrared controlled systems and so on. This study contributed to enhance current understanding of the interactions between the older people and their living environment.


2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 585-607 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heesup Han ◽  
Jinsoo Hwang

Purpose This study aimed to examine young, middle-aged and mature air-travelers’ perceptions of the quality levels of in-flight physical surroundings and service encounters, and investigated the drivers of their repurchase intentions in the low-cost airline industry. Design/methodology/approach A sample of 402 passengers on international flights was used. An ANOVA and a series of multiple-regression analyses based on Baron and Kenny’s (1986) suggestion were used. Findings In general, significant differences in quality attributes were identified across age groups. Additionally, the role of these quality components, perceived level of the airfare and trust in the airline were found to be decisive in low-cost airline passengers’ decision formation. Further, the mediating impact of perceived level of the airfare and trust was identified. Originality/value Research about air-travelers’ decision formation by considering their age is rare in a low-cost airline context. Results of the present study provided meaningful insights for researchers and practitioners in the airline industry.


2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (14) ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin P. Price ◽  
Melissa Laird Smith ◽  
Ellen E. Paxinos ◽  
Luke J. Tallon ◽  
Lisa Sadzewicz ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT We report here paired isogenic Burkholderia pseudomallei genomes obtained from three patients receiving intravenous meropenem for melioidosis treatment, with post-meropenem isolates developing decreased susceptibility. Two genomes were finished, and four were drafted to improved high-quality standard. These genomes will be used to identify meropenem resistance mechanisms in B. pseudomallei.


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