What are ‘Hard’ and ‘Soft’ Facility Management Services?
Every business has unique needs and requirements to perform optimally. The job of a facility management company is to ensure that all facets of a building are taken care of, from front to back, whether it’s HVAC and plumbing repairs or landscaping and window cleaning.
All FM services can be split up into two broad categories: hard and soft FM services.
What is the Difference Between Hard & Soft Services?
Hard Facility Management Services
“Hard services” are any maintenance or repair services that are integrated into the building, part of the infrastructure.
- Plumbing
- Electrical
- HVAC maintenance
- Fire safety systems
- Mechanical repairs
Soft Facility Management Services
“Soft services” aren’t essential. They are for the purpose of making the office more comfortable and functional for employees.
- Janitorial cleaning
- Trash pickup
- Landscaping
- Office layout organization
- Building security
- Catering
How Do I Know Which Services Are Necessary?
Answer these questions and you’ll know how to choose your services:
- Is it critical to my facility’s operability?
- Are there legal or regulatory requirements to complete this service?
- How much could I stand to lose (potential liability) if I don’t pay for this service?
- Is the service in my general jurisdiction?
Hard services directly benefit your building and your organization as a whole, ensuring you have a highly functional and agile infrastructure. A well-functioning plumbing, HVAC, or electrical system, for example, is critical to your bottom line.
Soft services, on the other hand, won’t directly impact the bottom line.
However, they will benefit your company culture, and your business’s atmosphere. You’ll have a more livable building, as well as happier, and more productive employees. It’s more of an indirect benefit to your organization.
How FM Companies Help You Decide
An experienced facility management company will give you a high-level overview of your building’s energy performance capabilities and help you to identify the most cost-effective choices for your facility by creating a comprehensive strategic maintenance plan that incorporates the strengths and weaknesses of your existing infrastructure.
Hire Facility Management Services in Cincinnati, OH.
If you’re looking for integrated facility management services in Greater Cincinnati, consider partnering with Omnia360, an experienced FM firm that provides hard and soft services for your building: (833) 360-6642.