Why Reliable Connectivity Is Just The Beginning For Modern Facilities Management

By Hubert Da Costa, CRO at Celerway.

Always on the move and constantly adapting to different locations’ requirements, facility management professionals need reliable data connectivity. An essential starting point for field workers in the industry would be a good mobile or Wi‑Fi link, enabling them to complete jobs on‑site while securely connecting to HQ. Without it, field workers may find themselves operating in a vacuum, while their colleagues and HQ can be frustrated by limited or non‑existent workforce visibility, job progress or completion data, and information they need for billing.

The rising demand for real‑time data further complicates the matter. To meet today’s customer expectations, FM companies must be able to provide precise and up‑to‑the‑minute information about asset requirements, engineer arrival time, job status, and many other valuable metrics. Absence of this data, particularly when caused by poor connectivity, can significantly impact the efficiency, service levels, and bottom‑line performance of FM businesses.

On the ground, FM field workers everywhere often rely on either mobile connectivity or their customers’ on‑site Wi‑Fi network to deliver their contractual commitments. However, these approaches often bring serious complications and challenges, including:

• No guaranteed connectivity — FM professionals everywhere will be familiar with the impact of mobile signal 'dead spots’ and unreliable or even inaccessible customer Wi‑Fi, particularly those sites that impose connectivity restrictions on external visitors. Even though over 50% of the UK population is now covered by 5G networks, large areas of the country still cannot reap the significant performance benefits they offer.
• Inconsistent connectivity processes — FM field workers often face inconsistent processes and connectivity solutions in different buildings and locations, if they offer one at all. While some will use their mobile connection at a particular site, others will rely on customer Wi‑Fi. This creates the challenge of tracking, updating, and sharing different processes and credentials, which FM teams need to address daily. At scale, this represents a major administrative and technical headache and cost inefficiency for FM teams.
• Poor network quality — even when connectivity can be established, the quality and bandwidth provided by the networks cannot always be guaranteed, leading to delays and frustrating on‑site experiences when sending large files or conducting video calls.
• Complex governance and compliance — when connecting remotely, IT security protocols often require each user to be authenticated. Relying on customer WiFi can create governance and compliance challenges, leading to delays acquiring connectivity 
• Inadequate security — given the extremely varied nature of FM sites, job requirements, processes and access types, it’s crucial that data generated by FM workers is protected. For FM organisations, securing hundreds of connected devices for field workers requires a substantial operational and technology effort and significant long‑term investment.

Living On The Edge

So, where does that leave FM companies that see the huge opportunities for improving tech‑led processes but are frustrated by intractable connectivity barriers?

For many, the key is to establish a foundational edge capability, that is, extending their branch network footprint securely and efficiently to the edge, wherever their field teams may go. This will include connectivity technology capable of:

1. Leveraging multiple simultaneous wireless and wired networks securely in the field, whether 4G/5G, and even satellites;
2. Adapting dynamically to changing network quality, to ensure always the best possible access;
3. Monitoring and configuring remotely all connected assets; and
4. Extending data processing capability to on‑site and on‑device.

By doing so, FM professionals can access high‑quality and secure connectivity anywhere they go, without having to rely on unsuitable Wi‑Fi connections or patchy mobile signal coverage. This approach ensures that data costs can be managed centrally and even streamlined, for better cost‑efficiency. Additionally, a consistent application of security protocol, from branch to edge, will minimise risks of cyberthreats.

This foundational edge connectivity approach will allow FM businesses to fully realise real‑time reporting to their customers. In particular, the possibility to process data on‑site before sending it back to HQ over a reliable data connection can help improve decision‑making and customer satisfaction while lowering data costs. Finally, they can position themselves at the forefront of industry innovation, sharpen competitive advantage and ensure they meet today’s customer expectations.

Looking ahead, the FM industry is undergoing significant and sustained technology‑led change. Major growth in data volume from the use of sensors, smart buildings and, further down the line, augmented and virtual reality will drive the industry’s reliance on edge connectivity. Those organisations that can overcome the limitations of traditional approaches will be ideally placed to succeed.