Facilities Management is a career that is gaining prominence in Nigeria recently. Businesses and living areas are appreciating more the need to have their environment managed professionally rather than the old traditional ways. In this vein the need for well managed spaces and competent managers has taken center stage. What's your take.

Interestingly there some of us that are saddled with facilities management responsibilities but are not referred to as facilities managers. This may be due to various reasons...size of the firm or need....confluence of service needs and blatantly lack of the appreciation of the benefit of engaging a facility manager or management firm for such responsibilities.

Thanks for starting the thread. I am subscribing to this thread. Let's hope others of like minds will come onboard.

@laroche: thanks. What's your experience like so far in FM.

I have managed a facility before. Though I left my company due to lack of resources and good organisation. I met a lot of people and became acquainted with so many things. I also learnt how to swallow pride, take rubbish, relate with all kinds of people and control my temper.

I am still interested in facility management(though I have a degree in the Arts).

I like Northern foreshore estate: resources are available, well organised and the facility managers are respected and well compensated. I would LOVE to work there! So holla if you can make this possible!

@gbaki_floor: i don't know where the experience you mentioned came from but various organisations, you can say, have not too pleasant styles. As for making something happen I'll not make any promises but must confess I've never heard of them before.
As for having a background in the arts you can still pursue a career in FM. International institute of facility management lists about 17 competencies required of a career in FM. You may acquire the skills and hopefully display the competence.

@Interests northern foreshore is a residential estate located at Chevron Drive Lekki. There is no management company in charge of the estate: the resident association there employ individuals to run the estate.

The company I worked with then were into residential facility management. I took a lot of crap from the residents, my company and fellow workers but I learnt a lot of good things too.

What you refer to as crap may simply be customer feedback which is very important in service delivery and customer relationship management. Apart from the odd one or two these feedback should form data for making improvement plans which never ends as you strive to achieve the ultimate customer experience.

Okk. I will give you a two scenarios:

1. A client calls you that it is your job to supervise or monitor his/her domestic staff when that isn't part of the agreement with your company and as you point that out politely, insult from him/her will be the result.

2. A client refuses to pay service charge for six months and whenever you send reminders: insult is what you will receive. And we both know facility management requires money.

I understand that customer relationship is very essential but when the customer is problematic it makes work seem tedious.

I hope u don't mind if I join this discussion. The issue of insultive or irate clients is part of the day to day challenges you encounter on the job. Trust me it may not reduce except u approach it formally through contract agreement. This will create the rights of the user and manager of the facilities.

Further to this, u need to know your Customer (KYC) at least 70% and create a good line of communication to enable u understand their unique personalities. While trying to satisfy them and even exceeding their expectations, try not to make urself look too cheap or inferior basically because u are always at the receiving end.

There are chunks of issues to discuss on this subject.

As i mentioned earlier there will be an odd one or two which you have pointed out. It is an occupational hazard which comes with the job so it is expected. Educating clients or end users of the components of the SLA (service level agreement) is also a remedy.
The customer has a right to complain. He/she has a right to be heard, a right to also change service provider. Amongst some rights.
All situations may not be perfect. That challenge is what we are motivatedt to change.

I quite agree with that. Also know that Customer is King. All you need do to unfriendly customers is to ensure that you leave them with a positive impression about your work ethics. Trust me, wining a though customer over is like employing a frrelance markerter who will help influence other residents/customers in your favour.

Create positive impression all the time even in the face of adversity......

@olubabaa. Bring up the issues let's learn from your fountain of knowledge and experience..

Ok. There was this troublesome Management staff in the company I ones managed. He gave me hell and always waiting for me to make mistakes. I mean it seems as if I could never satisfy him or even impress him. It wasn't funny at all. I had to take time to study this man. I said to myself, there must be something am not doing right. Therefore, I discovered thru his surbodinates at work that he loves to be recognised.

Hmmnn..., that was the secret! He loved to seen by all that he is the brain behind everything in the system. I said to myself, oh dat shouldn't be a problem for me. I'll resume work before he comes just to have a 1 hour discussion on improvement plans required for the building. He started listening to me and even booking apointments after close of work about the job and his personal business.

Infact, he practically wrote a memo to his boss stating that he love to work with me and the benefits from this relationship is endless.

So, when u have a sound and infused relationship with ur customers, u are practically building a bridge of favour and good reputation for urself and ur organisation. Even when u make mistakes, they give reasons on ur behalf because uv won their hearts. That's customer advocacy in the reverse order.

If you are good technically and u don't have a sound relationship with the people that sign ur pay cheques, its just a matter of time before u loose ur respect and confidence. We all know what the end reselt will be........

Sound customer relationship management is non negotiable i would agree.it never ends. Thanks for the tips.keep them coming olubabaa.

So how do one become a facility manager?

There are several ways to become a professional facilities Manager. You need to have some basic knowledge of the key areas of Facilities Management as identified by IFMA and BIFM.

To start with, u need to understand that FM is a multidisciplinary profession which comprises of Mechanical, Electrical, Civil Eng'r. Others are Quantity surveying, Estatement Management, Building Technology, Architecture. It aligns the technical skills obtained from these fields with key management skills to managing the built environment.

You do not have to be a graduate of the aforementioned professions before u can be a practising and seasoned Facilities Manager. However, there is need to have the basic training in these fields as it will give u an wholistic view of what u are managing or maintaining.

Through tailor made programmes designed by IFMA and other FM related organisations which are domicile in Nigeria here, u can get educated and exposed to world class details and professional practices in FM.

I got an info that a Facilities Management Company is organising a 2-Day training on FM. Date: 15th & 16th of May, 2013 at 5, Festival Road, Opposite Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos. I think the cost is 145k. For u guys that are really interested and ready to know the basics of FM, here is your chance.

I am an Associate Member of the British Institute of Facilities Management (I no dey brag O!). I am also looking at aligning with the IFMA too. I visited the IFMA Nigeria Chapter website. I had wanted to meet professional FMs in the home front for networking and exchanging of ideas. Having noticed that the BIFM (in which I am a member) does not have a presence here, I thought the IFMA would, but I was dissapointed when I could not get any helpful info on their website.

Is there any suggestion on how to overcome this seeming lack of FM bodies in Nigeria? There are much to gain from forums like this, so I will be sticking around the corner to contribute and network here.

Here in Nigeria, the Lagos and Abuja Chapter of IFMA are very active may be they are yet to update their website on current activities. The President of the Abuja Chapter is a friend and he is a key person driving FM in Nigeria. He won the last Global FM of the year. Which means even globally we are making a great mark.

To follow thru, call the numbers in the contact section of the website and u'll be shocked with the array of great minds that will attend to u. The amount of knowledge and expertise awaiting u through IFMA network in enourmous.

I am a Chartered Member of BIFM and also a Member of IFMA, these two bodies have been my source of knowledge and benchmark as regards to standard and operatioanl procedures in FM.

U'll be doing yourself a great favour if you key to these set of professionals and learn more. I'll recommend u attend the forthcoming FM booth camp in Lagos. I bet u, issues relating to the real Facilities Management will be clearer to you cos the best in the profession will be there to share in their wealth of experience.

@ olubaba and other members,
How is everyone. It's been a while someone contributed to this thread. Please let's keep this thread active so we may benefit from each other.

@ olubaba: I wont be able to attend the FM Training in Victoria Island between 15th & 16th of May 2013. These dates clash with dates I have been scheduled for other programmes. Do you know any other time within the year when such would be held again?
Also, I had like to ask if you would be at 'The Facilities Event' in Birmingham this year. If so, it would be nice to hang out with you.
Finally, you also mentioned an FM Booth Camp coming up sometimes in Lagos. Is it the same as the one earlier mentioned taking place in Victoria Island? I look forward to your ever resourceful response.

Hi Laroche, good to hear from you again and your deep thoughts on Facilities Management is so obvious from your words.

I will be at the FM boot camp come 15th & 16th May to meet with the great Thinkers in the profession. No need to worry, I just got in touch with the organisers and was told that another FM Training is scheduled for November, 2013.

As regards to the Birmingham FM event, I'll plan and prepare to attend if you provide more info to the programme.

You can as well pass the info of the upcoming boot camp in V/I to interested and like minded people like yours. It going to be educating, interesting and above all, an opportunity to meet with the best brains in the industry.

olubabaa:
Here in Nigeria, the Lagos and Abuja Chapter of IFMA are very active may be they are yet to update their website on current activities. The President of the Abuja Chapter is a friend and he is a key person driving FM in Nigeria. He won the last Global FM of the year. Which means even globally we are making a great mark.

To follow thru, call the numbers in the contact section of the website and u'll be shocked with the array of great minds that will attend to u. The amount of knowledge and expertise awaiting u through IFMA network in enourmous.

I am a Chartered Member of BIFM and also a Member of IFMA, these two bodies have been my source of knowledge and benchmark as regards to standard and operatioanl procedures in FM.

U'll be doing yourself a great favour if you key to these set of professionals and learn more. I'll recommend u attend the forthcoming FM booth camp in Lagos. I bet u, issues relating to the real Facilities Management will be clearer to you cos the best in the profession will be there to share in their wealth of experience.

Hello how do you do? Apparently, It seems you have not been on this website for over a year now. What is your professional background like?

Background is Mech Engr Redcliff.

olubabaa:
Background is Mech Engr Redcliff.

Are you a practicing facility manager? Can I send you a personal message?

I NEED TO KNOW....CAN THIS DRY BONES LIVE AGAIN? IS THIS FM SAME AS FACILITY AUDIT?

FM in the context of this profession stands for Facilities Management, while Facilities Audit is a process in Facilities Management that ensures the facilities or a building as the case may be are in congruent to the set performance metrics for the building/system in a built environment.

Regards.

olubabaa:
FM in the context of this profession stands for Facilities Management, while Facilities Audit is a process in Facilities Management that ensures the facilities or a building as the case may be are in congruent to the set performance metrics for the building/system in a built environment.

Regards.

I asked if you are a practicing FM manger. Im currently writing my master thesis and i am looking for facility mangers who are active in their field to interview as regards my master thesis and its context. Please i need a reply from you.

Regards,
Valentine.

CAN EXAMPLES OF FACILITIES THAT CAN BE AUDITED OR MANAGED BE LISTED OUT SO THAT SOME OF US CAN LOOK FOR WAYS TO WRITE PROPOSALS TO THOSE CONCERNED AND ALSO INVITE PROFESSIONAL HERE TO DO THE JOB

Facilities Audit is a process of comparing the ideal to the actual condition(s) of a particular facility or a building system. The ideal conditions are borne out of criterias developed by the Facilities Professionals through best practice. best fit or the resourced based approach. Hence, you need to have facilities objectives or goals as the case may be in order for you to even have a concise and successful audit.

With this in mind, any facility can be audited dependent on the strategic plans of the performing organisation and the corporate vision. All the aforementioned issues are linked together and have resultant effect on the physical appearance, performance of the critical systems, etc, in the built environment.

I will be glad to assist you with relevant information if required.

Warm Regards.

interests:
Facilities Management is a career that is gaining prominence in Nigeria recently. Businesses and living areas are appreciating more the need to have their environment managed professionally rather than the old traditional ways. In this vein the need for well managed spaces and competent managers has taken center stage. What's your take.

hello are you a facility manager?

Yes, I work as a Facilities Manager.

What is the subject of your Thesis Valentine, may be I might be of help with some details.

Regards.