{"id":729,"date":"2020-12-23T20:35:11","date_gmt":"2020-12-23T09:35:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.xempla.io\/?p=729"},"modified":"2022-12-27T23:13:08","modified_gmt":"2022-12-27T12:13:08","slug":"build-vs-buy-fm-applications-where-to-start","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stagexemplawppanel.xempla.io\/wppanel\/facilty-management-times\/build-vs-buy-fm-applications-where-to-start\/","title":{"rendered":"Build vs buy – FM Applications, where to start?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In July this year, IBM joined hands with one of the leading facility management firms CBRE, to provide AI-based maintenance services to CBRE\u2019s data center clients. And this is not the very first  CBRE\u2019s first partnership with a tech giant to come up with a collaborative solution. They have worked with Microsoft for interactive people management applications<\/a>, and power platform<\/a> as a workplace solution, and if you look at CBRE Global\u2019s past investments and partnerships, they have done multiple tech acquisitions along with in-house dedicated DT Centres. They also have numerous applications listed under the CBRE Vantage, a suite of enablement technologies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Overall they have collaborated with numerous technology providers to try to fit into their client\u2019s requirements needless to say they have built, brought and partnered with third-party tech providers whenever is necessary. But is this strategy applicable for everyone across the verticals? What are the layers, CXOs would need to unwrap before reaching the decision?.

Facility management teams never before have faced issues they have faced like this year with tech integrations when adding up their tech stack with workplace management and remote asset monitoring applications. Some of the buying decisions were obviously Adhoc which came in with a response to safety and social distancing protocols. But now when things are settling down with the new normal in most parts of the world, they can certainly ponder upon their future tech stack and suite of new services and decide whether they should build them or buy them?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Discussion on Build vs buy or an argument over the same, is not new to facility management firms, which is running on outsourcing tasks for their partners. It has evolved from an in-house to consolidated services and ultimately, integrated facility management solutions, that have excelled in making partnerships and managing people. However, when it comes to deciding the digital strategy for themself and their clients it has been facing fierce competition from the incumbent tech startups and consulting firms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Easier said than done, for an FM firm to decide on building a suite of applications or subscribing to one can be a far complex decision, there are multiple layers of hierarchy and deciding factors that come into the picture. It\u2019s Obvious, there can\u2019t be a common strategy that fits for all despite the well-known pros and cons of each decision. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s assess the aspects that help in simplifying the decision: <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strategic roadmap for the FM tech stack<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a tech-enabled FM firm, it\u2019s Important to do research on the ideal tech stacks for different types of clients regardless of the client\u2019s expectation from one. For operations and maintenance, that includes data acquisition hardware, data storage & processing applications, visualization and control mechanism. <\/p>\n\n\n\n