I have been in the church construction and facility management world for over 30 years. Throughout my career, I have never seen a successful construction professional or a facility manager without the right tools in their box.
A screwdriver can’t drive a nail efficiently, so why are churches and facility stewards unintentional with facility management tools? Why are they managing work orders and preventive maintenance with antiquated tools when there is a better solution?
Instead of adopting a "what worked in the past is good enough” mindset, let’s explore other options. Why not use the right tools to steward your facility well? Below is a list of necessary tools for facility professionals our team recommends exploring:
The Right Mindset
In her book, Switch On Your Brain, Dr. Caroline Leaf says the following: "Your mind tells your brain what to do. It is mind over matter." Your mind is the catalyst for everything you do. The same applies to facility management.
If you believe being a good facility manager means practicing stewardship, intentionality, and diligence, then being proactive will come naturally. However, if your mindset is based on "just get by" mentalities, you will likely play catch-up regularly.
Community
There are thousands–maybe millions–of facility managers in the country. I love the quote by Ken Blanchard: “None of us is as smart as all of us.” It is important you find other professionals to learn from and collaborate with during your career.
Church Facility Management Solutions Group, for example, is a community of church facility practitioners, professionals, volunteers, paid staff, pastors, deacons, trustees, and other church personnel. This Facebook group is a great learning tool to hear from industry leaders and other facility professionals.
Additionally, I recommend checking out groups like NACFM, IFMA, or BOMA. Either way, don’t go it alone.
Facility Management Software
I am amazed at how many organizations track events through a paper calendar, whiteboard, or digital calendar. If you use your facility more than one day a week, you need a tool that allows for proactivity, and that is where facility management software can help.
I also see many facility teams relying on sticky notes, legal pads, paper forms, emails, and other out-dated tools to manage work orders, preventive maintenance, equipment, inventory, vendors, and life cycles. There is a better way. For example, eSPACE, Smart Church Solutions’ facility management software, can help reduce your workload so you can focus on your mission.
Facility System Integrations
For most churches, 50-75% of utility costs are attributed to HVAC usage. If you are looking to save operational dollars, this is the most obvious place to start: improve your facility’s efficiency and security by integration.
We have found many, if not most, churches are understaffed in their facility department. Therefore, it is important to make our staff as efficient as possible. One easy way to life the workload is to automate building operation functions, if possible.
Our 2020 Benchmarking Report revealed many churches are spending three to six hours weekly managing HVAC units, locking and unlocking doors, or managing card access systems. Through Smart Church Solutions, you can integrate your HVAC, Access Control, and Digital Signage systems with eSPACE Event Scheduler with FACILITeSPACE.
As you examine your toolbox, please reach out to our team for additional pointers or questions. We are here to help.
