The Company
A leading professional services firm providing audit, consulting, financial advisory, risk advisory, tax, and legal service.
The Challenge
Time is a precious commodity, but much of it was being wasted by the properties & facilities team when it came to managing the room booking system. The wide range of variables, from room location and size to how and when people needed to book, was consuming a significant amount of resources and taking too long. The properties & facilities team lacked visibility of individual room services such as AV, flipchart, or WiFi. Additionally, the need to create detailed reports for the internal catering, room setup, and cleaning teams with each room booking resulted in a substantial administrative burden.
- Due to its size, this customer uses rooms for a wide range of activities, from board meetings to lectures and training. Knowing exactly how a room would be used was critical but not always possible.
- Daily reports were required for catering teams in a specific format.
- Cleaning teams only cleaned what had been booked, so if people didn't book a space or booked it late, it created issues with hygiene and managing COVID protocols.
“As a result of the pandemic, we've seen significant changes in how people book rooms and when they come into the office. Regardless of people's schedules, we want to provide an excellent experience for staff, including everything from booking a desk to the workplace environment, catering, and support facilities. We needed to enhance the experience.”
The Solution
To streamline its processes, the customer turned to Accruent EMS. This system provides the visibility and flexibility necessary to ensure that multiple teams within the company have the information required to prepare rooms accordingly. Reports can be generated on demand, providing critical and detailed information about the requirements and timing of room bookings, thereby streamlining the entire process. This was especially important during COVID as people were required to add visitors, fill in health evaluation forms, and book three days in advance. The staff also benefited from a live desk booking service on the system, allowing individuals to book spaces to work on-demand.
- Reports for catering, cleaning, and room setup teams can be generated on demand, making planning and preparation much smoother.
- All employees can download an app for quick and easy room booking.
“During the height of the pandemic, our large rooms went from having a capacity for 50 people to just six. As a result, there was a high demand for those rooms. Even now, that demand remains significant. People want to come into the office and collaborate with their teams and need the necessary space to do so. The processes and tools we established for COVID are still invaluable today.”
The Benefits
The impact of using EMS is being felt throughout the company. It has significantly reduced administrative time for the properties & facilities team, allowing them to invest their time in improving quality and service in other areas. Employees can book available rooms and spaces on-demand, even at the last minute. Support teams have instant access to usage requirements and capacity information, enabling them to tailor their work precisely to the needs of each booking.
- Reduced administrative time spent on managing and preparing for meetings.
- Desk bookings can be made late without causing issues for cleaning.
- Enabled their space to reflect their brand personality and organizational culture.
- Retained front-of-house staff to provide a personal touch and service.
“People are gradually returning to the office more frequently. Our goal is to make it as easy as possible for them to do so, and a key aspect of that is booking desk space and meeting rooms.”
The Results
In Ireland, office spaces are leased under long-term agreements, which is a significant commitment and costly if the space is underutilized. EMS has provided accurate usage information, helping the customer identify and sublet 15% of its estate, resulting in substantial annual cost savings. The company has also made substantial sustainability gains by reducing paper usage, as reports and confirmations are now generated digitally and in a format suitable for electronic consumption.
- Subletting 15% of the office space saves the company thousands of dollars annually.
- A significant reduction in paper usage.
“Previously, we would email an Excel spreadsheet and print it out for all parties. Now it's delivered in a format that the teams can easily consume without having to print reams of paper.”
