< Previouswww.fm-middleeast.com50 December 2021 ROUNDTABLE focussed. The clients are going back to opting for security, cleaning and MEP [maintenance] because they think it is cheaper. But in the long run it is not cheap. Clients don’t understand this. You need to have a very learned client to understand the advantages of IFM and to some extent it is not moving forward because the FM service providers are not truly providing IFM services.” Al Shiaban agreed to Chida’s last statement and added that most companies are only offering bundle facilities management and not integrated facilities management. He further added: “The management always looks at FM as a cost centre, especially at the client side. Now the question is what we can do in order to convince a client that it can be a profit centre. If you become a profit center, you will be able to convince management over a lot of things. We talk about smart technologies and integration of data, but in reality we don’t have enough data with us. When you talk about artificial intelligence, you need to get the data first; data needs to change to information, information needs to change to knowledge, knowledge to wisdom, and wisdom to artificial intelligence. Within AI we need to start looking at IFM, but there is a huge gap. The other question is what software are we using for big data to get the information. Is it available?” Al-Hamady raised another question and said that companies are in the process of transformation. “We are in transformation from traditional to new innovations and to AI and ML (machine learning). But how can we convince clients or stakeholders about this transformation?” He replied by saying that FM should focus on 3 things: building efficiency, customer satisfaction, and cost control. “We make a building efficient by using the latest available technology. We need buildings to talk to us and take decisions. Using machine learning, the building can make decisions. FM companies should sell themselves in a proper way and should convince stakeholders that adopting technology will benefit them by increasing the lifecycle of the assets.” From a technology provider point of view, Sajwani said that clients should have a positive mindset when it comes to adopting technology. “I have seen they’re still not ready to adopt new technologies. If you have clients that Eng. Mushtak T. Al-Hamady, associate vice president, Facility Management & QHSE, Emirates NBD. FM COMPANIES SHOULD SELL THEMSELVES IN A PROPER WAY AND SHOULD CONVINCE STAKEHOLDERS THAT ADOPTING TECHNOLOGY WILL BENEFIT THEM BY INCREASING THE LIFECYCLE OF THE ASSETS. ENG. MUSHTAK T. AL-HAMADY, ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT, FACILITY MANAGEMENT & QHSE, EMIRATES NBDwww.fm-middleeast.comDecember 2021 51 ROUNDTABLE understand technology, then it makes my job very, very easy to actually get the data because we struggle at getting the data.” Referring to clients at the roundtable, Sajwani said: “If there are clients, who understand what data is, what’s the value of data, what’s the value of IFM, then that helps in unlocking the full potential of IFM.” DRIVERS OF IFM Al Shiaban said that growth for FM market is huge, especially in the GCC as there are a lot of upcoming infrastructure development projects. “I think there is opportunity now but if facility management companies do not look from a technology point of view, then there will be an issue.” He said that the management team at Dubai Silicon Oasis are technology believers. DSO implemented smart rodents, smart waste management with a cloud-based system, an integrated building management system with 120,000 network points, subsurface irrigation system, among many more. “This is all because of we have a management that really believes in technology. If the management feels that an FM can change from a cost centre to a revenue centre, then they will start to invest so as to achieve cost reduction and savings,” Al Shiaban said. Al-Hamady added that Emirates NBD too has a management that believe in technology. He said: “Our CEO Shayne Nelson always says digitise or die.” He added that post pandemic, there’s going to be a good growth in tourism. So there’s going to be a lot of prosperity which will drive infrastructure, which in turn will drive growth in the IFM market. There will also be a huge opportunity in outsourcing FM operations. “Earlier several firms were self-delivering FM services but now they realise that it is not their core business. So they outsource the facilities management part. Clients have become more realistic because they have to ensure customer satisfaction and they focus on real estate, manufacturing or their core function. So this has opened up a lot of outsourcing opportunities.” Lakshmanan, who has worked with Dubai property developer Emaar in the past, agreed with Al-Hamady and said that Emaar “was able to demonstrate a successful outsourced model without compromising on the quality”. Chida added: “The market is I NEED TO DELIVER [SERVICES WITH] QUALITY, BE COST EFFECTIVE, AND PROVIDE CLIENT SATISFACTION. THE THREE OF THESE HAS ONLY ONE SOLUTION: INNOVATION AND PROPER USE OF TECHNOLOGY. KHALID AL SHIABAN, DIRECTOR – FACILITIES, DSO (DUBAI SILICON OASIS) Khalid Al Shiaban, director – Facilities, DSO (Dubai Silicon Oasis).www.fm-middleeast.com52 December 2021 ROUNDTABLE definitely still growing despite of the pandemic. More buildings & assets are coming up (which are more technologically advanced in equipment); yes, the progress of arrival of projects has slowed down. But there is tremendous potential in the market, to convert it from an FM grocery market (multiple service partners for each service) to an IFM market and that is the challenge for the service provider.” He said that there should be a cost benefit. Giving an analogy, he said: “If the cost benefit against a grocery market is not there, then one would not opt for it. Why do you go to a Carrefour and not to your local grocery for big shopping needs? The same idea applies to TFM/IFM model. Adding to the analogy, Al-Hamady said: “If Carrefour succeeds to sell itself as a value that offers full lifecycle solutions, then we would prefer to go there.” Chida agreed and said: “The underlying concept is again life cycle. FM bundle services or FM services if individually done, you cannot enhance the lifecycle [of the asset]. You are only delivering services and not increasing the life of the asset.” CHALLENGES The other issue facing the market is benchmarking. Al-Hamady said: “We don’t have benchmarking information. How can I benchmark myself? Dubai lacks benchmarking data but it leads in specification.” Chida added: “The benchmarking information has to come from capturing data which is what technology is all about. If you want to be in IFM, you have to learn to benchmark. The client wants from IFM [division] to benchmark him and give him advice. When you benchmark, you’re basically telling the client what needs to be done and that’s when IFM becomes valuable.” Comparing to buildings in Singapore, Sajwani said that he has seen buildings there that have small screens which show the air quality within the building. Adding a trivia Chida said that Singapore has the largest number of LEED accredited buildings, or green buildings in the world. So it competes for LEED Platinum, which is the highest rating. A LEED Platinum building can demand higher rent. Al Shiaban concurred and said that DSO was mostly working on LEED certification. “Most of DSO buildings are LEED-certified.” He added that FM will never ever be able to grow, Nishat Chida, FM advisor. FM BUNDLE SERVICES OR FM SERVICES IF INDIVIDUALLY DONE, YOU CANNOT ENHANCE THE LIFECYCLE [OF THE ASSET]. NISHAT CHIDA, FM ADVISORwww.fm-middleeast.comDecember 2021 53 ROUNDTABLE if the management will not feel there is value in FM. “We need to look at having City Operation Centres and FM needs to be part of it because city operations means you are doing asset management. I believe that all advanced facility management companies, integrated FM or bundle FMs, all should move in the direction of a City Operation Centre.” Listing down three FM challenges Al Shiaban said: “I need to deliver [services with] quality, be cost effective, and provide client satisfaction. The three of these has only one solution: innovation and proper use of technology.” Chida added: “The problem is IFM firms have a human workforce, which doesn’t use CAFM (computer aided facility management) software adequately, then what are we talking about technology? And [by workforce], I’m referring to technicians, cleaners, supervisor, engineers, and even facility managers. That is an IFM challenge. CAFM is the first stepping stone, while IoT and AI are the third or fourth stepping stone. You can’t get there if you don’t have the basics in place. So our human resources are a problem right now and it’s not lack of training. It is sheer lack of change management by the IFM firms.” Sajwani said that it is important when developers or property owners get involved in technology. He said clients to be educated when it comes to technology. “It’s very pleasant to see people from the top management understanding technology.” Towards the end Lakshmanan reiterated that the IFM market is growing because of the growing infrastructure in the GCC region. He said: “Every service provider including Imdaad are trying to self- deliver more and adopt technologies by collaborating with companies to meet client aspirations. And now the customer experience is the main focus for anyone. Technology will help FM to evolve over the years. And the IFM market will mature and there’ll be a long term value that IFM will provide to clients. IFM will be good for end users, good for the developers, and good for FM companies.” Chida had the last word. He concluded: “Currently, we are in a reactive and preventive phase; I will say 70% reactive and 30% preventive. We need to move to predictive [maintainance]. From predictive, it has to move to the next level which is machine learning and data or reliability centered maintenance (RCM). We need that journey to begin in IFM.” IF YOU HAVE CLIENTS THAT UNDERSTAND TECHNOLOGY, THEN IT MAKES MY JOB VERY, VERY EASY TO ACTUALLY GET THE DATA BECAUSE WE STRUGGLE AT GETTING THE DATA. ASIM SAJWANI, PRESIDENT, DISRUPT-X Khalid Al Shiaban, director – Facilities, DSO (Dubai Silicon Oasis). COMPANY UPDATE 54 December 2021www.fm-middleeast.com FM fi rm Tanmyah, a subsidiary of Dubai Islamic Bank, has its share of ups and downs during the pandemic. Facilities Management Middle East fi nds out… A subsidiary of Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB), UAE-based FM firm Tanmyah has a combined workforce of over 7,500 unskilled, BANKING ON TANMYAH semi-skilled and highly skilled and professional employees. Giving a background, HE Abdullah Ali Obaid Al Hamli, chairman of Al Tanmyah and managing director of Dubai Islamic Bank, says: “Tanmyah has exhibited its operational excellence and leadership capabilities by providing best-in-class integrated facilities management and manpower services to all branches of COMPANY UPDATE December 2021 55www.fm-middleeast.com Dubai Islamic Bank, along with external organisations from multiple sectors. Tanmyah has built an excellent market reputation by delivering quality services that include immigration visas issuance, competitive catering services, significant manpower, and integrated facilities management services.” With over 20 years of vital strategic planning and development, Tanmyah has become a facilities management service provider that offers hard and soft facilities management, security services, building maintenance and human capital outsourcing. Its integrated service framework includes pest control, sanitisation and disinfection, façade cleaning and water tank cleaning. Tanmyah works across multiple sectors, from banking to real estate and e-commerce. The company has become synonymous with the provision of fully trained, competent, and well- qualified office support staff and labor to companies across the UAE. Tanmyah utilises cutting-edge technologies such as an HRMS framework, ERP programming - Microsoft Dynamics AX, CRM and facilities management to automate its operations and ensure greater control over processes. “Throughout its operations, Tanmyah has exhibited business stability. The company continued to operate throughout the challenging times, serving its customers and returning to pre-pandemic levels of activity and fiscal growth in 2021,” says HE Al Hamli. Talking about some of the opportunities in the FM market, HE Al Hamli says: “As the facilities management sector evolves and expands HE Abdullah Ali Obaid Al Hamli, chairman of Al Tanmyah and managing director of Dubai Islamic Bank. AS THE FACILITIES MANAGEMENT SECTOR EVOLVES AND EXPANDS ACROSS THE REGION, NEW OPPORTUNITIES WILL ARISE, AND STANDARDS WILL INEVITABLY RISE ACROSS THE INDUSTRY.” HE ABDULLAH ALI OBAID AL HAMLI, CHAIRMAN OF AL TANMYAH AND MANAGING DIRECTOR OF DUBAI ISLAMIC BANK COMPANY UPDATE 56 December 2021www.fm-middleeast.com across the region, new opportunities will arise, and standards will inevitably rise across the industry. As world markets and hard-hit sectors such as travel and tourism open up, the number of service providers will also increase along with enhanced pricing and business models. “The growth of the real estate, infrastructure, and hotel industries also plays a major role in driving the facilities management industry and will continue to increase demand for premium facilities management services.” Massive-scale development projects in the industrial and construction sectors, often supported by rising government investment, will foster better and smart infrastructure, providing additional growth opportunities for the industry, HE Al Hamli says. He adds: “As the digital transformation revolutionises customer services across most industries, innovation is crucial if the facilities management sector grows and remains sustainable. There are many opportunities for digital innovation in facilities management, including workplace enhancement and workplace change management, energy optimisation, analytical research, service integration, disinfection services and other enhanced technical solutions. The drive towards budget-friendly smart solutions for the energy management and building automation should boost the need and requirement for facilities management services in the near future.” Mubarak Al Halyan, CEO of Tanmyah Services says that the firm’s strong workforce retention, stability and competitive prices leave it well placed to retain and gain market share. “Tanmyah has always taken significant steps to demonstrate operational excellence, focusing on the sustainable enhancement of outstanding performance metrics.” During the pandemic, the company maintained strong revenues, growth in client acquisition, property and equipment acquisition, and continued net profit. Although in 2020, Tanmyah faced many challenges. Giving an example, Al Halyan says: “We had to repatriate around 1,000 employees during the peak of the outbreak because of unexpected loss of contracts. Nonetheless, the organisation worked tremendously hard to thrive and retain numerous clients with the versatile collaborative performance of its executives, management, and staff. “Subsequently, the organisation had the opportunity to deploy 1,000 workers within a record time of 1 month and deploy 1,000 more resources at various client sites to make Tanmyah unique from its rivals during this intense market circumstance.” In December 2020, Tanmyah upgraded and launched its new logo, reflecting its market position and services that reflect 'Pinnacles of Trust' through a commitment to offering high-quality services and maintenance solutions. To facilitate all its 7,500+ employees at different emirates, Tanmyah operates over ten employee accommodation units, equipped with comprehensive health and safety features including fire detection, security systems, disinfection tunnels and isolation rooms adhering to Covid-19 guidelines. Tanmyah provides its employees with daily dining and transportation, in addition to professional development plans. While many employers have taken cost-saving measures during the pandemic, there was no failure in paying the wages on time, without deductions. It also operates around 100 vehicles in its fleet to transport staff to client sites. All vehicles are well-maintained, air-conditioned, and in accordance with social distancing regulations. CHALLENGES Some of the challenges facing FM firms, Al Halyan says, is controlling CAPEX and operational costs whilst offering better client services. “As the number of organisations grows in the Middle East region, so do expectations of quality and competitively priced facilities management services.” To maintain growth and pricing models, there are new opportunities for innovation and investment in automation. Al Halyan lists down the other opportunities and challenges: • Remote working and social distancing at sites The recent circumstances have changed WE HAD TO REPATRIATE AROUND 1,000 EMPLOYEES DURING THE PEAK OF THE OUTBREAK BECAUSE OF UNEXPECTED LOSS OF CONTRACTS.” MUBARAK AL HALYAN, CEO OF TANMYAH SERVICESCOMPANY UPDATE December 2021 57www.fm-middleeast.com the entire picture of almost every industry globally, including the facilities management sector. Despite the success of vaccines, companies very often still have to adopt social distancing or remote working policies, whichever will be applicable according to their services. As expected, many companies are likely to continue to operate remotely into the future. For those seeking a return to office, facilities management services will play a critical role in offering safe and secured environment for all employees. • Remote monitoring and operation control Remote monitoring and operation controls have become essential for many firms during the pandemic. Sensor technologies deliver multiple applications for the facilities management industry, including inventory management, equipment monitoring, security, lighting, fire suppression, HVAC, and asset tagging: all now possible to deliver remotely. Smart hygiene solutions and supplies have been widely introduced intending to improve hygiene behaviors and environmental conditions. Moreover, numerous IoT-based applications were activated in 2020 during the outbreak to cater to remote working, healthcare, stock management, and industrial manufacturing. These technologies will continue to evolve as companies adopt new IoT devices that deliver ever-greater efficiencies and accuracy. • User-friendly, stand-alone facilities management software As businesses rapidly adapt to innovations, the facilities management industry will likewise see a growing role for IoT and software-based platforms capable of performing numerous facilities management activities. These software-based platforms must be integrated with other essential tools - from project management to ERPS and invoicing software. This implies that interoperability and interconnectivity will be a primary focal point of these products to guarantee cross-data management and insight across the entire organisation. • Response to crisis With the significant interruptions brought about by pandemic, organisations have been forced to adapt to their daily schedules, business gatherings, communication mediums and more. As the access to facilities has diminished, many sectors have faced particular challenges that arise from immobility. Here, facilities management organisations have opportunities to innovate new solutions to tackle such issues. • Expert staff management and financial management Extra costs due to maintaining cleanliness and sanitation of staff accommodation and facilities have become a major challenge. To minimise the risk of the infection, personal health and hygiene must continue to serve as a priority. THE FUTURE Talking about the future of FM, HE Al Hamli says that UAE facility management market is expected to expand showcasing high demand and annual growth fueled by the construction contracts anticipated to be completed in the UAE by 2021 and the ongoing activities related to Expo 2020. “In a competitive market, the need for innovation and new value propositions is critical. Facilities management companies have to find a way to invest and innovate to remain competitive whilst retaining cost competitiveness and profitability.” He said that eight significant workforce workplace trends shape the sector: Business Productivity, User Experience, artificial intelligence, robotics, sustainability, partnering, collaboration, and action selling. HE Al Hamli concludes: “Success also depends on the adoption of next- generation tools, including Internet of Things (IoT) devices and solutions, that deliver choice, operational efficiencies, energy optimisation and the monitoring of the performance of every aspect of a company's facilities. “Given the nature of the digital transformation, superior facilities management technologies are now necessary for the smooth functioning of businesses. Advanced core- controlled systems connected to IoT, and automation solutions will become crucial in delivering value to the end- user, as will cloud platforms. These will see facilities management companies pivot to a productivity-driven business model, with longer and more output- driven contracts.” Mubarak Al Halyan, CEO of Tanmyah Services.CELEBRATING SUCCESS AND ACHIEVEMENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR ConstructionWeekOnline.com/awards #CWAwards MONDAY 13TH DECEMBER 2021 JUMEIRAH EMIRATES TOWERS HOTEL, DUBAI BOOK YOUR TABLE TODAY Saraswati Agarwal Commercial Director T: +971 4 444 3352 M: +971 52 895 2214 Email: saraswati.agarwal@itp.com FOR SPONSORSHIP ENQUIRIES: Anthony Chandran Marketing and Events Manager T: +971 4 444 3685 Email: anthony.chandran@itp.com FOR EVENT ENQUIRIES: GOLD SPONSORSILVER SPONSORGOLD SPONSORGOLD SPONSORGOLD SPONSOR ASSOCIATE SPONSOR LEGAL PARTNER CATEGORY SPONSOR CATEGORY SPONSOR CATEGORY SPONSOR SOCIAL MEDIA SPONSOR CATEGORY SPONSORTOP FM SUPPLIERS www.fm-middleeast.comDecember 2021 59 SE E WH O A R E T H E TO P F M SU P P L I E R S I N T H E R E G I O N Top FM Suppliers 2021 www.fm-middleeast.comDecember 2021 59Next >