Local or global FM?: Consider your strategic goals

When it comes to supporting an organisation’s strategy, how do locally sourced and globally sourced facilities management solutions compare?

I’ve worked in local and global FM procurement, so I know the pros and cons of both approaches.

In the first instalment of a five-part series on local vs global FM, I’ve covered the key considerations you need to make when choosing a solution that best supports your strategy.

Shaun Carroll, Mitie Chief Procurement Officer

Local and global FM solutions serve two subtly different purposes. When deciding which is right for your organisation, ask what you hope to achieve by appointing a facilities management partner – and whether they’ll contribute to your strategic goals.

Going local

Local FM solutions are delivered in-country by experts that remain close to the needs and expectations of your local teams and in-country operations. As local FM means fewer degrees of separation between management, your organisation and contract delivery, the approach is more efficient and agile. A major benefit is being responsive and flexible, which many organisations find increasingly important in today’s unpredictable landscape. Thanks to local FM’s close lines of communication and less hierarchical decision-making, changes can be made quickly and easily. This enables delivery to align with strategic goals, plus the agility to flex quickly when circumstances change. It’s a tailored fit, which can be altered.

Going global

Global FM suppliers usually offer real estate management and consultancy on top of standard services like cleaning, security and front-of-house. By design, it is a more fractured approach than local FM, with services delivered by a patchwork of partners. This disjointed approach compromises delivery as it is more complicated and bureaucratic. With multiple parties involved in delivery, there is greater opportunity for things to go wrong, plus additional challenges due to multiple stakeholders when putting things right. Global solutions lack agile delivery that can be quickly changed to support your strategic goals. It’s a one-size-fits-all solution that won’t always suit.

When making your choice between local and global FM, consider the following:

• How can an FM partner support our strategic goals?
• Do I want the FM contract’s management to be in-country and closely aligned with my organisation’s strategy?
• Will my organisation’s strategy benefit from a flexible and agile FM partner?

To read my full analysis of local and global FM, check out my mini-guide: Locally sourced FM to secure your success.