When telecom systems don’t work, everyone suffers. So much of life’s integral activities happen on the back of telecom utilities, which rely on physical infrastructure to keep them running. Telecom facilities management is an important cornerstone of our growing reliance on everyday tech. The better telecoms maintain the physical infrastructure, the more reliable and seamless digital services become.
The wonder of modern telecom facilities management is something of a continuum. Facility management software powers insights about physical space, which result in efficiencies that translate into a better level of service from the digital operations that space enables. A well-orchestrated data center makes cloud computing more reliable, in the same way a well-managed IT services department makes it possible for telecoms to innovate. Digital insights beget better infrastructure, which powers better data solutions.
Here’s a closer look at what telecom facilities management means to the growth of this industry, and how telecoms can harness it to scale up with demand.
What is telecom facilities management?
Facility management breaks down into six key areas of focus. According to the International Facilities Management Association (IFMA), those areas include: employee support, facility technologies, health and safety, training, environment and sustainability, and facility maintenance. The sum of these segments culminates in facilities that meet the needs of the people relying on them to work within.
In a more general sense, facility management involves making sure facilities are well-suited to operational expectations. Do data scientists have the space they need to conduct R&D? Does facility telecom infrastructure support daily inbound and outbound communication? Are the facilities working, safe, and code compliant? Are they easily navigable? These factors (and thousands of others) play an important role in leveraging facilities as a real estate asset, beyond its overhead costs.
Telecom facilities management involves active oversight of facilities. It can include coordinating in-house teams, contracting vendors, working with consultants, and more—all in pursuit of creating facilities that are well-equipped to support work and workers.
The benefits of telecom facilities management
Well-managed facilities are a gateway to tremendous benefits for any company—telecoms especially. They enable employees and operations, which results in a better standard of work. That better standard of work translates to everything from increased revenues to better cost savings. Some of the ranging benefits of good telecom facilities management include:
- Safe and secure facilities that promote accessibility, yet safeguard access
- Streamlined operations through better space efficiency and utilization
- More affordable facilities and better budgeting for upkeep and maintenance
- Better transparency when it comes to company operations and activities
- Easier management, upkeep, and improvement for space across facilities
- Better adaptability and more flexibility to accommodate business growth
The benefits of telecom facilities management are even more visible when compared to the pitfalls of under-managed facilities. Without operational confluence rooted in facilities, telecoms can struggle to stay mission-focused and efficient. Forethought to facility support gives the company a platform for operational excellence.
The role of telecom facilities management software
Telecoms face increasing demand for the services they offer, which means companies are leaning more heavily on their tangible assets—real estate included. Turning facilities from a cost center into a competitive advantage allows telecoms to leverage more control over their operations and to increase the capabilities of the company without raising overhead.
The most powerful and important feature of telecom facilities management software is access to prolific data. Not raw data, either—clean, aggregated, ordered data that’s easily arranged into dashboards with trend insights at-the-ready. This takes tremendous administrative burden off of facilities management staff and allows them to pinpoint exact inefficiencies and problems. Moreover, AI and machine learning can glean unseen conclusions that make improving facilities easier—there are fewer barriers to meaningful change.
Robust digital tools are another integral feature of telecom facilities management software. From support ticket management to digital twin mapping, an Integrated Workplace Management Software (IWMS) platform brings facility tasks into one place, automates them, and simplifies the general management of everything that keeps facilities running. Fewer time-intensive tasks and less room for human intervention bring a level of consistency to facility ops, as well.
Finally, integrations make telecom facilities management software paramount. From synergies with accounting software to vendor management portal connections, the ability to sync up an IWMS instantly removes barriers to facility management. Administrators can do more, in less time, with less effort, to greater effect, with results that improve overall telecom operations.
Well-managed facilities equate to reliable digital services
Billions of people rely on telecom services—and demand is only growing. For providers and servicers to keep up with demand, they need the stable foundation that comes with well-run, appropriately managed facilities. From technical assistance to accounts payable, telecoms rely on the physical space they operate in to bring a better standard of digital service to the world around them.
Ironically, it’s digital services that are helping telecoms better understand and manage their physical workplaces and real estate assets. Full-featured facility management software is an integral stepping stone for bringing telecoms into the future, one square foot of optimization at a time.
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By Jonathan Davis
Jonathan writes about asset management, maintenance software, and SaaS solutions in his role as a digital content creator at Eptura. He covers trends across industries, including fleet, manufacturing, healthcare, and hospitality, with a focus on delivering thought leadership with actionable insights. Earlier in his career, he wrote textbooks, edited NPC dialogue for video games, and taught English as a foreign language. He hold a master's degree in journalism.
