As the economy struggles to recover, Modus assists clients in the development of robust building management practices designed to save costs
Modus LLC has entered the Middle East facilities management (FM) market with the objective to provide European FM standards and best practice at local market commercial value expectations. Modus provides both FM strategic consultancy in design and operations and a full FM operational service. We focus on implementing and operating professional standards, Health and Safety and Environmental controls. We choose our partners on the basis that they can demonstrate a similar approach or desire to achieve improved standards. That is how we will maintain a consistency in our delivery commitments,” says Nigel Hambly, Managing Director (MD), Modus LLC, Dubai, UAE.
“We are trying to introduce a step change in the way that we engage with our clients; one which provides greater clarity, commercial cost structures and assurance of delivery performance. We do this through risk-reward performance contracts, a common commercial arrangement for FM contracts in the UK and Europe. The emphasis is on being able to provide proof of delivery and performance assurance, so the client enjoys an optimised cost-value status for the scope and levels of service they require. Services are delivered against a comprehensive bespoke Service Level Agreement (SLA) and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). We hope that with the advances in FM in the UAE, our approach will be successful and that our clients receive an improved value from the services we supply,” he adds.
The following are excerpts from an interaction with Nigel Hambly, which elucidates how the FM Company is confidently spreading its roots in the Middle East region with a vision to deliver service with state-of-art techniques and professionalism.
What triggered off the process for Modus to enter the Middle East market?
Modus LLC is a partnership between Modus Group UK, Tabet Group, Nigel Hambly and a local sponsor. In late 2008, Modus Group UK was approached by the Tabet Group with the aim to establish and develop a Facilities Management company within the UAE and eventually throughout the Middle East Region.
Modus Group is a unique UK-based business with a pan European operation offering an unrivalled combination of FM consultancy, FM operations, design and fit-out for commercial and high tech environments (data and medical facilities). The multi-disciplinary group was formed in London in 1992 starting with design and fit out and very rapidly expanded in to MEP maintenance and then in to delivery of full FM to a wide range of organisations.
Tabet Group is a Construction firm specialising in Infrastructure and Turnkey solution projects throughout West Africa, Europe and the Middle East. Through these projects in the Region, Tabet Group identified an opportunity to develop an FM company that would complement their core business. Their vision and aim was to create an FM company based on their experience, knowledge and professionalism and combining it with the same values of an established international FM Company. Modus LLC was established in Dubai in June 2009.
What parallels or distinctions can you draw between the UK and UAE facilities management sector?
There are very few direct parallels that can be identified between the two FM sectors, as they are both at very different stages of the maturity model. The FM market in the UAE has grown enormously over the last decade, and has been driven directly by the growth of the economy in particular the Property and Financial sectors. A decade ago, FM was predominantly about the maintenance of Buildings, mainly A/C’s, Lifts and so on. Now FM is able to provide a broad range of more professional management services to protect the long term integrity of the whole building asset, together with soft FM services such as Cleaning, Security, and Concierge. Although the UAE FM market has grown in leaps and bounds over these years, it is still a young sector which is still struggling to gain recognition for the significant contribution it can make to an organisation whether it is a Residents Association or a corporate business. The sector also lacks the property regulatory support and professional status compared with that in the UK and Europe. FM in the more developed markets is considered a strategic business management tool with boardroom representation, a similar status will take at least another decade to achieve in the UAE.
FM in the mature markets has been able to adapt and change to suit the demands of ‘boom’ and ‘bust’ economic cycles and more professional business demands. The UAE has only just experienced its first serious economic hurdle and the benefits of full FM are still to be realised. That said, there are a number of organisations in the UAE both Government and private sector that are adopting the FM model as part of their business strategy. The success of these will provide local benchmarks for future adopters and hopefully will be the serious catalyst needed to take FM in the UAE to the next level.
Considering the economic climate, is it an appropriate time to enter a new market?
It’s a massive gamble but one that we have considered to have an acceptable investment risk. We have to remember that FM was born in the UK in the late 80’s and was a direct consequence of a deep recession. Business economics were being tested and the outsourcing of non-core services to a competent single entity provided a sensible and effective solution. Those economic ingredients are here today in the UAE, probably with a greater degree of impact, so now is as good a time as any!
Modus is drawing upon its collective and previous International experience to bring to the FM market in the UAE, a proven track record in areas such as Strategic FM Consultancy and full FM Operations. The FM consultancy is proving to be an emerging sub-market sector where embedding FM specialists (technical and operational) in the project team at concept design stage of new builds brings a different dimension to the design assisting the eradication of long term operational and asset integrity problems.
The FM operational services assist clients in the development of professional and robust building management practices that will enable them to reap the benefits of cost savings and streamlined businesses at a time where budgets are extremely tight, every dirham counts and when the overall economy is struggling to get a foothold on the recovery ladder.
As the economy begins to recover, both locally and globally, the clients that have taken this period to review their business practices and utilise the experience and knowledge that is available in the market from FM companies such as Modus, will see greater value both in the short and long term.
What specific areas would you be targeting in the initial stages?
Modus has actively been promoting its Brand with two distinct offerings, FM strategic consultancy (building design and operations) and delivery of full FM Operations. In terms of sectors, Modus is focusing on Government and its agencies, International and local professional Corporations, IT and ‘High Tec’ organisations and major infrastructure (transport etc.).
What expectations can the prospective customers have from Modus facilities management offerings?
‘Professional cost effective asset protection linked to a highly focused service ethic backed by a top quartile International FM track record’.
Modus is an experienced FM company that has a number of offerings to its prospective customers, many of which are unique to the FM market in the UAE.
Modus is a leading knowledge-based Facilities Services (FM) and building support services organisation that offers the ‘next generation’ FM through its innovative management approach which utilises a number of unique registered service lines and brands. These are ‘Service Fusion’®; our service philosophy, EcoFiciency’®; our Environmental management philosophy and ‘EnerFiciency’®; our Energy management philosophy. Each brand being linked to our own Integrated Management System (IMS) that is certified to ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 standards.
What are they likely to find compelling about the services’ candidacy?
Modus is able to offer an unrivalled combination of professional FM management and International experience, which is supported by expert systems, processes and services for the whole built environment to its Clients. At a cost effective price too! The emphasis of building owners in an optimised yield from its investment and Modus can provide an assurance component in that equation that ensures property asset integrity and user satisfaction. Well service and maintained building s attract higher premiums and discerning tenants.
What milestones have you envisaged for Modus vis-a-vis the Gulf Region?
Modus is currently establishing operations in Bahrain and Lebanon with a Q3 entry strategy for other GCC states.
Overall Modus has a 5 year strategy to have operations in the major GCC states providing FM consultancy and operations with the additional services of high end design, fit out and project management.
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