FM Evolution: Why Suppliers Need Facility Maintenance Training Too

Quotes:

“I used to talk about studying, sitting on a football field, watching my kids play football, knowing what I need to prepare for… [I’m] just trying to help people understand that you don’t need to be sitting behind a desk or in a classroom to do this.”
(12:18) – Stefanie Driscoll

“For us as a company, we’re saying, ‘Okay, this is what’s on their plate.’ Not just the ABC’s of ours. Usually there are other challenges they face. There are other things they are tasked with… and now we can come and approach a customer with better strategies, in a better understanding of what they are going through.”
(14:48) – Kevin Smith
“You can come back with great solutions and it’s a competitive differentiator for your organization.”
(16:50) – Kevin Smith

“That’s why it’s easy to double down and jump into Pro FM, because it’s the root of what everybody should be engaging with, with customers. Focus on educating folks on, ‘How can I help?’ If you focus on that, the opportunity to talk, you don’t have to sell, if you just help.”
(20:02) – Kevin Smith

Why Suppliers Need Facility Maintenance Training

The connection between the service side of the industry and the vendor side is crucial. This past year we have discussed the 91% gap of those in the FM world who say they need more training to be successful within their career. On this episode, our FM Evolution host, Shaw Black, had the opportunity to sit down with Randy Olson of Pro FM for the latest installation of a Pro FM to discuss the importance of suppliers receiving this same training.

Stefanie Driscoll and Kevin Smith of Ferrandino & Son joined in on the conversation at Connex 2021 to give us some highlights of their experience in training with ProFM’s educational courses.

“I used to talk about studying, sitting on a football field, watching my kids play football, knowing what I need to prepare for… [I’m] just trying to help people understand that you don’t need to be sitting behind a desk or in a classroom to do this.”
Stefanie Driscoll – (12:18)

Challenges faced when stepping into more training like that offered by Pro FM seem to be a lack of time. Many FM workers are juggling their job, family, social life snd the new adaptations brought on in the past year. They know they need more training to level up and grow in their career, but it looks like a pipe dream. Stefanie Driscoll aims to flip the script. You no longer have to be in a classroom, checked out from real life to pursue further education. As a executive, mother, and friend, she studied, practiced, and took tests in her everyday life. She now speaks on behalf of this experience at Connex 2021 and we were excited for the fire she was lighting under others! We are hoping to see this trend continue for anyone who is having problems balancing work, life, and education.

Kevin Smith broke down the why behind the importance of supplier training in particular. Suppliers do not function very similarly to those in FM careers. He believes that this training helped give a window into a better understanding of the FM world. Why does that matter? It would be like a couple who does not understand their significant other’s perspective. Communication is lost without understanding. With this training, suppliers are not only learning for their own benefit, but for the benefit of the interaction with the FM workers.

“For us as a company, we’re saying, ‘Okay, this is what’s on their plate.’ Not just the ABC’s of ours. Usually, there are other challenges they face. There are other things they are tasked with… and now we can come and approach a customer with better strategies, in a better understanding of what they are going through.”
(14:48) – Kevin Smith

The theme of Connex 2021 was community. Building out a community of workers from multi-site facilities management associations who desire to learn and grow together is what makes this event so impactful. Connex focuses on empowering FM professionals with best practices, benchmarking, education, discussion forums, and trusted partnerships. It also brings careers like managers, maintenance workers, and suppliers together as a team rather than separate entities.

As surveys like Outlook 2021 continue, points such as; strategic planning, capital planning, communication, and weathering the current environment are hot topics. Whether you are a manager, supplier, vendor, or contractor, you WILL benefit from further education in all of these areas. As the FM world learns together, it can scale up together!

“That’s why it’s easy to double down and jump into Pro FM, because it’s the root of what everybody should be engaging with, with customers. Focus on educating folks on, ‘How can I help?’ If you focus on that, the opportunity to talk, you don’t have to sell, if you just help.”
(20:02) – Kevin Smith

This episode of FM Evolution is brought to you by Pro FM. Earn your Pro FM credential to elevate your FM knowledge and skills to receive the recognition you deserve. How do your FM skills measure up to the global standard? Try our free map your gap self-assessment at profmi.org/evolution and check out ProFM’s credential course!