Long before construction and landscaping is completed, commercial property management, security and maintenance companies must be in place. The property owners, having advertised and gone through numerous tender applications, must appoint a firm, by signed contract for a fixed duration, to manage the overall human traffic. This property management company will in-turn sign and monitor contracts with other specialty firms and individuals for security guards and systems, interior cleaning, exterior landscaping and vertical cleaning, locks and safes, lift maintenance, air-condition, electrical and plumbing services. Many commercial property owners try to cut cost by assigning this key management role to differently trained persons or try to do it themselves. Property Management or Resource Management is a specialized field.Security is paramount in today’s world. Hence, many security firms offer property owners additional services and this work great for small or low traffic properties. Any security guard can oversee an air-condition technician once a quarter or a pool cleaner once a month but the person scheduling and confirming these activities is acting as a Resource Manager. Large traffic properties, such as shopping malls, hotels or office buildings, will quickly point out the problems associated with having a property owner or a highly trained security officer in-charge of coordinating time and emergency repairs.
An experience Resource Manager has been exposed to contract law and is part engineer and part accountant. Before signing a new maintenance contract the Resource Manager must verify the track record of the individual or firm, both in the areas of work performance and cost. For example, the Resource Manager must be knowledgeable on computerized systems, security recording and camera lens, electrical circuits, lift safety, pool chemical, air-condition gases, general cleaning materials, just to name a few. The Resource Manager must justify all expenses to the property owners; this requires a working knowledge of accounting systems, bank statements and presenting budgets.
The main function of the Resource Manager is planning, scheduling routine activities and limiting emergencies. The Resource Manager firstly must label the property into activity zones, from the public toilets or Public Water Closet (PWC) to highly secured suites or Limited Access Areas (LAA). These terms are constantly used to schedule both security checks and maintenance activities. PWCs are scheduled for security inspections at 5am and 5pm everyday and cleaning at 7pm on working days and as necessary on non-working days, repairs are scheduled also as necessary driven by the security inspection report. LAAs are cleaned and repaired under the direct supervision of the designated security officer; the only one with access.
Resource Management, like many other fields, is a back office function and is not noticed until something goes wrong and there is no plan “B”.
Rationale
T.A.J & Associates Company Limited uses this occasion to comment on topics that have been covered, both academically and by the mainstream media, to add its opinion and point out investment opportunity, not to invoke any social action.
