Getting Comfortable Together — Quick Intro

• What's your role and the portfolio you manage (one-sentence)?
• Which title best matches your role? Options: VP, Corporate Real Estate, Director of Facilities, Property/Portfolio Manager, COO/Operations Head, Campus Facilities Lead, Other
• Which best describes the size of your portfolio today? Options: Under 500,000 sq ft, 500,000 – 2M sq ft, 2M – 5M sq ft, 5M – 10M sq ft, Over 10M sq ft
• What building types are in this portfolio? Options: Office, Corporate campus, Laboratory/Institutional, Retail/Commercial, Mixed-use, Industrial, Other
• Who else on your team should be in this conversation (names/titles)?

Are You Tolerating Hidden Costs?

• Roughly how much do you estimate is lost annually to emergency repairs, overtime, and rework across your portfolio? Options: < $100k, $100k–$500k, $500k–$1M, $1M–$3M, >$3M, Unsure
• Tell me about the last 12 months: what unplanned equipment failures cost you the most in time or money?
• How frequently do emergency repairs force overtime or vendor rushes? Options: Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly, Rarely, Unsure
• When surprises happen, how do they typically make you feel about your current operations setup? Options: Frustrated/overwhelmed, Concerned but manageable, Indifferent, Confident we can handle it, Other
• Who currently signs off on unbudgeted emergency spend and what’s their approval threshold?

Who's Actually Calling the Shots?

• If a month from now the program failed publicly, who in your organization would feel the consequences first and what would they say?
• Who are the decision-makers and influencers for facilities vendor changes (select all that apply)? Options: Real Estate/Property, Operations/Facilities, Finance, Procurement, Safety/Compliance, HR/Workplace, Executive Sponsor
• What timeline does your organization expect for a pilot decision and final approval? Options: Immediate (30 days), Near-term (30–90 days), Quarterly (90–180 days), Longer (6+ months), Unsure
• How do each of your key stakeholders define 'good' for a facilities partner (one-sentence per stakeholder)?
• Which communication style keeps your approvers comfortable during change? Options: Weekly written dashboards, Bi-weekly calls, Monthly executive summaries, Real-time alerts for exceptions, On-site reviews

What Keeps Tenants and Teams Up at Night?

• What's the single recurring occupant or tenant complaint you haven't been able to permanently fix?
• Which of these operational KPIs currently cause the most friction? Options: HVAC downtime, Temperature complaints, Elevator outages, Janitorial/cleanliness, Work-order response time, Regulatory compliance incidents, Energy consumption
• How often do occupant comfort issues lead to formal complaints or turnover risk? Options: Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Rarely, Never tracked
• Describe a recent incident where an operations issue affected tenant relations—what happened and what was the outcome?
• When you think about occupant satisfaction, which feeling matters most to you to preserve or improve? Options: Safety/trust, Consistent comfort, Speed of issue resolution, Transparency of updates, Aesthetic/cleanliness

Where Is Your Operational Data Telling You A Story — and Where Is It Silent?

• If your operations dashboard went dark tomorrow, what critical blind spot would you discover you have?
• Which systems feed your current operations view (select all that apply)? Options: CMMS/work-order system, BMS/EMS, Energy meters, Asset register/ERP, Tenant helpdesk/portal, Manual logs/spreadsheets, Other
• How confident are you in the accuracy of your asset inventory and deferred maintenance list? Options: Very confident, Somewhat confident, Not confident, No formal inventory
• How often do you get consolidated reports that tie operational KPIs to cost and risk? Options: Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly, Ad hoc, Never
• Share an example where better data would have changed a decision—what was missing?

What If Maintenance Could Be Predictable?

• If you could predict and prevent half your emergency repairs next year, how would that change your priorities?
• Rank the outcomes you need most from a facilities partner (1–3: 1 = most important). Options: Lower operating cost, Fewer tenant complaints, Regulatory compliance, Improved asset lifespan, Energy savings, Smoother transitions
• What tangible cost reduction target would make an outsourced FM partner worthwhile for you? Options: <5%, 5–10%, 10–20%, 20–30%, >30%, I need a full cost comparison first
• How important is vendor consolidation versus keeping specialty vendors in place? Options: Very important, Somewhat important, Neutral, Prefer keeping specialty vendors
• Describe a time when predictable maintenance unlocked capacity or saved costs—what changed?

What Would a Successful Pilot Actually Prove?

• What would make a pilot undeniably successful in your eyes—what single metric or event closes the loop?
• Which pilot scope appeals most to you? Options: Single flagship building, A cluster of similar buildings, A single trade (HVAC or janitorial), A short-term seasonal pilot, Other
• What success signals should we agree up front (select all that apply)? Options: % reduction in emergency repairs, % improvement in response time, Occupant satisfaction score uplift, Cost savings vs baseline, Compliance pass rate, Clear handover documentation
• How long would you expect a pilot to run before deciding on roll-out? Options: 30 days, 60 days, 90 days, 3–6 months, Longer
• Who needs to sign off on pilot acceptance and what information will satisfy them?

How Hard Would Transition Be — Really?

• What part of transitioning from in-house or multiple vendors to an integrated FM partner worries you most? Options: Staff disruption/retention, Service gaps during consolidation, Union/HR issues, Parts/inventory shortages, Tenant disruption, Other
• Have you ever run a transition like this before? Tell us one lesson learned and one thing you'd do differently.
• What level of involvement do you expect from our team during the first 60 days of transition? Options: Hands-on daily, Weekly checkpoints, Advisory support, Minimal — we manage
• Which operational readiness items must be in place before go-live (select all that apply)? Options: Site access/keys, Parts inventory, Staffing plan/transfers, Vendor termination/handovers, Tenant communication plan, Regulatory documentation
• If a staffing swap causes temporary service drops, how would you expect escalation and remediation to be handled?

Money Talks: How Does Risk Show Up in Your Budget?

• If costs spike in the first 6 months, who absorbs overruns and how would that be resolved?
• Which best describes your current spend mix for operations? Options: Mostly in-house labor, Mix of in-house and vendors, Fragmented third-party vendors (many contracts), Fully outsourced
• How transparent is your current spend reporting (work order-level, vendor-level, or only summary)? Options: Work order-level, Vendor-level summaries, Only high-level totals, We don't track reliably
• What's the minimum annual cost-savings or ROI you would need to proceed with outsourcing? Options: No minimum — strategic reasons, 5–10%, 10–15%, 15–25%, Depends on non-financial outcomes
• Are there procurement or contracting constraints (term limits, insurance, SLAs) we should be aware of?

Compliance, Safety, and Reputational Risk — What Keeps You Up?

• Which compliance areas are highest risk today (select all that apply)? Options: Fire & life safety, Elevator/escalator, Environmental permits, OSHA/safety training, Critical equipment inspections, Other
• Describe a time when a compliance or safety lapse created a tangible problem—what happened and who was accountable?
• How do you prefer safety and compliance be reported to stakeholders? Options: Real-time incident alerts, Weekly compliance dashboard, Monthly executive summary, Quarterly audits only
• What would restore your confidence that compliance risk is fully managed?

Decision & Next Steps — What Would Make You Move?

• Given what we've discussed, what single condition would make you commit to a pilot in the next quarter?
• Which readiness items remain outstanding before you could sign a Statement of Work? Options: Budget approval, Executive sponsor sign-off, Legal/contract review, Site access agreements, Operational handover plan, Other
• Realistically, what's your decision timeframe for selecting a partner? Options: Immediately (30 days), Within 1–3 months, 3–6 months, 6+ months, Undetermined
• What information or proof would you need from us to feel confident moving forward (e.g., site audit, reference, pilot pricing)?
• Would you like to schedule a focused readiness call to map pilot scope and owners? Options: Yes — schedule now, Maybe — need internal alignment, Not yet

Quick Snapshot: Your Portfolio in One Breath

• Roughly how many facilities are we mapping in this conversation? Options: 1–5, 6–20, 21–50, 51–200, 200+
• What is the approximate total square footage of those facilities? Options: <250k sqft, 250k–1M sqft, 1M–3M sqft, 3M–10M sqft, >10M sqft
• Which property types are included in this portfolio? (select all that apply) Options: Office, Corporate campus, Educational/University, Healthcare, Industrial/warehouse, Retail/mixed-use, Multi-family/Residential, Other
• Which regions or three primary markets house most of these assets? (list cities/states)
• Who is your primary operational contact for these sites (name and role)?
• What is the current annual facilities O&M budget for these assets (ballpark)? Options: <$500k, $500k–$2M, $2M–$10M, $10M–$50M, >$50M

Are We Still Flying Blind?: Visibility & Data

• When was the last time an equipment failure surprised you—one that good data should have prevented?
• How would you describe your real-time visibility into equipment health across the portfolio? Options: Full dashboards and alerts across sites, Partial — some BMS/IoT feeding dashboards, Limited — CMMS only, manual updates, Reactive — no automated signals
• Which systems feed your operational picture today? (select all that apply) Options: CMMS (work-order system), BMS/controls, IoT sensors (vibration/temperature/etc.), Energy management platform, Manual logs or spreadsheets, Vendor portals, Other
• How often do closed work-orders include a credible root-cause, parts used, and corrective action in the record? Options: Almost always, Often, Sometimes, Rarely, Never
• Tell us about a specific incident where missing data increased cost, downtime, or tenant complaints.

Who’s Actually Doing the Work—and What Keeps Them Up at Night?

• If your current vendors and contractors were unavailable tomorrow, which services would stop first?
• How many different trade vendors or contractors are active across these sites today? Options: 1–5, 6–10, 11–20, 20+
• Which operating model describes you today? Options: Single prime outsourced FM, In-house maintenance team, Hybrid (in-house + key vendors), Multiple independent vendors with no prime coordinator
• Which vendor relationships cause the most management overhead or scope confusion?
• How are vendor SLAs currently tracked and enforced? Options: Automated SLA tracking in system, Periodic manual review, Contract audit only, Not tracked consistently
• What barriers have you encountered when attempting to consolidate vendors or shift scope?

What Are You Tolerating Until It Breaks?

• Roughly how large is your deferred maintenance backlog (give ballpark $ or call out major categories)?
• Which asset types are most likely to cause an unplanned outage in the next 12 months? (select all that apply) Options: Roofing, HVAC systems, Boilers/Chillers, Electrical switchgear, Elevators/escalators, Plumbing/drainage, Fire/life-safety systems, Other
• How often do emergency repairs exceed your planned maintenance spend? Options: Monthly or more, Quarterly, Annually, Rarely
• Do you maintain a multi-year capital plan informed by condition assessments? Options: Yes — updated annually, Yes — but outdated, No — we react ad hoc, Planning in progress
• When an unexpected capital-level repair appears, how is it usually funded? Options: Contingency OPEX, CAPEX reallocation, Reserve funds/escrow, Delay other projects, Insurance/other
• Share a concrete example of a deferred maintenance surprise and how you handled it.

If the Numbers Could Talk: KPIs That Matter

• If you had to defend your facilities budget in one chart, which metric would make or break your case?
• Which operational KPIs do you actively track today? (select all that apply) Options: Cost per sqft, Planned vs reactive work ratio, Work-order response time, First-time fix rate, Energy use per sqft, Occupant satisfaction/complaints, Safety & compliance pass rate, Downtime hours
• Which KPI do you trust least because of gaps or inconsistent data?
• What are your current targets for cost reduction, energy performance, or response times (list specific percent or absolute goals)?
• How often are KPI reports reviewed and who reviews them? Options: Weekly by ops team, Monthly leadership review, Quarterly executive/finance, Ad hoc/as needed
• Which tools deliver KPI visibility to stakeholders today? (select all that apply) Options: CMMS dashboards, BMS / controls dashboards, BI tools (Power BI/Tableau), Custom spreadsheets/slide decks, No central dashboard

Where Transitions Trip You Up

• What has been the hardest part of handing sites to a new provider or shifting from in-house to outsourced teams?
• Have you previously transitioned to an outsourced FM model or changed a prime contractor? Options: Yes — transition went smoothly, Yes — transition was challenging, No — never transitioned, Partial/ongoing transition
• Which of the following caused the most friction in past transitions? (select all that apply) Options: Staff turnover, Knowledge-transfer gaps, Parts/inventory shortages, Unclear governance, Tenant disruption, Union/labor issues
• Do union rules or local labor agreements affect how you can staff or restructure sites? Options: Yes — unionized sites, Yes — local labor restrictions, No — no restrictions
• How complete and accessible is your spare-parts inventory and maintenance supply chain data? Options: Fully cataloged and accessible, Mostly cataloged, Significant gaps, We don't track inventory
• What communications or governance steps have historically failed during transitions?
• What would make a staffing or vendor transition feel low-risk to you?

What Would Success Feel Like—Not in Slides, But in the Morning?

• If a new program made your mornings easier, what specific worry would you stop having first?
• Select up to three outcomes that would make a pilot a clear win for you. Options: Reduce total O&M cost, Lower emergency repairs, Improve occupant satisfaction, Achieve consistent compliance, Improve energy performance, Consolidate vendors, Reliable reporting & visibility, Stabilize staffing and supervision
• What percentage of O&M cost reduction would justify a portfolio rollout for you? Options: 5–7%, 8–12%, 13–20%, 20%+
• Describe the pilot success signals—what exact outcomes would convince you to expand?
• Who are the internal stakeholders whose sign-off you need before moving from pilot to roll-out? Options: VP Real Estate, CFO/Finance, Facilities Director/Head of Ops, Legal/Procurement, Tenant leadership, Other
• How soon would you expect to see measurable results from a well-structured pilot? Options: 30 days, 60–90 days, 6 months, 12 months

Can We Take One Small Step Together?

• If we conducted an on-site discovery at one property this quarter, what would you be most worried we'd find?
• How willing are you to share access to CMMS history, vendor contracts, and energy bills for a discovery audit? Options: Full access (no redaction), Limited access (redacted), High-level summary only, Not willing
• What timeline are you targeting for a pilot decision or beginning a transition? Options: Immediate (next 30 days), 60–90 days, This quarter, Next 6–12 months, No timeline set
• Who are the decision-makers and what are their approval timeframes? (list name, role, and expected timeline)
• Which data exports can you provide easily for discovery? (select all that apply) Options: CMMS export (CSV), BMS/controls logs, Utility bills (electronic), Vendor contracts (PDF), Work-order PDFs, None of the above
• Would you like us to propose a two-month discovery + pilot scope for a single site to validate assumptions? Options: Yes — please propose, Maybe — follow up first, No — not at this time

A Quick Orientation — Tell Us About Today

• Which title best describes your role on facilities and real estate decisions? Options: Corporate Real Estate VP, Facility Director / Head of Ops, Property Manager, COO / Chief Operating Officer, Operations Manager, Procurement / Sourcing, Other
• Roughly how large is the portfolio you oversee (total square feet)? Options: < 250,000 sf, 250,000–1,000,000 sf, 1,000,001–3,000,000 sf, 3,000,001–7,000,000 sf, > 7,000,000 sf, Prefer not to say
• What triggered you to explore external facilities management right now? Options: Merger / consolidation of space, Service provider underperformance at renewal, Spike in energy or operating costs, Regulatory or compliance concern, Occupant satisfaction issues / complaints, Executive mandate to reduce costs, Other
• In a sentence or two, what is the single biggest operational headache keeping you up at night?
• Who else will be part of evaluating and approving a new FM partner? Options: CEO / Executive Leadership, CFO / Finance, Legal / Procurement, Site Facility Managers, HR / Tenant Experience, Union or Labor Representatives, Other

Are You Settling for 'Good Enough'?

• What kinds of problems have you quietly accepted in your facilities operations because fixing them felt too hard or expensive?
• How frequently are you responding to emergency maintenance events that interrupt business operations? Options: Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly, Rarely
• When those emergencies happen, how do they typically translate into business impact (lost revenue, tenant complaints, safety risk)? Give one recent example.
• How long have you been tolerating the mix of reactive work and deferred maintenance currently in your portfolio? Options: Under 6 months, 6–12 months, 1–3 years, 3–5 years, 5+ years
• Which maintenance or service areas do you feel are most 'out of control' right now? Options: HVAC / Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, Janitorial / Cleaning, Grounds / Exterior, Elevators / Vertical transport, Other

Where the Money Really Goes (and Why It Hurts)

• If you had to pick one place you believe is consuming the most operating dollars, what is it? Options: Reactive repairs and emergency calls, Overlapping vendor fees / markups, Excess overtime and premium labor, Energy inefficiency and utility waste, Parts and inventory losses, Contract misalignment / scope creep, Other
• Please estimate the annual spend split you see today (or provide the best approximation): reactive repairs %, preventive maintenance %, outsourced services %, energy costs %.
• How many discrete vendors or contractors are active across your portfolio today? Options: Fewer than 10, 10–25, 26–50, 51–100, 100+
• How often do you review or reconcile vendor invoices for duplicate charges, scope creep, or over-billing? Options: Monthly, Quarterly, Annually, Ad-hoc / when problems arise, Never
• Have you benchmarked your ops spend against similar portfolios? If so, what surprised you? Options: Yes — costs higher than peers, Yes — costs lower than peers, Yes — mixed results, No — haven’t benchmarked, Planning to

Who Decides What 'Good' Looks Like?

• Whose definition of success will ultimately determine whether a facilities partner is 'a win' for your organization? Options: Executive leadership / CRE, Finance / CFO, Site facility managers, Property management, Tenants / occupants, Compliance / Risk, Other
• For each stakeholder group you selected, what would feel like a convincing success signal to them (be specific — uptime %, cost change, complaint reduction)?
• What non-negotiables or hard constraints must any solution meet (e.g., union agreements, minimum on-site staff, SLAs)? Options: Union labor protections, Local licensing or vendor restrictions, Minimum staffing levels, Strict safety / compliance standards, Budget ceiling, Data / reporting requirements, Other
• What is your expected timeline from pilot approval to enterprise rollout if the pilot meets criteria? Options: Immediate (1–2 months), Short (3–6 months), Medium (6–12 months), Long (12+ months), Unsure
• What procurement or legal steps have historically slowed these decisions, and how would you like to avoid them this time?

What Would Success Feel Like — Not Just Look Like?

• A year after switch-over, what's the first human moment or signal that tells you we got this right?
• Which operational KPIs matter most to you right now? Options: Equipment uptime / MTBF, Work order completion time, Tenant satisfaction / NPS, Energy consumption per square foot, Total cost of maintenance, Safety incidents / OSHA events, Other
• What percentage reduction in operating costs would make this change 'worth it' to your board or finance team? Options: < 5%, 5–10%, 10–15%, 15–25%, > 25%, Cost reduction is secondary to reliability
• How would you like performance reported during and after the pilot (frequency, format, recipients)? Options: Weekly dashboard, Bi-weekly check-ins, Monthly executive summary, Real-time CMMS access, Quarterly deep-dive, Other
• Beyond metrics, what occupant experience outcome would convince you this is a success (e.g., fewer temperature complaints, cleaner common areas)?

Transition & People: Can We Keep Your People and Tenants Calm?

• When teams change hands, what do you worry about most—service drop-off, morale, knowledge loss, or something else? Options: Service disruption or coverage gaps, Loss of institutional knowledge, Union / labor pushback, Employee morale and retention, Tenant complaints, Vendor relationship breakage, Other
• How many on-site maintenance staff are currently at a typical property, and what are their core skill sets?
• Are there particular staff or local vendors you want to see retained or integrated into the new model? Options: Yes — retain local technicians, Yes — retain site supervisors, No — we expect full replacement, Unsure / case-by-case
• What communication channels do you use with tenants and employees today, and how quickly do you expect updates during transition? Options: Email bulletins, Tenant portal, SMS / Alerts, On-site meetings, Property manager outreach, Other
• Tell us about any recent labor or union agreements we should know about and how long they will affect staffing flexibility.

Operational Readiness — Do We Have What We Need to Execute?

• What single operational gap—access, inventory, documentation, or systems—would derail a clean takeover?
• Which CMMS, computerized maintenance, or work-order tools are you using today (if any)? Options: IBM Maximo, Oracle/PeopleSoft, UpKeep, Fiix, Maintenance Connection, Proprietary / In-house, No CMMS
• How would you describe the current state of your spare parts and critical inventory? Options: Well-stocked and organized, Moderately organized with gaps, Fragmented and insufficient, Unknown / no inventory records
• Are there site access, security, or vendor onboarding requirements we must meet before crews can work? Options: Badging / background checks, Site-specific safety training, Insurance limits, Vendor pre-qualification, Dedicated escort required, Other
• What safety, compliance, or certification checklists must be completed during pilot acceptance? Options: Fire life-safety inspections, Elevator certifications, Environmental permits, OSHA / safety training records, Local building code compliance, Other

If We Move Forward — What Does Your Ideal Pilot Look Like?

• If you could design a pilot that removes ambiguity, what's the one element you would insist on including?
• Which criteria should determine the pilot site(s)? Options: High visibility to leadership, Representative asset type, Known problem site, Operational simplicity, Tenant composition, Geographic convenience, Other
• What is an acceptable pilot duration to truly evaluate performance? Options: 30 days, 60–90 days, 3–6 months, 6–12 months, Depends on pilot scope
• Which outcome measures will make the pilot a clear pass or fail (choose up to 5)? Options: Work order completion rate, Reduction in emergency calls, Cost per square foot, Tenant satisfaction score change, Energy savings, Inventory turns / stock accuracy, Safety incidents
• What are your top three fears about running a pilot, and what would reassure you?
• If the pilot succeeds, how quickly should we be prepared to scale the program? Options: Within 30 days, 1–3 months, 3–6 months, 6–12 months, Undecided

Quick Snapshot: Who Are We Helping Today?

• Which property or portfolio are we focusing on in this conversation, and who is our primary contact?
• What is your role and primary responsibility for facilities and operations? Options: Facility Director / Head of FM, VP, Corporate Real Estate, Property Manager, Operations / COO, Campus Facilities Lead, Other
• Approximately how many square feet does this portfolio represent? Options: < 250,000 sqft, 250k–1M sqft, 1M–2.5M sqft, 2.5M–5M sqft, 5M–10M sqft, > 10M sqft, Not sure
• Who currently handles day-to-day maintenance requests for this portfolio? Options: In-house maintenance team, Third-party contractors (multiple vendors), Single FM provider, Hybrid (in-house + vendors), Other
• Roughly how much does the organization spend annually on operations and maintenance for this portfolio (including external vendors)? Options: < $500k, $500k–$1M, $1M–$3M, $3M–$10M, > $10M, Prefer not to say, Not sure
• What immediate reason brought you to explore an outsourced FM partner now?

Are You Comfortable With The Status Quo?

• When was the last time an operational failure surprised leadership—and what happened?
• How often do you experience emergency repairs that exceed planned maintenance spend? Options: Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly, A few times a year, Rarely, Never
• Which systems or asset types cause the most unplanned downtime for you? Options: HVAC / Chillers, Electrical distribution, Plumbing, Elevators, Fire/life-safety systems, Roofing / Envelope, Building automation (BMS), Other
• How do tenant or employee complaints usually surface, and who typically owns those escalations? Options: Work-order portal / CMMS, Direct emails to property team, Calls to on-site manager, Tenant portal or helpdesk, Other
• Tell us about a recent operational issue that repeatedly caused frustration—who was impacted and how did it feel to manage?

What's Silently Costing You?

• Could deferred maintenance be quietly eroding your NOI right now?
• How regularly does your team follow a preventive maintenance cadence for major assets? Options: Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly, Semi-annually, Annually, Ad hoc / reactive
• Do you have a recent facility condition assessment (FCA) covering this site or portfolio? Options: Yes — within 12 months, Yes — 1–3 years, Partial coverage (subset of sites), No, Planned but not completed
• Estimate the size of your deferred maintenance backlog as a percentage of replacement value (or describe if unknown). Options: < 5%, 5–10%, 10–20%, 20–40%, > 40%, Unknown / No estimate
• What hidden or unexpected costs have surprised you in the past 24 months related to facilities?
• How concerned are you about energy cost volatility and its impact on operating budgets? Options: Very concerned, Somewhat concerned, Neutral, Not very concerned

Whose Buy-In Actually Matters?

• If this program doesn’t deliver, whose reputation or objectives are most at stake?
• Who are the decision-makers we should engage and what does each person care about most?
• Who holds budget authority for FM contracts for this portfolio? Options: CFO / Finance, VP Corporate Real Estate, Operations / COO, Facility Director, Committee / Shared authority, Other
• How does each key stakeholder measure 'success' for facilities operations? Options: Cost reduction, SLA compliance / uptime, Tenant satisfaction / NPS, Regulatory compliance, Risk reduction / insurance, Operational transparency / reporting
• Which stakeholders are likely to resist vendor consolidation and why?

Imagine Operations Without Fire Drills

• What would it mean to your team and leadership to stop being blindsided by equipment failure?
• Select the top three outcomes you would prioritize from a pilot program. Options: Reduced emergency spend, Improved tenant satisfaction, Higher SLA uptime, Regulatory compliance assurance, Predictive / preventive maintenance program, Vendor consolidation and simplified invoicing, Clear operational reporting and KPIs
• What percentage reduction in operating costs would you consider a meaningful success? Options: < 5%, 5–10%, 10–20%, > 20%, Unsure / need baseline analysis
• How quickly would you need to see measurable improvements before considering a broader roll-out? Options: Within 30 days, Within 90 days, Within 6 months, Within 12 months, Unsure
• Describe a day after a successful transition—what’s different, who notices it, and how does that change feel?

What Would Break the Plan?

• What single failure during a transition would cause you to stop the pilot immediately?
• Which transition risks keep you up at night? Options: Staff attrition and morale, Vendor coverage gaps, Hidden capital needs / surprise CAPEX, Tenant service disruption, Regulatory non-compliance, Data integrity gaps, Other
• What lessons from past vendor transitions should we be aware of to avoid repeating mistakes?
• Which mitigation steps would make you comfortable continuing through a hiccup? Options: Dedicated transition manager, Escalation SLAs & penalties, Temporary staffing support, Phased rollout, Financial holdbacks / milestone payments, Weekly governance meetings
• Are there contractual terms, union rules, or vendor agreements that could constrain a transition? Options: Yes — union considerations, Yes — incumbent vendor notice periods, Yes — other contractual constraints, No, Not sure
• If you answered 'Yes' above, summarize the constraints, notice windows, or union details we need to plan around.

Pilot: What Would Success Really Look Like?

• If the pilot doesn’t demonstrate clear value, what specific evidence would you point to?
• Which site(s) do you want to use for a pilot and why were those chosen?
• What scope should the pilot include? Options: Full facilities management (all disciplines), HVAC & MEP only, Preventive maintenance program only, Janitorial & grounds, Vendor consolidation only, Other
• Choose up to three primary pilot acceptance criteria. Options: Emergency call reduction (%), SLA compliance rate, PM completion rate, Cost savings vs baseline, Tenant satisfaction improvement, Compliance audit pass
• What baseline numbers (work-order volume, spend, uptime, satisfaction) can you share for the pilot comparison?
• Which governance cadence do you want during the pilot? Options: Weekly operational review, Bi-weekly implementation check-in, Monthly executive review, On-demand issue calls

How Ready Is Your Team to Change?

• How much of your team genuinely wants this change vs. tolerates it? Options: Mostly wants it, Mixed feelings, Mostly tolerates, Actively resists
• Which roles are likely to transfer to the provider, if any? Options: All technicians, Some technicians, Supervisors only, No transfers, Undecided
• How were HR and union issues handled during past reorganizations—what worked and what didn’t?
• What certifications or training do you require for on-site technicians and supervisory staff? Options: OSHA / safety training, NATE / HVAC certifications, Electrical / licensed electricians, Elevator qualifications, Background checks & drug screens, Other
• Which communication channels work best for keeping staff and tenants informed during a transition? Options: Email, Town halls / meetings, Tenant portal, On-site notices, SMS alerts, Property manager outreach, Other
• Who will act as the single escalation owner on your side during deployment?

Data & KPIs That Will Prove It

• Which single KPI, if improved, would justify switching to an outsourced FM partner?
• Which operational KPIs do you currently track and care about most? Options: Work-order volume, Response time to emergencies, Mean time to repair (MTTR), PM completion rate, Tenant satisfaction / NPS, Energy usage / EUI, Regulatory compliance pass rate, Other
• Where does your data live today (select all that apply)? Options: CMMS (work-order system), Building Management System (BMS/ BAS), ERP / Finance systems, Spreadsheets, Paper/manual records, Custom database
• Do you have accessible historical work-order and spend data for the last 12–24 months? Options: Yes — full exports available, Partial data available, No, Not sure
• How frequently do you need dashboards or reports to feel confident in operational performance? Options: Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly, On-demand
• Who on your team needs which report types (operations, finance, executives)?

Next Steps That Don't Feel Risky

• What would make a pilot feel like a low-risk experiment rather than a full commitment?
• Which commercial model would you prefer for a pilot? Options: Fixed-price pilot, Time-and-materials, Performance-based (shared savings), Hybrid
• What are your non-negotiables for contract terms and acceptance criteria?
• How would you like us to demonstrate technician quality before go-live? Options: On-site demo shift, Reference site visit, Certifications and background checks, Trial week of staffed coverage, Video walkthroughs of procedures
• When would you like to schedule a brief decision review with key stakeholders to discuss pilot scope and timing? Options: Within 1 week, 1–2 weeks, 2–4 weeks, Unsure
• Is there anything else—concerns, constraints, or success signals—we should include on our discovery checklist?