The economic conditions and ravaged markets are a testament to the magnitude of the situation of COVID-19. The COVID-19 pandemic has put the spotlight on the facility management (FM) services, with a focus on cleaning, disinfection and sanitisation. As health and hygiene standards are witnessing major attention, the need for facility management has escalated to serve the same. Facility management companies are implementing the learning from other countries, ahead of the curve in handling COVID situations by introducing best practices, technology and innovative solutions.

The industry requires the integration of the right tools and technologies that can enable facilities to achieve optimum efficiency, with an emphasis on hygiene and health protection through contactless and automated operations. Facility management companies worldwide are deploying varied technologies like IoT (Internet of Things), SaaS (Space as a service), smart sensors, QR code reading, Robotic and Mechanized cleaning, and beacons to leverage innovation in commercial, industrial, and residential spaces.

The internet of things (IoT), robotic process automation (RPA), artificial intelligence (AI), smart building/smart workplace sensors and digitization are changing how and where people work. With the help of technological advancement, Forbes Facility Services introduced SILA Connect, which helps users to automate things at their fingertips. SILA Connect includes everything right from occupancy monitoring to ensuring social distancing, real-time checklists, digital signage, cloud-based visitor management and much more.

Facility managers can bring energy efficiency and sustainability to new levels with smart building technology. Forbes Facility Services focuses primarily on energy management and recommends the best-fit solutions for a sustainable space with a complete site and energy analysis.

Compliance - which requires ensuring that everything related to employees and offices adheres to government legislation and applicable security requirements, is one of the key aspects of the FM industry. Our proprietary software SILA Connect helps us with compliance management, which further translates into higher efficiency of work by withdrawing traditional paperwork and manual systems.

Through our SOPs, signage, and technological developments, we at Forbes Facility Services have made deliberate efforts to resolve COVID-19 repercussions to ensure a healthy ecosystem for our sites that ensures the well-being of our clients and employees.

The 'New Normal' calls for a digitized and innovative framework that can sustain new-age real estate industry operations. Technology is the only solution that helps facilities. Facility management firms have stepped forward with a concerted initiative to provide unhindered industry-wide expertise and sustainable space.