Guide to the best CAFM for hospitality operators

Key features of CAFM software

Whether you’re based on-site at one restaurant or you manage several locations, the best CAFM systems allow you to maintain complete control over your entire portfolio from one place and have the peace of mind that everything is running as smoothly as possible. 

CAFM Software allows you to do this by assisting with the management of your buildings, assets and any personnel who operate within, whether that be for the operation of your restaurant, maintenance, or even general upkeep. 

Supply Procurement 

Many companies tout their CAFM's ability to order and schedule maintenance all from one place. This feature, which so many companies focus on, essentially comes down to the system’s ability to place orders. If you think less about services and more about supplies, then the system’s relevance to restaurants becomes much more apparent. 

Through a CAFM, you can place orders on ingredients, kitchen equipment, uniforms and so much more. The genius of the best CAFMs is that they can work autonomously. With an understanding of your budget and needs, the best CAFM software can keep your restaurant stocked with everything you need, when you need it. 

Contractor Management 

That’s not to say the software’s ability to be used for the hiring and management of contractors isn’t relevant. Restaurants are no strangers to equipment malfunctions, which can often cause huge challenges by limiting the food and/or drinks you can serve; in extreme cases, this can even drive customers away. 

Being able to quickly and efficiently connect with your approved contractors in the area who you can call out to fix the problem as quickly as possible can be life-saving for your business.

Cost Management 

The best CAFM software allows its users to manage all spending through a connected, constantly updating system that details your budgets and outgoings. You can stay up to date on your finances, and set budgets and limits on certain outgoings to ensure you’re always in control. 

Compliance 

When operating venues that are sometimes scattered around the country, keeping on top of maintainence obligations, health and safety testing and fire drills can easily become a headache. The best CAFM software can help your business keep track of which venue is in need of servicing and store all compliance certification centrally. 

In the event of contractor call-outs, outside parties can have their credentials checked before they begin the job to ensure they are also meeting health and safety standards while on your property.

Reporting 

It’s good to have a complete overview of your business, whether it’s a single location or multiple. No matter where you are, when you use CAFMs, you can have access to a full suite of reports, from financial reports to targets and performance data, from across your businesses. Depending on how open you want to be, you can give all of your management team access to this data, so they can use it to make informed business decisions around the clock.

Learn about our CAFM, Access Maintain.

Key considerations when choosing CAFM software for your hospitality business

Having identified the features, and more importantly, the potential benefits of the best CAFM software for hospitality, let’s talk about what you need. With so many potential uses, which of these functions will add value to your business?  

While CAFMs can be incredibly helpful, there are a number of factors that will affect just how valuable the software can be for each individual.

Size

For operators of independent restaurants with fewer sites and limited staff and expenses, it’s worth asking: Is it worthwhile to invest time and resources into a robust CAFM boasting an extensive array of features? After all, CAFMs are designed to simplify business operations, enhance efficiency and curtail costs by seamlessly integrating the various facets of the management process. If these elements are already effectively managed, is the acquisition of software to handle these aspects truly advantageous?

The truth is, only you can answer this. The best CAFM software will reduce the time you spend on admin, streamline your processes and ensure you stay compliant. Even for smaller hospitality establishments, that can make a huge difference. If you’re not sure, it may be best to audit the time spent on admin across your business maintenance processes and weigh this against the investment needed to access a CAFM system that works for you.

Cost

The best CAFM systems are praised for how much they cut costs when it comes to things like reactive maintenance, as they allow users to keep their facilities in good condition and book preventative maintenance before issues arise. 

They also allow for effective cost management tracking, so that businesses can better identify and eliminate superfluous or unnecessary spending.

This will likely have more of an impact on larger establishments and chains. Owner-operated venues are likely to have this more under control than those run by general managers who may not have a full overview of all spending and maintenance needs.

Read more on the cost of facility management software.

Adoption

If you already use other types of facility management software, such as EAM or CMMS, you may find that even the best CAFM systems have some overlap with the programs you already use. 

When it comes to introducing and rolling out new software, there can sometimes be resistance from staff who are comfortable with the status quo. It’s important to identify what your CAFM software is going to offer that you don’t get from your existing software, and why that matters; if you can see a clear operational benefit to making the change, you’ll find it easier to communicate that and get buy-in from the team. If it’s going to make their lives easier, you’ll probably find they’re all for it once it’s explained.

What is the best CAFM software for your hospitality business?

There is a huge range of CAFM systems out there for you to choose from, many of which are very highly rated and work with some impressive clients.

One of those options is obviously Access Maintain.

In a 2019 survey, 84% of clients asked said that they would recommend Access Maintain.

While you may find that other CAFM solutions give you what you need, Access Maintain offers an adaptable and comprehensive range of features, which can support venues of all sizes.

Maintain’s potential value for hospitality venues is helped, in large part by the fact that it is, at its core, built with hospitality in mind and the processes and automations are adapted to the specific needs of hospitality businesses.

Ease of use

When it comes to facility management, one of the most pressing concerns is ease of use. We’ve gone to great lengths to refine our user experience.

Our cloud-based software has been mobile-optimised for a relaxed, straightforward experience. Our clients can confidently monitor their systems from anywhere, on any internet-connected device for complete control, no matter what they’re doing. 

Project Management

Your Access Maintain dashboard will give you a comprehensive overview of any and all ongoing projects across your entire estate, with a complete look at all available data from budgets to KPIs. 

This is information that all businesses should be aware of and is incredibly useful for growing your business. 

Documentation and Reports

Access Maintain offers one simple source for all of your important certificates, risk and compliance documentation, as well as those of any contractors you choose to work with. This, along with the software’s reporting capabilities, gives your business an unmatched level of transparency. 

You’ll no doubt have a system in place for all your important documents and certification checks, but is it as organised and efficient as it could be? 

Trusted 

When it comes to looking for the best CAFM software, you need to know the company you’re allowing to help manage your facilities is one you can trust. 

Of course, if one or more of the features above aren’t relevant for you, you might decide that you’d be better off with one of the other options on the market. There’s a wealth of dependable facilities management software available, so you certainly won’t be lost for choice. And hopefully, this guide will help you to navigate the available information to narrow down the right choice for you. 

What’s next? 

Ultimately, the best CAFM software for you will depend entirely on your targets and the structure of your business. Before you choose, it’s important to consider:

• Whether you’re paying for features you don’t need; if the software you’re considering offers functions that you won’t use, is there an alternative that would give you everything you need for less?
• What value is this likely to offer? Will you see a return on the investment? 
• How easy will it be to make the change? Is it likely to cause disruption to your business? And if so, how will you recoup the cost of that disruption? 

If you think it could be a worthwhile investment, then we’d encourage you to explore the possibility further by researching the available options.