How to Streamline Communication in Facility Management

When it comes to facilities management, communication is more than just a useful tool. It is one of the most important keys to success. Beneath every well-maintained facility is a framework of great communication between facilities managers, on-site staff, skilled tradespeople, vendors, technicians, and more. When you’re working with multiple locations, things get even more complicated! 

It can be difficult to live up to the pressure to communicate effectively and clearly, but your CMMS can help. In fact, if your facilities management software and its CMMS isn’t providing you with the foundation for effective communication between all stakeholders, then what is it worth? 

Learn about Fexa’s flexible CMMS solution. 

Facilities managers can lead their organizations to success if they facilitate not just infrastructure and maintenance plans, but also a seamless flow of information. When facilities communication falters, the consequences cascade through the organization: maintenance delays stretch into days, costs increase, and customers get frustrated. In contrast, when communication channels are streamlined, facilities operate with more precision, vendors know exactly when to show up and what to do, and budget lines are protected. 

Let’s take a look at the ways the facilities management department can improve facilities communication protocols through the use of a flexible CMMS. 

Why is effective communication so important in facilities management? 

To understand the importance of effective communication, let’s consider the consequences of poor communication. 

Ineffective communications in the facilities management sphere can lead to: 

• Sluggish work order fulfillment
• Higher overhead costs 
• Increased downtime (which affects sales revenue!)
• Higher repair costs based on missed opportunities for routine maintenance
• Costly turnover rates among frustrated technicians

Of course, there are many contributing factors to poor communication. Although some people are better communicators than others, the problems can often be traced to technology failures, not human ones. 

Multi-site operations are especially complicated when it comes to communication because there are so many moving parts. There are more assets that need to be consistently monitored and discussed, more vendors to manage, and more opportunities for human error! 

When the approach to facilities management involves great communication strategies, the benefits are significant. Good communication leads to: 

• Faster work order resolution
• Reduced overhead costs
• Decreased periods of downtime
• Lower costs due to improved routine maintenance 
• More satisfied employees and vendors alike
• Less stressful work experience
• Fewer duplicate work orders
• Better decision-making 

What are the biggest challenges to clear communication in facility management? 

What makes it difficult to communicate clearly and effectively in a facilities maintenance environment? It is rarely just one thing that causes the problem! These are some of the biggest culprits of damaging communication channels. 

Disconnected Teams and Information Silos

Teams that don’t communicate can’t collaborate. It’s as simple as that! 

A persistent challenge in facilities management is the disconnection between teams and the information silos that result from this disconnect. Let’s say that a facilities manager is responsible for 10 facilities in one geographic region. If each of those teams is using its own approach to asset management and routine maintenance, it can be nearly impossible to get everyone on a schedule. The teams aren’t communicating with one another, so no one realizes that four different facilities need the same kind of repair. Bulk-purchasing the materials for these repairs would save costs, but that’s not going to happen if none of the teams communicate with one another. 

Does your facilities management software resolve these disconnects and silos? If not, it may be time to make a change. 

Lack of Access to Centralized Information 

Next, consider the problems that arise when the teams don’t have a single source for centralized information. When did this asset last undergo routine maintenance? What was the technician’s recommendation for that asset? How many times have we had to run emergency repairs on this system? 

If your information was centrally accessible, decision-makers throughout the company could get the data they need. 

Without a centralized system, facilities managers find themselves facing frustrating delays. Specifically: 

• Location managers can't track the status of maintenance requests
• Facilities teams spend valuable time searching for information instead of solving problems
• Service providers lack context for maintenance issues, leading to incomplete repairs
• Finance teams struggle to verify billing against completed work

Outdated CMMS systems require you to depend on external tools that are cobbled into the system, which are used to track multiple work orders and invoices for every single job. 

Vendor Coordination Challenges 

Coordinating with multiple vendors presents another significant communication hurdle.

Without an automated facilities communication system, facilities management leaders find themselves inundated with communication items---requests, confirmations, follow-ups, questions, cancellations, and more.

You’ll also face issues with: 

• Tracking vendor compliance with insurance requirements and certifications
• Ensuring vendors receive timely and accurate information about maintenance needs
• Verifying that work was completed to standards before processing payments
• Managing specialized vendors for different types of maintenance issues

In emergency situations, these coordination challenges become even more critical. In a disaster or other emergent situation, you’re going to need to be able to communicate quickly with multiple tradespeople. You’ll have cleanup crews, electricians, plumbers, and more, all of whom need precise and detailed instructions. The more vendors you have working at once, the more rigorous your communication channels must be. 

Compliance Risks

Lastly, poor communication creates significant compliance risks. 

Any time you’re working with compliance issues, you need efficient tracking systems, meticulous maintenance records, and documentation for every repair. Compliance with OSHA, EPA, LEED, and other sustainability regulations is essential to avoiding penalties and fines that can wreak havoc on your organization’s bottom line. 

Fines for non-compliance can be substantial:

• Clean Air Act violations can reach "$55,000-117,000 daily (with a maximum $446,000 fine per violation)
• California's Climate Accountability Acts can impose up to $500,000 in penalties for failing to disclose emissions

How can a CMMS improve communication between teams and vendors? 

Chances are, we’ve convinced you that bad communication leads to bad outcomes! It’s also likely that you have already experienced some of these issues if you’re using a rigid legacy CMMS---or maybe you don’t have specific Facilities Management Software (FMS) in place because you have been cobbling together a hybrid system of emailed work orders, free tools, and paper records. 

Upgrading your facilities management software to include an outstanding CMMS will change all of that. 

Your CMMS will give you real-time updates and centralized communication 

A modern CMMS platform serves as a centralized hub for all facilities communication, which in turn eliminates those frustrating information silos.

Think of your CMMS as a platform where all of your provider communications, compliance documents, and job details can be stored in one place---with easy access for everyone who needs it, from wherever they are.

Benefits of this kind of centralized communication include:

• All team members have access to the same up-to-date information
• Reduced risk of miscommunication and duplicate work
• Complete audit trails of all communications for accountability
• Streamlined decision-making based on accurate, current data

Automate your work orders and notifications for the best outcomes 

Automation is often described as a computer-based process, but it can also help humans communicate in ways they have never been able to before. Automation is the key to overcoming facilities communication challenges in facilities management. 

Modern CMMS solutions use automation to streamline communications throughout the work order lifecycle.

Here’s an example: 

When a major retail chain needs to renovate its refrigeration systems across 75 locations to comply with new AIM Act regulations, automated communication can turn a huge project into something far more manageable. Without automation, the facilities team would need to manually coordinate multiple vendors (HVAC technicians, refrigerant specialists, compliance inspectors) across different geographical regions, each with their own schedules and documentation requirements.

With automated communication through a modern CMMS like Fexa, the project becomes streamlined:

1. Initial work orders are automatically dispatched to qualified refrigeration contractors in each region based on their certification levels and proximity to store locations
2. Vendors receive detailed compliance requirements specific to each location's equipment
3. As contractors update the work status, store managers automatically receive notifications about scheduled downtime
4. When refrigerant is recovered, the system automatically logs quantities for compliance reporting
5. Upon installation verification, finance teams automatically receive properly coded invoices for processing
6. Compliance documentation is automatically stored and associated with each asset for future regulatory audits

Instead of hundreds of manual emails, calls, and texts, this automated system ensures everyone receives exactly the information they need at the right time. This reduces project completion time from months to weeks, minimizes store disruptions, and ensures full regulatory compliance without overwhelming the facilities team with communication management. 

What features should you look for in a CMMS to foster good communication? 

When choosing a platform to improve your facilities management software/CMMS, watch for these features: 

• Mobile access for on-the-go updates and visibility
• Customizable alerts that reduce noise and target relevant recipients
• Comprehensive audit trails for accountability and historical reference
• Multi-channel notifications via email, SMS, and in-app messaging
• Role-based facilities communications tailored to different stakeholder needs
• Integration capabilities with accounting, ERP, and building systems
• Automated escalation pathways for unresolved critical issues
• Vendor performance tracking to monitor communication responsiveness
• Document sharing for specifications, photos, and compliance records
• Real-time status dashboards for at-a-glance project visibility
• Configurable approval workflows that maintain proper authorization chains
• Automated follow-up reminders to prevent forgotten tasks

How does Fexa’s communication module enhance efficiency?

Fexa's facilities communication capabilities don't just connect people—they fundamentally transform how facilities management teams operate. 

By delivering intelligent, automated, and context-aware communications, Fexa eliminates those delays that cause constant headaches for managers using legacy systems. 

Unlike conventional platforms with one-size-fits-all alerts, Fexa delivers precisely targeted communications that adapt to changing conditions in real time. If a work order deviates from its expected path, the system immediately alerts exactly the right decision-makers through their preferred channels. They can set up email, text, or in-app notifications.

Each communication is fully customizable in both content and appearance, which ensures that critical information stands out and drives immediate action. 

Fexa helps you make critical decisions faster

Here’s an example of a crisis situation that needs fast decision-making: Imagine a luxury store in a humid climate that has a sudden air conditioning failure during peak hours. With Fexa, the call for a technician can go out to potential vendors, but only those that are certified and in good standing with the organization. 

From the moment the technician diagnoses the issue and submits a repair proposal, the district manager receives an instant, clearly marked and urgent notification with all essential details. One click takes them directly to the approval screen, allowing them to authorize work in seconds rather than hours.

Meanwhile, the manager can update store staff through the work order notes feature, providing real-time status updates that help them manage the situation until repairs are complete. This seamless communication flow reduces downtime, preserves customer experiences, and maintains staff morale during challenging situations.

Additional communication capabilities with Fexa CMMS 

Fexa's communication capabilities extend beyond emergencies to enhance everyday efficiency:

• Multi-party coordination that simplifies complex projects involving multiple vendors
• Compliance tracking that automatically documents and verifies regulatory requirements
• Conditional messaging that sends different notifications based on work order type, cost thresholds, or location specifics
• Centralized communication history that maintains complete context for every maintenance issue
• Automated follow-up sequences that ensure nothing falls through the cracks

In facilities management, time truly equals money. Fexa's dynamic communication module ensures everyone has the information they need precisely when they need it, transforming how teams collaborate and dramatically improving operational outcomes.

Book a Fexa demo to learn more!