Earlier this month we exhibited at PRSM National in Nashville, TN.  It was a first class event and great opportunity to spend quality time with some of North America’s finest retailers.  At our booth in the exhibit hall, we chose to demo our newly minted iPad application for Facility Condition Audits.  The demo was done in the form of a brief survey; a great showcase for the tool, but also a great way to get to know more about the day-to-day lives of the retailers and identify current trends in Facility Management as they relate to store audits.

With the challenges of the global financial crisis over the last few years, it isn’t a surprise that all of our respondents noted that both the need for and the frequency of facility condition assessments has either stayed the same or increased. While 83% of the retailers surveyed, revealed that they performed top to bottom general condition assessments, there were a multitude of other, more focused surveys being performed as well.  From Safety and Compliance Audits to Brand Compliance and Quality Checks, the need for a referential survey of their locations is key to being successful.

Facility Managers are increasingly moving into the boardroom, acting as advisors on corporate strategy and planning.  When asked what triggers a need for an audit, 67% indicated that Budget Planning was one of the top drivers.  The reporting they provide to senior management on the current state of their portfolio is critical from a budget planning standpoint.  Unfortunately most also indicated that they are still using a manual process to collect and share this information.  Manual processes can delay the reporting and affect the accuracy of this valuable data.  An online solution, like Evoco’s mobile app, ensures that the data has been collected consistently and is easily accessible for the ad hoc requests by senior management.  For more information, please visit our Facility Condition Assessment solutions page. “End shameless plug.”

I want to thank all of the retailers for stopping by our booth and participating in our survey.  It was great to get to know your business a little better, while showing you the benefits Evoco can provide your organization.  We look forward to seeing you there again next year!