Transformational Change Through BiO®:
Revolutionising our Business, People, and Customer Experience

The vision behind BiO® was to challenge longstanding industry traditions and drive transformative change within our business, fostering lasting improvements for both our team and our customers. We were frustrated with blending in among competitors, where the only differences were scale and the colour of our t-shirts, highlighting the lack of true differentiation in the FM marketplace.

Our goal was to cultivate sustainable and profitable growth by partnering with customers who valued our services and sought enduring relationships. We became increasingly frustrated with the industry’s inadequate investment in technology. While some Computer-Aided Facilities Management (CAFM) tools were available, they failed to facilitate the transformational change we envisioned. We required scalable and effective solutions to ensure consistent maintenance delivery.

The complexity of our operations posed a significant challenge. We aimed to streamline our processes, particularly given the vast transactional scope in which we operated—managing over a thousand SFG20 codes and hundreds of thousands of independent tasks that needed to be executed flawlessly and on time.

For years, we struggled to manage our supply chains and service partners effectively. Customers frequently voiced dissatisfaction, citing our inability to integrate their contributions, communication breakdowns, and a lack of transparency regarding costs and performance.

Our team faced one of the industry’s most pressing challenges: a severe skills shortage. Attracting young talent became increasingly difficult, as the maintenance sector is often viewed as unattractive and outdated, lagging in technological advancements.

For our customers, the industry has delivered subpar service for decades. Independent customer satisfaction surveys from Hard FM clients, published by BSRIA over the past 15 years, consistently revealed our performance deficiencies. Customers often lacked the data necessary to make informed decisions about their properties, and when performance metrics were provided, they typically reflected past achievements rather than future potential.

However, it became clear that customers were evolving; they wanted us to accomplish more with less while enhancing quality. In response to these challenges, we developed BiO®.

BiO® is our answer to everything – every problem, every challenge, and every opportunity.

BiO® represents a lifelong solution that will continue to evolve. Our business, along with our people and customers, is already experiencing its vision today.

By automating end-to-end processes, BiO® has streamlined our operations. It oversees the entire maintenance workflow from start to finish, enhancing our efficiency twofold. This capability allows us to handle transactions at scale while maintaining consistent service quality. Every action our engineers take, from the moment they begin their job, is tracked and enriched by BiO®.

Our service partners are vital to our delivery; without them, we risk failure for both us and our customers. However, supply chain management remains a significant challenge in our industry. To address this, we have incentivised and engaged our partners in utilising BiO®. Currently, 50% of our regular partners are leveraging the BiO® lite version for job planning and document compliance. We are also set to launch our service partner app. This will ensure that our partners mirror our delivery approach and work in sync with our engineers, thereby providing a seamless customer experience that they have been requesting.

Thanks to BiO®, we have been able to grow our business sustainably and profitably from solid foundations. We are being recognised as innovators and disruptors in the facilities management (FM) marketplace. Both new and existing customers view us as a strategic partner, enabling us to cross-sell services that bolster their broader asset management and ESG strategies.

For our team, we have successfully attracted and retained top talent. Our employees are engaged and perform meaningful work in a safe and inclusive environment.

From 2020 to 2023, we have increased customer retention by 4%, reaching 94%. Formal compliments have surged by 157%, while complaints have decreased by 50%. In our 2023 NPS survey, we achieved a score of 47, with 30-50 considered excellent.

Our customers appreciate the quality of service, the visibility of the complete maintenance process, and the real-time data that influences their asset management decisions.

Thanks to the advancements in BiO®, we now offer a new service model to our customers. Our Integrated Managed Service model enables us to provide a national service utilising the customer’s supply chain while we handle all transactions necessary to make it work.

We are successfully acquiring new customers, and profitability has risen since the introduction of BiO®, generating the growth and capital required to reinvest into our business and further develop BiO®.

Leveraging Insights for Continuous Innovation in BiO®

BiO® represents our lifelong endeavour, a dynamic project that is destined to evolve continuously rather than ever be considered complete. With each iteration, we aim to incorporate the latest advancements in AI, IoT, and robotics, while fostering an environment that encourages individuals to contribute their unique creativity and problem-solving skills. This commitment to innovation ensures that BiO® remains at the forefront of technology and responsive to the needs of our users.

Throughout this ongoing journey, we’ve gained several key insights that will inform our strategies moving forward:

• We will maintain an agile approach, embracing the philosophy of fail fast, fix, and swiftly move on. This mindset allows us to adapt quickly to changes and challenges, ensuring that we remain innovative and effective in our solutions.
• We will keep our skills playbooks and training materials up to date with the latest innovations and developments in our field. By fostering a user-friendly and accessible virtual learning environment, we aim to ensure that everyone involved has the resources they need to provide consistent, high-quality service.
• We will prioritise nurturing homegrown talent through apprenticeships, focusing on developing skills internally rather than relying on external recruitment. This approach not only strengthens our team but also fosters a culture of growth and loyalty within our organisation.
• We will collaborate exclusively with stakeholders who respect and promote equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). This commitment ensures that we build partnerships that align with our values and contribute positively to our community and industry.
• As we move forward, we remain dedicated to evolving BiO® into a transformative platform that benefits everyone involved, ensuring that we adapt to the ever-changing landscape of technology and society.

“BiO® is more than just a solution; it is a transformative force that empowers our team and partners to provide exceptional service while adapting to our customers’ evolving needs. The platform not only streamlines our processes but also fosters collaboration and communication across every department. Its profound impact on our operations has driven remarkable efficiency, enabled sustainable growth and enhanced the overall customer experience. By integrating feedback and insights from our customers, BiO® allows us to stay ahead of the curve and continuously refine our offerings, ensuring that we meet and exceed expectations, every time.”
– Valerie Miller, Sales & Marketing Director at DMA Group