Considering Our IWMS? Answers to Your FAQs

by Glenn Hicks on September 4, 2018
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Your integrated workplace management system (IWMS) is the nerve center of your entire workplace. It’s the technology that connects various departments and systems, maintains the flow of essential information and ensures everyone is able to do their jobs.

It impacts the health of your entire workplace, so it’s important to choose the right solution.

You’ve done your research on the different IWMS providers on the market, and iOFFICE has risen to the top of the stack. But before you commit, you have a few questions.

We understand. After all, we want you to be fully informed so you can feel confident you’re making the right decision. Here are the top 10 questions our sales team hears from potential customers and how we answer them.

The iOFFICE IWMS: 10 Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why is a SaaS (cloud-based) IWMS better than one hosted on premise?

Simply put, life is easier in the cloud. SaaS is the platform of the modern workplace. It facilitates flexibility, scalability and the ability to easily integrate new tech. On premise and hosted solutions do not offer the fluidity required for today’s office environment. With cloud-based facility management software, you don’t have to manage servers or hardware, and you don’t have to worry about making regular updates. Your software provider makes all updates for you and backs up your data automatically.

And in the rare event something goes wrong with the facilities data in the cloud, your software provider is better equipped to quickly resolve the issue and minimize the impact.

2. What type of companies use your IWMS?

iOFFICE has over 1,400 clients ranging from mid-sized offices to large global corporations. In fact, we have clients in 55 different countries! They represent a variety of industries, including the healthcare, energy and financial sectors.

Adobe, The Hershey Company, Quicken Loans, Under Armour and McKesson are just a few of the large companies that have achieved significant savings of time and money using our IWMS.

To learn more about who we help, check out our success stories.

3. What do you find is the biggest challenge to using your software?

iOFFICE is intuitive and incredibly easy to use, but it’s also a robust tool with sophisticated features and functionality and smart and intuitive analytics module. Anyone can learn the basics in a few hours, but it may take more time to set up custom dashboards or do some of the more advanced reporting.

Fortunately, our Knowledge Center offers a step-by-step overview of how to use these tools and others. And if you’re still stumped, our customer support team is always happy to help.

4. What are the biggest benefits to using your software?

Our robust functionality, user-friendly interface, detailed analytics and ability to easily integrate with other tools are just a few key features that separate iOFFICE from other IWMS providers. Many IWMS providers only have one or two functions, such as space management and service requests. By contrast, we offer 10 different workplace solutions in a single platform. Our software is sophisticated, yet incredibly easy to use. For instance, our space management software allows users to analyze their space with interactive stacking diagrams, create space and move scenarios using drag-and-drop functionality and view space utilization in real-time using our dashboards. Users only pay for what they need. And we integrate with dozens of other workplace technologies. That makes it easy for you to add functionality without ripping and replacing what you’re currently using.

5. What is the implementation process and training like?

While the implementation timeline will vary depending on your company’s size and complexity, you can generally expect a time frame between 60-90 days. Each project is led by an implementation manager who will support your team every step of the way.

Our implementation process starts by reviewing your objectives, expectations and timeline. We then gather data from your team and recommend design configurations. Next, we build data workflows to ensure you receive all the information you need. Then we test the workflows to verify everything is working properly. To keep all these tasks moving forward, we use a cloud-based project management software that provides full transparency between our team and our customers about specific steps and the status of the project.

During implementation, we are working in a live site because iOFFICE is intuitive and easy to use. By the time implementation is done, your team will be well-versed on how to use our IWMS. However, we still offer in-depth training to ensure a smooth transition.

7. If we already have an IWMS, what is benefit to switching platforms?

Many of our customers have told us they experienced greater functionality, a better user experience and better customer service when they made the switch to iOFFICE after using another IWMS. For instance, one candy producer told us their previous FM software wasn’t responding to their requests for better reporting capabilities and data integration. They felt like they were being treated like a number, rather than an important client.

When they made the switch to iOFFICE, they told us they were impressed by our functionality, software interface and apps, as well as our customer service.

Another company in the energy sector told us they were using a large legacy software that required frequent, expensive updates but added little value. Their previous space management software showed only basic boxes. When they realized they could see detailed floor plans and zoom in for much less than they were paying before, investing in iOFFICE was an easy decision.

8. How much does iOFFICE cost?

Each agreement is customized to reflect our customers’ unique needs.

While most modules have a one-time set-up fee that starts at $3,000 and a monthly subscription fee of $650 per month, the best way to estimate your costs is to get a custom pricing quote.

9. What are the savings I can expect using iOFFICE?

The larger your workplace, the more potential you have to save. A large global company like Adobe, with over 35 million square feet, spent a lot of time manually reviewing data from different locations and trying to make sense of it. By standardizing all that data and consolidating it into one place, the company has saved considerable time — and, of course, time is money.

Other organizations have used iOFFICE to improve space utilization, which has the potential to save them tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars each year. Consider that the average asking price for commercial space in Manhattan right now is $67 per square foot. Now imagine how much your company could save by eliminating just one small, underutilized office!

10. What metrics should we be monitoring? How do we monitor them with your platform?

Today’s facility managers are taking on a more strategic, proactive role in company operations. With that expanded role comes greater expectations to show value and measurable success. That’s why they’re relying on more sophisticated FM metrics—such as real-time space utilization. 

With iOFFICE, you can create custom reports and dashboards to report on these metrics.

11. Where do you host my data?

The security of your data is of the utmost importance to us.

Our database and application are currently hosted through Rackspace, a Tier 4 Data Center located in Dallas, TX. Our European accounts are hosted through our European Data Center. Customer data is never commingled.

12. What are the contract terms?

No one wants to be surprised by hidden fees or never-ending contracts. That’s why our contract terms are clear. iOFFICE will never charge for maintenance, upgrades or additional users. We also allow our users to cancel at any time with a 90-day written notice. We’ll be sad to see you go, but we won’t hold it against you (or hold your data hostage.)

Choosing An IWMS: Taking the Next Step

Now that you know more about iOFFICE and our IWMS, you can make a more informed decision. We understand there’s a lot on the line and we’re happy to answer any other questions you might have. Feel free to get in touch with us anytime.

If you haven’t already, take a moment to schedule a demo with one of our IWMS experts.

We look forward to helping you take your workplace to new heights!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Glenn Hicks

A member of the Business Development team, Glenn has years of experience with business process improvement on the Commercial Real Estate and Facilities Management sides.

Capterra Ratings: ★★★★★ 4.5/5