Business Confidence Monitor Middle East 2018

Report

 

Now in its fourth year, this research collaboration between the British Institute of Facilities Management and FM Expo examines the GCC’s facilities management (FM) industry from the perspective of the people who work in it. Our survey findings offer a snapshot of the GCC facilities management market’s confidence and concerns. The results bring us an insight to how things stand today and give us a glimpse at the industry’s prospects for the next 12 months.

As the FM industry continues to mature and develop in the region it is interesting to see the consistency of the responses across the years, as well as spot the trends that are starting to influence the work of the sector in this region.

Over the four year life of the survey there has been consistent responses and sharp divergence in equal measure. It is also possible to spot steady changes, such as the decline in confidence felt by people concerned about their career prospects, or the rising role of emerging technologies and the potential being spotted in new markets.  

It is clear that competition remains tough and that it is characterised by established firms with clear operational  procedures still having to battle against relative newcomers to win tenders where price counts as much as, if not more than, service level. 

As the building stock in the region grows in both volume and value it has created a stable base of demand from which the industry can develop and grow. New opportunities emerge too. With awareness of sustainability in the built environment having taken hold, the importance of energy management in the FM skills portfolio could grow.

While this year’s results still speak of the consolidation evident last year, there is a detectable decline in confidence related to growth. If the industry is to cement the gains it has made in recent years it may need to find a new burst of confidence from the new skills and technologies it can bring to bear for its clients. We hope this and other insights from the survey shed some light on our industry and provide you with ideas to support your decision making in the year ahead.