How to Win the Buy-In for Facilities Management Software
How to Win the Buy-In for Facilities Management Software
Now you’ve fully understood the pros and cons of CAFM and decided it’s the right choice for your business, it’s time to get your senior leaders on board with facilities management software. But how can you prove that CAFM is worth the investment?
Being able to persuade key stakeholders to invest in a new software can be challenging—especially when there’s so many obstacles holding them back. Persuasion and preparation are the two pillars of any successful business case, and they are crucial in getting CAFM over the line.
When presenting a case to the decision-makers, you need to equip yourself with the answers to all their questions. You need to appeal to their desires, address their concerns and focus on what they care about most. If you aren’t ready for their questions, you risk losing their confidence and ultimately, the case for investment. As they say, failing to prepare is preparing to fail. So…
- What are the obstacles preventing senior leaders from investing in CAFM?
- How can you persuade the executive decision-makers?
- Who are the key stakeholders and what do they want?
- What should be included in the business case for CAFM?
- Is CAFM software worth the investment?
- Why is Elogs CAFM worthy of investment?
Get all your questions answered right here—we’ll tell you exactly how to win the buy-in for CAFM. After reading this article, you’ll have everything you need to build a convincing business case for CAFM. So, what are you waiting for?
What are the obstacles preventing senior leaders from investing in CAFM?
Tech anxiety.
One reason that some senior leaders are reluctant to invest in CAFM is simply a fear of the unknown. Adopting a new technology can be challenging and unnerving, especially when you’re not sure where to start. For some executives who have always conducted business operations in a certain way, change can be uncomfortable. 94% of business leaders admit to having ‘tech anxiety’, meaning they feel concerned about the constant advancements in technology. This could explain why some senior leaders are holding back from investing in new software, such as CAFM.
Understanding the benefits.
Getting buy-in for CAFM can be difficult because not all senior leaders realise the benefits of the software. The unwillingness to invest often stems from a lack of understanding about the impact of CAFM and what problems it can solve. It’s important to stress the key advantages of CAFM as well as giving evidence, statistics, and case studies to back up your claims. Once you convey the power of CAFM, senior leaders are more likely to recognize its value and view it as a worthy investment.
Fear of failing to implement the CAFM.
Given that 70% of software implementations fail, the upper management teams may be concerned that implementing the CAFM won’t succeed. There are many reasons why CAFM systems fail at the implementation stage, including lack of preparation, failure to define objectives, and poor data entry. But, as long as you put together a bulletproof implementation strategy, you’ll be able to mitigate risks and lay senior leaders’ doubts to rest.
High initial cost.
As with any investment, there is always an initial cost involved. Without understanding the ROI of a CAFM, senior leaders may be hesitant to invest. When weighing up whether a new software is worth the investment, it’s important to focus on the financial return. If the CEO knows that investing in your chosen CAFM will double business revenue, it’s a no-brainer. By doing a cost benefit analysis and presenting realistic financial projections, you can build a business case that proves CAFM to be a worthy and fruitful investment.
Integration with existing systems.
With so many successful processes and procedures in place, leaders within your organisation will want to know that a CAFM won’t cause disruption. If there’s any doubt about your CAFM’s ability to integrate into your existing systems, winning stakeholder buy-in will be tricky. When developing your business case for CAFM, make sure you explain how it will work alongside your other software and systems—the integration should be easy and seamless.
Understanding the challenges that your senior leaders face is the key to presenting a successful business case. By knowing their fears and concerns, you can provide the answers they seek, ensuring they feel confident and assured about your proposal—this will inspire them to invest in your chosen CAFM.
How to master the art of persuasion: appealing to decision-makers
Winning over senior leaders is all about persuasion. To make a compelling case for investment, you need to convince the high-level management teams of the benefits and possibilities of CAFM. Persuasion should never be manipulative—it should simply encourage others to have an open mind and consider new ways of thinking.
A book by James Borg, ‘Persuasion’, explores the art of influencing people and how you can use certain tactics to get what you want in business. One idea that stood out was the concept that, to successfully persuade someone, you need sincerity and empathy.
This is especially relevant when it comes to getting key stakeholders on board with CAFM. By empathising with your audience, you’ll be able to anticipate their desires and concerns and put together a case tailored to their needs. Putting yourself in the senior leaders’ shoes will help you understand their core values, giving you the insight and knowledge to persuade them to your way of thinking. Ultimately, you want to guide senior leaders towards a decision they know is in the best interests of the business.
Knowing your audience: who are the key stakeholders and what do they want?
Before you start developing a business case for CAFM, you first need to identify who you are pitching to. Each stakeholder will have different goals and objectives, meaning you need to modify your proposal to suit their interests. Knowing your audience is vital when proposing an investment idea. You need to be able to prove that this investment is worthwhile and necessary to ensure business success. So, who do you need to win over?
To make a powerful business case for CAFM, you’ll need to appease the members of the C-Suite. The C-Suite is made up of high-level decision-makers such as:
- The Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
- The Chief Financial Officer (CFO).
- The Chief Information Officer (CIO).
- The Chief Operating Officer (COO).
- The Chief Technology Officer (CTO)
But how can we categorise these executives and what do they want from CAFM?
The Strategic Minds
Those like the CEO, the CIO, and the COO are focused on the strategic direction of the organisation; they hold the purse strings and have the final say as to whether the business will proceed with the CAFM proposal. They’ll be interested in how the software will help accelerate business growth, meet company objectives, and improve profitability. To sell these top dogs on your business case, highlight how CAFM will:
- Improve operational efficiency.
- Support business growth.
- Reduce costs.
- Improve ESG score.
- Result in a good return on investment.
- Ensure organisational compliance and reduce risk.
- Enhance productivity and performance.
- Save time and cut costs.
- Reduce manual processes.
Ask yourself: What are these senior leaders concerned about? These decision-makers will be worried about the initial investment required for CAFM. So, you need to prove the return on investment (ROI) of CAFM and provide realistic projections for cost savings—this will show them that the long-term rewards outweigh the initial cost.
The Financial Wizards
Next, think about how to approach the CFO and the other key executives in the financial department. For this audience, you’ll need to focus on the financial impact of your chosen facility management software. They will be interested in how the CAFM will fit in with their annual budget and how it will reduce overall business costs. The finance team will want to see a clear path to return on investment (ROI), as well as how it will help them monitor business expenses.
To win over the leaders of the financial department, you should focus on how CAFM will:
- Improve asset value.
- Save money through preventative maintenance tools such as PPM planners.
- Improve overall business efficiency and productivity.
Making the case for investment depends on the financial viability of CAFM, which is why approval from the finance team is essential.
The Masters of Tech
Along with the CTO, you’ll need to make a case to the IT team. These are the experts who will be responsible for setting up and implementing the CAFM, so they’ll want to decide whether it’s a worthy investment. As the technical mavericks of the business, these leaders will want to know:
- How easy it is to implement the CAFM.
- Whether the CAFM can integrate with their existing systems.
- How it can automate business processes and save time.
- What reporting and analytical tools are available in the platform.
- If your chosen CAFM is technically feasible for the department.
Getting the C-Suite on board with CAFM is critical—without these big fish in your corner, you’ll struggle to push the business case forward. These are the people who can champion your cause within the organisation and ensure that the CAFM is approved for investment. When you’re ready to present your case to senior leaders, it’s crucial to communicate the points that matter most to them.
What should be included in the business case for CAFM?
Although we’ve outlined how to approach the key stakeholders and senior leaders, you may still be wondering: what needs to be included in the business case for CAFM? Here’s ten fundamental areas that you should cover in your case for investment:
Functionality and benefits of a CAFM.
Start your business case by explaining the functionality of a CAFM and emphasise the key benefits of implementing this software. This would also be a good opportunity to outline what problems a CAFM will solve for your business—senior leaders are sure to invest if they understand the benefits.
Introduce a range of options.
Having researched a range of CAFM providers, showcase the shortlist of options and explain the reasons why they have been chosen. Next, go forward with your preferred choice of CAFM to continue the pitch.
Strategy for implementation.
Show the senior leaders the implementation plan for your chosen CAFM provider. This strategy should include clear objectives, defined roles for the project, and the required resources for effective implementation.
Demonstrate cost savings with CAFM.
Explain how facilities management software will help cut costs and improve efficiency within your business. To show costs savings, consider what your business is spending now and how the chosen CAFM system would reduce these costs.
Research and statistics.
Include a section to highlight the key statistics around CAFM software with a focus on the areas you are looking to improve in your business. For example, you might find reliable data around how PPM planners in CAFM can improve organisational performance.
Relevant case study.
Find a relevant case study from your chosen CAFM provider and evidence how their software positively impacted a business like yours. Senior leaders want to see results, so this will give them a good idea of what the business’ future could look if they invest now.
Identify potential risks.
By considering the risks of investing in CAFM, you demonstrate to senior leaders that you understand and empathise with their concerns. But, at the same time, you can also show them how you plan to mitigate these risks which will put their minds at ease.
Outline Opportunities with CAFM.
As well as acknowledging the risks, it’s also important to highlight the opportunities with facilities management software. Identify the possibilities of CAFM in terms of implementing preventative maintenance, improving tenant satisfaction, enhancing ESG performance, and more.
Present projections with CAFM.
Based on your research and findings, make realistic financial predictions for how CAFM will save money and boost revenue. For instance, if you’re doing reactive maintenance now, estimate how much the business will save by using the PPM tool in your chosen CAFM.
Why CAFM will be a good investment now.
Senior leaders will want to understand why they should invest in CAFM now. What makes this the right time? Consider your current budget, your business objectives, and the current CAFM market and use these factors to explain the benefits of investing now.
By providing evidence and explanations for each of these areas, you can convince senior leaders to invest in CAFM without any worries or concerns.
Is CAFM software worth the investment?
In a word, yes.
CAFM software is a catalyst for change in facility management. It’s a software that can drive efficiencies, enhance ESG performance, streamline facilities management, and more. Facilities management software is an investment that will futureproof your business, ensuring you remain competitive and forward-thinking in a saturated market. So, when you’re working to secure senior leadership support for CAFM, remember that you’re just looking out for the best interests of your business. It’s time to crack the code and get stakeholders on board with the power of CAFM.
Why is Elogs CAFM worthy of investment?
Elogs CAFM+ Service Desk is definitely a software worthy of investment. Our software will encourage senior leaders to invest in CAFM because our intuitive platform is so easy to use. With a wide array of features, our CAFM is the perfect platform to level up your facility management.
Our CAFM is backed by a 24/7 Service Desk, meaning you and your tenants will be able to call up our team day or night. From monitoring supplier performance, to helping you implement planned maintenance activities—our CAFM does it all.
Make the case for investment easy by choosing the ultimate facilities management software: Elogs CAFM+ Service Desk.
