Patience is the key

What characteristics should a facility manager have to deserve such an accolade?

It is certainly not always possible, but for me being open to the tenants’ problems is of key importance, with a particular emphasis on relations with them. Our key tenants are large corporations, which are by definition characterised by their systematic approach to business. In reality there are often non-standard situations that are not defined by any rules or manuals. Then there is the man or woman on the other side, a person with similar everyday problems to ours. It should not be forgotten that we all have bad days. So patience is needed and more patience again. Another significant element is to try to predict what a tenant might expect in the future to make it better for them to ‘live’ in our office buildings. Taking on risks in terms of operations in cases where contracts have only been concluded verbally is also an important element. It is very important to set up a good team of employees.

What problems and challenges do you face in your everyday work?

There are technical problems in every building, regardless of whether it is a new building or an old one. Forming a dialogue with tenants is an art form, helping them to understand that not every problem can be solved within 30 minutes. And this is what a demanding tenant often expects. Making them realise that something is often impossible and explaining it in a way that enables the tenant to understand the problem is the most difficult task.

What is the most interesting aspect of your work?

Many people might consider the work of a facility manager boring. Of course, there are many repetitive aspects. On the one hand, each operator of a building strives to organise their work so that everything runs smoothly and predictably, but there are always days when malfunctions happen and problems accumulate. Then you need to find a solution quickly. These are my favourite moments.

What lies ahead for the office sector?

The market is becoming more and more difficult, more competitive. ‘Post-sales service’ will be the key to success. Over the last few years we have learnt to respond to the changing reality with patience and humility. I still expect the office market in Poland will be a tenants’ market in the next few years. So all we can do is continue working and make as few errors as possible.

What does your victory at the Eurobuild Awards 2014 mean to you?

For me the award has a special, personal character. All the more so taking into consideration the fact that I have received it for the second time after a two-year break. I have been credited with the trust of our tenants once again. I know that this prestigious award will inject me with another dose of positive energy. It is worth making an effort to experience such moments. Here I have to say that I can only take a small part of the credit for the award. Our entire small team has worked for this success – the irreplaceable Ania Rajchert, who is responsible for a great part of the relations with tenants, while Jacek Sadowski solves the everyday technical problems. I am sure that our success would be non-existent without them. I would like to use this opportunity to thank them for their involvement and their often critical opinions that make it possible for us to achieve better results.