ISS retains position as the Top FM Brand in the UK

ISS is in the top three organisations named in the three main categories of the Survey: Best Use of Technology; Top Service Provider; and Top Challenger Brand.

Brand values are essential to ISS in its role as trusted partner to clients. It’s a key aspect in being an employer of choice whilst delivering social value. Brand is found to be equally important in making purchasing decisions; the survey discovered that 90% of FMs rank it as a key factor when buyers are procuring services.

Brand value incorporates various factors which help ISS to succeed in connecting people and places: reputation, culture, service quality, trust and reliability. Purvin Patel, CEO, ISS UK & Ireland stated, “To achieve top ranking in the i-FM Brand Survey is a fantastic result for ISS UK and Ireland and I’m delighted and proud of the achievement. At ISS, we strive to achieve and deliver for every one of our stakeholders – delivering value for our customers and supporting our all-important great people at ISS. To be named as the ‘Top Service Provider’ in the industry is a positive reflection which shines a light on our people and organisation during unprecedented times”.   Purvin concluded: “Our People make Places and for our brand to be identified as a true leader of the industry is a great victory for ISS.”

Key survey analysis

The survey reveals additional findings on the importance impact and recognition of brand for a range of FM stakeholders.

Purchase Decisions – According to nearly 60% of respondents, buying from an established, well recognised brand is ‘essential’ when procuring FM Services. 

Challengers – In many sectors, ‘challenger organisations’ are the smaller, agile businesses breaking moulds and convention to introduce innovation.  In FM, challengers are the organisations to watch for in the future, based on considerations including innovation, social value, sustainability and more. ISS UK & Ireland – employing around 36,000 people – is ranked in the top two, ahead of Mitie and CBRE.

Reputation – This remains the most important element in clients’ decisions to appoint an FM service provider. Four other aspects include: the knowledge and skills on offer; cost and customer references demonstrating relevant experience; CR commitments and social values, which are key. 

Terminology – The survey asked: is the term ‘Facilities Management’ still a relevant brand for this industry, or is Workplace Management more appropriate? FM retained its hold – just.  Nearly 40% of the responses named ‘Workplace Management’ as their favourite term – an increasingly common way of referring to our role in the market.

This year will undoubtedly continue to present challenging times for facilities management and the economy overall as the COVID-19 epidemic continues. Brand values however remain high for FM as the intrinsic value of workplace management advances.

NOTE: 

Brand Survey results:
• Click here for 2018 Brand Survey results 
• Log on to i-FM for details of the Brand Surveys for 2020, 2017 and 2016.