How to choose reliable facilities management systems without overpaying

Choosing the right facilities management system has become a strategic decision rather than a purely operational one. Facilities teams are under increasing pressure to reduce costs, improve asset performance, support sustainability targets and deliver better occupant experiences across ever more complex property portfolios.

At the same time, the market is crowded with platforms claiming to be the best facilities management software systems, each offering long feature lists and attractive entry pricing. The risk is clear. Organisations often overpay for systems they do not fully use or invest in solutions that cannot scale, integrate or deliver long-term value.

This blog post will help real estate professionals and facilities leaders make confident, evidence-based decisions that balance cost control with operational resilience and future flexibility. It takes a practical approach to system selection, reflecting how experienced providers such as MRI Software position facilities management as part of a wider real estate technology ecosystem, with a focus on measurable ROI, integration and lifecycle value rather than headline pricing alone.

Define your facilities management objectives and workflows

The foundation of any successful facilities management software selection is clarity. Before comparing vendors or requesting demos, organisations must clearly define their facilities management objectives and understand how work actually happens on the ground.

Clearly defining objectives helps teams determine which facilities management tools are required to support daily workflows, rather than retrofitting processes around software limitations.

For many organisations, this process begins with evaluating whether a CAFM system (computer aided facilities management system) is required to support these workflows, providing a structured way to manage assets, maintenance tasks and space across a property portfolio.

Start by mapping your portfolio in detail. Document the number of properties, asset types, geographic locations and compliance requirements. A single office building has very different needs compared to a mixed-use estate, healthcare campus or retail portfolio. Alongside this, define your team structure, including in-house technicians, external contractors and management roles.

Facilities management workflows are the repeatable processes that keep buildings and assets running smoothly. These include activities such as work order creation and assignment, preventive maintenance scheduling, asset inspections, space bookings and vendor coordination. While these processes often look neat on paper, real world execution frequently differs.

Observational discoveries are critical at this stage. Spend time watching how technicians log jobs, how approvals are handled and how information flows between teams. Interview frontline staff to identify friction points, workarounds and duplicated effort. This approach ensures that software selection is driven by real operational needs rather than assumptions or vendor led narratives.

A simple checklist can help align objectives with challenges:

• Slow work order resolution times
• Reactive rather than preventive maintenance
• Incomplete or inaccurate asset histories
• Poor visibility across sites and teams
• Manual reporting and compliance tracking

By clearly defining facilities management objectives and workflow gaps, you will create a decision framework that keeps the selection process focused and cost effective.

Identify must have features and integration needs

Once objectives are clear, the next step is defining which features are essential for operational success and which are optional enhancements. This distinction is critical to avoiding unnecessary spend.

Most reliable facilities management systems share a common core. These typically include work order management, asset tracking, preventive maintenance scheduling, inventory control, space management and reporting dashboards. These capabilities support day-to-day operations and are non-negotiable for most organisations.

Functionality alone is no longer enough. FM software integrations are critical to long term value, allowing facilities teams to connect financial systems, procurement platforms, HR tools and building automation systems into a single operational view.

Application programming interfaces enable data exchange between your facilities management system and other business tools, automating workflows and reducing manual effort. Open APIs or well documented native integrations help future proof your investment and reduce reliance on costly custom development.

For organisations managing complex portfolios, platforms that form part of a wider, integrated ecosystem, such as MRI’s Planet solution, can help centralise facilities, property and asset data while supporting advanced reporting and integration requirements.

A practical way to evaluate options is to create a two-column feature matrix:

Must have features

• Work order and service request management
• Preventive maintenance scheduling
• Asset lifecycle tracking
• Mobile access for technicians
• Reporting and compliance tools

Nice to have features

• Advanced analytics and AI driven insights
• IoT and sensor integration
• Energy and sustainability modules
• Space utilisation analytics

Focusing on core needs first helps narrow the field to systems that support real operational efficiency rather than inflated feature sets.

Shortlist vendors and request detailed pricing and technical information

With clear requirements in place, you can begin shortlisting vendors. Limiting the list to two or three suppliers keeps evaluation manageable and encourages meaningful comparison.

At this stage, transparency is essential. Request detailed pricing breakdowns that include licensing models, implementation fees, training costs, integration charges and ongoing support. Facilities management pricing can vary significantly depending on whether fees are charged per user, per site, per asset or per module.

Technical documentation should be treated as a priority rather than an afterthought. Ask for API documentation, data migration plans and security certifications. These details reveal how mature and scalable the platform truly is.

Tailored demonstrations are far more valuable than generic sales presentations. Ask vendors to walk through your actual workflows using realistic scenarios. Client references and case studies are equally important, offering insight into implementation timelines, support quality and long-term outcomes.

By insisting on this level of detail early, organisations avoid surprises that often lead to budget overruns and dissatisfaction after contract signature

Pilot facilities management systems with real users

Piloting facilities management systems is one of the most effective ways to reduce risk and prevent overinvestment. A controlled pilot allows teams to test software in real operating conditions before committing fully.

A typical pilot runs for 30 to 60 days and includes a representative sample of sites, assets and users. Real technicians and managers should use the system to manage live work orders, preventive maintenance schedules and reporting tasks.

Key evaluation criteria during the pilot include user adoption, data accuracy, task completion rates and time savings. Qualitative feedback is equally valuable, highlighting usability issues, training gaps and configuration needs.

Capturing pilot results in a simple evaluation table helps decision makers compare platforms objectively. Systems that perform well in controlled trials are far more likely to deliver long term facilities management ROI.

Calculate total cost of ownership and estimate return on investment

Headline pricing rarely reflects the true cost of a facilities management system. Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) provides a more accurate picture by accounting for all costs over the system’s lifecycle.

TCO typically includes software licensing, implementation and configuration, data migration, training, integrations, ongoing support and future upgrades. Organisations should model best case, expected and worst-case scenarios to understand financial exposure.

Return on investment should be assessed alongside cost. Facilities management ROI often comes from reduced downtime, improved preventive maintenance compliance, lower energy consumption and increased technician productivity. Even modest efficiency gains can deliver substantial value across large portfolios.

A comparative three-year TCO and ROI table can clarify which systems offer sustainable value rather than short-term savings.

Negotiate contracts with clear service levels and rollout plans

Contract negotiation is where many facilities management projects succeed or fail. Clear service level agreements (SLA) protect organisations from poor performance and ensure accountability.

An SLA should define system uptime, response times, escalation processes and penalties for non-compliance. Training provisions, data ownership and portability clauses are equally important, safeguarding future flexibility.

Staged rollout plans reduce risk by allowing teams to scale gradually while refining processes. Vendor responsiveness during pre-sales interactions often predicts post sale support quality, making this phase an important indicator of long-term partnership value.

Train staff and monitor key performance indicators for continuous improvement

Implementation does not end at go live. Ongoing training and performance monitoring are essential to extracting full value from facilities management software.

Training should be role-based, reflecting the needs of technicians, managers and administrators. Usage patterns observed during pilots can guide content and delivery methods.

Key performance indicators (KPI) provide objective measures of success. Common KPIs include average work order completion time, preventive maintenance adherence, asset uptime and occupant satisfaction. Visual dashboards help teams track progress and identify opportunities for improvement.

Continuous improvement ensures that the system evolves alongside organisational needs rather than becoming a static tool.

Selecting the best facilities management software systems is not about choosing the longest feature list or the lowest initial price. It is about aligning technology with real operational needs, integration requirements and long-term objectives.

By following a structured, evidence driven process and focusing on total value rather than short term savings, facilities teams can invest confidently in systems that deliver measurable ROI and scale with their portfolios. Platforms built on integrated ecosystems, such as those offered by MRI Software, demonstrate how facilities management can move beyond basic maintenance to become a strategic driver of performance and insight across the real estate lifecycle.

Looking ahead, evolving expectations around automation, sustainability and data driven decision making will continue to shape facilities strategies, making it essential to select systems that can adapt to emerging industry trends.