“If one thing frustrates me year after year it is my difficulty with having on hand at a moment’s notice whatever bit of information I want about the school and its property – and the problem with knowing that this information is utterly up-to-date and correct.” This is where schools premises management software can really help.
Take the issue of contracts and contractors. Are all the items of equipment that should be held under a service agreement being serviced? When does a particular agreement run out? Are older items that are no longer of value to the school still being paid for under an irrelevant agreement?
Or take the issue of new purchases of services and equipment. What did the school buy last time? How much did it cost? Where did it come from?
In fact, what I need is a property manager with an infinite amount of time on his/her hands and a photographic memory.
Such a person would give me the reassurance and confidence that, in relation to the school, its equipment and its premises, everything that should be done has been done, efficiently and effectively.
In such a world my colleagues and I could prepare for governors’ meetings in a flash, for my imaginary friend with his perfect memory would be able to retrieve every report needed for the premises committee meeting within seconds. “Who is on call out if a window gets broken?” asks one governor, plus, “How much do they charge?” I’d be able to tell him within seconds.
Even in that dreadful time when the site manager leaves unexpectedly to take up a new position in a school in Honolulu and fails to do a proper handover there’d be no problem – my wonderful helpful assistant would be on hand with every piece of information needed.
OK – from the simple fact that I am now day-dreaming about an imaginary friend you will know that I am anxiously awaiting my vacation in the sun – but this year I am taking with me the thought that maybe my little friend who knows and remembers everything actually exists!
Such hope is handed to me with Every, a system I’ve just had referred on to me, which tells one exactly what needs to be checked and when, and then records when you had the check done, who did it, what the results are, where the reports are, and indeed everything else you need to know.
What’s more, it is a system that comes with its own alerts – reminding you what you need to get done at any particular moment. There’s also a support team to help you if you are unsure of whether you do need to get something changed – or indeed with any other related matter.
I think it looks good – and I would recommend a look at it.
