One of the most transformative changes brought about by the internet is the sheer volume of information now available at our fingertips. Whether using a desktop computer, smartphone, tablet or smartwatch, we can instantly access reviews, comparisons and recommendations before making almost any decision.
When Amazon began allowing customers to rate and review books in the 1990s, many authors and publishers were deeply uncomfortable with the idea. Yet that feature helped establish a model that now influences almost every industry.
Today, we review restaurants, tradespeople, hotels, employers and countless products and services before spending our money. The same principle increasingly applies to Facilities Management software.
For FM professionals considering a new platform, user reviews and comparison sites can provide valuable insight into how different systems perform in practice.
Facilities Management covers an enormous range of responsibilities, which means there is no single software platform that will suit every organisation.
Some systems focus on maintenance and work orders, while others specialise in:
The right software can help Facilities teams improve visibility, reduce administration and make better-informed decisions across the estate.
According to software comparison platforms, common functions offered by FM systems include:
Facilities Management platforms often combine several modules within one system.
Maintenance tools allow teams to create, assign and monitor planned and reactive tasks.
They may include:
This helps teams move away from paper-based records and fragmented spreadsheets.
Asset-management tools allow organisations to record important information about building systems, equipment and infrastructure.
This can include:
Accurate asset data can improve lifecycle planning and reduce the risk of unexpected failure.
Space-management software helps organisations understand how their buildings are being used.
Features may include:
This has become particularly valuable as hybrid working changes occupancy patterns.
Move-management modules can help coordinate relocations, departmental changes and office reconfigurations.
They may support:
Some platforms include tools for managing refurbishments, construction work and investment programmes.
These can help teams monitor:
For organisations managing larger property portfolios, software may support:
Environmental modules may analyse:
These tools can help Facilities teams identify inefficiencies and demonstrate progress against environmental commitments.
A well-chosen platform can deliver several operational benefits.
Automating routine tasks reduces administrative work and helps ensure important actions are not missed.
Accurate maintenance records and condition data can help extend asset life and reduce emergency repair costs.
Centralised information makes it easier to monitor spending, compare suppliers and identify recurring problems.
Dashboards and automated reports provide managers with better visibility of performance and risk.
Occupancy and utilisation data can help organisations decide whether space should be consolidated, redesigned or repurposed.
Building users can often submit requests through online portals or mobile apps and receive updates without repeatedly contacting the Facilities team.
Historically, software comparison sites have listed dozens of Facilities Management platforms from a wide range of providers. The following systems have previously received strong user feedback, although features, pricing and ownership may have changed over time.
Axxerion has been positioned as a comprehensive property and Facilities Management platform suitable for organisations managing portfolios ranging from dozens to thousands of units.
Its functionality has included:
Its cloud-based model has allowed users to access the system from multiple locations.
Avantis has focused heavily on maintenance and asset-performance management.
The system has been designed to help organisations improve asset profitability and support decision-making across multiple levels of the business.
Its strengths have historically included flexibility, maintenance control and adaptable deployment.
OfficeSpace has been aimed at organisations of different sizes, with a particular focus on space management and workplace planning.
Its key features have included:
The platform has been promoted as user-friendly and particularly useful for organisations managing flexible workplaces.
AwareManager has offered a range of FM functions, including:
Its mobile capability and ability to continue working during temporary connectivity loss have been highlighted as useful features for operational teams.
Facilities Management eXpress, commonly known as FMX, was developed to centralise maintenance requests, scheduling and resource coordination within a cloud-based system.
Its functionality has included:
The cloud-based approach allows users to access the platform from any location with an internet connection.
User ratings can be helpful, but they should not be the only factor influencing a software decision.
A system with a perfect score based on one or two reviews may provide less reliable evidence than a slightly lower-rated platform with hundreds of users.
Before selecting a product, consider:
A platform that works well for a multinational property portfolio may be unnecessarily complex for a small organisation.
Cloud-based FM platforms have become increasingly popular because they can often be accessed remotely without requiring extensive internal infrastructure.
Potential benefits include:
However, organisations should also assess:
Some organisations may still prefer on-premise or hybrid arrangements where security or operational requirements demand greater internal control.
Facilities teams rarely work exclusively from a desk.
Engineers, contractors and site managers need to access information while moving around buildings and estates.
Mobile functionality can allow users to:
The strongest systems make the mobile experience simple and reliable rather than treating it as an afterthought.
Before selecting a platform, organisations should ask:
Starting with these questions can prevent organisations from purchasing software that looks impressive but does not meet their real needs.
Where possible, test the platform with a small group or single site before committing to a full rollout.
A pilot can reveal:
It also gives Facilities teams the opportunity to refine processes before introducing the system across the entire organisation.
Facilities Management software can improve efficiency, reporting, asset performance and cost control, but there is no universal best system.
The right platform depends on the organisation’s estate, objectives, resources and users.
Review and comparison sites can provide a useful starting point, but organisations should combine user feedback with careful requirements gathering, product demonstrations, security assessment and practical testing.
The most successful implementation will not necessarily involve the platform with the longest feature list. It will be the one that solves genuine operational problems, is easy for people to use and provides accurate information that supports better Facilities Management decisions.
