Thought Leaders Report 2016: Remaking the Facilities Organization [PDF]

The 2016 Thought Leaders symposium, supported in part by long-time sponsor Jacobs, focused on Remaking the Facilities Organization. The report makes the case for a customer-centric higher education facilities organization. Experts provide their insights on how a focus on the customer provides a framework for driving change. The benefits of a customer-centric focus include empowered employees, better alignment between the mission of the facilities organization and the mission of the institution, and improved stewardship of campus systems and resources. The report examines in detail how a customer-centric focus can be applied to the four major responsibilities of educational facilities organizations: 1) general administration and management; 2) operations and maintenance; 3) energy and utilities; and 4) facilities planning, design, and construction. The report defines goals within each of these areas and suggests strategies for facilities leaders to achieve them.

Contents:

• Executive Summary
• Introduction
• Understanding the Characteristics of the Best -- and the Worst -- Customer Service Organization
• Transforming the Higher Education Facilities Organization
• Addressing APPA Core Competencies through Customer-Focused Transformation
• Conclusion
• Appendix A: The Context of Higher Education in 2016
• Appendix B: Expert Sources
• Appendix C: Bibliography
• Appendix D: Participants at the 2016 APPA Thought Leaders Symposium