When companies merge, strategies, cultures and brands come into conflict. Facility management organisations must also find common ground. It becomes particularly challenging – but also full of opportunities – when both companies are already working with the same FM partner: the service provider then becomes an integral bridge-builder between sites, systems and people.
Clear Rules, Focus on the Goal
Integrating facility management organizations during a merger is not a sure thing. It requires clear guidelines, harmonized processes and contracts, and a shared roadmap with the FM partner. It also requires transparent communication, employee empowerment, and quick wins. In highly complex projects, experience has shown that involving the human factor from the very beginning while simultaneously establishing technical and organizational clarity significantly increases the chances of success. In practice, seven success factors emerge:
Clarify responsibilities: A joint steering committee comprising the client and the provider ensures transparency during the first six to twelve months, reduces uncertainties, and sets the right priorities.
Align service levels and contracts: Different scope of work documents and service level agreements are the norm. They must be harmonized - and, if necessary, renegotiated with the FM partner - so that a new, universally applicable set of rules is in place as quickly as possible.
Consolidate processes and systems: A help desk, a ticketing tool, or a shared platform for quality assurance are visible quick wins and demonstrate that the two cultures are converging.
Take change and cultural management into account: The two service cultures are different - merging them is a complex process. Shared values, open communication, and tact increase the chances of success.
Put employees at the center: Quickly eliminate duplication, identify and retain key personnel, and systematically pool their knowledge. This determines whether the integration works only on paper or also in everyday practice.
Take local specifics into account: Efficiency gains are desirable, but local requirements and regulatory frameworks must be considered. If companies succeed in this balancing act, they will gain trust.
Quick wins and a clear roadmap: Visible improvements in a short time, along with a binding plan for the next 12 to 24 months, are convincing - always with the goal in mind: merging two organizations into a new, forward-looking structure.
A Key Building Block, Not a Side Issue
Facility management is not a side issue in mergers, but a strategically crucial building block that enables the new organization to get off to a quick start. When companies consistently harmonize governance, processes, and service levels; involve employees in the journey from the very beginning; and engage the FM partner as a solution-oriented collaborator, the result is a functioning whole that forms a solid foundation for business success.
«FM is part of the integration architecture»
David Macherel, Managing Director of Key Accounts at ISS Switzerland since 2015, has already overseen several integrations of facility services organisations as part of mergers. In this interview, he explains the role a facility management partner can play in such processes – and what really matters.
In your view, what is the most important role of an FM partner during an integration?
It’s about creating stability in an environment that is currently undergoing significant change. As an external partner, we bring structure, reliability, and a certain degree of neutrality - all of which are very important in the initial phase. We coordinate processes, harmonize services, and ensure that operations continue to run smoothly while everything is being reorganized behind the scenes.
How do you successfully merge two different service cultures?
You have to listen and understand what makes both sides strong. Often, it’s not about imposing one system over the other, but rather intelligently combining the strengths of both sides. This only works if you involve the teams early on, engage leaders, and make successes visible. Small, tangible steps are more important than big announcements.
What distinguishes a successful FM integration from a failed one?
Clarity. When roles, responsibilities, and expectations are unclear, uncertainty arises - and that paralyzes progress. The most successful projects I’ve had the privilege of supporting all had one thing in common: transparent governance, a clearly defined scope, and genuine collaboration. Then FM isn’t an afterthought, but rather part of the strategic integration architecture.