Asset Sharing: the new task for Procurement and Facility Management | Collaborative ConsumptionCollaborative Consumption

Our society is changing. ‘Us’ is becoming the new ‘me’. Access to items is becoming more important than actually possessing them. We are currently in the midst of a transition to a circular, sharing economy in which we make more efficient use of everything we already have. We are now looking to share, lend/borrow and exchange anything and everything.

The development to a sharing economy presents a huge chance for procurement and facility professionals. Why should we stay focused on buying while everybody else is sharing? Why not explore the possibility of sharing underutilized company assets (equipment, services, real estate and personnel) to save money or generate additional income?

Asset Sharing: business-to-business collaboration

The sharing economy has gained immense popularity in 2014 but is projected to be an even bigger trend in 2015. 2015 will be epitomized by more efficiently utilizing what we already have through sharing (renting (out) or trading) with others.  Expensive equipment are sitting idle, rooms are empty and important knowledge is not being used the way it could be at organizations and businesses all around the world. It would be a shame to not do anything with these assets. After all, anything that stands idle, does not bring in any revenue, costs money and is definitely not sustainable.

Through the use of online sharing platforms such as www.FLOOW2.com, every business or organization is able to make supply and demand transparent. On a sharing marketplace, assets like trucks, cars, printing equipment, furniture, dining facilities, meeting rooms, but also knowledge, skills and time of personnel become commercially visible for fellow businesses and organizations.

Asset Sharing: business model of the future

The advantages of sharing idle assets are twofold. Businesses are able to save costs when they rent from each other instead of investing in the purchase of equipment or the hiring of personnel. Additionally, they are able to generate additional income by (temporarily) renting out assets.

Asset sharing wouldn’t be part of the business model of the future if, besides financial, it wouldn’t bring sustainable and social advantages. When businesses collaborate and utilize the assets that other organizations have already invested in, less new products will have to be produced, which will result in a more healthy use of resources and energy.

Asset Sharing: the new task and opportunity for procurement and facility management?

It sounds simple and it is. However, business-to-business sharing requires professional attention. A task that a facility professional would be well suited for, don’t you think?

For the past 15 years, procurement and facility mangers have successfully focused the ways in which FM businesses are able to run in a more cost-effective way.

As of 2015, we notice that the opportunities for FM to continue the optimization process are few and far between. In many cases it will not be possible to save costs without letting the quality of the services and organizations deteriorate.

Current developments such as the sharing economy will change this trend, as it allows procurement and facility professionals to actually generate additional income while also helping the business become more sustainable and social. Asset Sharing gives these professionals a tool to solidify their value within an organization. They will not have

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