What is an FM?

FM services - like having your own reprographics shop, right in your office.

To most folks, FM means frequency modulation and is on your radio dial. To others, FM stands for a service devoted to the maintenance and care of commercial or institutional buildings. But in the architectural, engineering and construction world, FM is the management of the office services that typically includes printing, faxing, mail room services and –in some cases- reception services.

Also known as On Site Services (OSS), FM service is a business savvy way to fix a number of typically variable costs. FM’s can be a combination of equipment and contract labor or equipment only.

Think about the cost management of a large format plotter in a typical architectural office. Without FM services, the architect would have to deal with the lease of the equipment, supplies, maintenance and keeping track of what was printed so that the prints could be charged back to the client.

In an FM, this same architect will have the same printer in his/her office, but rather than all that hassle, they would receive an itemized bill, sorted by client, for plotting services for a given month. All costs are rolled into a low, per square foot charge that makes budget calculations easy and billing clients automatic.

An equipment lease can burden your debt load to the point where you could have difficulty borrowing for more important business needs, while an FM is booked as a straight business expense.

When you add an employee to the mix, you can guarantee that the overhead costs associated with print production and distribution are captured in your reimbursable expense to your client as well as keeping your more talented (and higher paid) employees designing rather than running prints.

FM services are like having your own reprographics shop, right in your office.

Contact Leo Ladas at lladas@airgraphics.com for an evaluation of your office needs.