FMX vs. IFS Applications vs. ServiceChannel

I can only speak to our organization and it is very appropriate and well suited for our purposes. We use it every single day and I find it to be user-friendly. I am excited about utilizing more of FMX's features. We can't wait to learn more and be able to keep better records for our tenants.

Incentivized

Order to cash processes and scenario are implemented natively in IFS. An HR module exists for career management also (objectives, comportments, training, mobility) but may be improved in terms of workflow validation (e.g. training to validate by a manager) or reporting.

Incentivized

ServiceChannel is well suited for companies that have multiple locations or a few very large buildings. In my experience the system allows one person to manage 150 to 200 small retail locations but when you add restaurants and buildings with lots of equipment then it gets more complex and the number of locations that one person can effectively manage is greatly reduced. You can effectively manager 50 or 30,000+ locations with this system if you have the personal. There are several free or cost-effective programs available if you are only looking to manage a dozen or so locations.

Incentivized

• Tracks work orders
• Tracks inventory
• Reminds when work orders are overdue
• Work orders can be put on a calendar
• Regular maintenance can be scheduled for the same time every year

Incentivized

• It supports the web version in most later versions.
• It provides various mobile versions of the applications as mobile apps to cater various areas.
• IFS Applications allows easy configurations of the application without going for costly customization.
• It covers almost every areas of an industrial company so any other third party applications are minimum.
• It allows safer and easier built-in options for integrations capabilities.

Incentivized

• ServiceChannel listens to me the user more than any other product I have ever been involved with. It seems like every few months there are some upgrades and improvements to an already great system.
• They have some great folks employed who are very accessible and very knowledgeable in this system, they are eager to help out and jump in, and they are never trying to up-sell me during these times.
• I believe they have some of the best practices around for helping out new vendors, who have never been exposed to any CMMS system, they help to ease the fear that contractors/vendors have from the onboarding process thru system training.

Incentivized

• Handling massive volumes of data can be improved.

Incentivized

• Sometimes the functionality of the software is slow.
• Example...I insert a WO# into the home search box and it comes up with "nothing found". I return to the home screen and repeat the exact same process and it takes me to my WO. This happens at least 50% of the time.
• They just finished up with a system upgrade (I think), and during the 3 week period I could not pull mass approved invoices for my AP department. That was a real hindrance.
• I am not particularly fond of the new dashboard format. It's not as easy to move around in. However it's new and I'm sure I will get used to it quick enough.

Incentivized

Because it is so easy to use and keeps track of so many things for our company

Incentivized

The system is very difficult to use, overly complex, and difficult to learn. It also has limitations that are hard to overcome.

I gave it a high rating because it's an easy to use platform.

• It walks you step by step to goal accomplishment
• It doesn't drown you in tech speak or unnecessary steps
• It appears to be created by the busy facilities manager that just needs the good stuff with no fluff.
• Not to be rude but if a facilities manager can't function in SC easily they may not be in the right field.

Incentivized

We have been unable to get answers to our questions, solutions to our problems, and they don't seem interested in working in the construction industry.

Sue Thomas is the reason...

• If a vendor has a template to upload I can ask for her support and it's done.
• If I need immediate data for a meeting and I'm away from my computer she can grab it for me on the fly.
• I've walked out of meetings looking like a stud based on the foreground work Sue did to prepare me.
• If there is a technical issues she will find a work around for me so I can focus on my job not my admin work.
• Clear and timely communication on every and all open issues.

Incentivized

It is very easy to set up ServiceChannel but the one thing I believe they could make easier is the vendor portion of ServiceChannel. We get a lot of complaints on how difficult it is for them when trying to get set up.

Incentivized

I've used Yardi in the past and find FMX to be easier to use

Incentivized

IFS Applications is based on Agile Technology which allows organizations to reconfigure user interface as per user requirements and make it user-friendly. Other applications are lagging on many fronts like User Interface, Online help document availability, Implementation methodology, and post-implementation expenses.

Service Channel bridged the gap for us to issue work orders directly to vendors. Maximo Asset Management did not have a user-friendly way for us to do what Service Channel does on the vendor side. Also, at the time of our selection, Maximo was missing the site portal but has since developed a solution of their own.

Incentivized

• It has helped us tremendously and we couldn't do without it

Incentivized

• Reporting is now centralized and managed. Previously, reports were outside the information systems and there was a risk of incoherence.
• Accounting controls are now in place on the overall processes, including production, which helped the company to reduce closing periods or to produce more easily official mandatory accounting files yearly.
• Interfaces between the CRM forecast tool and IFS helped to keep the tools in sync, and to decrease the processing times prior to production launch.

Incentivized

• It increased visibility on how much we were spending on HVAC repairs/replacements and allowed us to make changes to reduce costs
• Before we were using paper invoices from the vendors, which creates a scenario of losing/missing invoices into AP. Then we start using the Service Channel invoicing and reduce errors to below 1%.
• Gives you the capability to add trades and adjust to your needs, so you can get better tracking of specific items.

Incentivized