LEADING CONSULTANTS IN BENCHMARKING & BEST PRACTICES

Guerin Associates

Track Record

50+ +
Fortune 500
Clients
150 +
Benchmarking
Participants
50.8 M
Last Year's RSF Benchmarking
$8.4 B
Last Year's OpEx Benchmarking

Guerin Associates

Track Record

50+ +
Fortune 500
Clients
150 +
Benchmarking
Participants
50.8 M
Last Year's RSF Benchmarking
$8.4 B
Last Year's OpEx Benchmarking

What is Benchmarking?

Benchmarking is a tool to evaluate and improve an organization's operations, including product quality, customer service, productivity, financial performance and more. It can be internal, where a company compares its performance among different locations, or against its own past performance. Or, usually with third-party assistance, it can be external, comparing costs and performance against competitors or industry peers.

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What is World Class Performance?

World class performance refers to the highest level of performance or achievement in a particular field or industry. It is a standard of excellence that surpasses typical or average performance levels, and is characterized by exceptional quality, efficiency, innovation and customer satisfaction.

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Do You Need a Consultant?

 You may choose to hire a consultant for a variety of reasons, including:


 1. Objective analysis: Consultants can provide an independent and unbiased analysis of an organization's operations, processes, and strategies. They can identify inefficiencies, gaps, and areas for improvement that may not be apparent to the organization's own staff.

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Who We Are

Guerin Associates, Inc. (GA) is a consulting firm specializing in real estate and facilities management. We provide independent business intelligence to leading national and global organizations.
Our clients are decision-makers seeking clear, impartial analysis and actionable insights. Drawing on our extensive experience and data, we help them improve –and prove– the value they bring to a business.
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What We Do

We provide management consulting in Benchmarking, Best Practices and Business Improvement.
  • Benchmarking is the first step in sustainable, continuous improvement. Methodical benchmarking against similar firms produces valuable, impartial comparisons. We consider locations, space types, operating hours, and organizational culture as we analyze the cost and performance gaps. Benchmarking scope can range from individual facility services to global portfolio management.
  • Best Practices strengthen cost control, performance & service levels, vendor management, etc.
  • Business Improvement results from the transformation to a dynamic, performance-based culture.

Our Vision

Our Vision is to help organizations attain world class performance by adopting best practices.

World class performance is possible for any organization that decides to pursue it. Our role is to make that level of excellence possible by clearly delineating what is entailed, and how to achieve it. We accomplish this by adhering to time-honored principles embodied in our Values below.

We strive to understand what is unique about each of our clients. We have found that every organization must be approached with an open mind and spirit of discovery.

Once we have conducted our research, interivews and data collection, we provide a coherent. overview of their challenges and opportunities. We show where they can reduce costs and improve performance, while maintaining the character and values that make the orgainzzation unique.

Our Values

We provide individualized professional services tailored to each organization, comparing them with peer firms and facilities to identify gaps in costs and/or performance. Helping organizational leaders to close those gaps empowers them to improve --and prove-- the value they provide.

Value is the relationship between what an organization is spending to achieve a certain product or service, and the measurable quantity, quality and timing of what is delivered. It is essential to weigh each organization’s unique balance of the three core elements of Value:

ECONOMY, EFFICIENCY, EFFECTIVENESS

Value also entails rigorous ethical and professional standards. As we help clients analyze and improve their operations, we continue to rely on our own foundational, core values:

INNOVATION – Staying ahead of the curve in organizational effectiveness

INSIGHT – Identifying, evaluating and enhancing the drivers of success

INTEGRITY – In how we handle data, and how we deal with people

Most Popular Services from Guerin Associates

Benchmarking & Best Practices

GA compares similar firms and facilities, to identify gaps in costs and/or performance levels, acquire management practices from “best performers” and develop strategies to reduce costs and improve FM performance...

Space Usage & Optimization

GA's significant experience and comprehensive databases are used to assess workplace utilization and efficiency, identify flexibility and/or reconfiguration opportunities, and assess alternative occupancy methods such as flex space...

Architecture / Engineering Peer Review

Building changes are expensive late in design, during construction, or occupancy. As “owner advocates" we review designs of A&E firms, identifying any space utilization or potential operational problems...

Outsourcing RFI/RFP

Development

GA provides comprehensive commissioning plan development, to guide owners and developers in implementing a robust commissioning effort, from pre-design thru construction and post-occupancy...

Facilities Operation

Analysis

The key role of the FM organization is to provide optimized services supported by flexible, adaptable, responsive, and cost-effective facilities...

Service Provider

Optimization

Most companies outsource part or all of their facilities management services. GA works with clients to manage the overall outsourcing initiative...

Frequently Asked Questions & Answers

  • What does Benchmarking actually achieve?

    1. Improved performance: Benchmarking can help organizations identify areas for improvement, and adopt best practices to enhance their performance.

    2. Cost savings: Benchmarking can help organizations reduce costs by identifying cost gaps, and close those gaps by implementing more efficient processes and practices. 

    3. Innovation: Benchmarking can help organizations stay pro-active, by learning from other organizations and industries, and adopting innovative ideas and practices. 

    4. Customer satisfaction: Benchmarking can help organizations improve their products and services to better meet customer needs and expectations.


  • Don’t organizations improve on their own?

    While organizations can certainly improve on their own, benchmarking provides a structured and systematic approach. This makes it easier to identify and adopt otherwise unknown best practices from outside organizations.

  • Is it difficult to compare different companies?

    It can be challenging to compare different companies, but benchmarking typically involves identifying relevant metrics or performance indicators to make “apples to apples” comparisons possible.

  • How do you address differences among them?

    Differences among companies are addressed by adjusting metrics or performance indicators to offset unique circumstances. Factors that influence results are normalized in the analysis to create a “level playing field.”

  • Where / how did Benchmarking originate?

    Benchmarking originated in the manufacturing industry in the 1970s as a way to improve quality and efficiency. Xerox was one of the first companies to adopt the methodology in a comprehensive way. Since then, it has been applied to a wide range of industries and areas of organizational performance.

  • What types of firms utilize Benchmarking?

    Any type of organization can utilize benchmarking, including corporate, for-profit and non-profit organizations, government agencies and educational institutions.

  • Are there risks associated with Benchmarking?

    There are some risks associated with benchmarking, such as relying too heavily on external data and neglecting internal analysis or unique factors that may affect performance. Additionally, there is the risk of confidentiality breaches when sharing sensitive data with external parties. It's important to carefully manage the process to minimize these risks.

  • How do you maintain the confidentiality of data?

    To maintain confidentiality of data, consultants can apply anonymous, confidential “masking codes,” to information, and/or may use aggregated data in comparisons. They may also use NDAs (Non-Disclosure Agreements) among benchmarking participants.

  • Is there a Benchmarking code of conduct?

    There is an international Benchmarking Code of Conduct published by the American Productivity and Quality Council (APQC). It provides excellent advice and guidelines for a successful benchmarking project. It is a voluntary standard, but organizations should follow its ethical practices and respect confidentiality when conducting benchmarking. 

  • What does Benchmarking cost?

    The cost of benchmarking varies depending on the scope and complexity of the project, the level of expertise required, and the level of post-project support desired. However, the benefits of benchmarking typically outweigh the costs by several multiples in terms of potentially improved performance and competitive advantage.

Thank you for your interest.

Let us know how we can help.

Mike Guerin
Michael F. Guerin
AIA, PE, CEM, CFM, LEED®GA, GGP
President, Guerin Associates, Inc.