There are many ways to measure performance in facilities management: contract renewals, profit margins, staff retention. But ask Challenger Services Group operations manager Rui Neto what separates good operators from great ones, and the answer has nothing to do with equipment or process.
“It’s not really the service,” he says. “It’s the constant communication, the presence.”
In an industry where budgets are shrinking and client expectations are rising, Neto believes many operations managers are falling short in the same place. They wait too long to speak up.
The real cost of silence
When something goes wrong on-site, the instinct is often to contain it, fix it quietly, then report back once there is good news. Neto sees that as the wrong approach.
Clients are not looking for perfection. They want reassurance that you are across the issue and that they will not be caught off guard. “The moment you know, you need to be straight up,” he says. “Say why and say how you’re going to fix it. How you’re fixing it is the most important thing.”
He points to a situation where a client relationship had started to deteriorate. Rather than waiting, Neto made daily contact with the client for two weeks until confidence was restored. “It all could have been avoided if things were open and clear from the start.”
A tighter market demands more presence
The external pressures facing operations managers right now are real. Clients are reducing scope, cutting ad hoc spending and expecting more value from every dollar. At the same time, finding quality staff has become harder.
Neto notes that the pool of experienced cleaners and supervisors has shrunk since COVID, and that attitude, as much as skill, has become the defining factor in hiring.
“A great resumé without a good attitude is not going anywhere,” he says.
In this environment, he believes the managers who stand out are those who remain visible, to both clients and their teams. Presence carries weight. It builds trust. It drives performance.
The manager as mentor
Neto’s approach to leadership is shaped by a simple principle: managers should mentor, not just manage.
“If it means grabbing a scrubber and getting involved, do it. Your team should look up to you and know you’re supporting them.”
He measures success by watching people grow within the business. He recalls one team member who resigned twice in her first month, yet went on to win an award by the end of the year.
“The biggest success is watching someone grow,” he says. “It shows people are here for the culture, for the right reasons.”
For Neto, high turnover in the early months of employment signals something deeper. “If someone starts and leaves in the first few months, it reflects the company.”
Looking ahead
Neto sees AI and automation playing a growing role in back-of-house functions such as HR, payroll and scheduling. He remains cautiously optimistic, particularly about tools that could free managers to spend more time on-site.
But the fundamentals remain unchanged.
“You need to be switched on, know your environment and see things coming.”
In operations, that awareness, paired with the willingness to act early, continues to define the difference between a team that holds together and one that falls away.
