The web-based graphic service request system for facility management of apartments

摘要

This research investigates the feasibility of web technology as a means of handling service requests for delivering high quality service in building operation and maintenance. This research proposes a web-based graphic service request (WGSR) system as a pragmatic solution to the limitations of current computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) processes. Service request process in CMMS was developed as text-based, so that it is hard for ordinary tenants to use. Therefore, when tenants have a problem in a facility, they prefer calling in service requests or going to the office instead of using the internet service request application. In practice, work orders and records are often misplaced - resulting in lower efficiency and customer satisfaction. This may be overcome by a system that states information digitally and provides a web-based Graphic Service Request (WGSR) interface. The interface allow customers to report environmental problems in the facility, trace their work order progress, view schedules for maintenance, and provide feedback for service online. The WGSR system is an end-user point-and-click graphical interface that allows residents to request service by selecting a problem fixture on a floor plan image. By using HTML image map tags and combination of location, part, and types of problem identification number, the resident's input produces a text-based problem report for Facility Management (FM) departments that allows them to service requests on the fly. To solve the complexity and inefficiency issues of CMMS, the user interface for the WGRS system consists of a perspective drawing or isometric drawing of each unit's plan. An empirical test of the system and post-task survey was conducted to determine the efficiency and usefulness of the system. The analysis of the results shows the system to be efficient and convenient in several fields, including comprehensibility, navigability, simplicity, clarity, compatibility, and graphic appeal. This result shows that residents prefer to use the WGSR system and could reduce the effort needed to make and receive service request phone calls and input information into a database. The labor and time for daily work could be saved to recognize problems correctly and set the right schedule so that this could be used for preventive work and project work.