BREC talks with Atalian Romania: “We are convinced that the FM services will grow in the next years if companies invest in people and new technologies,” says CEO Cora Cristescu
Atalian Romania, the supplier of facility management services, grew its turnover by 12% to over EUR 15 million in 2021 and expects further expansion this year based on increasing demand from the commercial real estate market. Cora Cristescu, CEO, Atalian Romania, outlined in an interview the company’s approach to innovation and her outlook for the market this year.
How would you describe 2021 from the perspective of your business? What were the main objectives you achieved last year?
2021 was a surprise from two perspectives: business-wise, but also how the organization and people changed and developed in Atalian Romania. Looking back for the last 10 years, in 2021 the team really overachieved by ingenuity, adaptability to the pandemic situation, but also maturity in taking decisions and acting. All of this confirm our strong belief that our main investment as a company it is, and it will continue to be in our people.
All of 2021 objectives were reached, besides the business ones we are very proud to have all our clients remain with us, which is something that we work on constantly. In 2021 we have gained new partners’ trust from different sectors office, industrial and corporate. Our team grew by 20% percent, while the personnel turnover decreased to 4%. If we look on Atalian Romania’s team we are happy to have colleagues that have been with us for a long time: 20% more than 3 years, 20% more than 5 years, 10% for over 8 years and another 10% for over 10 years. We see this as one of our biggest performances.
When it comes to financial turnover, we registered an increase by 12% to more than EUR 15 million. Behind this result, there is a teamwork, an exceptional team which consists in our clients and Atalian Romania employees.
Which are your main goals in 2022? (business, culture, company, market, etc.)
For 2022 we keep our goal to invest and develop the people, clients’ retention but also to grow our portfolio further. We have a strong interest for the industrial, retail, and corporate areas, but of course we will keep our “first love” – the office market close to our attention. We are convinced that the FM services will grow in the next years if companies invest in people and new technologies. The COBOTIC concept it is an innovation of great interest for Atalian, and we hope that this year we will manage some implementations of the concept also in Romania. In short, this concept comprises a robot that has been designed and built to collaborate with humans.
What trends will shape the market in 2022 from your perspective?
In the FM industry we see the regionalization of services as the new milestone to be reached. There are already a lot of companies that choose to get a quality service and financial efficiency by working with only one provider at regional level, but not only.
Of course, the operational costs of a property are another trend that needs to be carefully tackled and not only from a maintenance point of view. Here for sure the FM companies have a word to say, and we want to believe that they will focus on finding practical solutions and sustainable ones rather than reducing staff numbers.
Finally, we expect a turn around to a quality service, rather than to a budget one. A quality service for sure will bring a better income but at the same time a cost efficiency on the long term. This is an idea which is supported by financial reports for the last years. The needs and expectations of employees and visitors of office building, a warehouse, an industrial site or a commercial centre change on a rapid pace and there should be a focus on these needs to ensure a pleasant, safe, and flexible experience.
In conclusion, we would say that the trends are set by the market demands and all of us should pay close attention on what markets is asking for.
