機電工程營運基金物有所值？

自1996年成立以來，機電工程營運基金(營運基金)便致力為客戶提供高成本效益、穩妥可靠的全方位優質機電服務。為了回應客戶需求，提升服務質素，營運基金更訂定長遠的改善措施，制訂五年策略，並以微利營運(營運基金喻為「淺水作業」)，讓客戶保留更多資金加强公共服務，以實踐「透過與客戶的伙伴關係，創造公眾價值利惠市民」的企業目標。營運基金相信，客戶多省一分錢，就會有多一分錢服務社會。

那麼，在客戶眼中，營運基金的服務又是否物有所值呢？

2014年，營運基金進行了客戶意見調查，結果明確顯示，營運基金「淺水作業」的微利營運模式和全方位的優質服務，深獲客戶認同和讚譽，而客戶也樂於繼續選用營運基金的工程服務。




客戶滿意營運基金工作表現

由獨立研究顧問在2014年5月至7月期間進行的客戶意見調查已經順利完成。這每兩年一次的調查成功收集了約1,000份問卷，另深入訪問了約130人，以收集不同層面客戶的意見，讓營運基金不斷改進服務質素和業務流程。


75%客戶首選機電工程營運基金

客戶在回答機電工程營運基金是否他們首選的機電服務供應商時，有75%表示「每次都是」、「經常」或「常常」以營運基金為首選，較上次調查上升18%。

大部分受訪客戶都表示，他們最滿意營運基金在「誠信」、「禮貌」、「支援緊急事故及危機處理能力」、「技術才能」和「熟知政府部門／公營機構運作及設施」方面的表現。


機電工程營運基金服務具競爭力

客戶亦認同營運基金的服務非常具競爭力。在2014年的客戶意見調查中，營運基金在以8分為滿分的服務競爭力指數，創下6.19分的歷年新高，較2012年上升5.5%。


客戶重視質素多於價格

客戶對營運基金表現感到滿意，並認同營運基金的服務質素和可靠性。事實上，多達72%客戶在是次調查中表示，「服務可靠」是他們繼續選用營運基金工程服務的主要原因，其次是「技術才能」和「服務質素」；而「價格水平」並非他們主要的考慮因素。

客戶滿意指數創新高

總結整體表現，在以8分為滿分的整體客戶滿意指數中，營運基金取得6.22分，創歷年新高，是客戶對營運基金工作表現的再次肯定。




德勤研究報告：機電工程營運基金具競爭力

在去年年底，營運基金委託全球領先的管理顧問公司之一德勤企業管理諮詢(香港)有限公司（德勤）進行獨立研究，檢討營運基金的定價機制。


定價與市場交易價格相符

德勤在其「機電工程營運基金定價機制檢討」中指出，營運基金一直採用「成本附加」的定價策略，「以確保其機電工程服務定價合理，前後一致（即：為客戶提供具價值的服務）」。

德勤研究報告指出，「採用這種定價方式，意味着其[機電工程營運基金]價格在原則上，應該與市場交易價格大致相符。」

德勤亦指出，「機電服務市場的價格資訊一般都非常片面和相對不透明。原因可能由於投標價格是商業機密，市場交易量低（即：可供參考價位不多），而且市場交易價格會因服務要求不同而有所分別（即：沒有整體的市場交易價格）。」

雖然市場上缺乏價格資訊，但德勤亦指出，營運基金已設有機制去收集這些資訊，例如承辦商投標回應分析和電子合約管理系統等，都可「為機電服務市場的交易價格提供有用和可供使用的數據。」

營運基金亦參與公開招標競投，在投標完結後再進行分析，以收集市場上的交易價格資訊，確保營運基金的價格具競爭力。

儘管如此，德勤續指出，「包括營運基金在內的機電服務承辦商，都有一致的定位，大家一般傾向強調服務質素和以客為尊，而不是價格。」


全方位優質服務

在機電服務市場方面，根據德勤的研究，「機電服務並不是一個單一的市場，當中最少有25個不同的細分市場......與營運基金認可承辦商名冊上的421家註冊承辦商相比，營運基金的業務遍及25個細分市場，但名冊上303（72％）家承辦商只在一個細分市場營運。」

與其他承辦商不同，「營運基金提供的服務廣泛，兼具一般和專門的機電服務。故此，營運基金能夠提供全面的『一站式』機電服務解決方案，並將自己從其他承辦商中區分出來，因為其他承辦商並未能夠提供相同覆蓋範圍的服務。」

事實上，營運基金時刻多行一步，在客戶的工程項目尚未開展前已參與其中。這些獨特的專業服務涵蓋多方面的工作，包括可行性研究、為項目的撥款申請提供支援。在項目完成後提供駐場人員、危機管理與緊急支援等等，不但得到客戶的高度認同和重視，而且是市場上其他服務供應商未必能夠提供的。


低回報率讓客戶保留更多資金

在2012-13財政年度，營運基金的收入回報率為6.9%。德勤在其研究報告指出，相比市場其他具規模的承辦商，營運基金的回報率並不高於市場的「中位數」，而且營運基金的收入回報率「還有整體平穩下調的趨勢」。事實上，在2013-14財政年度，營運基金的收入回報率只是5.3%，較2012-13年度減少了1.6%。此舉是配合營運基金以微利營運的目標，好讓客戶保留更多資金加強公共服務。


中標比率高

在競爭激烈的公開市場，質素和價格兩者都是贏取工程項目的關鍵要素。最近，營運基金便透過公開招標，相繼取得數份醫院管理局和機場管理局的維修保養合約；政府部門方面，營運基金亦獲得康樂及文化事務署轄下高山劇場的維修保養合約。

德勤的研究報告指出，「營運基金的整體中標率為48％，是市場的高水平。」並認為「這亦證明了營運基金在機電工程服務市場的競爭力。」




微利營運，服務優質，物有所值！

在2014年進行的客戶意見調查和德勤研究報告，都肯定了營運基金在工作表現、服務質素、以及價格方面的競爭力，同時，亦證明了營運基金在實踐微利營運，以提供全方位優質服務方面，已得到客戶的認同和支持，物有所值。

營運基金十分重視與客戶的關係，特別是客戶的寶貴意見，因為這是營運基金得以持續改善服務質素和業務流程的關鍵。

營運基金已根據2014年調查所得的客戶意見微調五年策略計劃，持續作出改善，包括（一）時刻與客戶保持溝通；（二）應用先進的新科技於機電系統;及（三）強化合約管理。

營運基金的專業團隊會主動積極地為客戶探索和引進最新科技、認證計劃以及創新的機電裝置。例如發掘最新的節能科技，或以電子平台和流動技術，適時為客戶提供工作進度報告和服務，又或引進ISO55001「資產管理認證」，從資產運作週期策略以至日常維修保養工作中為客戶提升資產管理質素。

最重要的是，營運基金會繼續以微利營運，提供全方位優質服務，讓客戶部門保留更多資金加強公共服務。

營運基金很榮幸能成為客戶的緊密合作伙伴，並必竭盡所能，繼續為客戶提供物有所值的機電工程服務。

Are EMSTF Services Value-for-Money?

Established in 1996, EMSTF aims to provide cost-effective and high quality, comprehensive E&M services to its customers. Responding to customers’ needs and to improve customer service, EMSTF has identified long-term improvement measures, and formulated a five-year plan to achieve the corporate goal of “creating public value for community betterment through partnership with our clients”. Furthermore, EMSTF will keep operating at slim profit to enable client departments to retain more funds to better their services for the community. EMSTF believes that a dollar it saves for the client is a dollar more the client can spend on serving the community.

The question is, are EMSTF services value-for-money in customers’ eyes?

In 2014, EMSTF conducted a customer opinion survey, and the results clearly indicate that customers highly recognise and appreciate EMSTF’s slim-profit operation in delivering high quality, comprehensive services and they will continue choosing its services.

Conducted between May and July 2014 by an independent research consultant, the biennial Customer Opinion Survey (COS) received around 1,000 completed questionnaires, and also interviewed in-depth about 130 customers, at different rankings. The survey provided customers’ feedback for continuous improvement of EMSTF service quality and business processes.

Asked whether EMSTF was considered their most preferred E&M service provider, 75% respondents indicated that they “always”, “very often” or “often” preferred EMSTF, which was 18% higher than that recorded in COS 2012.

Furthermore, the majority of respondents expressed that they were most satisfied with EMSTF’s “integrity”, “courtesy”, “support under emergency & crisis”, “technical competency” and “familiarity with the operations and facilities of government departments/public bodies”.

Customers also recognised EMSTF’s strengths in service competitiveness. In COS 2014, it attained a record high Service Competitiveness Index of 6.19, an increase of 5.5% compared to that of 2012.

Customer satisfaction is a strong indication of EMSTF’s service quality and reliability. In fact, 72% respondents acknowledged that “reliability” was the key factor driving them to continue choosing EMSTF’s engineering services. It was followed by “technical competency” and “service quality”. “Price” is the least important factor among all.

Record High Overall Customer Satisfaction

Overall, EMSTF achieved a record high overall Customer Satisfaction Index of 6.22 on an 8-point scale. This is another strong indication of customers’ recognition of EMSTF’s performance.




Deloitte Study Affirms EMSTF’s Competitiveness

EMSTF appointed Deloitte Consulting (Hong Kong) Limited (Deloitte), one of the leading consulting firms in the world, to conduct an independent study to review its pricing at the end of last year.

Deloitte points out in its “Review of the Current Pricing Mechanism of EMSTF” that EMSTF has been using a “cost-plus” pricing strategy “to ensure that the price of its E&M services is reasonable and consistent over time (i.e., provides good value for customers)”.

Deloitte states, “Use of this approach to pricing should mean that, in principle, its prices should be in broad alignment with, and comparable to, market transaction prices.”

Deloitte also points out, “Price information for E&M services market appears to be partial and relatively opaque. This appears to be because price information for bids is commercial in confidence, market transaction volumes are low (i.e., limited price points), and market transaction prices vary depending on requirements (i.e., no overall market transaction price).”

Despite the lack of market price information, EMSTF has devised its own mechanism to collect such information, such as contractor bid response analysis and an electronic Contract Administration System, which “provides useful and useable data about E&M services market transaction prices” according to the report.

EMSTF also takes part in open tenders and conducts post-tender analysis to collect information on market transaction prices and to ensure price competitiveness.

The Deloitte report continues, “E&M services contractors, including the EMSTF, position themselves consistently. In general they tend to emphasise quality and customer-centric service characteristics, rather than price.”

With regard to E&M services market, the Deloitte study says, “The E&M market is not one homogenous market, but at least 25 distinct sub-markets...Compared with the 421 registered contractors on the EMSTF Approved Contractors List, the EMSTF operates across all 25 sub-markets, whereas 303 (72%) contractors operate in only one sub-market.”

Unlike other contractors, “EMSTF provides a wide portfolio of both general and specialised E&M services. In this respect, the EMSTF differentiates itself from other contractors through its ability to provide a comprehensive, ‘one stop’ E&M services solution. Other contractors are not able to offer the same level of coverage of service provision.”

Indeed, EMSTF at all times takes the extra step to get involved in customers’ projects, sometimes even before the projects start. These professional services are unique and probably not provided by other service providers in the market. They include feasibility studies, assistance in fund bidding, provision of on-site staff, crisis management and emergency back-up service after project completion and much more, which are highly recognised and valued by customers.

In fiscal 2012-13, EMSTF operated at 6.9% RoR. The Deloitte study points out that EMSTF’s RoR is not higher than the “median” level in comparison to other key contractors’ on the market. With regard to EMSTF’s RoR performance, “the overall trend reveals a steady decline.” In fact, in fiscal 2013-14, EMSTF operated only at 5.3% RoR, an abatement of 1.6% compared to that of 2012-13. The RoR has become significantly lower, which is in line with EMSTF’s aim to operate with slim profit so as to enable clients to retain more funds and better their services for the community.

As EMSTF operates in an open and competitive market, both quality and price are key determinants for project awards. For example, EMSTF recently won several maintenance contracts from the Hospital Authority and the Airport Authority, and the Ko Shan Theatre contract from the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, all via open tenders.

The Deloitte study states, “The EMSTF’s overall level of success in winning tender bids is 48%, which is high.” The report goes on to say, “It provides an indication of the EMSTF’s competitiveness in the E&M services market.”




Quality Services at Slim Profit are Value-for-Money

The 2014 COS and the Deloitte study have both confirmed EMSTF’s performance and its competitiveness in quality services and pricing. Customers also recognise and support EMSTF’s slim-profit operation in delivering high quality, comprehensive services, as EMSTF’s services are value-for-money!

EMSTF values its relationship with customers and their feedback, which is vital for the continuous improvements of service quality and business processes.

EMSTF has further fine-tuned its five-year Strategic Plan and will make continuous improvements according to customer feedback in COS 2014. These include (i) keeping customer informed; (ii) applying advanced new technologies to E&M systems; and (iii) enhancing contract management.

EMSTF’s professional team will also work proactively to explore and introduce new technologies, certification programmes and innovative E&M installations to customers. Examples are the identification of energy saving technologies, the use of computerised e-platforms and mobile technology in providing timely work progress information and customer service, and the introduction of ISO 55001 ”Asset Management Certification” to enhance clients’ asset management from lifecycle strategies to everyday maintenance.

Most importantly, EMSTF will continue to operate with slim profit so as to enable client departments to retain more funds to better their services for the community.

EMSTF is honoured to be a close partner of its customers, and will continue to provide them with value-for-money engineering services.