Beyond The Contract

Contracts Vs Conversations

Our new monthly LinkedIn series, written by Pareto Founder & Vice Chair Andrew Hulbert, brings together 15 years of experience to explore what sustained, high-performing FM partnerships are built on

Building Client Relationships That Last. Andrew Hulbert. Vice Chair, Pareto FM

In FM, relationships don’t last because everything goes smoothly. They last because both sides find a way to work through the things that don’t. Contracts give structure, but relationships give traction. And in my experience, it’s the conversations outside the contract, the ones that happen between the scheduled meetings, or off the back of a problem no one saw coming, that end up shaping the value a client receives. And when those conversations are open and grounded in facts, the results are clear and measurable. The below outlines real examples with real customers. 

1. Annual Savings

With greater visibility of the detail, both teams were able to refine the whole delivery model, removing unnecessary complexity and improving efficiency. That collaborative approach resulted in a £120,000 annual saving, achieved while maintaining service levels and operational resilience.

2. Over 50 tonnes of carbon removed through a pragmatic upgrade path

A further discussion that began around lighting maintenance turned into a broader strategy review. Together with the client, we mapped out an upgrade programme that would reduce failure rates, improve consistency across the estate and cut carbon. The result: more than 50 tonnes of carbon reduction, increased reliability and lower long-term maintenance costs. Not because someone asked for “a sustainability initiative,” but because the relationship allowed us to challenge the status quo and pursue the better option.

3. A unified FM model that improved control

Across a geographically complex estate, the client wanted greater consistency, less friction and a clearer line of accountability. Joint workshops led to a new integrated hard/soft FM approach that simplified decision-making and improved consistency across a complex estate.

This is what strong relationships actually look like

From my perspective, long-lasting relationships share a few traits:

· Straight conversations about performance, pressures and priorities.

· Joint problem-solving, not “us vs them.”

· Visibility of the detail — data, engineering insight, cost drivers.

· Flexibility, but never at the expense of standards. Consistency is still non-negotiable.

· A mindset of continuous improvement that accumulate into real gains.

When both sides work this way, FM shifts from “service provision” to something that genuinely supports the organisation’s goals.

Why this matters more than ever

The expectations on FM teams are rising, technically, commercially and operationally. At the same time, estates are becoming more complex and more interconnected. In that environment, a transactional approach won’t hold.

What’s next in the series?

Over the next few months, I’ll be sharing more perspectives on:

· Cutting carbon without cutting corners

· Why precision and technical discipline protect performance

· How FM can anticipate, not react, in tomorrow’s built environment.