Beyond routine maintenance: Commercial property readiness playbook

 Commercial property leaders are constantly managing moments that extend beyond routine maintenance: recovering from a storm, preparing for a tenant walkthrough, supporting a seasonal event or responding to unplanned construction. These moments may not happen every day, but how you handle them affects property performance, tenant experience, and your ability to recover quickly.

To inform this playbook, we spoke with Bryan Engler, Vice President of Operations, Great Lakes Region at ABM. In his role, Engler brings an operational perspective to the specialty service needs commercial property leaders encounter and the value of planning ahead.

The result is a practical framework for recognizing when your property needs more than routine maintenance—and determining how to prepare.

Four priorities for commercial property readiness

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Protect property value

Specialty Services are part of asset preservation, not simply cosmetic upkeep. Regular attention can help extend the useful life of flooring, stone, metal, parking areas and other high-value surfaces while reducing the risk that minor wear becomes a larger restoration or replacement project.

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Support tenants and occupants

The condition of a property shapes how tenants, visitors and employees experience it. Lobbies, restrooms, elevators, parking areas and shared spaces all communicate something about the property and the team responsible for maintaining it.

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Stay seasonally ready

Seasonal transitions, tenant move-ins, inspections, executive visits and major events all require preparation. The most prepared property teams anticipate these needs, schedule work in advance and avoid scrambling to find support under pressure.

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Recover faster

Storms, burst pipes, construction mishaps and other unexpected events can quickly disrupt access, appearance and daily operations. Recovery often extends beyond the immediate incident, requiring coordinated cleanup, restoration and exterior support to return the property to normal.

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Readiness starts before the need becomes urgent

Facility readiness means being prepared to keep your space safe, functional, presentable and compliant when needs extend beyond everyday maintenance.

That preparation does not require anticipating every possible problem. It requires knowing which surfaces, spaces, seasons and situations need attention—and having a plan for addressing them.

As Engler explains, “It’s really about being proactive versus reactive.”

A proactive approach can help property teams:

• Identify asset-preservation needs before replacement is required
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• Maintain the appearance and experience tenants expect
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• Plan around seasonal conditions and scheduled events
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• Respond faster when an unexpected disruption occurs
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• Reduce the time and effort required to coordinate multiple providers

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Download the playbook

The Beyond routine maintenance: Commercial Property Readiness Playbook offers a closer look at the four priorities above, along with questions to help you evaluate your property’s readiness.

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Assess your property’s readiness

Want a faster way to identify potential gaps? Use the Commercial Property Readiness Assessment to evaluate your property across four areas: protecting property value, supporting tenants and occupants, staying seasonally ready and recovering faster.

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One partner for more of your property’s needs

Specialty Services are often treated as an afterthought—something to address only when a problem becomes visible or urgent. But postponing this work can allow minor wear, damage or seasonal needs to become larger operational and financial challenges.

Working with your existing ABM team can make it easier to plan ahead, respond quickly, and connect your property with the right expertise as needs change.

“The advantage of somebody like us is that we’re already there. Your point of contact doesn’t change. Your escalation path doesn’t change.”

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