How did you begin your career as a trade fair and event organizer, and how did Cleantek come about?
I began my career in 1998 as a product manager at Exponor, later becoming responsible for several benchmark trade fairs across a variety of business sectors, culminating in the role of director for the trade fair and congress division at Exponor until my departure from the company by my own choice in 2018.
Cleantek, as a niche and specialized trade fair similar to other events, arose from the need to fill an existing gap in the market and to design a B2B fair that would serve as a meeting point for cleaning, laundry, and facilities professionals within a highly competitive and business-focused participation model. I believe it was very well received by the market, considering we saw 60% growth from the first edition in 2020 to the second in 2022.
What are the current trends in the facility services sector in Portugal, and how does the Cleantek fair reflect these trends?
There is no "maturity" in this broad sector in Portugal that allows for the collection and systematization of qualified information for, I would say, a more rigorous, precise, and organized reflection. There are, however, some trends that are perhaps transversal to all business sectors and others that are more specific. Right away, from a more transversal perspective, we cannot ignore the repercussions that the COVID-19 pandemic had in terms of behavior and the relationship with work, or how it came to be viewed.
On the other hand, the phenomenon of inflation and the war in Ukraine with the corresponding increase in raw materials and production costs, as well as the central theme of sustainability and the energy transition with a clear paradigm shift regarding the exponential increase in the cost of raw materials, and finally, something we are still learning to understand: artificial intelligence and the strong and even unknown impact it may have on our daily lives, the economy, and business in terms of the work organization model, product development, R&D, distribution, etc. Thus, from an organizational and labor perspective and at the human resources management level, I believe there will be a tendency to accelerate Upskilling resulting from "quiet quitting," which drastically and definitively changed the labor market with new forms and hybrid modalities, with the affirmation of office-as-a-service.
It is also natural for there to be a change in management models accompanied by new tools highly oriented towards improving energy efficiency, reducing costs, and meeting energy transition goals.
The fair itself, as an interface between supply and demand, may broaden its sectoral scope to welcome new players, stay attentive to changes on the demand side, respond to the needs of customers, visitors, and buyers, and also serve as a stage and forum for knowledge, debate, and the presentation of innovations—and, by extension, trends. There is also the intention to develop a platform that serves as a unifying hub for the sector with a strong component of content and information sharing.
What are the biggest challenges the facility services sector currently faces in Portugal, and how are companies responding to these challenges?
I believe the scarcity of specialized resources will be one of the main short-term challenges for the sector, combined with a strong transformation underway in the field of technology and an economy of scarcity, or at least a paradigm shift regarding the awareness of the need to adopt more eco-responsible behaviors and greater efficiency (energy-related and otherwise).
How is technology influencing the Facility Services sector, and how is the Cleantek fair keeping up with this evolution?
Technology has and will have an increasingly relevant role in this and other sectors, especially due to the unstoppable rise of Artificial Intelligence and the impact it will have on the creation of new jobs and roles, but also the extinction of many, and above all, new tools to alter data and the competitive models currently in force.
Social media and virtualization models cannot be ignored by organizations, nor can dematerialization and digital transition, which are essential to compete in a world that, although it may become less global due to the geostrategic changes underway, will continue to be very competitive. Investment in R&D as a differentiating factor that goes beyond technology must be viewed as a clear competitive advantage.
How can companies ensure quality of service when these are subcontracted to third parties?
I believe that service quality should be inherent to any activity, sector, or provision, although the models and procedures for evaluating satisfaction may change.
How does the lack of qualified human resources affect the supply and quality of facility services, and how can companies overcome this difficulty?
It is indeed a serious problem, transversal to various industries and sectors. In this sense, it is increasingly important to retain talent, understanding that employees
are increasingly demanding and ask for other types of incentives, flexibility, and recognition, which can translate into a less rigid work model for the benefit of both parties and even in terms of productivity, which always implies a very focused and capable management vision.
While resorting to immigration may be a solution, it raises challenges of adaptation and often acculturation, but it seems inevitable to address the transversal lack of resources.
What advice would you give to someone who is starting a career in the facility services sector in Portugal?
As in any business, I believe it is important to know the sector very well, its characteristics, possess technical knowledge, the essential soft skills, be credible, professional, have a strong customer-oriented culture, and try to find out what your "competitive advantages" are.
