Paul McNeive offered words of encouragement to those struggling in the current difficult trading environment at the recent members’ lunch of the Irish Property and Facility Management Association (IPFMA) in Dublin’s Burlington Hotel. McNeive, a former managing director of Savills and now a business consultant, said: “Recessions are the best times for companies to make strategic moves as competitors become ‘bombed-out’.”

The key, he added, is to offer good customer service as it usually costs nothing.

More than 240 members and guests attended the event at which chairman Sean Aylward, announced details of a Super Seminar for residential property managers at Bewley’s Hotel, Ballsbridge on May 23rd. There will be a particular focus on multi-unit developments. Themes to be covered include professional indemnity insurance –a requirement for property management licence holders – and conflict resolution.

There will also be a speaker from the Property Services Regulatory Authority (PSRA) discussing its general requirements.