The Hidden Risk That Facility Leaders Can No Longer Ignore
In an age where data drives decisions, transparency equals accountability. Yet in the vertical transportation industry—elevators, escalators, lifts—the vast majority of building owners and facility managers are willingly give all control of elevator performance and code data to the very vendors they pay to maintain their equipment. This is odd especially since it’s a code requirement that ownership or the owner of the building or the owner of the equipment has to keep the maintenance records.
Why does this matter?
Because when the vendor owns the data, they own the narrative. And when you let a vendor grade their own work without oversight, you’re not managing performance. We know several cliches here like letting the “Letting the fox guard the henhouse” and “Letting the student grade their own test” all the time, or “That’s like building a house on sand.”. It is really something that individuals need to think about.
At The Elevator Consultants, a professional elevator consulting firm, we’ve seen the consequences of this blind trust time and again: falsified maintenance logs, manipulated uptime reports, omit records, and a frustrating refusal to provide data when the relationship ends or is in critical need. While this sounds like hearsay, we possess email trails and long-term case studies that expose a recurring industry pattern. The question isn’t if it’s happening it’s why aren’t more building executives doing something about it?
Let’s explore this deeper since it is clear it’s not about risk, it may be about watching money quietly disappear every month with no way to prove you got what you paid for.
The Dangerous Comfort of Convenience
Elevator service providers will often tell you:
“We have all the data. Just use our system.”
It sounds efficient. Seamless. One less thing to manage. But here’s the problem: you’re giving full control of performance monitoring, compliance tracking, and service documentation to the same vendor that’s incentivized to cut corners and maximize profit. These vendors tell you that your equipment is obsolete and it really may not be or they say it’s obsolete after only being in the market for a few years. They also provide you with invoices and or proposals that you really don’t know what they’re for.
Would you let your janitorial company write its own report card and submit it to the board? Would you let your HVAC provider claim a service was done without proof and then pay the invoice without question?
Of course not.
For janitorial services you could actually see if the work has been completed and HVAC you can feel that the work has been completed in most cases. For elevators, you have no proof.
Yet somehow, when it comes to elevators one of the most complex, costly, and safety-sensitive systems in a building this exact scenario plays out daily.
Skin in the Game: Investors vs. Employees
Here’s what’s truly revealing: the individuals who most often question the vendor’s data are investors.
Why? Because they have skin in the game. It is their money.
They track performance. They ask where the money goes. They demand justification for every dollar spent. They want ROI. And they understand that vendor-reported data, without verification, is not enough.
On the other hand, most employees like facility managers, property managers, building engineers, and even executives frequently don’t push back. They’re either too busy, too trusting, or too entrenched in the “that’s how we’ve always done it” mindset. The elevators are working and no one is getting hurt is truly what we see in the industry.
But here’s the truth: It is their responsibility to protect the organization’s stakeholders. When they fail to question vendor-reported data, they’re not just being passive they’re being negligent. Yet they let the elevator service companies have full control.
The Real Risks of Vendor-Controlled Elevator Data
When an elevator service provider controls all the elevator performance and maintenance data, it creates a serious conflict of interest. Here’s what that actually looks like in practice:
1. The Vendor Grades Their Own Work
When vendors report on their own performance, they only show what benefits them. You may never see the full picture including missed services, delays, redundant service charges, or compliance issues.
2. No Internal Building Tracking
Without your own building side log or system, there’s no baseline to compare against. Inconsistencies or failures often go unnoticed until a major issue arises. A simple pen and paper can even help.
3. Data Disappears When the Contract Ends
If you switch vendors, you may lose all historical data. We’ve seen elevator service providers refuse to turn over records, leaving buildings with no audit trail or service documentation.
4. No Way to Verify Service or Response Times
Without timestamped reports and internal logs, you’re relying solely on what the vendor claims. You can’t verify how quickly they responded or if they responded at all.
5. Missed Maintenance and Compliance Issues Go Unchecked
If preventive maintenance is skipped, or elevator inspections are failed but not reported, you’re exposed to legal, safety, and financial risks. And without access to elevator data, you won’t even know it’s happening.
We’ve seen vendors claim uptime is at 99.9%—while tenants report frequent shutdowns. We’ve uncovered preventative maintenance “logs” with zero technician timestamps. We’ve seen vendors refuse to turn over service history. We’ve seen service providers say they only have 2 years of data which is not code, check the ASME A17.1 code book. This isn’t paranoia. This is pattern.
How to Take Back Control—Without Starting a War
Building leadership doesn’t need to be confrontational. But they do need to be strategic.
Here’s how:
1. Frame the Vendor’s System as “One Perspective”
Rather than outright rejecting it, position the vendor system as a single data point.
“Vendor systems are helpful but any industry best practice is to have your own data, building side tracking as well. It’s about full visibility, not mistrust.”
2. Cross-Validate a Sample Window
Choose a specific time period or a few elevators. Compare vendor reported logs to internal observations.
“Let’s compare what was reported vs. what actually occurred. We’ll all be better informed going forward.” You can do this manually or use the ElevatorApp.
3. Document Discrepancies—Tactfully
If inconsistencies arise, don’t accuse. Collaborate.
“We noticed some gaps between reports and on-site experience. Let’s align to ensure accuracy.”
4. Request Raw, Exportable Data
A dashboard is not enough. You need CSV or Excel files with timestamps, technician names, and unit-specific records. Grap the data for the past 3-5 years per code and for comparison.
“This is standard for other building vendors. Elevators shouldn’t be any different.”
5. Maintain a Building-Controlled Layer of Data
Even without specialized software like the ElevatorApp, you can implement:
- A simple logbook tracking service calls
- Timestamped vendor checklists
- Internal service request tickets with resolution times
- Copies of testing and compliance certificates
Small steps create big leverage.
Leadership: It’s Time to Lead
This issue isn’t just operational it’s ethical and fiduciary. When executives and facility managers fail to implement even basic oversight, they’re failing their tenants, their owners, and their stakeholders.
Would you let your accounting firm prepare and audit your own financials? Would you accept a legal report from the opposing counsel without review?
Then why do so many buildings let the elevator company write the report, audit the performance, and control the data—without question? This practice is mind boggling.
Final Thought: Elevators Should Not Be the Exception
Every industry standard, from ISO to OSHA, insists on independent verification, dual-layer accountability, and record transparency. Fire life safety, HVAC, janitorial, and IT all these departments are required to maintain their own records, verify vendor work, and retain data for audit.
Why should elevators be different?
The Elevator Consultants: Your Independent Oversight Partner
At The Elevator Consultants, we help building owners and operators regain control. From auditing vendor claims to helping facilities set up internal data tracking, we exist to protect your interests, not the vendor’s.
Don’t wait for a failure, a lawsuit, or a compliance violation to take action.
Start by asking one simple question: “Who owns our elevator data and why isn’t it us?”
For support, guidance, and tools to build a stronger oversight model, visit:
www.theelevatorconsultant.com | info@theelevatorconsultant.com