GROUP CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER , OCS

Ketan Patel , Group Chief Information Officer at facilities management company OCS , tells us how technology plays a pivotal role making people and places the best they can be . He dives into how data drives insights into effective operations telling us : “ The implementation of technology which can drive a competitive advantage using data is tomorrow ’ s gold .”

What guiding principles does OCS adhere to in its operations ?

At OCS , the words we live by are ‘ making people and places the best they can be ’. As a facilities management ( FM ) company , this is a natural starting point ; we want the shopping centres and stadiums and other locations where we provide core services such as cleaning , security , catering and others to be welcoming to visitors .

How does technology factor into OCS ’ s approach to facilities management ?

Technology plays a pivotal role in this . We have what I define as three ‘ buckets ’ of technology : the Run , the Grow and the Transform .

The Run is simple . It is the right , robust technology which allows the business to run . I call it ‘ keeping the lights on .’

The Grow is where things get interesting from an FM background . The implementation of technology which can drive a competitive advantage using data is tomorrow ’ s gold . Data drives insights on technology and operations and highlights the most efficient and sustainable developments in technology and how we use them to manage colleagues , execute tasks and make sure the right people with the right skills are doing the right jobs . There is proven data behind these decisions .

Naturally following on from the Grow is the Transform . This is where innovation truly finds its home .

How does OCS utilise data to enhance its services ?

It wasn ’ t too long ago that the idea of a robot cleaning a shopping centre was the stuff of science fiction . Now firmly lodged in the present , concepts such as these detect and measure activity , make use of photographic evidence and reach the parts of a building that humans cannot safely or comfortably reach .

Yet the proof points that a robot cleaner encounters , and its continuous gathering of evidence , provides an enviable byproduct . Its output can be optimised so that it also provides supplementary , connected information for other functions . It can highlight footfall levels at optimal times of day and give dimensions and capability from data that is not native to cleaning , or whichever function the technology is being used .

This suite of optics for customers tackles the nuances which arise when providing FM services . Innovative tools optimise the teams on the ground to help them deliver a better service . The connected journey does not just involve the core service , but the doubling-up of add-on services that come with using data so effectively .

Every company has ESG targets . Our innovative technology not only helps companies learn the basics of reducing emissions – such as switching lights off when offices are empty or reducing the temperatures on chillers by a degree without degradation to the

60 www . intelligentbuild . tech