By Ian Ellison, Workplace Geeks
Listen to episode one now: An Introduction to the Science of Service
Back in the 1990s, chess grandmaster, Garry Kasparov, faced IBM’s Deep Blue computer. It was the classic battle of strategic skill. But with a twist. This time, the contest was between man and machine. In 1996, Kasparov scraped victory. But in 1997, the outcome was different. Deep Blue won, four games to two. Chess fans around the globe were stunned. But perhaps not as much as Kasparov himself. The result showed the rising power of machines.
Discovering facilities transformation
Fast forward to 2024. Technology touches every aspect of our lives, often without us even knowing. Which brings me to the first episode of our brand-new podcast with Mitie, hosted by yours truly, Ian Ellison, and my Workplace Geeks co-host, Chris Moriarty. We were invited to The Shard in London to meet the leadership team of the UK’s largest facilities management company. Our mission? To learn more about Mitie’s Science of Service and facilities transformation. In truth, we wondered if this was evidence of a new era of technology-driven facilities management? Or was it just fancy branding?
During our first meeting, Mitie’s CEO, Phil Bentley, outlined the company’s strategic progress during his tenure, which first developed from ‘Beyond FM’ to ‘The Connected Workspace’. This has helped shift the business from managing facilities to becoming a strategic organisational partner. Now, Mitie is turning its attention to ‘facilities transformation’. And their vehicle is a tech-enabled, digital-first approach, epitomised by the Science of Service.
A multi-million pound investment
Phil also revealed Mitie has ringfenced £145m to invest in new technological infrastructure for their service revolution. Mitie’s CTO, Cijo Joseph, added that you can think of it as the ‘digital plumbing’ to enable the Science of Service. “Wow,” we thought. A significant investment. Especially for facilities management – a sector traditionally plagued by a cost reduction and lack of research and development.
So, what exactly is the Science of Service? And what does it look and feel like to Mitie customers? Phil invited Chris and I to go on a voyage of discovery to find out.
We’ve spent months learning from organisations including Eurostar, Essex County Council, Lloyds Banking Group, Royal London and The Shard Quarter. Plus, we’ve looked at delivery from several different angles. We’ve explored carbon reduction, risk management and cybersecurity, proptech, workplace experience and clinical hygiene. And along the way, we’ve also interviewed countless Mitie and industry experts.
Efficiency, costs, quality
We’ve been deep underground in Halifax. We’ve been up high on rooftops in Essex. We’ve passed through security in St. Pancras International. We’ve experienced Mitie’s Centres of Excellence in Birmingham and Manchester. And wherever we’ve been, we’ve witnessed organisations harnessing new technologies to reshape operations and boost performance. Man and machine working together to enhance efficiency, reduce cost and raise quality standards.
As we launch this podcast series, one important question remains. Why now…what’s changed? Computing power has soared, and costs are down, for sure. Yet, as proptech pundit Antony Slumbers explains in episode one, real estate and built environment companies have been slow to adopt new technology. This is because they lacked the market pressures to force change. Now though, external forces are triggering innovation. Organisations need more from their service partners to tackle the challenges they face. Challenges like climate change, diverse work environments, security and the aftermath of a global pandemic.
Man and machine together
So, what can you expect from the Science of Service podcast? Cutting-edge tech, for sure. We wouldn’t miss that opportunity! But more importantly, stories about how technology impacts customer experiences and business services. It’s not about tech replacing humans. No repeat of Kasparov versus Deep Blue. No man versus machine. This time around, it’s about man and machine working together to transform facilities and services.
Join us for episode one, as we explore facilities transformation.