How innovations can revolutionise real estate and tech deployment at scale

In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, businesses are continuously under pressure to adapt and innovate to stay ahead of the curve. This is particularly true for organisations managing global real estate and technology transformation projects, where the constant state of change presents complex challenges to ensure that they are delivered consistently and accurately across various teams and regions.

Project managers are at the forefront of these efforts, responsible for coordinating cross-functional teams, streamlining processes, managing data and maintaining performance standards across global real estate portfolios.

Despite these challenges, the expansion of digital solutions in the market offers promising avenues to enhance project efficiency, cost management, accuracy and quality. However, research by JLL Global Technology reveals that 32 per cent of companies still struggle with unclear strategies, insufficient skills, or limited budgets for effective technology deployment. The disconnect between technological innovation and the deployment of real estate and technology needs to be urgently reimagined.

Understanding the challenges

Corporate real estate portfolios faced turbulence in 2023, and organisations have had to pivot and adapt their strategies throughout 2024 to meet business demands. To ensure that diverse teams across the deployment strategy are aligned, there needs to be a central and consistent repository for all teams to access relevant and up-to-date data.

There are three common challenges and obstacles where the strategy can become disjointed throughout a project. Setting a consistent standard can improve the success of a project. These challenges include:

Communication: Effective communication and alignment across global teams are critical to project success. A McKinsey study indicates that improving communication with global teams can improve project success rates by up to 25 per cent.

Process: Streamlining project management processes can enhance efficiency and reduce time to market. According to the Project Management Institute (PMI), organisations that adopt proven project management practices waste 28 times less money due to more efficient delivery.

Assessment: Robust performance assessment mechanisms are crucial for monitoring both project and vendor performance, with Gartner research showing that continuous assessment can enhance project success rates by 14 per cent.

Leveraging technology

Many organisations are turning to digital solutions to help overcome some of the common challenges of large deployment projects. Advancements in analytics, design, building materials, Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions and automation are reshaping traditional processes to optimise efficiency, cost management, accuracy and quality of global projects. Research by Deloitte shows that companies who adopt advanced SaaS solutions can experience a 20 per cent improvement in operational efficiency within the first year.

The rapid influx of innovative technology solutions is being met with a strong appetite for investment among real estate decision-makers. According to a JLL study, 85 per cent of the 1,000 real estate leaders surveyed plan to increase their investment in technology over the next three years. This investment is unsurprising given that fewer than 40 per cent of organisations currently consider their technology deployments to be successful. The gap between investment and effectiveness underscores the urgent need for strategic approaches to technology adoption and deployment in the real estate sector.

Case in point

To bridge this gap, some organisations have forged strategic partnerships with technology companies to create tailored solutions that streamline operations. This is the case for a leading social media company who partnered with workplace software firm Satori to implement a tailored version of its SaaS solution to the unique business needs of the company.

The social media company implemented a white-labelled version of the platform as a first step to enhance operational efficiency. The partnership resulted in the implementation of three modules within the Satori platform to overcome specific pain points for the company’s project management across its global real estate.

The three modules include:

Projects: This module streamlines project management by organising individual projects within a cohesive framework, reducing data overload.

Performance review: The module enables comprehensive reporting tools to facilitate global project and vendor performance assessments. Research from the International Data Corporation (IDC) suggests that such systems can improve project delivery accuracy by 35 per cent.

Design notes: Developed in collaboration with Satori, this module oversees global workplace standards. The purpose of this module is to enhance data management, analytics and reporting processes across teams.

The data inputted into the platform allows the company to have consistent and accurate information across projects spanning a global portfolio. Research by Harvard Business Review found that that improving data analytics can lead to a five to six per cent increase in project quality and compliance. As more organisations rely on data to inform decision-making, it is imperative that the data is accurate and accessible for all teams.

The impact of technology-driven processes

Since the partnership started in 2018, the social media firm has yielded a significant return on investment. The company has streamlined processes and enhanced oversight over projects which has led to significant improvements in efficiency and cost management. According to a study by Forrester Research increasing efficiency across processes can reduce operational costs by up to 20 per cent.

Alongside cost savings, the social media company has improved project management processes and reduced the time-to-market, enabling faster project deployment and delivery. The Boston Consulting Group reports that effective time management strategies can reduce project timelines by 15 to 20 per cent.

The company also increased the accuracy and quality of its projects using the robust reporting tools and continuous performance assessments. This insight allowed relevant teams to maintain adherence to design standards and specifications. As a result of these outcomes, the company has widely adopted the Satori solution across numerous real estate deployment and delivery projects.

The interaction of collaboration and innovation

In an era where the pace of digital transformation continues to accelerate, the challenges facing organisations managing global real estate and technology projects are both complex and multifaceted. However, as demonstrated by the experiences of the leading social media company, the strategic adoption of digital solutions can significantly enhance efficiency, cost management, accuracy, and quality across global portfolios.

The impact of strategic collaboration and innovative solutions can be powerful to overcome some of the complex barriers and challenges of traditional real estate and technology deployment strategies within global organisations. The social media company’s partnership with Satori is a prime example of how tailored technology solutions can bridge the gap between disjointed processes and seamless execution. By leveraging innovative platforms and adopting a data-driven approach, the company not only optimised its project management processes but also set a new standard for operational excellence.

As more organisations recognise the value of strategic technology investments, the emphasis will increasingly shift from merely adopting new tools to fully integrating them into cohesive, well-aligned processes. Those who successfully navigate this transition will be well-positioned to thrive in the ever-evolving digital landscape.

For businesses seeking to remain competitive, the key lies in not just keeping up with technological advancements but in strategically harnessing them to drive meaningful, measurable improvements across all aspects of project management and execution.

To learn more about this research and how Satori can help, register for the upcoming webinar here.

Sources:

• McKinsey & Company (2020). The importance of good communication in project management. 
• Project Management Institute (PMI) (2019). “Pulse of the Profession Report.” 
• Gartner (2021). Improving Project Success Rates through Continuous Performance Assessment. 
• Deloitte (2020). Impact of SaaS Solutions on Operational Efficiency. 
• PMI (2018). Effective Project Management Practices. 
• IDC (2019). The Role of Performance Review Systems in Project Management. 
• Harvard Business Review (2020). The Impact of Data Analytics on Project Quality.
• Forrester Research (2019). Streamlining Processes to Cut Operational Costs. 
• Boston Consulting Group (BCG) (2021). Time Management Strategies in Project Management. 
• PMI (2020). Enhancing Project Success through Quality Reporting. 
• JLL (2023). Real Estate technology as a Value Driver