1-Platform takes customer pain points into account with Middle East rollout of its bespoke smart workplace solution

What key questions do enterprise-positioned leaders in the Middle East invariably ask themselves when it comes to running their business operations in the physical spectrum on a daily basis?

The typical questions uppermost on their mind tend to be: How can we optimise the use of our workplace environment for the employees? How can we improve our employees’ engagement and productivity? And, how can we optimise the overall use of our resources?

In answer to these three crucial questions, a US-based AI-driven smart workplace management platform provider has launched in the Middle East region, aiming to optimise enterprises’ productivity via a single 360° digitally governed system.

Headed by its newly appointed CEO, George Simon, Delaware-headquartered 1-Platform is poised to be the Booking.com of the regional smart workplace landscape, serving as it does, as a next-generation aggregator of cutting-edge technologies and trends for today’s workspace environment.

Aptly named 1-Platform is currently the only entity of its kind in the Middle East region, says George, adding: “We are a platform – uniquely designed for enterprise customers – that integrates all technology silo applications into one single platform, thereby making the employee experience as user-friendly as possible, while also delivering cost efficiencies and boosting productivity across the board.”

As in much of the developed world, hybrid work continues to find wide acceptance across much of the Middle East region – and more so in the expat-dependent hydrocarbon-rich Gulf region.

This particular nature of work has given rise to the smart workplace; one that combines evolving technologies spanning anytime, cross-border, high-speed data access/transfer, AI and ML-powered analytics, and cyber security components; all of which combine to inextricably bind both employers and employees together.

By definition, a smart workplace uses technology and digital networking to enable people to work efficiently, faster, and smarter, and also to facilitate and improve productivity and collaboration between people.

Global smart workplace market growth

The global smart workplace market size grew from $37.74 billion in 2022 to $41.89 billion in 2023 [as of date]; at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.0%, even as the global smart workplace market size is projected to grow to $66.01 billion in 2027, at a CAGR of 12%, as indicated by the Smart Workplace Global Market Report 2023.

In an exclusive interview with Middle East News 247 at Workspace, the B2B event held at Dubai World Trade Centre (May 23-25, 2023), and where 1-Platform was the official technology partner, George summarises his company’s business model as focussing on three core fundamentals: data insights, employee engagement, and resource optimisation.

Detailing each of the three main parameters, George says 1-Platform’s AI-powered insights provide enterprise stakeholders unrivalled access to predictive tools backed by factual and objective data to make informed decisions. In this context, he adds: “Our R&D team thoroughly studies what enterprise customers are specifically looking for, and we then build our insights based on next-generation AI.”

The company’s employee engagement offering stems from a research-backed UI/UX framework endorsed by rich data emanating from varied connected systems, and is designed to contribute to employees’ retention and increased productivity. Resource optimisation, the third key 1-Platform pillar, empowers leaders to shift from real estate reduction to real estate rationalisation and redistribution.

Regional vision fulfillment

With all six GCC member countries floating ambitious national programmes to boost their economies, the health and happiness of their residents and hasten sustainable growth under so-called vision plans – including Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, Oman’s Vision 2040, and the UAE’s Vision 2050 – “the 1-Platform system can meet all these regional target aspirations by making employees’ lives better by offering them a good work-life balance”, says George.

Given the intrinsic nature of the module-based 1-Platform ecosystem that operates on SaaS lines and so is likely to be targeted by cybercriminals George vouches for the iron-clad secure nature of the innovative platform, especially as “our product is based on the Microsoft Azure cloud computing platform, with the strongest cyber security and cyberprotection protocols in place”.

Going international

Fresh from its launch in the Middle East region, and after commencing operations from its regional head office in Dubai, and global HQ in the United States “1-Platform will launch across Asia, Europe and other parts of the world in a few years’ time”, says George.

Having successfully roped in private companies, semi-government, and government clients in the Gulf region as part of the company’s first phase rollout that encompasses enterprise clients, “1-Platform will next roll out its smart campus platform [universities], to be followed by smart building, and smart community platforms in 2024”, adds George.

Addressing customer pain points

Having gained crucial experience in contemporary workplace environments incorporating cutting-edge technologies following his stints at Microsoft and Poly (formerly Plantronics) where he helmed core teams, George states: “We launched 1-Platform after noticing much chaos in the enterprise workplace environment in the region [Middle East], with leaders valiantly striving to manage numerous and myriad technology silos and applications to conduct their business operations; a very frustrating and counter-productive process for them.

“For example, for an enterprise-level leader, if it is a building management decision that needs to be addressed then there is a building management application. If it is a security issue then there is a separate security application, and so on and so forth. We thought it would be good if we could integrate all of the use technology silos and applications in a meaningful manner into one single platform, and which can deliver good AI-powered insights for leaders to direct their decision-making; decisions which are beneficial for their employees and their overall business.”

Last Updated on 1 year by Arnold Pinto