InnoFM Podcast with Dr. Michael Lange - Digital efficiency solutions for added value in FM

Prof. Dr. Markus Thomzik: "Dr. Michael Lange is Chief Digital Officer and Commercial Director Key Account at Apleona. In some companies, the creation of a CDO position turns out to be a toothless tiger or simply digital Windows dressing. Apleona shows with Dr. Lange that it can be done differently. In the podcast episode, we clarify how he is embedded as CDO at Apleona, we explore the question of whether the pandemic has only triggered a psydo-digitization, what changes there have been as a result of the sale to the French private equity firm PAI Partners, what Apleona's digitization strategy looks like in detail, why a large FM service provider already carries the basic idea of platformization within itself, and why FM contract models will change more and more from : time and material oriented to output-oriented contracts in the course of the digital transformation."

Read Dr. Lange's statements here:

On the potential Digitization Boost after Corona
Our customers see the potential for space optimization through Corona. But what does it take? Flexible workplace concepts. And of cause they work particularly well if you measure usage and manage usage, i.e., with digital solutions. Naturally, this must be done in compliance with data protection laws. Space optimization will also give a push to a few related use cases, because the same sensor technology is needed for them. For example, demand-oriented cleaning. For this, I also need to know how many people are in the building, when and where, or which room has not been used. I can also push the topic of energy optimization better if I know that. I also need the same types of sensors for a sensor-based booking solution.

On Apleona's Digitization Strategy
There is the rough division into "internal process improvement and digitization" and "digital customer solution". The latter is in turn divided into three areas at Apleona. The first is Workplace Solutions, which is everything directed at our customer's employees, mostly office workers. The second is efficiency solutions. That's anything that makes our operational service delivery more efficient, faster and better. And the third is transparency, our service delivery to the customer, which is reflected in a customer portal like this.

There is an additional aspect to this, which is the integration of these solutions.

Apleona Customer Portal
This is a clear interface that provides our customers with access to all our operational and commercial information to be mapped in a service contract. This includes statistics on ticket processing, maintenance, cleaning documentation, and maintenance planning. But it also includes interaction with the customer, e.g. the customer can use it to place tickets and track the tickets.

About Apleona's Digital Efficiency Solutions
These are all solutions that help us to provide our services better and faster, and thus also cheaper, so that we can also pass on savings to the customer. These are solutions where we generally work with partners. A current example is the topic of digital reception. We recently entered into a partnership with a PropTech company called Essentry. In energy management, we use the Enerlutec energy monitoring system and the AI-based solution for predictive HVAC system control Recogizer for energy optimization.