The rapid emergence of new and connected digital technologies within facilities management provides the opportunity for us to better understand how workplaces are used and to provide personalised experiences for their users. 

ISS signed a global agreement with IBM in 2016 to deploy and utilise its Watson cognitive system across its own offices and ultimately customers’ buildings. Through this partnership, data captured through devices and sensors embedded into buildings will be analysed by cognitive computing technology, enabling us to understand how employees use our customers’ buildings, thereby allowing us to optimise service delivery. 

Open and thorough dialogue with our customers about their own digital strategies and approach to data analytics is crucial before we pilot any new technologies.