Introduction
The Client, a leader in the health and hygiene industry based in South Korea, is recognized for its innovation and commitment to sustainability. Their approach extends beyond integrating smart office solutions to enhance employee productivity; it also encompasses a profound investment in crafting a smart workplace that nurtures employee well-being.
This includes creating inviting dining and relaxation areas, providing facilities that support mobile and flexible work arrangements, and making thoughtful interior design choices to foster a conducive and inspiring work environment.
To keep pace with the fast-changing corporate landscape and the growing trend towards flexible work arrangements, The Client collaborated with Qbic Technology and DongApm, a South Korean system integrator, to modernize their workspace with advanced smart office solutions.
Challenges
Guided by corporate core values of responsibility, collaboration, agility, and transformation, The Client faced the multifaceted challenge of embodying these principles in tangible, impactful ways.
In the process of searching for suitable solutions, The Client pinpointed the hybrid office model as a crucial focus area. This involved selecting devices that not only supported sustainable practices and optimized space utilization but also boosted employee productivity.
Committed to this sustainable ethos, The Client sought solutions that seamlessly integrate with existing technologies, such as enabling space reservations through employee badges and offering user-friendly interfaces. Another key requirement was the delivery of an unparalleled user experience, characterized by displays that are not only responsive but also vivid enough to clearly convey room information under varying office lighting conditions. Moreover, the client emphasized the need for an intuitive method to indicate the availability of meeting rooms, ensuring simplicity and efficiency in workplace management.
Furthermore, they emphasized the need for intuitive smart office solutions that are easily adoptable by all employees, regardless of age, ensuring widespread and effective utilization throughout the corporation.
However, being a pioneer in adopting smart office solutions in South Korea, The Client faced unique challenges:
Navigating Uncharted Territory: As one of the first major companies in South Korea to implement these advanced solutions, The Client had limited local benchmarks or case studies to refer to.
Cultural Adaptation: Introducing a new way of working requires a shift in the organizational culture. Employees and management had to adapt to a more dynamic, technology-driven workspace, which involved changing long-standing work habits and routines.
Experienced Know-How for Seamless Integration: Integrating advanced smart technology with existing systems posed logistical and technical challenges. This meant finding experienced partners to support The Client through the process of ensuring compatibility, minimizing disruptions during installation, and achieving user-friendly interfaces for seamless integration and deployment.
Solution
The Client faced the challenge of sourcing solution providers that met their requirements in a relatively new frontier. Their choice was DongApm, a leading smart office system integrator based in South Korea, with Qbic devices selected due to their long history of quality and performance.
The Client leveraged the advanced offerings of Qbic, notably the TD-1050 PRO Meeting Room Booking Smart Panel and TD-0350 Desk Booking Smart Panel, and customized booking software that ensured reservation policies were seamlessly executed and enforced.
“The combined experience gave us the peace of mind of minimizing the risks of trial-and-error or inefficient investment,” says a Senior Corporate Affairs Manager. “The solutions directly translated into better space utilization, reducing idle room time and contributing to energy savings, aligning with our sustainability goals.”
The strategic installation of Qbic’s TD-1050 PRO and TD-0350 panels outside each meeting room and at every desk (excluding high-level management areas) ensured not only optimal placement for easy access but also fully met the Client’s specific requirements.
A critical need for the Client was integrating existing technologies, such as employee badges. Equipped with integrated NFC/RFID readers, the TD-1050 PRO and TD-0350 panels effortlessly addressed this requirement, facilitating efficient badge usage.
Featuring a vibrant display, the TD-1050 PRO made it simple for employees to quickly check meeting room details and ascertain room availability for ad hoc meetings. Its bright touchscreen display was particularly effective under various office lighting conditions, ensuring ease of reading.
Conversely, the TD-0350’s spill-resistant design and flexible mounting options address common workplace concerns such as liquid spills. Both TD-1050 PRO and TD-0350 featured conspicuous LED indicators, a noteworthy feature in enhancing visibility and assisting employees in easily identifying vacant desks and meeting rooms from a distance.
The Client’s recognition of the thoughtful amalgamation of strategic placement and durable, purpose-built design in these panels underscores their alignment with the company’s vision of a smart, efficient office environment, ensuring both high accessibility and sustained durability.
Benefits
The deployment of Qbic’s smart panels across The Client’s office space led to notable improvements in various aspects:
Streamlined Workspace Management and Operational Efficiency: The integration of Qbic’s advanced panels streamlined the management of the office space. This not only reduced the administrative workload but also led to a more efficient use of resources and time.
The senior corporate affairs manager remarked that their employees have recognized the ease of coming to the office with a desk already reserved via app and finding it quickly with the LED indicator. It’s just as easy when identifying available meeting rooms with the panel’s vibrant LED light.
Effective Adoption of a Smart Hybrid Office Model: The TD-0350 Desk Booking Smart Panels played a vital role in facilitating a flexible work environment by turning each available office desk into a measurable asset.
By effectively managing desk occupancy and maintaining approximately 80% capacity, especially supporting flexible arrangements on Fridays, The Client successfully adopted a smart hybrid office model that catered to the evolving work styles of its employees.
Informed Decision-Making through Data Analytics: The analytics capabilities provided The Client with detailed and actionable insights into how their workspace was utilized.
“Unexpected insights, like the lower-than-anticipated usage of standing meeting rooms, contradicted the belief that standing meeting rooms were the new must-haves in the offices,” said the senior corporate affairs manager.
This data-driven approach allowed for more informed decision-making, ensuring that space and resources were optimized for maximum productivity and employee satisfaction.
In the case of standing meeting rooms, The Client now had the means to decide whether to continue reconfiguring current or future standard rooms into standing ones.
Conclusion
The Client’s experience demonstrates the transformative impact of Qbic and DongApm’s smart office solutions in a corporate setting.
By transitioning to a smart, hybrid work environment, The Client has not only seen increased efficiency and productivity but also fostered a workspace that is flexible, responsive to employee needs, and conducive to overall well-being.
When done thoughtfully and strategically, the right selection of smart office solutions can create a workspace that is not only ahead of its time but also deeply attuned to the human element of corporate life. Get in contact with us to find out more about how you can seamlessly implement Qbic Technology’s smart office solutions today.
