Uniplan is a multidisciplinary agency started in 1960 in Cologne, Germany. “Currently globally they employ more than 600 employees with offices worldwide in Asia and Europe.”
We interviewed our client Todd Nash, CIO of Uniplan Global.
It’s all about people! We ensured both clients and Uniplaners have really been able to stay connected. From a client side, we are partnering together to innovate and get through this situation together. Internally, we have increased our communications by introducing Live Streaming for updates/information as well as inter-office knowledge sharing. It's also a chance to hear what our people need from us during this time. As we have all lost the ability to grab a coffee with clients or engage in casual chat with colleagues in the office, we quickly realised the importance of these simple caring connections we have taken for granted and have tried as best as possible to fill these gaps with new approaches.
From our technology side, our internal strategy has been to connect all offices onto a common platform which was completed globally in January this year. This made it very easy to enable new collaboration tools to be rolled out in a secure and calm manner with one click from a central portal. Rather than the Business Technology team forcing a rollout, it has been Uniplaners chasing new tools which is fantastic. We feel there is a new appreciation of technology as an enabler of a globally connected business both physically and culturally.
Another absolutely critical measure is ensuring the business stays financially viable during Covid-19. HR, Finance, IT and the leadership teams, were able to assess the situation and implement our business continuity planning. All departments pulled together around an aligned purpose and really worked as a collective team. Complimenting this, we also rolled out an internal innovation project. As we had already facilitated Design Sprints in the past, we didn’t need to create new ways or working. We were able to drop the Covid-19 problem into ideation sessions in both China and Europe to come up with new solutions/work arounds/options for our clients. This was turned around in less than three weeks and has already had an impact on our offering.
Increased communications on online/offline platforms, increased caring connections, working in teams to solve problems and coming up with newer offerings with our clients’ needs front and centre. Embracing technology as a tool to amplify our offering and an innovation/speak-up/change culture.
Things can move fast and your best plans/intentions may be redundant in an instant. The ability for the business to be honest and make fast and informed decisions is critical. There is a constant need for innovation/questioning through an iterative approach rather than just doing. As a business, we need to change what we can delivery without changing the core of who we are.
We now have a multifaceted approach for bespoke client engagement using experiential digital offerings all the way through to very traditional methods that have actually been evoked during this period.
Old ways, combined with the new Covid-19 forced ways, will create a new norms. The learnings from both will be adapted to form a post Covid-19 world. For example, my parents in their 70s, are now setting up Video Calls with family and friends as well as online shopping for the first time. While there is a new need for digital/technology, there’s also an appreciation of the freedom we all had. This situation has really amplified the importance of human interactions and connections in life which technology is unable to replace.
Some positives are an openness to try new things, risk taking, appreciation of creativity for problem solving, flexibility, exponential thinking and co-creation both internally within the business and externally with clients and consumers. Technology will of course continue to evolve and complement experiential connections in future relationships.
