What sets Cloudfm apart from other companies/tech in this sector? What kind of innovation is it bringing to the sector?
The facilities management (FM) industry, worth £200 billion, was in a state of disrepair and severely lacked transparency, which led to the adoption of aggressive procurement strategies for over 40 years. Cloudfm was established to change that, with my mission to work with clients to resolve issues and deliver on promises, unlike the traditional FM companies that came before us. I achieved this by revamping our operations and adopting a unique approach.
I have now set my sights on a larger goal: combatting climate change with Mindsett, our technology which encourages people to take practical actions that benefit the planet. This led to Cloudfm being awarded the Queen’s Award for Innovation in 2019 and recognised as a global leader in IoT-enabled predictive maintenance by Gartner. Cloudfm’s projected revenue for 2026 is £250M!
What is your tech dubbed ‘Uber for Engineers’ A deeper explanation of how the technology works
My latest tech – Freedom platform 2.0 – dubbed ‘Uber for Engineers’ offers an Uber-like service for repairs and maintenance. For the first time, businesses needing engineering services can book an engineer nearby by comparing their location, value and rating. Once booked and the engineer is on the way, clients are given an expected wait time and are able to track how far away the engineer is on a map the same way you can when booking a taxi. The client is alerted when an engineer accepts the job, removing the need for contractors to act as middlemen, and putting the control in the hands of the clients and engineers.
How did the idea for this service arise and what are its benefits?
I’m always guided by the ethos of doing things differently to solve problems and create a solution that generates a positive outcome for all, where possible.
On behalf of the companies and clients we service, I noticed a lack of transparency when they needed an engineer. For example, if a client’s fridge broke and they required a fridge engineer, the client didn’t know how long it would take for the engineer to arrive and if they were the best engineer possible. This was a potential problem for our clients. Taking a restaurant as an example, they might’ve had to shut shop for the day if they couldn’t guarantee that they could access a fridge engineer nearby. Therefore, the ‘Uber-like’ service provides much-needed oversight.
On the other hand, I wanted to empower the engineers with information and give them a chance to be more engaged at work. Hence, I devised a rating system and Cloudcoin, a reward system which can be redeemed in various outlets, to incentivise the engineers to do their best work.
The app also pinpoints engineers’ locations so they can travel to the closest jobs, minimising unnecessary carbon footprint. We’re ultimately driving a win-win-win outcome for engineers, clients and the supply chain while being mindful of our environmental impact.
What’s next for Cloudfm?
I’m always looking ahead to the next challenge and I’m currently working towards addressing the labour shortage issue, using innovative solutions like augmented reality (AR) to upskill and reskill people across our supply chain in real time. This technology democratises information sharing regardless of physical limitations. Some employers offer higher wages to attract talent, but that only shifts the problem.
Climate change is another glaring issue and we’re working towards addressing Scope 3 emissions which are indirectly caused by the organisation. Direct emissions are the primary focus for most companies, despite indirect emissions accounting for 70% of a business’s carbon footprint. Looking ahead, we’re going to promote the usage of Cloudcoin throughout the supply chain to tackle indirect emissions, support our supply chain to reach net-zero goals and influence climate-friendly behaviours.
