Gary Grey, Chief Info Officer, Highland Properties
Gary Grey has made a considerable affect in advancing Highland Properties’ expertise initiatives. He has pushed the creation of safe, modern options that enhance buyer experiences and operational effectivity, aligning seamlessly with the workforce’s dedication to delivering distinctive houses and repair.
In an interview with CIOReview, Grey shares his insights on how embracing expertise can improve buyer experiences and guarantee long-term success, supported by sturdy management and tradition.
Rising by the Ranks
I’ve a various background, together with roles in development manufacturing, high-end business aviation and commodity-based metal. I additionally labored in direct-to-consumer digital advertising and shopper items. What led me to my present position have been the folks and the tradition at Highland Properties. Initially, I used to be in a revenue-generation position, managing P&L, however as I discovered extra concerning the firm, it turned clear that it was the fitting place for me as a result of the worth and enthusiasm have been second to none.
Like many corporations within the residential development trade, our group started as a small operation. Based within the Eighties, Highland Properties grew organically, specializing in promoting, constructing and shutting houses for homebuyers. Since then, shopper expectations have modified relating to what folks need in a house and the general expertise of shopping for and constructing a house. The manager workforce and board acknowledged that expertise is not elective however important for the viability of the corporate’s long-term success.
Empowering Workers and Clients by Digital Transformation
Homebuilding is extremely relational, the place buying a house represents an necessary monetary funding and a deep emotional dedication. Our technique emphasizes considerate innovation to strengthen relationships with our homebuyers and staff whereas creating long-term worth within the houses we construct.
“At Highland, we concentrate on livability. It’s not nearly constructing a 2,000-square-foot home with sure specs. It’s about ensuring the area feels proper for the folks residing in it.”
Nearly all of my work right here revolves round constructing an IT management workforce that aligns with the corporate’s present experience in gross sales, development and buyer care. Consultants in enterprise intelligence, information analytics, enterprise structure and cyber safety are essential to making sure that expertise helps prospects and staff successfully.
Superior Homebuilding by Modern Applied sciences
Expertise is reworking the homebuilding trade, and we’re leveraging quite a few tendencies to remain forward. We built-in AI to discover forecasting demand inside the areas we serve. It additionally helps us perceive buyer preferences by take charges to establish which fashions, plans, elevations and structural choices resonate with consumers. This allows us to construct houses that align with their demand and supply lasting worth quite than simply chasing tendencies.
We additionally incorporate new sensible dwelling applied sciences as per the demand of the purchasers by shut collaboration with distributors, making certain that our houses are adaptable and interesting to those that are looking for future-ready options. One other necessary key improvement is using digital twins and digital designs. This enables us to check new layouts digitally, rushing up the design course of and bringing new houses to market sooner, all whereas decreasing prices.
Aligning Expertise with Homebuyer Wants
At Highland, we concentrate on livability. It’s not nearly constructing a 2,000-square-foot home with sure specs. It’s about ensuring the area feels proper for the folks residing in it. One of many issues we realized throughout the pandemic was the necessity for extra areas, like pocket workplaces or Zoom rooms, the place folks can work or examine.
Speedy prototyping permits testing how these areas match into houses, making certain they meet fashionable calls for and improve livability. This strategy ensures that houses proceed to offer worth by addressing prospects’ evolving wants.
Securing Buyer Knowledge in Digital Properties
Safeguarding our staff and Highland Properties’ information is a high precedence. Our staff function our first line of protection whatever the technical and safety measures we implement, like expertise layers. We function over 125 retail websites, together with mannequin houses in communities and development workplaces. Every entity manages a big quantity of every day communications, together with emails and paperwork requiring buyer signatures. This move of knowledge is important to constructing, promoting and shutting houses.
We prioritize complete cyber safety and consciousness coaching. Our strategy contains layered cloud computing options, multi-factor authentication, encryption, safe APIs and penetration testing. Identification entry administration additionally performs a vital position in controlling who has entry to information, assuring it’s only obtainable to the fitting folks when wanted.
Elevating IT Technique with Cloud Computing
Over the previous 24 months, we have made important progress in adopting cloud computing. We assist quite a few tasks, groups, and vendor layers throughout many places, and this transition has delivered substantial advantages to our discipline operations. Scalability and adaptability are important, enabling functions to successfully attain those that want them most. It helps value effectivity by decreasing our bodily footprint on the workplace and offsite kind of knowledge silos, facilitating efficient information switch and workforce collaboration. This enables our builders to spend extra time on job websites and fewer on trailers.
Cloud computing additionally improves catastrophe restoration, enterprise continuity and information safety. Measures like encryption, multi-factor authentication and common safety audits promote a dependable cloud surroundings. This additional permits a seamless shift to upgraded options, offering entry to present programs whereas shifting towards a modernized platform.
Phrases of Knowledge for Rising Trade Leaders
I’d advise growing a deep understanding of the group’s core enterprise. IT leaders should transfer past managing expertise alone and totally grasp the enterprise’s long-term objectives and challenges. In homebuilding and residential development, understanding each side of the enterprise permits including extra worth.
Constructing cross-functional relationships can also be essential. Driving significant change necessitates shut collaboration with leaders in different departments, akin to changing into a enterprise companion quite than only a service supplier. IT leaders should additionally champion digital transformation. Considerate innovation doesn’t all the time need to be ground-breaking; even small course of enhancements can tremendously affect effectivity and cut back handbook errors.
