Make your PropTech date a match made in heaven this Valentine’s Day
14 February 2023
Guy Windsor-Lewis, Chief Executive and founder of Locale Group, looks at PropTech dating this Valentine's Day
I’m the first to admit that I am a bit of a romantic. I have experienced my fair share of relationships and they have been varied. Thinking back though, life is all about relationships and they often fall into the following categories:
- A one-night stand: a flash in the pan that was never meant to last
- A short-term relationship – a coming together that appears at first like a good thing but pretty quickly you realise that all the early promises and froth has been replaced by dull, middle-of-the-road behaviour which is no different to anything else you have had before
- A marriage made in heaven – the true coming together of two kindred spirits who enjoy all the benefits of the first two but which grow, evolve and mature into a life-long partners, built on trust and mutual respect
Coincidentally, the ‘dating’ scene in PropTech is no different. While some first-stage, so-called “sexy” PropTech companies are often deemed one-night stands because of their lack of experience and apathy in a long-term relationship, some slightly more-established businesses have limited knowledge, experience and expertise, and ultimately are not able to offer anything more than a short-term relationship.
Locale’s marriage mantra
And Locale? Well, with 18 years of proven experience through both the good and the bad times, you’d expect me to say that we are the perfect candidates for marriage. But don’t take my word for it; just look at our track record. We have been and continue to be partners with the likes of MAPP, Shard, Strata and FirstPort for a decade or more. Based on mutual respect and trust, we have grown together and evolved as we mature, rather than focusing on short term gains or responding hastily to something billed as the next big thing. We have cultivated a relationship that’s stable, communicative and honest.
It’s a fact that we are not just there to serve buildings but to be partners to businesses that manage and operate buildings and portfolios. It’s why having a shared culture and values is what drives us forward and hence why some of our partnerships have broken down. We come away bruised and frustrated but we learn from these experiences too and ensure that our offering is consistently the best in the market underpinned by care, honesty and integrity.
The Locale family
And what about our relationships within the Locale family? No business can be successful without its workforce and so I enjoy spending time with every member of the team. I can talk, explain and justify until the cows come home but it’s no use if I don’t listen. This two-way communication is the bloodline of the company and the reason why a significant proportion of our family has remained loyal and committed for almost a decade or more. We value fairness, transparency and honesty and this will never change.
So, this Valentine’s Day, let’s make sure we reinforce those meaningful relationships we have in life – be that at work or at home. Ultimately, without them it’s a lonely place.
