Gary Grey, Chief Info Officer, Highland Properties
Gary Grey has made a considerable influence 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 group’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 way of the Ranks
I’ve a various background, together with roles in development manufacturing, high-end industrial aviation and commodity-based metal. I additionally labored in direct-to-consumer digital advertising and marketing and client items. What led me to my present position have been the individuals and the tradition at Highland Properties. Initially, I used to be in a revenue-generation position, managing P&L, however as I realized extra concerning the firm, it turned clear that it was the precise place for me as a result of the worth and enthusiasm have been second to none.
Like many firms within the residential development business, our group started as a small operation. Based within the Nineteen Eighties, Highland Properties grew organically, specializing in promoting, constructing and shutting houses for homebuyers. Since then, client expectations have modified concerning what individuals need in a house and the general expertise of shopping for and constructing a house. The chief group and board acknowledged that expertise is not non-compulsory however important for the viability of the corporate’s long-term success.
Empowering Staff and Clients by way of Digital Transformation
Homebuilding is very 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 house feels proper for the individuals residing in it.”
The vast majority of my work right here revolves round constructing an IT management group that aligns with the corporate’s current 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 way of Progressive Applied sciences
Expertise is remodeling the homebuilding business, and we’re leveraging quite a few developments to remain forward. We built-in AI to discover forecasting demand throughout the areas we serve. It additionally helps us perceive buyer preferences by way of take charges to establish which fashions, plans, elevations and structural choices resonate with patrons. This permits us to construct houses that align with their demand and supply lasting worth quite than simply chasing developments.
We additionally incorporate new sensible house applied sciences as per the demand of the shoppers by way of shut collaboration with distributors, guaranteeing that our houses are adaptable and interesting to those that are searching for future-ready options. One other necessary key improvement is the usage of digital twins and digital designs. This enables us to check new layouts digitally, dashing up the design course of and bringing new houses to market quicker, all whereas lowering 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 house feels proper for the individuals residing in it. One of many issues we realized through the pandemic was the necessity for extra areas, like pocket places of work or Zoom rooms, the place individuals can work or examine.
Fast prototyping permits testing how these areas match into houses, guaranteeing they meet fashionable calls for and improve livability. This strategy ensures that houses proceed to supply 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 places of work. Every entity manages a major quantity of each day communications, together with emails and paperwork requiring buyer signatures. This circulation of data 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 is just obtainable to the precise individuals when wanted.
Elevating IT Technique with Cloud Computing
Over the previous 24 months, we have made vital progress in adopting cloud computing. We assist quite a few tasks, groups, and vendor layers throughout many areas, and this transition has delivered substantial advantages to our discipline operations. Scalability and adaptability are important, enabling purposes to successfully attain those that want them most. It helps price effectivity by lowering our bodily footprint on the workplace and offsite kind of information silos, facilitating efficient information switch and group 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 setting. This additional permits a seamless shift to upgraded options, offering entry to current techniques whereas transferring towards a modernized platform.
Phrases of Knowledge for Rising Trade Leaders
I’d advise creating 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 targets and challenges. In homebuilding and residential development, understanding each facet of the enterprise permits including extra worth.
Constructing cross-functional relationships can be important. Driving significant change necessitates shut collaboration with leaders in different departments, akin to turning into a enterprise associate 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 vastly influence effectivity and cut back handbook errors.
