Workspace Management with Clappia: The Success Story of Obeya Workspaces

Obeya Workspaces, founded by Abhishek Jamuar, is a leading provider of shared and dedicated office spaces in Bangalore, India. Over the past five years, the company has rapidly expanded, establishing a strong presence in every major IT hub in the city. In this interview, Mr. Jamuar shares how Clappia’s no-code platform has been instrumental in optimizing their operations and enhancing their client experience.

About Obeya Workspaces

Obeya Workspaces specializes in providing innovative and flexible workspace solutions to various companies in Bangalore. Mr. Abhishek Jamuar, a chartered accountant by profession, has extensive experience working with large multinational corporations (MNCs). His journey into workspace management began during the 2008 recession, a time that brought significant economic challenges and, with his experience, he identified the need for optimizing office expenses, especially in non-manufacturing sectors. He found that most of the expenses on the non-manufacturing side of businesses are related to employee facilities and office expenses. Witnessing the rise of shared economy, he was inspired to create a B2B business model that focuses on providing fully managed office spaces to companies. This model not only reduces companies operational costs but also optimizes resource utilization across businesses. They blended experience with tech by providing managed office spaces that handle facility management, housekeeping, IT services, and the entire IT infrastructure for clients. 

Challenges Faced

Obeya Workspaces encountered several operational challenges before integrating Clappia into their processes. Mr. Jamuar highlighted that the nature of the service industry made it difficult to maintain client confidence. "We started looking at our security and housekeeping staff; they performed very mundane jobs. Even in high-end hotels, you find people using paper and pen to log readings," he said, which he was adamant on simplifying even if it was routine for his staff.

In the service industry, gaining and maintaining client trust was a significant challenge he faced. Clients often pointed out that facilities were not always maintained well and once called for inspection, they would not be very happy with the response, although not at fault. He felt that no matter how many times his staff helped with maintenance or performed their duties diligently, they could not prove it or maybe have a system in place where they could be dispatched instantly and the client is aware of that dispatch. This highlighted the inefficiency of traditional methods and the need for a more reliable system.

Mr. Jamuar proudly mentioned their security guards, who, despite their roles, adapted to using mobile technology more effectively than others.

"Though they are security guards, they use their mobile more than us, so we decided to blend technology with our mundane process," he noted.

The biggest challenge in adopting new technology, according to Mr. Jamuar, was ensuring user adoption. In technology adoption, the biggest challenge which he and many others have seen is that many technologies have been built, but they are not adopted. This is due to two main reasons; the user interface must be kept very simple and not too complicated, and the ease of data entry must be such that users are willing to adopt such tools. He emphasized that asking people to change their ways is difficult because everyone prefers simplicity and ease of use in new tools or are not willing to try if they feel it looks complicated.

Trying Other Platforms

Before discovering Clappia, Obeya Workspaces experimented with several SaaS models to manage their facility operations. These tools were adopted with the hope of streamlining processes and improving client experiences. However, as Mr. Jamuar explained, "There was a big disconnect. Our approach has always been to innovate and enhance the client experience, but the SaaS tools we used didn't align with our vision."

The team at Obeya was trained to focus on continuous improvement and innovation, which often clashed with the static nature of the SaaS solutions they were using. When they started using the SaaS model three years ago, they encountered many limitations. These platforms offered standard features that everyone was using, but they were looking for innovative features that could set themselves apart. The specific features they needed were either unavailable or required cumbersome processes to implement.

Explaining their unique requirements and making the necessary changes in these SaaS models proved to be a time-consuming and inefficient process.

"As business owners, we understand that everyone is an expert in their field, but these tools didn't allow us the flexibility to innovate" he added.

This rigidity was a significant barrier, preventing Obeya Workspaces from fully optimizing their operations and enhancing client satisfaction.

Frustrated with these limitations, Mr. Jamuar and his team began to look for alternatives. "We were looking at platforms where we become developers and build what we need”. They just wanted someone to give a technology which was as easy as using spreadsheets like they have been doing since the beginning, where they can format it at any time. They needed a platform that wouldn't restrict their innovation due to its technological constraints.

This quest for flexibility and innovation led them to Clappia. Unlike the rigid SaaS models, Clappia provided a no-code platform that allowed them to create and customize their applications easily. It offered the freedom to innovate and develop processes that were precisely tailored to their needs. That's where they came across Clappia, marking the beginning of a transformative journey for Obeya Workspaces.

Why Clappia?

Obeya Workspaces found Clappia to be the perfect solution for their needs due to its flexibility and ease of use. Mr. Jamuar explained that they came across Clappia and found that it gave them an interface where they could create any format they wanted and develop processes for various needs, including facility management, housekeeping, and internal documentation between departments and cross-departments. This flexibility allowed them to tailor the platform precisely to their requirements.

The transition to Clappia had a profound impact on their operations.

"Today, our clients are happy because all facilities management, and other processes are managed through Clappia. This has obviously gained their confidence as we have digitized everything, especially in facility management. You will not find any paper; we just work on the app," he added.

Clappia’s user interface was another significant advantage. "The user interface is very simple and not complicated, which makes it easy for our staff to adopt. Even our admin and facility heads, who are not very tech-savvy, are able to create the apps they need” Mr. Jamuar noted.  Each of their department heads can now build forms as per their requirements. This simplicity has ensured that everyone in the organization can use the platform effectively without needing extensive technical support.

One of the standout features of Clappia was its exceptional support although now they do not need any. Mr. Jamuar highlighted a unique experience: "Generally, once you give a contract, the service receiver changes the service provider, but with Clappia, it was the reverse. Clappia’s support team would proactively ask if we needed something, they made it so easy for us. Their support was commendable and really made a difference for us." This proactive support ensured that any issues were resolved quickly, and the system worked seamlessly.

Additionally, Clappia’s recent AI-based feature for reading meter readings was tested. "Every day we take a meter reading to check our energy bill and see if there is any leakage. These readings used to be written manually, which was time-consuming. Now, we just click a photo, and the Clappia app reads the data. This feature has saved us a lot of time and increased our productivity," Mr. Jamuar explained.

The adoption of Clappia has also led to significant cost savings. The process adoption in their company has scaled up, and productivity has increased, while also saving them costwise. Tasks that used to take an hour are now completed in much less time," he said.

The overall experience with Clappia has been very positive. "The UI experience is good, not complicated or overly fancy. It’s designed for serious business use," Mr. Jamuar concluded. This simplicity and efficiency have made Clappia an integral part of Obeya Workspaces' operations, allowing them to streamline their processes and improve overall productivity.

Applications Built with Clappia

Facility Management Application: The Facility Management Application digitized facility management processes, managing housekeeping tasks and ensuring office cleanliness. It replaced paper-based records with digital logs, making it easier to track and monitor activities. The application enabled end-to-end IT infrastructure management for clients. Several checklists were created for different aspects of facility management, including CCTV monitoring, security, maintenance, and housekeeping. Each department head could build forms as needed, improving process adoption and efficiency without requiring a dedicated IT team. The Clappia team provided significant support and reminders, aiding the quick transition. Security guards and housekeeping staff were trained to use the app, enhancing transparency and accountability.

Energy Management Application: This is used for electrical and water meter readings in all their site locations across Bangalore. It replaced manual readings with digital photos and automated readings through the Clappia app. This functionality helped read complex meter numbers and identify energy leakage or wastage. The process significantly reduced the time taken for manual meter readings and increased accuracy.

Internal Documentation Application: facilitated documentation between departments, ensuring all internal documents were digitized and easily accessible. It streamlined cross-departmental communication and record-keeping, eliminating the need for paper-based records. Additionally, it maintained a database of employees, which was useful for task scheduling and other MIS to extract information for other apps. This application improved efficiency in handling internal documents and operations.

Results Achieved with Clappia

Increased Efficiency: The time taken for tasks, such as meter readings, was significantly reduced from one hour to ten minutes, saving 50 minutes per task.

Cost Savings: Improved productivity and efficiency led to cost savings. Employees could complete tasks faster, freeing up time for additional work.

Improved Client Satisfaction: The implementation of Clappia's platform enabled quick management through the dispatch of employees and maintenance using checklists for various aspects of facility management. This increased client satisfaction and trust due to quick responses, as the company could efficiently address and manage client needs and concerns.

Scalability: The streamlined and digitized processes allowed the company to expand its operations effectively. The company was able to handle an increase in the number of sites and clients without compromising on the quality of service.

Data Management: Maintained a database of employees and other mis, which was useful for task scheduling and extracting information for other apps. This improved data management facilitated better operational decisions and coordination and reduced the amount of paper trail.

Clappia For Other Businesses

Mr. Abhishek Jamuar highly recommends adopting no-code platforms like Clappia for businesses looking to streamline their operations and enhance productivity. He emphasizes the importance of technology in sustaining growth and expanding beyond boundaries. Clappia's user-friendly interface and the ability to customize applications without extensive technical knowledge make it an excellent choice for businesses of all sizes.

In his words,

"Clappia helps us develop and implement our ideas quickly without being restricted by technology. The platform's user-friendly interface and robust support make it an excellent choice for businesses of all sizes."

He also highlights the commendable support provided by Clappia, which played a crucial role in their seamless adoption and integration of the platform.

Looking ahead, Obeya Workspaces plans to continue expanding and growing their business while maintaining a focus on client satisfaction and operational excellence. Mr. Jamuar emphasized their commitment to innovation, stating, "We’ll continue to adopt new technologies and innovate our processes to stay ahead in the industry."

Clappia will remain a pivotal part of their strategy, providing the tools necessary to support their growth and deliver exceptional service. With Clappia’s flexibility and the ability to customize solutions to meet specific needs, Obeya Workspaces is well-equipped to adapt to future challenges and opportunities.