Surfy is a solution I recommend to all workplace environment managers. Easy to use, it proves useful in numerous scenarios (managing relocations, monitoring furniture, computer equipment, and SSI tools), significantly simplifying our daily tasks. The Surfy teams are very attentive, guiding us step by step in getting to grips with the tool, and over time, remain always available for advice!
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I joined HEC in June 2020. My initial tasks were to manage office assignments and oversee the relocation teams, as well as to monitor the availability of spaces and furniture. The campus consists of 15 buildings, covering nearly 100,000 square meters, used by more than 700 staff members, and at the time, I had no tools to perform my duties. Relocation requests were managed in Excel, and we had no data on fixed assets. An inventory task also needed to be conducted.
Our purchasing manager discovered Surfy at a trade show, and it seemed to provide the solution to our problems. We entered into a contract in October 2021, and within a few weeks, Surfy allowed us to have visibility over our buildings. Today, about 50% of the Campus is digitalized in Surfy. We chose not to include the student residences, which are managed by a typical hotel software.
The Surfy teams spent 2/3 days on-site to update the AutoCAD plans of the buildings involved in the project. Then, using the Excel or PDF plans that we managed as images, they were able to model in Surfy the plans that we now easily utilize. We then imported the list of staff via Excel. To manage our new digital reference system, we created a Workplace Environment Manager role, who ensures the operational use of the software: assignments, relocations, etc. The dean's assistant and I, along with this manager, were trained in using Surfy.
At first, we thought it would be complicated, but it was not at all. The range of available features might suggest a complex solution, but it’s very intuitive. Of course, the support of the Surfy teams and the video tutorials are useful to remember all the offered possibilities, but overall, getting started is quick and smooth. We are also autonomous in importing data.
My colleague handles the operational aspect. The arrival of 2 new staff members per month on average means regular updates, relocations, and reorganizations of furniture to manage. We proceed to enter all the new furniture into the Surfy inventory database. A significant task on the inventory of existing items should follow.
For my part, I mainly use the analysis, ratios, and data export functionalities. We have a real issue with space saturation. Therefore, I ensure to optimize the occupancy of our premises by conducting a fair allocation process, ensuring everyone has the necessary workspace.
Surfy perfectly met our initial need of “Who is where?”. In this regard, Surfy has given us a lot of visibility. Our reception staff also consult Surfy to inform visitors and users. Surfy allows us to optimize the use of available spaces, and that’s already a big step.
We are aware that we are using Surfy at maybe only 20% of its capabilities. Our internal processes also need to evolve so we can better leverage the tool. For example, we should advance on the interoperability between our HR database or the IT department's and Surfy. Our plans could thus include even more data, which is currently fragmented across different services. Similarly, we have not yet used the new scenario function, space recharging, or the floor typology for cleaning management. But this will come.
Indeed, we have plans for a new building by 2026 and the renovation of some existing buildings. We are supported by a fit-out provider, JLL. The JLL teams have access to our Surfy reference system and rely on the information provided to analyze our surface needs and their use by the occupants. It’s a real advantage for them to have Surfy since they have access to reliable quantitative data for their capacity studies. Ultimately, the occupancy of this new building will also be managed using Surfy.
Editor's note: During the fitting-out phase, Surfy will also be useful for designing the layout of spaces and ensuring the transfer of teams.
Surfy is a solution I recommend to all workplace environment or general services managers. Easy to use, it proves useful in many cases (managing relocations, monitoring furniture, computer equipment, and SSI tools, etc.), and here at HEC, it significantly simplifies our daily tasks. The Surfy teams (Anne and Vincent) are very attentive, guiding us step by step in getting to grips with the tool, and over time, remain always available for advice!