Building better series | Maintaining company culture

Q4 is crunch time, with businesses pushing hard to hit year-end targets. But nothing slows momentum like lagging connectivity. For teams, that often run across hybrid setups using cloud apps, this often means slow file transfers, dropped video calls, and frustrated employees trying to get work done. Every minute of downtime is a minute of lost productivity.

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The hidden cost of downtime

Our Reliability and Compensation Report shows that 51% of UK fixed business connectivity customers report experiencing an outage annually, and nearly 1 in 5 have more than three outages. These disruptions cost the average business around £11,000 in lost output.

Even worse, over 60% of those affected didn’t receive any compensation, either because claiming it wasn’t worth the effort or they didn’t expect to get anything back. So, while cheaper connections might look appealing on paper, they carry hidden operational costs that far outweigh any upfront savings.

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How bandwidth directly impacts productivity

As more teams use AI-driven tools to speed-up tasks, poor connectivity becomes counteractive. These tools rely on fast, stable bandwidth to process and return results in real time. When responses lag, workflows slow, and the efficiency gains AI is designed to provide are reduced.  

Most businesses only realise their network limits when they need it most, Q4 is the perfect example! Yet many teams have simply learned to put up with it. After years of slow uploads and dropped calls, it’s easy to accept that’s just how things are. But it doesn’t have to be that way. There is a choice, and switching to a more reliable connection is simpler than most realise (to us, anyway).

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Fix problems now before they get worse

Addressing performance issues now ensures your team finishes the year strong and starts the next one even stronger. With reliable bandwidth, files transfer instantly, video calls stay clear, and systems remain responsive, so your team can focus on what really counts, getting work done.

Even if everything seems fine today, your team’s bandwidth demands are growing rapidly. Nielsen’s Law shows that high-end users’ network speeds increase by roughly 50% each year, so now’s the time to check whether your current contract can support the upgrades your team will need to avoid future slowdowns.

At this year’s PropTech Connect conference in London, one message stood out. Landlords and property managers want technology that is practical and helps them stay competitive in a changing market.

Here are three trends we found most interesting:

1. Flexible, modular solutions beat one-size-fits-all platforms

Tenants today expect more from their offices, move-in ready spaces, the freedom to choose their providers, and contracts that fit their lease terms. That means landlords can’t rely on rigid, all-in-one platforms that don’t adapt as requirements evolve.

This is why landlords and operators are looking for specialist partners who provide modular solutions that integrate smoothly with other building systems. This gives landlords the flexibility to upgrade or switch partners without overhauling everything, and ensures tenants get the experience they expect.

2. Landlords need building tech designed around real users

A recurring frustration across the sector is that technology is often designed by consultants and delivered by contractors, yet it rarely aligns with the practical needs of those managing the building. Too often, property teams are left with systems that look impressive on paper but don’t work in practice. They need partners to understand the operational needs of their buildings in practice, not just on paper.

For landlords, investing in solutions that match day-to-day building operations not only improves usability but can also save money. Technology partners who understand what property managers and operators actually need (not just what looks good in a spec sheet) are essential for avoiding costly inefficiencies

3. Smarter use of existing infrastructure can cut costs and increase efficiency

Not every operational improvement requires new hardware. Many buildings already have the tools in place to generate useful data. Wi-Fi access points are a good example. These can be used to anonymously track space utilisation, footfall, and occupancy trends.

This data can help landlords and operators:

• Allocate bandwidth to the busiest areas.
• Adjust heating, lighting, and cleaning schedules based on actual usage.
• Optimise leasing strategies by understanding how tenants really use the space.

Are you looking for commercial technology solutions?  

Vorboss can support your entire digital infrastructure: connectivity, pre-fibering, managed IT, and cybersecurity, all from a single provider. Through our acquisition of Layer8, we can help you automate building management and make day-to-day operations easier and more efficient.