Vindico MD Jo Polson’s tech talk won over the audience at TheStadiumBusiness Summit. Here’s why (along with a tricky, but catchy acronym).
Jo Polson is the driving force behind some of today’s most innovative tailored tech for some of the UK’s most well-known stadiums. Along with Vindico’s Technical Director Ryan Griffiths and a talented dev team, Jo’s helping stadiums, venues, and arenas use tailored tech to solve old problems and prepare for the future.
It’s no wonder then that his recent talk at TheStadiumBusiness Summit struck a chord with the stadium owners, operators, and decision-makers who gathered to hear what he had to say.
Starting with the impact of Covid (which saw stadiums, sports, and events grind to a halt), Jo, in his tech talk, explains how he and the team used Covid to not just tackle new problems, but also solve the old ones that have been stopping stadiums, arenas, and venues from reaching their potential.
And that’s exactly what Jo and the team set out to achieve. Working with everyone from the Welsh Rugby Union to the Elite Ice Hockey League, Vindico’s SWAPP (Smart Workplace Application) and its tailored tech helped bring UK sporting events – including the Six Nations and the Autumn Internationals – back to our screens during the height of the pandemic.
And the premise of this tailored tech is simple: simple and better.
“Since Covid, stadiums are now looking for a more robust tech infrastructure,” explains Jo, “But that infrastructure needn’t be complex – and our approach to tailored tech is proving that we can achieve this.”
That means no more data overload (and meaningless data for that matter, too), unnecessary features that never get used or can’t be accessed, no more complex systems, and no more time-consuming processes that stop humans from doing the work they know and love.
“We’re using automation to help humans get back to doing what they do best,” says Jo. “It’s simpler, better tech for simpler, better business. It’s giving stadiums the tools they need to overcome their obstacles, while giving them the robust infrastructure they need to handle future challenges.”
And – here it comes.
“WDKWWDKY!” exclaims Jo.
Although the acronym rolls off the tip of the tongue, in its long form it means: We Don’t Know What We Don’t Know Yet.
And it’s WDKWWDKY that’s really got the stadium business talking.
“We may not know what we don’t know yet, but we can build a robust tech infrastructure that allows us to prepare as best we can,” insists Jo.
“Nobody could have predicted the pandemic – and its ultimate impact on stadiums and events. Stadiums were forced to operate without crowds, which meant that many people in the industry had to look for work elsewhere – or even start different careers.
“We can cope with small bumps, but bigger challenges – especially the ones we can’t see coming – are the ones that can cause the most damage.
“In the case of Covid, there was no time for the normal knowledge transfer that happens organically. That knowledge simply disappeared. So, we need to put the effort into understanding what knowledge we might have, and, using simple, better tech we’re able to use digital knowledge transfer to help us act, adapt, and solve problems quicker.
“As Charles Kettering says, ‘a problem well stated is a problem half-solved’ – and it’s a statement that’s crucial for achieving our aspirations. We want simpler tech, better business, greater ROI, strong growth, and the ability to adapt for the future – whatever that may look like.”
To hear more from MD Jo Polson, click here to give him a follow on LinkedIn.
To find out more about Vindico’s tailored tech, and how it can help you achiever simpler, better business, get in touch with Vindico’s Head of Partnerships, Rhys Perkins on rhys@vindico.net.
