VergeSense+Microsoft Places Integration: Enhanced Tools for Optimizing the Workplace

We are excited to announce a powerful new integration between VergeSense and Microsoft Places that provides resources and important intelligence to maximize the space you have, and enhance workplace efficiency. 

This cutting-edge collaboration brings together real-time space usage data from the VergeSense Occupancy Intelligence Platform with the AI-powered connected workplace abilities of Microsoft Places, offering unprecedented opportunities to optimize office spaces and increase space availability for employees.

In today’s dynamic work environment, efficient use of space is more crucial than ever. When employees come into the office, they seek opportunities to collaborate and need the right mix of space to facilitate this. Data from the most recent Occupancy Intelligence Index supports this claim, highlighting the fact that collaboration spaces represent the most popular space type, at 32.3% usage on the most popular in-office days (Tues, Weds,Thurs.)

Enhanced Space Utilization Insights

Workplace leaders are constantly seeking better data to inform their portfolio and design decisions, and this integration offers just that. Microsoft Places is an AI-powered app that helps teams and employees reimagine the flexibility of the Connected Workplace. It enables seamless coordination for employees, modernizes ease of in-office connection and experiences, and empowers teams to optimize their spaces and maximize their ROI. By combining planned space usage data from Microsoft Places with actual usage data captured by VergeSense sensors, leaders can gain a clear view of how spaces are actually being used versus how they were intended to be used. These critical workplace analytics insights provide comprehensive data from Places and VergeSense, allowing decision-makers to make more impactful optimization choices. 

Decision-making analytics in Microsoft Places

The VergeSense + Microsoft Places integration also empowers teams to take advantage of VergeSense’s Space Usage Timeline and Usage Maps for a granular look at space usage, and to identify opportunities for efficiencies or repurposing underutilized spaces.

VergeSense Space Usage Timeline Insights

Increased Space Availability

Employees can now find and book available spaces with ease as real-time occupancy data from VergeSense can be used to automatically manage space bookings via Microsoft Places. This integration ensures bookings are managed and updated in real-time, reducing wasted meeting spaces, and creating frictionless booking experiences for employees.

Space booking automation is used to keep reservations up-to-date:

• VergeSense occupancy sensors anonymously detect the presence or absence of people or belongings in a meeting space (passive occupancy detection.)
  
• The integration automatically reserves an unreserved space if it detects human presence and releases the space if the meeting is “ghosted” or ends early; and users can adjust the reservation timing thresholds to fit with company preferences. 
• This automation not only frees up more space for use but also eliminates the hassle of manual check-ins and check-outs, creating a frictionless experience for employees.

Integrating the VergeSense Occupancy Intelligence Platform with Microsoft Places can also enhance the wayfinding experience within large office spaces or campuses. By displaying real-time availability on kiosks throughout a facility, employees can easily find available space on the fly. This feature is particularly beneficial in large campuses or multi-floor buildings where finding available space can be challenging.

Real-time Space Availability Displayed on Kiosk

Next Era of Our Alliance 

Our alliance with Microsoft has laid a solid foundation for continuous innovation. One of the earliest and most broadly used integrations by VergeSense customers is our native integration with Microsoft 365, which many have successfully utilized to improve their space availability. Today's announcement of integrating with Microsoft Places represents the next phase of our collaboration. This advancement is set to take our efforts to the next level, providing more comprehensive solutions that leverage real-time data and advanced space management technologies. 

This announcement comes on the heels of an exciting week for VergeSense. Last week, we announced the launch of Workplace Assistant, a solution designed to transform how real estate and workplace leaders manage and optimize their spaces. Workplace Assistant is powered by Generative AI, with enterprise-grade security and privacy.  Users can receive analysis and recommendations tailored to their specific needs within minutes— a process that traditionally takes weeks or months. Workplace Assistant combines the capabilities of a real estate strategist, workplace experience, and occupancy analyst, allowing users to quickly capitalize on optimization opportunities.

Whether you are a workplace leader looking to refine office layouts, an employee seeking hassle-free space booking, or a facilities manager in need of robust occupancy data, this integration promises to deliver significant benefits.

Stay tuned as we continue to roll out more features and enhancements that will further streamline your workplace management. Embrace the future of workspace optimization with VergeSense and Microsoft Places today!