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In the current competitive business landscape, innovation has not only become a necessity but a mandatory priority for every company. Regardless of any industry niche, if one does not constantly adapt to the change and innovate, the company or services will be out of business soon. For instance, the IT industry, which has been one of the engines pulling global innovation. Internet was introduced decades ago and today has completely altered our living. Innovation in the IT industry has continually fostered and unimaginable new frontiers are breaking in the IT sector such as the advent of large geographical coverage of 5G technology telecommunications networks enables dreams previously unthinkable such as autonomous cars, or smart devices working integrated into large networks, etc.; artificial intelligence, which allows machines to make autonomous decisions based on algorithms that adjust and mimic the human brain’s processes, has also been causing major transformations for the life and death of companies in various sectors; robots are more popular every day, and are going to end been part of every household very soon; etc.
Incepted in 2016, BRISA has immersed and committed to this process of continuous transformation, of uninterrupted training for the human resources, of the daily challenge of its beliefs and truths, of permanent reinvention, determined to put into practice the so-called ‘creative destruction’ proposed by the Austrian economist (and Harvard professor) Joseph Alois Schumpeter. The team of BRISA keeps innovation at the center of the offerings and for every project they undertake, they brainstorm and try to figure out if there is a new and better solution for the challenge presented by the clients.
BRISA’s solutions and services are unique and personalized for each client. This customization has been the key differentiator it upholds amongst the competitors. The clients are always prioritized and the team continually strives to come up with a solution that would benefit them. A recent example showcasing the same, BRISA was asked for a hotel KIOSK, first developed for a hotel client that was in need to implement front desk social distancing, without increasing operational costs, during the pandemic. The result was a front desk kiosk that has contributed to service standardization, better guest satisfaction, and also costs reduction for the business.
In an unprecedented crisis, innovation and adaptability play a key role in steering through the challenges. There is no easy path to innovation, it’s the balanced integration of creativity, dedication, and the right people. Also, mistakes are inevitable and part of the learning process. “Innovate is to seek to create the new, something that does not yet exist. It is to navigate through the unknown, therefore you will always have a high probability of going wrong,” asserts Paulo Toledo, Founder, and CEO at BRISA. He believes that innovation programs can go wrong when one loses sight of the project objectives, or when research and development focus disperse, or when the organization’s senior management loses faith in the results that can come from the investment and reduce/cut project resources. In such circumstances, it is the responsibility of the innovation manager to ensure knowledge gains in each innovation effort, and to reuse partial gains from a previous effort to accelerate the next effort, thus managing to improve the chances of success of the new project.
Paulo is an international serial entrepreneur, technology enthusiast, and true ‘world citizen’ with ventures in many areas and countries. He is an electronic engineer with a specialization in digital communications and an MBA degree. Paulo started his engineering career in 1983 and 1988 participated in the inauguration of BRISA as its first Executive Director. By 2016, Paulo started BRISA America, where he helms the role of President and Global CEO for the BRISA Group. Apart from being an exceptional entrepreneur, he is also a visiting professor and a Consultative Committee Member at Fundacao Dom Cabral, ranked top 10 business schools in the world, by Financial Times.
Leadership is an essential requirement for the success of every organization. As a leader one is the visionary and vital communicator of that vision which will lead the organization. Furthermore, her/his role is to inspire people to build the new paths that the organization needs. “Not least, it is also the responsibility of the leader to create new leadership within the organization, since several heads think better than just one,” asserts Paulo. He adds that among all the roles and responsibilities, being a motivator for the team is the most important and challenging part. As a leader you have to inspire people to give their best, to face the toughest battles, to exceed the known limits, and to create the new. In order to fulfill these responsibilities, the leader must possess an intense dedication to the work and his responsibilities—with an ethical posture and a sense of justice for everyone, without any kind of discrimination or prejudice.
Leaders around the world underwent the trial of COVID-19 and its unprecedented challenges. Though the world was unprepared, a halt was not an option for the business leaders they had to reinvent and get back to attain economic stability. Business leaders with brilliant business acumen were able to surpass the challenges and lead ahead of the hurdles. Paulo noticed the consequent crisis in the tourism industry and after identifying the opportunity swiftly invested in the creation of automation solutions that contributed to social distancing in hotels and other hospitality industry players. The solutions leverage advanced technologies, such as RPA (robot process automation) and AI (artificial intelligence), and seek to simplify the life of hotel and property management companies, as well as make life easier for guests, while offering more security and tranquillity to everybody involved in the process. As aforementioned, the self-service kiosk has proved to be of great help as well as beneficial for the clients.
COVID crisis has accelerated the dependence on the IT world and the must-awaited digitalization was accepted worldwide. People have understood the power of automation and digital tools. The ones unfamiliar with these tools are gradually adapting to the transformation. Paulo adds, “In my view, the years following those of the COVID crisis will be one of consolidation of these transformations initiated at the most acute moment of the crisis. Still, for many years automation, internet sales, artificial intelligence support for customer decision, expanded reality, robots, and other technologies that flourished with much vigor during the health crisis will be the flagship of the industry.” BRISA is prepared and already navigating these new waves and striving to support the clients in the process of transforming the business.
BRISA has been investing in advanced technologies like AI, RPA, IoT, and image processing. The team is leveraging these advanced tools to transform businesses and make them more competitive in their respective industries. The ability to match the newest technology with business needs is something BRISA has been recognized by its clients in more than 30 years developing solutions and deploying advanced projects in the market.
In 2021, BRISA has experienced a sound growth exceeding 100% YoY. For 2022 the team aims to repeat the rapid growth rate. The focus will be on industries that are much delayed in their digital transformation, such as the hotels and property management companies.
