The Washington Post describes Social Tables as “a fast-growing digital business that has raised more than $1.5 million from D.C.-area investors and has more than 500 customers, including hotels.” Their online platform provides dynamic diagramming and guest management solutions for the international hospitality industry. The company’s diverse list of clientele ranges from hotel chains such as the Hyatt Hotel Corporation to academic special events teams from Harvard Business School to corporate meeting teams such as Goldman Sachs.
Each month, Social Tables receives hundreds of architectural drawings from event venues which must be converted into floor plan layouts that are compatible with Social Tables software. Converting architectural diagrams into more usable, digital floor plans is vital to the planning and support process for Social Tables customers. These provide a foundation – a blank canvas–for customers to get creative inside Social Tables. Enterprises like Social Tables are generating demand for their tools by easing the process for new customers to get started.
Social Tables enlisted our help to break down their processes into outsourceable tasks. With an understanding of the work to be done, we developed a training program, selected a talented team in Kenya to deliver the work and we kickstarted the project. This partnership is different from our previous engagements with the offshore team in Kenya. This project provided an opportunity for them to shine in two areas: technology and adaptation.
Once Social Tables receives a new diagram from a client, they forward these blank floor plans to the desk of Nick Njera, the primary project manager in Kenya. His team follows stringent rules to trace the architectural diagrams and create new versions of them that work for Social Tables.
Nick Njera, a project manager in Nairobi, points to the next file in Dropbox for his team to examine.
As a result of our efforts, Social Tables has reduced the size of their processing queue by over 60%. The customer success team states that, “…our efficiency has never been higher.” Event planners and global hotel brands, such as Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H), benefit from the work. Social Tables’ CEO, Dan Berger says “Nick and his team have done an incredible job. The confidence we have in their team is a direct result of the high quality of their efforts.”
Nick’s team works in a Nairobi office space with PCs and a fast Internet connection. Many such businesses have emerged in Nairobi in the past few years, but Nick’s office intentionally employs people from economically disadvantaged communities. The staff receives valuable technology training and a steady paycheck–often their first. Studies show that this practice of socially-responsible outsourcing, or Impact Sourcing, translates into a better quality of life for workers, their families and their communities.
The Rockefeller Foundationrecently made youth unemployment one of their top priorities. They’ve worked with Nick’s office and others around the world to create sustainable digital jobs. If you’d like to learn more about Impact Sourcing,explore our site,follow us on Twitter andsubscribe to our newsletter.
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