We sat down with 3Sixty's Chief Technology Officer, Robyn Joliat to gain her insight into what role technology & innovation play in the employee relocation industry, as well as her journey and experiences in the industry.
1. Can you tell us about your journey to CTO at 3Sixty?
It’s been a fun and fulfilling journey to get to be in my current position of CTO. I started almost 30 years ago as a housekeeper for a local corporate housing company in Columbus, Ohio, and since then I have been in almost all of the positions within Corporate Housing Globally, which has given me opportunities to grow and learn on the job. I have managed many different markets across the globe, built international call centers, and established policies and procedures within operations to help the business evolve where needed. As my organizations started to venture into tech, I really wanted to be a part of building something that would link our employees, customers, and partners together. Since Operations and Technology go hand in hand, I had a lot of opportunities to get creative - and soon realized that anything could be built with some time, effort, and money! Working together with the IT and Dev teams, I became the Product Owner for most of the technology initiatives. I spent a lot of time learning about how it all worked, and really owned the UI and front-end parts. It soon became a real passion of mine to drive technology forward. With a lot of hard work, dedication, creativity, and trust from my leaders, I was given the incredible opportunity to become the CTO of 3Sixty. This experience has enabled me to build a best-in-class team and a powerful, innovative solution that I really believe will lead the industry forward.
2. What are some of the most exciting projects or initiatives you've been involved in during your time as CTO at 3Sixty?
First and foremost, it would definitely be playing a part in contributing to the evolution of 3Sixty. When I started at the company 8 years ago, they were just starting to build a product linking our client’s demands to our supply chain – this was our first version of 3Sixty. It was a great product and an industry-leader in providing curated options from a vetted supply chain driven by compliance and performance. As technology evolved, we knew that we could do more. We knew we could build meaningful integrations connecting all components of travel and the relocation experience, while still maintaining both duty of care and quality for our guests. This is what became our PropTech Solution, 3Sixty. We have focused on features that create a frictionless process for guests while still giving clients oversight and control of how their employees book (with our Robust Rule engine.) Our system incorporates booking automation, real-time inventory, diversified product offerings connected to over 190K hotels across the globe, as well as white-labeled experiences, and group-booking functionality. Despite all of these new developments, we never lost sight of the core values of our system - Duty of Care, Quality, Cost Savings and Performance. It’s been a wild ride so far, but we are so proud of the product - and have many more good things in store for our customers!
3. How do you see the role of technology evolving in the employee relocation industry, and what role will you play in driving that evolution?
Technology has been playing an increasingly significant role in the employee relocation industry by streamlining processes, improving efficiency, and enhancing the overall experience for both employees and relocation professions. There are certain areas where I predict technology can continue to evolve, including:
1.) Automation and Process Efficiency. Technology will continue to automate and streamline various aspects of the relocation process, including automating paperwork, tracking expenses, and managing logistics. Automation can significantly reduce administrative burdens and minimize errors while accelerating the entire relocation process.
2.) Data Analytics and Predictive Modeling. Advanced analytics, AI, and machine-learning algorithms can all help analyze historical relocation data to predict future trends. These insights can aid in decision-making, budgeting, and ensuring more efficient and cost-effective relocations.
3.) Mobile Apps and Platforms Mobile apps can serve to centralize platforms for employees who are relocating. They provide essential information, act as communication hubs, and offer expense tracking.
4.) API connections Giving the relocation industry the ability to produce data once which can then be shared through strategic partnerships and API connections, will streamline the relocation process and remove the redundancy that we are currently witnessing.
My mission is to continue to enhance our 3Sixty Platform, by using insights and ideas to inform and implement innovative technology solutions for employee relocation.
4. In your LinkedIn profile, you mentioned a passion for innovation. Could you share an example of an innovative solution or technology you've implemented at 3Sixty?
I think the creation of our Rule Engine within 3Sixty is just one example of my passion for innovation brought to life. For so long in my career, I’ve felt that there has always been this struggle between clients’ policies and the implementation and governance of those policies. Many times, customers struggled to be able to control and enforce how their employees bought housing. With our platform, clients have total control. Whilst onboarding, they get to define the rules. They can decide what type of product their employees are approved for, how their length of stay dictates the type of product to book, as well as which suppliers they want or don’t want to use within the platform. They can also negotiate rates and ensure that employees do not exceed rate caps, as well as enable company risk management teams to control the safety elements of a property. Through our partnership with GeoSure, the leading analyzer and aggregator of safety and security data, companies can ensure that employees are staying in approved locations or properties that meet their needs. There are, of course, various other unique features within the Rule Engine, but these are some of the more common challenges I saw, that I wanted to address when designing this system.
5. Are there any books, podcasts, or resources that have had a significant impact on your career or personal development?
I really like to focus on items that will continue to help me grow as a professional and a leader. Some of the books that I have enjoyed are: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Steven R. Covey Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts. By Brene Brown Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg
6. What are your hobbies and passions outside of your job?
Outside of my job, my biggest passion is my family and friends. My husband and I have two beautiful children, aged 16 and 14. Watching them grow up to be smart and kind human beings brings me a lot of joy. They also keep us very busy with all their sports and extracurricular activities. Over the last few years, I have become a mini farmer in my spare time, as our property is 6.5 acres, so my new hobby or ‘2nd job’ is gardening during the summer months.
7. What would you say to reassure a company who are looking to relocate their staff but are anxious about protecting their data?
Relocating an employee can indeed raise valid concerns about data security and privacy. This is at the forefront of how we think about our technology, and we have really focused on making sure we can promote and stand behind how and what we are doing. To reassure an organization, I would share with them a large variety of items, including our; data encryption and security measures, storage and transfer protocols, Access Control and monitoring, Cybersecurity audits, and the assessments that we perform. We also conduct monthly, quarterly, and yearly employee training on data security, as well as align our Supplier/Partner vetting process to include a comprehensive overview of their data security measures. We make sure to only select partners that adhere to our security and privacy measures. By demonstrating a comprehensive and proactive approach to data security throughout the relocation process, we can help alleviate any anxieties, and build confidence that their data is being protected during the transition.
8. What is the most exciting/innovative element of 3Sixty’s cybersecurity/compliance strategy?
I think what is most exciting about our compliance strategy is the commitment and dedication we have put into building a strategy that is both comprehensive and sustainable. We have allocated time, money, and resources to make IT Risk, Security, and Governance its own standalone department with resources dedicated to continuously monitoring and providing support. It is a huge component of our overall IT ecosystem, and, for us, it is not simply an afterthought, but something we live, breathe, and enforce every single day.
3Sixty
At 3Sixty, the business travel industry’s most secure and intuitive accommodation platform, we offer over one million quality accommodations around the world, including serviced apartments, short-term rentals, hotels, aparthotels, and condos.
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