Chih-Cheng Yu, General Manager of DataVan, noted that the company is one of the few in Taiwan with dual expertise in technology and architecture. Moving forward, they will leverage this advantage to provide smart solutions tailored to the real estate sector. Photo: DIGITIMES
As the wave of smart technology sweeps across industries, leveraging digital platforms to enhance operational efficiency and innovate business models has become a key strategy for field operators to strengthen their competitiveness. DataVan, which has built a strong market reputation in the food, beverage, and retail sector through its comprehensive product line and service quality, has been actively transforming in recent years. In addition to continuing to deepen its presence in existing industries, the company is extending its product reach into the building sector. Chih-Cheng Yu, General Manager of DataVan, pointed out that DataVan is one of the few companies in Taiwan that boasts of dual expertise in technology and architecture. Moving forward, they will leverage this advantage to provide tailored smart solutions for areas such as building management planning and healthcare.
Chih-Cheng Yu stated that while DataVan has long been established in the food, beverage, and retail sector with a solid foundation, the competition for products like POS and Kiosk is becoming increasingly fierce. Transforming is a key strategy for maintaining competitiveness and exploring new markets. DataVan sees great potential in the application of smart building systems and enterprise visitor systems for community management and commercial office spaces. They aim to drive hardware sales through software, thereby enhancing product value. He emphasized that in addition to technological expertise, the group also has a background in real estate development and marketing. Leveraging these two professional advantages, DataVan can closely integrate smart systems with real estate development, bringing new niches to real estate developers and achieving a synergistic effect greater than the sum of its parts. Using the example of urban renewal for aging buildings, he explained that smart building systems can help developers obtain additional floor area incentives and address issues such as high management fees and inadequate security in small communities. This demonstrates that DataVan's transformation strategy not only responds to market demands but also opens up new growth opportunities for the company.
Regarding its dual expertise in technology and real estate development, as well as the integration of AI into real estate products, Chih-Cheng Yu mentioned that DataVan recognizes the significant impact AI has had on various industries. Therefore, AI is viewed as a key driver of their transformation, with a focus on enhancing product intelligence through AI to create more efficient and customized solutions. For example, in smart hotel management, AI can enable self-service operations and streamlined staffing, significantly improving management efficiency, reducing personnel costs, and enhancing guest experiences. In the smart building sector, AI will be pervasive, effectively improving operational efficiency and comfort through systems such as smart security, energy management, and automated controls.
Chih-Cheng Yu further pointed out that urban smartification has become an established industry trend. DataVan will seize this opportunity, leveraging its technological advantages and market experience to actively expand its smart building business. Currently, a series of innovative applications are planned, encompassing environmental control and health protection, landscape and building management, as well as personalized services. In environmental control, DataVan will help operators implement smart temperature and humidity regulation, air purification, and smart lighting systems, while also improving accessibility features and fall prevention designs to ensure resident safety. This also includes landscape maintenance systems for building exteriors and public spaces, exterior wall lighting control, and climate monitoring and warning systems, all aimed at optimizing building management efficiency. For personalized resident needs, DataVan plans to offer services such as appointment-based cleaning and maintenance, as well as smart concierge systems, significantly enhancing daily convenience. He believes that these innovative applications will not only strengthen DataVan's competitive advantage in the market but also create more business opportunities and growth potential for the smart building industry.
To achieve this vision, DataVan is significantly adjusting its product strategy, shifting from a traditional hardware supplier to a comprehensive smart solutions provider. Chih-Cheng Yu revealed that the company's focus this year will be on enhancing the intelligence of existing products and introducing self-service solutions that require minimal management. Regarding smart functionalities, DataVan has bolstered its investment in AI and IoT technologies to optimize product performance and user convenience. For instance, they have introduced a new generation of POS systems with advanced data processing capabilities that seamlessly integrate with various smart devices. This series also includes applications such as the smart hotel management solutions showcased by DataVan at Computex this year. These solutions encompass self-check-in systems, room service management, and energy management systems, which help hotel operators reduce operating costs and improve service quality.
Additionally, DataVan is actively pursuing cross-domain collaborations with construction project supervision, managed hotel-style apartments, long-term care, and senior living residences. Recently, the company acquired a highly-rated Japanese hot spring hotel, renaming it "Hodakaso Sangetsu," as a strategic entry into the Japanese market. Chih-Cheng Yu mentioned that this historic hot spring hotel, renowned for its valuable interior decor and cultural significance, will be integrated with smart systems to serve as a unique demonstration site for smart hotels. This will provide a reference model for Japanese operators interested in adopting such systems and allow DataVan to gain deeper insights into the Japanese market through practical operations, ultimately optimizing its products and services and laying the foundation for global expansion.
Chih-Cheng Yu concluded that integrating technology with architectural expertise and creating new business models is only the beginning of DataVan's transformation. In response to the trend towards smart solutions, DataVan will continue to deepen its presence in the food, beverage, and retail markets and, with its high level of innovation and market insight, actively pursue cross-domain collaborations and expand product applications to meet the diverse smart needs of different sectors, creating a win-win scenario for both clients and DataVan.
Source: https://www.digitimes.com/news/a20240814VL201.html?mod=3&q=datavan&chid=9