The Bank of Khartoum (BOK) will launch a pilot project with leading UAE-based IT smart Facilities Management (FM) solutions provider HITEK Services to digitalize its facilities management operations. HITEK Services is a member of the Farnek group of enterprises.
The pilot will begin at BOK's locations in Khartoum East Sector under the direction of HITEK's Khartoum-based partner, TAD FM. To start, BOK has acquired five CAFMTek licences for the trial project and will install eight IOTek sensors to track things like foot traffic, temperature, vibration, and voltage. To assist digitalize and integrate all of their facility operations, BOK will roll out the pilot programme across its 140 branches after it is finished and found to be successful.
These cutting-edge connected, automated, and intelligent FM solutions work in conjunction with a leaner and more sustainable operational process to increase productivity, cut costs, and conserve energy. Utilizing cutting-edge technologies that logically and seamlessly integrate people, process, assets, and facilities, the solution digitalizes, links, and automates facilities management.
One distinctive feature is HITEK's WhatsApp AI Chatbot, which connects project teams on-site from anywhere via a mobile CAFM integration, streamlines service requests, and sends closure notifications automatically after a task is finished. Real-time visibility across a number of services is provided, and it is also capable of monitoring, escalating, and reporting dynamically via mobile, a web portal, and automated email reports.
Commenting about the project, Javeria Aijaz, MD – HITEK Services, said: “This landmark project will digitalise BOK’s conventional FM, into smart, sustainable and secure digital facility operations, monitoring and controlling their assets as well the performance of their FM teams.
“With a centralised and dynamic AI dashboard, our cloud-based solution will provide continuous management and transparency for BOK’s operations, across all 140 sites.”
The largest and most established bank in Sudan, BOK has its main offices in Khartoum and manages $2 billion in assets. It was founded in 1913, and in 1954 it changed its name to Barclay's Bank. After being nationalised by the Sudanese government for nearly fifty years, the bank was privatised in 2001, with Dubai Islamic Bank of the United Arab Emirates acquiring a 60% stake.
The largest branch and ATM network in Sudan, the group employs about 3,000 people throughout its 150 branches, cash offices and more than 325 ATMs/CDMs, providing services to the corporate, retail, microfinance and investment business sectors.
In July 2022, HITEK and Khartoum-based TAD FM signed an agency contract. It is one of the biggest FM enterprises in Sudan, and it employs more than 1,500 people in Sudan, Egypt, and other parts of North and East Africa.
Award-winning TAD, which has its headquarters in Khartoum and concentrates on providing both hard and soft FM services, has grown five times in the past five years to become one of the most well-known facilities management firms in the area.
“Given Sudan’s geography, HITEK’s mobility solution will make BOK’s operations more cost-efficient and sustainable. Their unique WhatsApp Chatbot will make it simple to submit and automate support requests. Whether it’s service requests, audits, or management reporting, the mobile solution ensures technicians and supervisors can communicate with each other in real time, efficiently and effectively,” said Mohamed Abdelhamied – CEO TAD.