The Data Edge: AI, Procurement and FM
The Data Edge is a podcast about data management, AI, and data quality in the fields of facilities management and procurement. Host Stephanie Wiechers speaks with industry leaders about turning unstructured and siloed data into actionable insights. Each episode explores topics like invoice data, spend analysis, AI readiness, and platforms such as Microsoft Fabric. The show argues that better data is a competitive advantage, not just an IT problem, and aims to help FM directors, procurement heads, CFOs, and asset managers.
Afleveringen
How AI Is Actually Used in Construction & FM (Real Examples) | Daniel Roth on The E3 Effect
Most AI conversations in FM and construction stay stuck at the pitch stage. This one doesn't. Daniel Roth has spent 27 years running transformations across 15 industries, and he walks through three of them in detail: a construction camera taught to spot its own blind spots, a contact centre that grew 68% while cutting costs 57%, and an ERP migration that exposed a quarter of an organisation's spen
Why a UK School Wastes 3 Meals Per Student | Nicky Rifat on Data-Driven Waste
A school can be producing three meals of food waste for every student it feeds, and still have all the data sitting in its catering contract the whole time. This episode is about why that data goes uncollected, unseen, or just unused.0:00 What we're covering3:22 The data ladder — why collecting data isn't the hard part7:41 Real case study: cutting general waste by making it visible15:19 Keeping hu
How to Handle a Supplier Price Increase Letter (FM & Construction) | Cleaning, Hard Services Example
A supplier increase letter is one of the few procurement decisions where you're expected to reply without ever seeing the numbers behind the number. This episode gives you those numbers.0:00 What we're covering0:50 Why the percentage in the letter is almost always too high1:25 The maths, using a cleaning contract3:20 Why hard services works completely differently4:35 The four questions to send bac
Why 3 quotes?
Most FM and construction teams still rely on multiple quotes to decide whether a job is fairly priced. But what happens when the real pricing knowledge lives in the heads of just one or two experienced people?In this episode of The Data Edge, Stephanie Wiechers looks at the hidden cost of that system: slower approvals, unnecessary contractor work, weaker supplier relationships and teams waiting da
AI in hard FM – a real story of how to do it well
One number. Nearly a month to find it.The problem wasn’t missing data. It was data that didn’t agree with itself.In this episode of The Data Edge, Stephanie Wiechers breaks down why messy supplier and invoice data quietly undermines procurement decisions, and how to build a cost baseline you can actually trust.Because better decisions don’t start with another dashboard. They start with better data
Find the REAL Money Leak
Somewhere in your contract, money may be hiding—and even the person managing it might not know where to find it.In this episode of The Data Edge, PearStop founder and managing director Stephanie Wiechers explores how poor invoice visibility can quietly reduce contract profitability across facilities management, construction and infrastructure businesses.Stephanie introduces “Mark,” an experienced
No duplicate records - One number!
A supplier calls ahead of a contract renewal and asks for a price increase. Before responding, the procurement team needs one simple figure: how much are we currently spending with this supplier across every site, service and contract?It takes them almost a month to find the answer.In this episode of The Data Edge, Stephanie Wiechers, CEO of Pearstop, explains why procurement teams across faciliti
What's Hiding in Your Data?
In this episode of The Data Edge by Pearstop, Stephanie Wiechers takes facilities management, construction and infrastructure teams inside the hidden world of procurement data. From supplier totals to invoice lines, this episode breaks down why “clean data” is rarely as clean as it looks, and how line-by-line spend visibility can help businesses protect margins, reduce waste and make smarter procu
100k£ secretly billed on packaging
We started Pearstop because we were fed up.This episode talks about another very relevant and difficult hurdle in the world of procurement and data - secret costs and hidden billings. Listen to the Data Edge every Thursday to stay informed on the latest data updates and more!
Dead Whales and Data
Back to the Data Edge - a podcast for those interested in understanding the Data and AI world. In today's episode we talk about waste management, data and the world of procurement with an interesting and unexpected anecdote that will grip our listeners. Tune in for an educative and insightful conversation between Stephanie, CEO at Pearstop and Mike from SLS!
Use Data & Save 100k on Procurement
The conversation delves into the challenges of reading and utilizing spend data, highlighting the importance of data structuring and classification for effective analysis. It emphasizes the shift in data classification and the benefits of structured data for procurement and finance teams.Whether you're a procurement manager, finance lead, or operations director dealing with messy invoice data, uns
AI in FM: today's steps for tomorrow's decisions
The conversation explores the use of data in facilities management and the challenges of collecting, managing, and utilizing data effectively. It delves into the role of AI in data analysis and decision-making, as well as the importance of clean and structured data for creating measurable value. The conversation also highlights the need to empower people through technology and attract the younger
AI for Asset Management & Data Quality
In conversation with SPIE Netherlands about how they improved the quality of their asset data. Our guest is the amazing Martijn van Balkom – passionate, smart, and guaranteed to teach you something new today!This episode provides insights into the challenges and opportunities surrounding asset data management. It highlights the importance of data quality, the impact of AI technology, and the role
Data Quality in Manufacturing and Procurement
Unlocking Data Quality in Manufacturing and Procurement with Jonas Hauswurz"In this episode, Stephanie Wiechers chats with Jonas Hauswurz, founder of Neomir, about the real issues behind data quality problems in manufacturing and procurement. Discover practical use cases, how to identify critical data leaks, and the importance of focusing on operational teams rather than just executives.Key Topics
AI & Data Standards
𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗟𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿: 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 "𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗘𝗱𝗴𝗲" 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁In this episode of The Data Edge, Erwin de Werd and guest Stephanie Wiechers explore the critical aspects of data quality, standardization, and data movement for organizations aiming to leverage AI and advanced analytics effectively. They discuss practical challenges and strategic considerations for companies of all sizes seeking
Succesfactors for AI
𝗨𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗶𝘁𝗳𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗜 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁In this episode of The Data Edge, Erwin de Werd and Stephanie Wiechers explore how AI can transform data management from a headache into a strategic advantage — if used wisely. They discuss the pitfalls of overhyped AI solutions, the importance of building robust systems, and practical steps to improve data quality.𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗧𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗰𝘀:The proliferat
AI & Human Collaboration
🎙️ 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲 — 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗶 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀In this episode, Erwin and Stephanie delve into the complexities of data quality in AI projects, emphasizing that messy data often leads to costly mistakes. They explore how human-AI collaboration and understanding the limitations of models like LLMs are crucial for success.🔑 𝗞𝗘𝗬 𝗧𝗢𝗣𝗜𝗖𝗦The common misconception that first data categorization is 100% acc
Insights from the field
Turning Data Quality into Strategic Power: Insights from Procurement and Data ManagementIn this episode, Erwin de Werd and Stephanie Wiechers dive into the complexities of data quality in procurement and data management. They share actionable insights from a detailed conversation with a seasoned procurement professional, highlighting how data quality impacts savings, efficiency, and strategic deci
How to reach 95% Data Quality
Ensuring Data Quality in AI Projects: A Conversation with Stephanie WiechersIn this episode, Erwin de Werd and Stephanie Wiechers explore the crucial role of data quality in AI and data projects. They discuss practical approaches to maintain high accuracy, the challenges of testing AI with AI, and the importance of human oversight to achieve reliable results.Key Topics:The impact of messy data on
The Human Factor in AI-Driven Procurement Data Management
The Human Factor in AI-Driven Procurement Data ManagementIn this episode, Erwin de Werd and Stephanie Wiechers explore the critical interplay between human expertise and AI in ensuring data integrity and standardization within procurement processes. Discover how organizations leverage AI to enhance categorization accuracy, streamline validation, and safeguard sensitive information.Key TopicsThe im
How Data Management Impact the Bottom Line
SummaryIn this episode of Data Edge, Erwin De Werd and Stephanie Wiechers discuss the critical role of data management and quality in driving business success. They explore how data quality impacts the bottom line, particularly for C-level executives who often overlook its foundational importance. Through real-world examples, including procurement and predictive maintenance, they illustrate how ef
Unlocking Predictive Maintenance: A Guide
SummaryIn this conversation, Erwin De Werd and Stephanie Wiechers discuss the complexities and actionable steps involved in predictive maintenance. They explore how technology has evolved to enable predictive maintenance, the benefits it offers in terms of operational efficiency and cost reduction, and the challenges companies face in managing data quality. Stephanie emphasizes the importance of a
C-Level findings on data management (3/3)
Keywords:data management, data quality, technical industries, competitive advantage, talent shortages, commoditization, insights, case studies, strategy, digital transformationSummary:In this episode of The Data Edge, Erwin De Werd and Stephanie Wiechers discuss the critical importance of data management and quality in technical industries. They explore insights from CEO interviews, highlighting c
Unlocking Data Potential (1/3)
SummaryThis episode delves into the intricacies of data management and its pivotal role in driving business success. Experts Stephanie Wiechers and Erwin De Werd from Pearstop discuss the importance of data quality, the value it adds, and practical insights into managing data effectively. The conversation highlights the foundational layers necessary for data management and explores real-world exam
Data management (2/3)
SummaryIn this episode, we explore the critical aspects of data management, enterprise standardization, and AI readiness. The discussion highlights the importance of having a reliable data foundation to leverage AI tools effectively, with insights into the trends and challenges faced by organizations in 2026.Keywordsdata management, enterprise standardization, AI readiness, data quality, Fabric mi
