Patience, Precision, and the Truth About Data

I might as well admit it. I like Hermès. I may hate overpriced clothes, the often cold precision and calculation of the fashion industry, the snobbery and how often the desire to stand out, creates strange expressions on the catwalk. But I still like Hermès? 

Maybe it's because I've never owned anything from the brand, maybe because I see it not as a clothing or bag company but as a brand. And it is precisely this interest in the brand that is the starting point for this cautiously paced analysis. 

Because a couple of days ago, this interest placed me in front of Youtube where I watched a 60 Minutes report on the mysterious logic of the brand - how they can survive despite the fact that willing buyers can often have to wait months to get a bag like the one in front of them in the store. Hermès artistic director Pierre-Alexis Dumas chatters on with the confidence often reserved for French millionaires, about the relationship between quality and speed, how a brand that has no marketing department is more or less uninterested in compromising the level of its collection in order to do something as frivolous as to sell more bags.  

 I know too little about Hermès, too little about the fashion industry or the intricate relationship between allure and demand, to review his logic. But it was, nevertheless, a logic that provoked a lot of ideas. And ideas do not only belong to the French upper classes. So allow me to share some of  mine. 

 Speed for all  Speed is seductive. In a world obsessed with “how fast can we get this done,” it’s easy to mistake speed for progress. But here’s the thing: When it comes to implementing comprehensive IT solutions, cutting corners for quick results isn’t just risky—it can be a downright terrible idea. At the core of both FM and EMS lies something so fundamental it makes or breaks the system: data. Accurate, reliable, squeaky-clean data. Because without it, every “insight” is just a well-dressed guess. And trust me, businesses can’t afford to guess wrong when the stakes are compliance, sustainability, and cost savings. 

I’ve seen it before: companies lured in by a promise of lightning-fast setups at bargain prices. It sounds like a dream until they’re left with a lack of functionality, hidden fees, and a system so unreliable it might as well be a decorative dashboard. These rushed setups aren’t just a waste of money—they’re a blow to confidence. At EG, we’ve learned that slow and steady doesn’t just win the race; it ensures the track doesn’t fall apart beneath you. Quality, particularly when it comes to data, takes time. And for good reason. Clean data isn’t just numbers on a spreadsheet—it’s the foundation of decisions, strategies, and sustainable growth.  

 Is speed unimportant? Of course not. It is one of the absolute most important variables in any investment, whether it is a Hermès bag or a real estate platform. But the risk of placing speed at the top of a hierarchy of values attached to an investment can come at a very high price.  

But as a software solution provider for one of the most important sectors of the green transition, you need to carry the question with you all the time: what is most important? Getting this solution out as quickly as possible or as good as possible? The answer is never easy, but I dare say that as a leader you should almost always favor the latter. 

 The True Cost of Doing It Wrong  Dumas emphatically repeats a classic dichotomy many of us remember from school. Which he should! Because it resonates with my world of digital solutions, more than many others.  

A realization I myself fall back on in times of challenging consumption: there’s a difference between “costly” and “expensive.” Costly means you’ve invested the time, effort, and resources to do something right. Expensive? That’s what happens when you don’t. When you have to fix rushed work, scramble to meet regulatory deadlines, or—worst of all—rebuild your entire system to actually make it useful. FM and EMS systems should never be expensive, but that means recognizing that quality comes first—especially now. 

Why now? Regulations like the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) are raising the bar for sustainability reporting. Businesses are scrambling to prove they’ve got their energy use, emissions, and efficiency under control. And guess what? That proof starts with data. Companies that don’t prioritize solutions built on precision and reliability are setting themselves up for failure—missed targets, fines, and a loss of trust from stakeholders. Meanwhile, those who get it right aren’t just surviving this shift—they’re thriving. 

Building for 2030 and Beyond  So, why all this fuss about FM and EMS? Because it’s not just software. It’s a strategy for the future. As companies march toward ambitious 2030 sustainability goals, they’re facing growing scrutiny—from investors, employees, and regulators. Everyone wants to see the same thing: transparency and a genuine commitment to doing better. And that requires solid systems, accurate data, and thoughtful implementation.

Here’s what I know: businesses that take the time to do this right aren’t just meeting the standards—they’re shaping them. They’re attracting investment, retaining top talent, and building a reputation as leaders in sustainability. And they’re doing it because they understand this simple truth: the right speed is the speed of quality. So yes, it’s about patience, precision, and playing the long game. But more than anything, it’s about proving that doing things the right way isn’t just better for the business—it’s better for our planet. Implementation processes today are faster than they have ever been. And faster it will get. But let's not forget that speed should never be more important than quality. As data solution providers, we can't for a second give up the challenge of delivering high quality, faster. We can and must all get better. But the logic must never be reversed. Because we can never compromise on quality. 

That's one of the very few things the artistic director of one of the world's most expensive clothing brands and I, agree on.