This is the sixth in our series exploring ten themes that will shape the next decade. Here we'll be looking at 'Outcomes as a Service' – a model that promises to redefine PropTech and beyond by delivering results, not just software.

What if the future of PropTech wasn’t about software, but guaranteed outcomes?

The future of PropTech lies not in selling software subscriptions, but in guaranteeing business outcomes. Rather than just providing tools, technology providers will take direct responsibility for delivering measurable results - from energy savings to occupancy rates. For real estate firms, this means less risk and clearer ROI; for PropTech companies, it means rethinking their entire business model.

Number 6: Outcomes as a Service - Beyond Software to Solutions

“Outcomes as a Service represents a shift from simply providing software or tools to delivering comprehensive solutions that guarantee specific results.”  

This statement encapsulates a burgeoning hypothesis that promises to fundamentally reshape the technology landscape, particularly in industries like CRE.

Why SaaS Isn’t Enough Anymore

The traditional Software as a Service (SaaS) model, while revolutionary in its own right, is increasingly seen as a stepping stone to a more outcome-focused future.  

This future is defined by Outcomes as a Service (OaaS), a paradigm shift where the value proposition moves beyond access to software and towards the guaranteed achievement of specific, measurable business results.  

Driven by the demand for tangible value and empowered by advancements in Artificial Intelligence, particularly the emergence of sophisticated AI Agents, OaaS is poised to become the dominant model, profoundly altering the supply side of industries like PropTech.

The limitations of the pure SaaS model are becoming increasingly apparent. While SaaS democratised access to powerful software and streamlined operations, it often left the burden of achieving desired business outcomes squarely on the shoulders of the client.

Companies purchased software subscriptions, but the responsibility for successful implementation, user adoption, and ultimately, achieving tangible improvements, remained with them.  

How AI and IoT Make OaaS Possible

OaaS addresses this gap directly. Rather than just providing a tool it offers a comprehensive solution, often combining software, hardware, services, and expertise, with the explicit commitment to deliver predefined business results.  

The fundamental issue with Software as a Service is that in an AI mediated world there are things beyond just software that matter. With AI we need to understand what is possible, what data is required, how to collect it, how to cleanse it and then how to apply models to it that give us the outcomes we desire. It’s complicated. The number of moving parts has multiplied and a wide range of skills are needed to orchestrate a complete solution.

Software alone won’t get us where we want, and need, to go. And actually, we don’t want the process, we want the outcome.

It’s the difference between subscribing to, say, an energy management platform, and partnering with an OaaS company who will guarantee a specific percentage reduction in energy consumption, with their fees directly tied to achieving that target.  

Other examples might be:

• Tenant Satisfaction Assurance: Committing to specific tenant satisfaction scores.
• Sustainability Outcomes: Delivering specific environmental performance metrics.
• Space Utilisation & Optimisation: Ensuring efficient use of space based on agreed metrics.

This is the essence of OaaS – a move from selling (or buying) access to software to selling (or buying) tangible, measurable outcomes.

And several factors are converging to make OaaS the logical next step beyond SaaS.

Crucially, the demand for demonstrable Return on Investment (ROI) from technology investments is intensifying. Businesses are no longer satisfied with the promise of efficiency; increasingly they are demanding quantifiable improvements to their bottom line. Not least of all because, (whisper it quietly), they don’t know how to get the best out of all the software they’ve signed up to. We all know that installing software is one thing - getting your people to use it effectively is quite another.

But it is also because other technologies have matured and we now have access to IoT devices spitting out copious data points that have to be analysed in order to accurately measure and track progress towards specific outcomes. Our ‘Smart Buildings’ are outsmarting us!

The big push though is the new reality that AI is defining. We now have algorithms that can analyse massive datasets, identify patterns, predict future outcomes, and proactively optimise systems to achieve predefined goals. But .... it’s all very complicated.

On top of which we’re now seeing the emergence of AI Agents – autonomous software entities capable of performing complex tasks with minimal human intervention – and these are opening up whole new worlds of opportunity. Which, again, we mostly don’t understand but ‘know’ will be transformative.  

These agents can continuously monitor building performance, adjust settings, even interact with tenants or building systems in real-time to drive specific outcomes like optimised occupancy or enhanced tenant satisfaction.

For example, an AI agent could dynamically adjust HVAC settings based on occupancy patterns and weather forecasts to minimise energy consumption, or proactively address tenant requests to improve satisfaction scores. This level of proactive, intelligent automation makes the delivery of guaranteed outcomes increasingly feasible and scalable. If only we had a way to get it all working.

Enter the OaaS providers. The ‘middleware’ if you like, between the technology and desired destination.

The Shift for PropTech Companies

It’s not just the demand side though that will be affected by all of this. The fundamental shift from selling software to selling outcomes will necessitate a dramatic transformation on the supply side, particularly for current PropTech companies. Their existing organisational structures, pricing models, and overall business models will need significant overhauls to effectively deliver on the promise of OaaS.

Organisational Changes Needed

First, organisational structures will need to evolve beyond feature-driven development and sales. Sales teams will need to become adept at understanding client business objectives and translating them into quantifiable outcome targets.

New roles, such as "Outcome Managers" or "Value Engineers," will become crucial, responsible for defining, orchestrating, and ensuring the delivery of agreed-upon outcomes. This will require strong project management skills, a deep understanding of both the technology and the client's business, and the ability to collaborate effectively across internal teams.  

Data science and analytics will move from a supporting function to a core competency, critical for measuring progress, demonstrating value, and continuously optimising solutions.  

Customer success teams will transform from reactive support providers to proactive partners, focused on driving adoption and ensuring clients achieve their desired results.