Building the CSSA's digital future: an interview with Luke Brown
The founder of &Element on his background, why he got involved with the CSSA, and what the new digital platform means for members.
CSSA Communications Team · Communications2 min read
Earlier this year the CSSA put the build of its new website and Member Dashboard out to tender. After a competitive process, &Element, an award-winning digital consultancy based at the Innovation Centre in Colchester, was appointed. We sat down with founder Luke Brown to talk about his background, why the cleaning industry, and what members can expect.
CSSA: Tell us a bit about your background.
Luke: I founded &Element in 2015, so we've been going for 11 years now. We're a studio of designers, engineers, marketers and analysts working out of the Innovation Centre in Colchester, and our core work is bespoke cloud platforms - software built around how a business actually runs, rather than forcing it into an off-the-shelf tool. Over the years we've worked with everyone from ten-person firms to names like Meta, Samsung, Hugo Boss, Rolls-Royce and the Ministry of Defence. We're Cyber Essentials certified and independently audited every year, so security and reliability are built into how we work.
CSSA: Why were you keen to get involved with the CSSA?
Luke: Cleaning is one of the UK's biggest sectors, and one of the least well served by technology. The more time I've spent with contractors and suppliers, the more I've seen how much of the day-to-day still runs on paper, spreadsheets and phone calls. The CSSA brings the people running those businesses together in one place, and that felt like the right place to start.
CSSA: What opportunity do you see?
Luke: An association is only as strong as its connection with its members. A modern website is part of that, but the bigger opportunity is the Member Dashboard: one place where members can apply, manage their membership and book events. Done well, it takes admin off the CSSA team so they can spend more time on what members actually join for - standards, advocacy and community. It also gives the sector a digital front door that reflects how professional this industry really is.
CSSA: You won the work through a tender. How was that?
Luke: It was a proper process with a strong field of agencies, and the CSSA asked hard questions about delivery, security and value. Winning it meant a lot to the whole team. We're very keen to repay that trust, and we've approached it as a long-term partnership rather than a one-off build.
CSSA: What could &Element do for other members?
Luke: A lot of the businesses I meet at CSSA events have the same problem: they've outgrown their spreadsheets, but off-the-shelf software doesn't fit the way they work. That's where we help, whether it's scheduling, compliance records, client portals, reporting or automation. If anyone has an idea they want to talk through, I'm always happy to grab a coffee.
The new CSSA website is live now, and members can log in to the Member Dashboard from the top of any page. To find out more about &Element, visit and-element.com.
