Groch was one of several representatives of Project Octane there. As a panelist in the session, "Joined-at-the-Hips Corporate Ventures: A Defensive Strategy or Growth Opportunity?" he outlined Octane's plans to delve into transaction platforms. "Communications are a little chaotic," but Octane believes it can use its upcoming platform to "reduce cost, cycle time, increase transparency and eliminate redundancy."

"The shared services ASP is an information aggregate and process efficiency tool," Groch explained. "The benefits will be to reduce costs, integrate systems, enhance reporting, manage applications remotely and provide access to real-time data." This would be the final step in its "three primary initiatives."

Joe Fitzpatrick, executive vice president of strategic initiatives for CB Richard Ellis Global, also spoke about Octane in an earlier panel moderated by Real Estate Forum editor Cynthia Hoffman. "End users are demanding lower costs and improved time efficiency on transactions. Fortune 1000 companies and large institutional owners are requesting and developing Web-based tools to streamline and reduce the cost of the transaction process. A number of on-line competitors are focused on automating the transaction management process. A shakeout is eminent."