Conference season has well and truly kicked in and we returned (mostly) in one piece from SIOR with a bunch of video interviews. Namely, we had a conversation on tech and commercial real estate with Geoff Kasselman, founder of Chicago brokerage firm Op2mize which you can see in full here.
However, in regards to SIOR and tech, I thought that he brought up some salient points.
The conference has a big focus on tech this year, perhaps more than ever. Kasselman observed that “the commercial real estate industry is in a mindset of wanting to catch up” and, it seems, this may be a driver behind the industry desire to learn more about new ways of organizing and sending information.
Kasselman also mentioned that SIOR members “want” more tech-oriented programming. “It's a very slow-moving, almost invisible transition that we're going through,” he said, “the analog set, the older folks that have made their mark in the business world in quite a significant and an accomplished way, did it without all the digital technology.” He explains that it's important for the younger crowd, who are more accustomed to technology, to coexist with their older counterparts, despite the potential for miscommunication.
In other words, both generations can learn from one another. And should, in fact, to tighten up the industry as a whole and improve understanding going forward.
Additionally,Kasselman has observed that his clients are asking for more technology, looking for ways to get an “edge” on their competition and to stand out. “Clients are starting to talk about it, ask for it, look for edges,” he explained. “It's all coming together for us to catch up. But I think historically we've been a little behind.”
How is your organization uniting the old with the new? What tips can you offer?
Want to continue reading?
Become a Free ALM Digital Reader.
Once you are an ALM Digital Member, you’ll receive:
- Breaking commercial real estate news and analysis, on-site and via our newsletters and custom alerts
- Educational webcasts, white papers, and ebooks from industry thought leaders
- Critical coverage of the property casualty insurance and financial advisory markets on our other ALM sites, PropertyCasualty360 and ThinkAdvisor
Already have an account? Sign In Now
*May exclude premium content© 2024 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.
