Casey Rue
Real Estate software company Common Areas has launched what they are calling the industry's first “configurable” platform. The new cloud-based real estate operations platform can be tailored to a company's needs, offering flexibility and increasing efficiency without disrupting a company's current operations model. This is achieved through the platform by instantly syncing the company's data, systems and people.
“Every company we work with has figured out a way to operate their business,” Casey Rue, founder and CEO of Common Areas, tells GlobeSt.com. Most often they like and are used to doing it their way. Some of the processes they use work well and some not as much, but everyone across the board wants the ability to do more with less, faster. The ability to scale existing processes can be an incredible challenge and many times is impossible. Abandoning the way things have always been done and implementing new processes can be equally challenging as it always requires a significant upfront investment of either time, money, headaches or all of the above. Not surprisingly, everyone wants the best of both worlds where they can work in the ways they are accustomed as well as have the ability to streamline and scale their operations.”
The company's new cloud based system is meant to allow real estate companies to continue to use their own operations techniques rather than having to adhere to a new technology. “Common Areas' new configurable solution eliminates the painful process of having to abandon those tried and true methods that work simply because they can't scale,” says Rue. “With our platform it is now possible to streamline and automate those businesses processes in a manageable way while also providing the ability to scale. With a configurable platform, companies can rapidly deploy tailored solutions that retain “their” way of doing things, while automating workflows, streamlining processes and increasing the effectiveness of all stakeholders involved across every location to help each business achieve its goals.”
While conforming to a new technology can be a challenge, using manual processes in the technology era is equally as challenging and can be costly. “Being “time-poor” has become an epidemic and the idea of taking on massive operational changes in order to get out from under the onslaught is daunting, another item added to your list of things to do and has its own risk,” says Rue.
The platform has a range of features that make it adaptable to each company. “Our cloud-based platform provides the agility to quickly add or modify features so they can take a bite-sized approach instead of a massive undertaking,” says Rue. “The features are aimed at automating critical business processes such as work requests, RFPs, tenant applications, inspection reports, equipment management, lease tracking, preventative maintenance, and tenant issue reporting—just to name a few. The ultimate aim is to streamline day-to-day processes and transform time-consuming manual activities across teams, divisions, and outside third-parties, in order to create a digitally-connected business where everyone knows more, works together better, and gets more done, faster.”
Many real estate companies have complained about the lack of flexibility in technology platforms, and the market has responded fervently to customization aspect of Common Area's new platform. “The response so far has been very favorable and we've heard numerous times how others have dreamed of a similar concept,” says Rue. “We're finding that the level of interest and excitement for Common Areas generally is tied to how bad the pain has gotten for a business as they scale their operations past the point where their existing processes can be effective. It is around that point that they begin their search to implement an enterprise-wide digital strategy and pursue greater levels of automation and efficiency.”
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Kelsi Maree Borland
