The Real in Commercial Real Estate
No matter how much technology makes people’s lives easier, nothing can replace the human touch when a client needs help. People love speaking to a live person when they need assistance or especially when they are having an issue. Human to human contact provides the service assistant with the chance to exercise the ‘monogamy of customer service’ with their clients. I always try to make my customers feel like they are my only customer and it really strengthens the relationship between my client and I. Good customer service is not a game, a trick or something that can be enhanced with any apps, etc. Good customer service is being responsive and a resource to the customer.
– Annie Smith, Director of Client Services, Genea
At Genea, we love educating ourselves and others about the evolution of the commercial real estate industry. Earlier this year my colleague Crystal Romero wrote a wonderful article entitled The Art of Customer Service with Annie Smith about taking care of our clients and customers. If you’re reading this article, then you’re quite familiar with the power of using technology to connect with your network of friends and family. Let’s explore the potential of technology when influencing our business relationships. It seems remaining connected may grant us the ability to empower our relationships, yet not to completely replace them.
Relationships & Technology; Through the Years
Not even the latest, patented, revolutionary technology may replace trust. Even the fastest, most comprehensive platform may not replace integrity. No marketing campaign or impressive presentation may replace business camaraderie.
We earn respect with sincerity, hard work, and genuine compassion.
Many characteristics contribute to success in our industry. The most well-respected professionals are those who practice a balance of hard work, technology, and empathy for others. Just ask some of commercial real estate’s most well-respected celebrities influencers.
The Influencers Who Keep CRE Real
Let’s take a look at the open, and honest thoughts of a couple of them — starting with Barbi Reuter.
I haven’t even touched on Duke’s impact on massive firms and promising startups across the United States. He is as smart, compassionate and funny as twenty people, we may need Duke Long’s leadership more than we think. I may be biased. Duke Long has given me more recognition and support than anyone else this year. You know what’s funny about that? Some of the most influential CEOs, investors, and leaders in commercial real estate would utter those exact same words.
There is a direct correlation between strength of leadership and the amount of extra effort people put into serving customers. Great leaders understand their internal customers — their employees. They understand what motivates them, what inspires them, what pleasure they can get from giving great service. — Derek Williams
The point of including Duke and Barbi’s messages is this interesting fact: our industry’s biggest advocates for technological revolution are also CRE’s greatest champions for unity and inclusion. They encourage us to innovate our workflow as well as our hearts and minds. How real is that?
When we explore thoughts from inside and outside of CRE, it’s plain to see technology is not much without excellent human-to-human service. However, Duke and Barbi are not the only ones who aim to make our CRE community more collaborative and humanistic.
Words from the Wise
Let’s take a look at some of the most useful and honest remarks in commercial real estate over the past year from some respected real estate service professionals and influencers.
These people may be some of the most quotable advocates for the industry’s well-being yet they do way more than just talk. These are hard-working CRE professionals, providing daily value for their customers, just like you. Here are their roles:
- Barbi Reuter | Tucson, Arizona — Chief Operating Officer of PICOR — Cushman & Wakefield
- Duke Long | New York, New York — Managing Partner at PUR Ventures | DukeLong.com
- Pierce Neinken | San Francisco, California — Global Portfolio Manager at Airbnb
- Mariel Ebrahimi | Greater Boston Area — Co-Founder & CEO of DisruptCRE
- Anthony Dominguez | New York, New York — Co-Founder of AtlasX.co
- Kathryn “KJ” Juneau | Baton Rouge, Louisiana — Commercial Sales & Leasing Advisor at SVN | Graham, Langlois, & Legendre, LLC
- Antony Slumbers | Guildford, United Kingdom — Digital strategist & Founder of Glasnost 21
- Gip Erskine, CPM, CCIM | Vice President & Senior General Manager of Transwestern, Founder of EverSmart
All of these people regularly share quotes with a similar sentiment: how may we approach the intersection of technology and real estate productivity, not just for themselves, but for the sake of the entire industry. Other notable influencers would include Julie Augustyn of Foundry Commercial as well as Kevin Maggiacomo who was recently named “The Diversifier” by Real Estate Forum as one of 2016’s Best CRE Bosses.
With Great Power Comes Even Greater Responsibility
All in all, it’s obvious technology allows us to communicate on a social level which normally wouldn’t happen in business. With social media and thousands of new digital tools to choose from, it is vital we uphold our responsibility, as human beings, to an even higher standard than ever before.
A collective vision of a smarter, global community is worth daydreaming about. Yet, there is still hard work to do.
The term technology expert may be an oxymoron. When it comes to tech, we don’t know anything. New innovations come and go daily. Revolutionary disruptors affect change, then dissolve, and bizarre trends become standards. This is the new normal. The best part about working in commercial real estate is that the ground is evolving beneath us.
There is a technological awakening happening: everything normal about today will become passé. Cars won’t need drivers and phones won’t need chargers, for example. None of us know what the future holds yet we do know grasping desperately for the past only holds us back. A collective vision of a smarter, global community is worth daydreaming about. Yet, there is still hard work to do.
Nearly every article marrying technology with real estate touch on new ways to save time, money, or energy. Yet what exactly are we saving all these for?
Essentially, we all want to save time, money and energy for ourselves and others. We are human. What we really want is more time to dialogue, more time with friends and family, and liberation from the laborious processes of yesteryear. Join me in making the rest of 2016 the year we empower real estate to bring people together in meaningful ways.
Positively influencing relationships with the hidden power of the built environment — that’s what makes commercial real estate real.
How do you keep your customers happy and your relationships genuine?
