How a Denver Portfolio Uses ETS Mobile Apps to Increase Satisfaction, Renewal Intention

Mobile Capabilities Better Utilize Staff, Drive Responsiveness and Communication

• • Responsiveness and communications are the foundation of tenant satisfaction and renewal intention.

• • A tablet or smartphone, empowered with ETS’ property management apps drive staff efficiency, responsiveness, and better communications.

• • A CBRE managed portfolio (19 properties owned by a leading REIT) proved this premise through the agile use of ETS’ apps.

• • ETS apps streamline a previously laborious, multi-step process into real-time, actionable workflow.  Auto-generated tasks and alerts greatly reduce task completion times for engineers.

• • According to a recent CBRE Occupier Study, enhancing technology 59% of respondents plan to introduce mobile apps to enhance the employee experience by helping them to navigate the built environment more efficiently.

• • A clear majority in the CBRE study expect mobile enhances the workplace and employee experience. As such, a property deploying mobile solutions is likely to be seen more favorably than one that does not.

• Results:

1. More efficient time utilization for staff
2. Enhanced tenant customer service
3. Improved satisfaction, and renewal intention scores

• Since its deployment of Electronic Tenant® Solutions Apps and Services, the CBRE Denver portfolio has seen an 8% increase in overall tenant satisfaction.

Stephani Gaskins, Senior Real Estate Manager at CBRE Asset Services in Englewood, Colorado, says, “the initial need for management solutions and integration of mobile devices, like tablets, was two-fold: to boost time utilization for our staff and to encourage tenants in each property to use their property’s web portal (Electronic Tenant® Portal). “We wanted to promote the portal website as a resource, to support our staff, and to enhance tenant customer service satisfaction and Kingsley scores.”

Within the portfolio, managers were faced with the challenge of getting face time with tenants and the subsequent follow up (documenting meeting notes and corresponding work orders). Before ETS apps, this effort was laborious and disconnected. Inefficiency prevented other important projects from getting done. They needed a better solution for doing the job more efficiently, and maintaining tenant relationships – and ultimately their satisfaction.

Once tablets were integrated and the staff was using ETS apps for real-time meeting notes, task management, and communications, benefits were instantly evident. The integration has created more time and improved productivity, for both the Management and Engineering teams as well as Asset Managers.

VALUE FOR MANAGEMENT STAFF

There is a key return on investment when mobile apps help relieve administrative burden faced by management.

Real-Time Note-Taking | On-the-Fly Versatility Saves Time

During tenant visits, meeting notes are conveniently entered into the ETS tenant relationship management app and then accessed from anywhere.  In addition, the application allows documents and photos to be attached for detailed reference points. Notes can be shared across the property team, asset management or with third parties. A library of meeting notes, along with corresponding app use (i.e., work orders and communications, etc.) provides great visibility into the health and history of the tenant experience.

On-Demand Work Order Data |  Tasks in Hand, Where You Need Them

Whether performing building inspections or visiting tenants, work orders are entered into ETS real-time. This process is very effective and efficient:

• • Immediately puts action “in motion” through auto-assignment or mobile device task acceptance.

• • Includes detailed information, documents and/or photographs

• • Instantaneously communicates status updates

• • Opens invaluable feedback loop – in request communication, thumbs up/down satisfaction ratings

• • Memorializes all activity for reporting and future reference
• • Provides invaluable performance assessment for improvement

Built-in Training |  Anytime Access to Learn and Improve

The ETS platform is set up so that anyone who requires a refresher, is able to login for an introduction, as well as gain access to robust online training documents and video tutorials. The benefits of using the system for things like work orders, tenant communications, and contact management are explained clearly and concisely.

Property (portfolio) at Your Fingertips | Engineers Reduce Time, Gain Independence

In deploying tablets, CBRE was able to unchain members of the property / portfolio management team from their desks. With all aspects of property operations on their mobile devices, the team experienced considerable benefits, a few examples:

• Engineers have all equipment maintenance history and concurrent responsibilities (including manuals, instructions, checklists, etc.,) with them at all times. No more back and forth or calls to the engineering office to get a job done.

SUMMARY

Engineers now have the ability to immediately view maintenance tasks within the ETS mobile app to confirm any issues, assist in verifying proper operations, and are able to troubleshoot and document right next to the unit’s location. An engineer used to view the information on their desktop and would have to leave his desk to inspect or troubleshoot the unit, then return to the desktop to document the results. On occasion, this required two engineers, one at the unit and the other in the office. The same scenario applied to building access systems. This process was extremely time consuming, limited the engineer’s time to complete other tasks, and pulled other engineers away from their job duties. Since the implementation of the tablet, the engineers can quickly, and efficiently, access the ETS mobile app and take care of the problem on the go.

The tablets have allowed the engineers to work more independently and no second person to help complete tasks.

ETS Integration Helps Move the Needle on Kingsley Scores

The nature of building management is changing dramatically – expectations are higher. Building management teams have had to meet demands for changing tenant needs, but also the tools they use to reach them. The push for mobile technology has accelerated change in how buildings operate, enabling management to become more efficient. ETS’ mobile operations apps on the tablet helped Denver CBRE management staff complete tasks more efficiently – decreasing initial response times and total completion times and ultimately boost satisfaction among tenants in their 19 properties over 5 the past years.