I struggle with accounts regularly to balance the desire for automated processes with the reality of real estate systems. It is a never ending question – what is the right balance?
I’m a fan of uncomplicated processes. However, most real estate managers (when not required to do the work the!selves) are fans of controls, monitoring and automated approvals. These are mutually exclusive goals.
When designing the solution for an account it usually starts with a wish list from the client which is given to technology (who have an unprintable first reaction). Trying to then step back to simpler is a tough task as often expectations are set in the first interaction.
The best path is to define the ideal state up front and fit future clients into that. However I have never met an account manager who doesn’t push the boundaries at every chance. Nothing wrong with that but it goes against the idea of simple.
CRE is not a complicated field: provide seats for employees to occupy. For such an uncomplicated field, it is often the hardest area to serve.