It seems everyone was lured into making Internet software — the real estate industry was no exception. Attempting to leverage an existing client base, established real estate companies spent millions trying to build Dotcoms for the purpose of spinning out IPOs. Rather than building software with usefulness and practicality in mind, many work order systems were built to attract Wall Street attention. Evidently the lack of thoughtful software design in combination with negligible service seems to be the hallmark of many of these IPO-driven work order management systems.
One of them claimed to have spent over $10 million on their software. That’s like building a rocket ship to get to Queens. These poorly-designed overly expensive work order systems usually have less than 10% of their tenant base actually using them. That is unacceptable. Most tenants find the system cumbersome, not worth the effort and only served to put more work on their shoulders. Without any real discernable value for the tenants, tenants are/were just not interested. Rescuing buildings from these work order IPO wannabes, Shortpath has replaced three different work order systems in four different locations. Now, with Shortpath’s TRM, 85%-100% of tenants are placing online service requests.
Cogent research, understanding and talent are the real drivers of usable software. Many companies who throw money at software adding every possible gadget ultimately fail their customers. Did you see the magnifying glass on that $300 Swiss Army Knife? Pretty cool, did you ever use it? If you are going to ask the average consumer to use software everyday, it better be easier than making a call.
The first assignment in software design is researching what actions the software is intent on replacing. In the case of work order management, before software, tenants would call in a service request, work tickets are written out on forms and distributed. Written notes and signatures usually will accompany a work ticket to its completion. The system works, and most tenants find it acceptable. So there is the research, why improve a working and acceptable system?
For starters, the record keeping needs improvement, the phone calls and the written tickets are inefficient, and the standard by which tenants are attracted to become tenants or stay tenants will never be “acceptable”. Here is where most work order management systems miss the target; what is good for the building may not be good for tenants. If it does not work well, easily and efficiently, for tenants than you have just lost all three of the most important improvements.
If the tenants are not putting their work orders online, than the record keeping is based on the translation of a phone call. The phone call and the placement of information into a work order system takes double the time and invites errors. Plus, this method of use has no palatable impact on the tenants. Real tangible improvements begin when tenants choose to submit their service requests online rather than making the telephone call.
The central point of design for online work order management starts with a tenant choice. To present work order management to tenants without supplying real benefits is no choice. Many tenants don’t care about records of service requests or who changed what light bulb. Shortpath’s TRM offers much more than just tracking work orders and that has translated into greater adoption. This adoption continues to be ongoing. Often purchasers are not end-users. If the work order software only focuses on building management, ultimately no one will be satisfied. When the bride’s father is wondering why the guests aren’t dancing at his daughter’s $100,000 wedding, look no further than the son-in-law who spent the money on his favorite Grateful Dead cover band to play the gig.
Generally, online work order management systems have entirely forgotten the other primary user, the tenant. If your building is suffering from this madness, try a new system with a different company. Your current work order system provider is not going to change their methodology for you. They are in the business of selling software and moving on.
Discounts on services, permission ordering programs, directories and classifieds serve to round out a complete online offering. Moreover, with interest in having tenants participate in these opportunities, Shortpath pushes the envelop in attending to tenant needs. Integrated with additional services, Shortpath provides tenants with additional tangible value. While real estate software providers continue to struggle to get Wall Street attention, Shortpath focuses on providing a real value and a usable product.
