Why We Started Occupier
Last Updated on February 9, 2023 by Morgan Beard
It is shocking to see how much the commercial real estate business has evolved in such a short period of time. In less than a decade, a co-working company has become the largest office tenant in Manhattan. Landlords competing for tenants are employing novel technology solutions like VTS and HQO to get closer to their customers and provide better service. Brokers are no longer seen as intermediaries controlling market information, but rather process facilitators and strategic advisors. We believe that the tenants who occupy space will drive the next wave of innovation in commercial real estate.
There are two reasons why we believe this. The first is that successful business outcomes are increasingly reliant on real estate decisions. Whether you are an online retailer trying to fight for supply chain supremacy, or an office tenant trying to attract the next generation of workers to your company, your real estate decisions have far greater implications than ever. The second reason is that the software tools available for occupiers to execute against their business goals are not designed for the way modern real estate professionals work. In the vast majority of cases, CRE professionals abandon their company’s technology offerings for the comfort of their spreadsheet and email. Old school lease administration and IWMS platforms may satisfy back office needs such as lease accounting or facilities maintenance, but the make or break leasing decisions are still made largely shooting from the hip.
After having spent a decade in commercial brokerage at JLL, and the past seven years seeing the landlord’s world move from paper to software at VTS, we have a unique perspective on how occupiers can execute on key business initiatives by taking control of their real estate. Real estate is typically the second largest expense for business next to payroll, yet the technology used to manage it is no more sophisticated than spreadsheets and email. Our vision for Occupier is to enable companies to make more informed real estate decisions that align with key business initiatives, using insights and collaboration that don’t exist in antiquated systems or disparate spreadsheets.
We are building an incredible team that is passionate about building great products for great customers that share our perspective. We are just getting started, but we have a bold vision and would love for you to join us on our journey to bring the next wave of CRE innovation to the Tenant!
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