This is part of a three-blog series from Daniel Russo, CEO, Building Engines & President, JLL Property Management Technology.
As the president of Building Engines, I’ve watched brilliant property management teams struggle with a challenge that shouldn’t exist in today’s world. And unfortunately, it’s a common story in property management.
This scenario plays out thousands of times daily across our industry, and it’s why I’ve dedicated my career to solving this fundamental problem.
Why we need to talk about system fragmentation
When I meet with property management leaders, I often ask a simple question: “How much of your team’s potential is wasted on busywork instead of real property management?” The answers are sobering.
The fact is that fragmented systems aren’t just an IT inconvenience, they’re actively undermining the core work of property management:
- Teams spend hours each week jumping between platforms just to piece together basic information
- Critical patterns in building operations remain hidden, because the data that would reveal them lives in separate systems
- Standardizing best practices becomes nearly impossible when everyone develops their own workarounds
- Emergency responses slow down because essential information isn’t immediately accessible
I’ve watched property managers become frustrated by technology that should be helping them, not hindering them.
The vision that drives our work
What keeps me passionate about this industry is seeing what happens when we remove these obstacles. When I talk to teams, I hear that they’re actually managing properties, instead of managing spreadsheets.
That transformation is why we built Prism. We envisioned a world where property teams could:
- Handle tenant needs immediately with all relevant information at their fingertips
- Identify portfolio-wide patterns that drive smarter decisions
- Free up hours previously lost to manual data compilation
- Focus their expertise on improving buildings and tenant experiences rather than digital detective work
I’ve seen firsthand how this shift transforms not just efficiency but job satisfaction. Property managers chose this career to create exceptional building experiences, not to wrangle disconnected software systems.
The real-world impact
What truly motivates me are the stories from our customers after teams consolidate their operations:
- Sentry Management cut time spent on RFPs by 73%, down to just 15 minutes – with an automated follow-up process to make work even simpler.
- JLL centralized the management of 20 CapEx projects per year at Union Depot in St. Paul Minnesota, transforming operations as well as creating a straightforward communications process.
- Northwood Office has been able to save costs by simplifying their tech stack, making the experience easier both for their property managers and for their tenants. “We can use one system for items that we previously had multiple,” said Audrey Bell. Operations Technology Lead.
These aren’t just technology wins—they’re fundamental improvements in how commercial real estate operates.
My commitment to the industry
The more I speak with customers and industry experts, the more I remain convinced that property management professionals deserve better tools. You shouldn’t need to be part IT specialist just to do your job effectively.
The technology exists today to make this happen without requiring a complete operational overhaul. In fact, many teams find they reduce their technology costs by eliminating redundant systems while gaining better functionality.
I’m curious—what inefficiencies in your current systems are costing your team the most time? Your answer might reveal your biggest opportunity for transformation.
Want to learn more about the future of commercial real estate? Register now for our virtual event, Building Engines Connect, on July 29!
