CRE is gaining richer and broader tech.  In nearly all aspects of running a CRE portfolio, there are multiple software solutions, incumbents and new players alike.  Now the level and type of software is starting to catch up to other tech-rich industries.  Not only are there mature web/mobile/SaaS offerings, but we’re also seeing hardware/IoT products, big data and AI plays, and even chatbots and voice solutions; across the board, this is a boon for CRE leaders – more choices and opportunities to grow the top and bottom lines of their businesses. 

Among all the positives of this technology explosion, an aspect still under-represented is the one that makes the biggest difference: modern user experience design (UXD).  This is not just picking the “right colors” or having a clean layout; it’s about putting the user and their needs and wants first.  User-centric thinking and the resulting designs have changed industries – and it will change ours.  Thoughtful design yields products that are easy to learn, efficient to use, aesthetically-pleasing and sometimes even a delight to operate. 

Our industry is filled with smart people.  You can easily learn to use nearly any piece of software.  You can attend trainings, read instructions, watch videos, and/or experiment.  Providing you well-designed, bespoke solutions for your domain means you’re going to solve your problems more easily, reap the benefits for your company more quickly and spend more of your creativity on issues more important than struggling with software.   

In the 20+ years I’ve been building enterprise software, I’ve seen design consistently make a large positive impact to customers.  That’s why we’ve changed things up at Building Engines. And we’re investing in design and will continue to do so.  We have great in-house UX expertise now, and we’re hiring more! We’ve moved design where it belongs: at the front of the process working with direct customer input and product managers. 

We’re starting to feel the results.  While previewing our new ratings workflow, I saw how much time it would save our customers over their prior system.  When we tested a new onboarding system and saw a customer set up a building in 15 minutes, they were thrilled.  When I first used Bengie to register a visitor with a single text, “Alex is coming to visit tomorrow at 1 pm,” Bengie’s product manager received an unexpected hug!  Great design can inspire and delight.  CRE deserves that.  Happy new year, and we’re excited to bring you more in 2019!  

Learn how improving the UX of CRE technology will encourage stronger user adoption from end users by reading this eBook.