Have you ever played that game where you cross your arms across your chest and fall backward trusting that your friends/colleagues have their arms outstretched and will actually catch you? I’ve seen this “game” of trust used at everything from summer camps for kids to team-building corporate events.
Back in 2016, I wrote a blog called “4 Things I Learned About Gamification in the Men’s Bathroom” … catchy title, right? Well, you guys loved it. Still today, it’s one of my most popular and re-read pieces. As such, it’s only right that I update it for today’s 2020 business landscape.
I saw a study by Deloitte recently that said: “exceptional organizations think about their business as a two-sided ledger: strategy and culture.” It went on to say that 94% of executives and 88% of employees believe a distinct workplace culture is important to business success.
You guys. That’s a lot of money and time — particularly if you’re onboarding process is shit and you’re leaving new hires less-than-excited about their new gig. In fact, employees who have a negative experience are twice as likely to look for new opportunities in the near future.
Customer service is at the heart of every enterprise, and real estate is certainly no exception. As a matter of fact, in most cases well over half of our clients come from people that love doing business with us passing on referrals. The single biggest indicator for whether a customer will recommend your services is the quality of those services and the experience of working with you.
Generally speaking, tech startups are established by bright people (and I know a few of them) who identify a need and come up with innovative ways to fill it. They’re not usually started by MBAs with a firm grasp of the intricacies of running a business, but just a normal Jane with a great idea.
Collaboration is easier with technology - or is it? The CRE industry spends millions on CRM solutions,
You’ve probably seen reference to virtual reality equipment, like Oculus Rift. That’s the headset that actually tricks your brain into thinking you’re in a completely different environment. The visual is so convincing that you really experience being elsewhere. It’s certainly shifting the landscape for video games.
Virtual Reality (VR) is big news for real estate too. In many ways, virtual reality seems ideal for the CRE industry, and it’s beginning to make a big impact on the field, especially for marketing.
Before we get started … here’s why you won’t find the word “millennial” in this blog post.
People born between the early 1980’s and 2005 are now the largest demographic in the U.S. workforce. Generation Y continues to be placed under the microscope as the rest of us try to understand what makes the country’s largest generation tick. As this age group comes to dominate the workforce, their preferences and attitudes are being felt across the board, and it’s changing what a desirable workplace looks like.
It’s time to get over this grumpy old-guy-on-the-porch attitude towards “those millennials.” I, for one, plan to scrap the “M” word, with its negative associations, entirely. Let’s focus on the fresh perspective and unique gifts of this newly dominant generation, and get back to work.
The technology available for customer relationship management (CRM) has ballooned in the last decade. Today, few successful businesses are operating without some sort of technological framework that organizes and simplifies the many tasks that go into working with clients.
Since I consider Jon Schultz the King of All Things Tech, it’s only fitting that my turn as a guest blogger on his site be devoted to some great tech tools.
Last week, CBRE’s New Jersey office hosted its first Tech Demo Day in the East Brunswick office. Spearheaded by its Innovation Group, of which I am a member, the goal was to insure that the entire branch is aware of the tools available in the rapidly changing market.
Building a business means wearing a lot of hats, especially early in the life of the company. It’s easy to get entirely wrapped up in winning customers, raising capital, and product development –all essential functions to be sure. But add to your plate the important task of developing a solid human capital strategy early on.
Oftentimes in this day and age we forget about the person leading the charge at many of these great companies. And to me, having the right person at the top is more important than anything. After all, great products don’t improvise on their own. Products can’t hire the right team, can’t pivot themselves, and don’t have vision…it takes people to do all of that. The right kind of people. We all know who they are in our own ecosystem.
The fact that connected devices play a role in making so many systems operate today is leading to opportunities for innovation, but how it happens will be different in the 3rd wave. Entrepreneurs will continue to lead the way, but they’ll work more closely with industry and government.
With all the news about coworking kingpin WeWork’s massive 16 billion dollar valuation lately, it would be easy to surmise that coworking, specifically at WeWork, is the panacea for any businesses seeking to break free from the notoriously rigid commercial real estate system.
To those of us with limited understanding of the ideas behind blockchains and digital transactions in general, those words may seem far removed from our own experience, but this technology is beginning to infiltrate all sorts of transactions and record-keeping efforts.
In an interesting podcast recently, Michael Wong of Genea made the point that commercial real estate’s adoption of technology was in large part a reaction to the economic downturn in 2007-8.
To live up to greatly amplified expectations, CIOs are expected to bring a wider range of skills to the job. Their role has become central to business success, and more than ever it’s about fostering relationships and blazing a trail to digital utilization that works for everyone.
In the course of your work it may sometimes feel like the tail is wagging the dog. Your tools may be putting you through your paces rather than the other way around. Technology is only valuable when we apply it to real world challenges and tasks, so anything that doesn’t support that goal is inefficient. It’s unsustainable and can keep you from being your best.
Change is the engine of progress, and although it can be painful or difficult at times, it is a necessary and positive thing. Like any endeavor in business, change has to be carefully managed to have the best chance at success. Indeed, careful planning will indicate for you exactly what “success” will look like.
As the millennial generation moves into the driver’s seat, and the Boomers start to exit stage left, ideas about what’s important in the workplace are evolving. In fact, millennials are the largest demographic group among U.S. workers. There’s so much being said about this group, I’m sure they’re sick of hearing “millennial this” and “millennial that” - as if they’re some kind of bug bringing about the plague.
Even in a workplace with a great physical environment, a crack team, and all the tools necessary to get the job done, we can find something lacking. Even the most stellar team won’t live up to its potential if the organization has failed to develop a strong company culture.
With the advent of social media, our potential influence expanded exponentially. Any user can now have a voice, possibly reaching thousands and playing a role in their decision-making.
