After over a decade of spearheading innovative real estate technology through our visualization company ADHOC Studio, and being pioneers in creating digital experiences in sales galleries, I had amassed a deep understanding of the nuances of the pre-construction real estate market.
I saw an opportunity to take the very manual (and antiquated) process of new development sales into the digital age.
With an idea in hand, my team dedicated over a year collaborating with industry thought-leaders through focus groups to understand the needs and short-falls of the sales and marketing process. This led to us building a roadmap for the digital future of new development sales, where we leveraged our extensive industry knowledge — and passion for innovation — to create Blackline, a dynamic platform built for the industry, by the industry.
Our approach embodies our pillars to success: the seamless integration of innovation research, technology development, and sales acumen. We work closely to constantly refine and adapt our processes, in order to create a product that has ultimately transformed the new-development sales process from complex and manual to streamlined and efficient.
Research And Development
We recognize that to stay ahead, we must constantly explore new trends and technologies. As principal of Blackline, my focus is understanding the unique challenges and ever evolving needs of new development sales. Through conversations and client feedback, we are always identifying gaps and anticipating future demands across our different regional markets.
Our product development team relies on intel from our sales team, who is out in the field, and our client success team, who works closely with our client base. The wealth of knowledge includes market analysis, consumer behaviour studies, and the latest technological advancements.
Through weekly sessions, the information is meticulously analyzed to uncover actionable insight. This close collaboration between teams ensures that the features we build are innovative, while remaining grounded in real-world practicality.
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Translating Intelligence Into Technology
Once our research team has distilled their findings, the baton is passed to our product team. This is where the magic happens – where raw data and insights are transformed into practical, user-friendly applications, features and add-ons.
Our technology team is composed of visionary software engineers, and designers who are passionate about creating solutions that not only meet but exceed industry standards. Our approach is to make working on Blackline as optimal as possible, maximizing our ability to produce impactful results — which translates to a smoother experience for our clients, and all involved in our process.
We are focused on — and have found success in — decision making that prioritizes the most impactful product improvements. Utilizing agile methodologies, we work as a team in creative cycles, constantly refining and improving upon the initial ideas and ensuring a seamless transition from concept, to prototype, to final product. We beta test with some of our early adopter clients, and take feedback throughout the development process.
This approach allows us to remain flexible and responsive to any changes or new information that might arise during development.
Empowering Our Sales And Client Teams
We believe that a well-informed team is a powerful asset. Therefore, we invest heavily in educating our sales team and client services team about the intricacies and underlying technology of our products.
Through comprehensive training sessions, we ensure that our sales representatives can speak with authority and confidence. Moreover, our sales team is trained to understand the specific needs and pain points of different clients and the different markets we operate in.
By aligning our product capabilities with client requirements, they can effectively demonstrate how our solutions drive efficiency, reduce costs, and ultimately add value to their operations.
Our company stands at the forefront of innovation, continually pushing the boundaries to offer forward thinking solutions. This holistic approach not only sets us apart in the industry, but also ensures that we remain at the cutting edge of industry advancements.
As we continue to evolve and grow, we are not looking to follow the path, but create a new one — and our trailblazer approach to innovation will continue to position us as a leader in the sector.
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This article was produced in partnership with STOREYS Custom Studio.
