Don’t look now, but we can almost put the 2020 pandemic in the rear-view mirror. As commercial real estate professionals know, looking to the past can help you make better decisions for the future, and we can all learn from what the pandemic taught us.
From in-person tours to virtual marketing, here are a few things that are different in a post-pandemic CRE world compared to pre-pandemic times.
1. Tours
Before the pandemic, in-person tours were the most popular type of tour (for obvious reasons). People love viewing commercial properties in person, as they get a better idea of the look, feel and features of a property. When COVID hit, the industry had to quickly shift to virtual tours as the main type of tour for commercial properties. This added flexibility, but also stress. Even though things are getting back to normal, virtual tours will still be here to stay as an option and in-person tours will be geared more toward safety and hygiene.
2. Marketing
CRE pros tend to be extroverts—most like talking to a person face-to-face, at least. The pandemic forced us to stop handshakes, in-person conversations and other elements that enhance a commercial real estate professional’s appeal. Instead, the industry shifted to virtual marketing, with lots of digital meetings, virtual tours and digital, interactive floor plans. These are still beneficial techniques moving forward, however.
3. Amenities
The importance of certain amenities in CRE properties has shifted due to the pandemic. In the past, common areas like kitchens, lounges, fitness centers and meeting rooms might have been most important. Now, it’s all about air filtration technology, health and safety apps, touchless technology and remote-friendly features that improve safety and peace of mind. Start asking more tenants about their ideal amenities, if you aren’t already.
4. Flexibility
Finally, if there’s anything the pandemic taught CRE pros, it’s that you need to be flexible. With COVID-19, we saw constant changes in laws, guidelines and trends. By investing in commercial real estate software like Quarem, you can be ready for any changes and adapt in real-time. CRE software gives you the flexibility you need to address issues that pop up.
If you’re interested in seeing how commercial real estate software can help you prepare for future uncertainty, schedule a demo of Quarem today.
