Integrating Applications and User Experiences

Bo CampbellPortal Project Manager

Yardi Systems, Inc.

Gold Rush!

• 2000 marked the peak of the “gold rush” for web applications

• 2000-2007 migration to web for everyone

• Migration sparked a new perspective– We can access anything from anywhere!

• New tools available for everyone to build applications

The Old Way

• Data “Warehouses”

• Email or paper forms

• Copy and Paste

• Internal Data Entry Systems

The New Way

• Multifamily Information and Transactions Standard (MITS) www.mitsproject.com– Lori Reeves, MITS Chair– Tamara Berndt, Deborah Brown

• MITS gives us standardization across all integrations

• New openness and willingness to bring all companies together

• Industry cooperation is reaching new levels

Web Apps

• CRM/Sales Systems• Rent Payment• ILS• Applicant Screening• Lease Generation• eSignatures• Search Engine Integration• Revenue Management• Many more!

MITS

Online Survey

Bank Payments

Rent Bureau

Feed to Hyperion

PR and PO Approval

Prospect/Lead Gathering

Work Order Entry

WO Escalation to Pager

Internet Listing Services

Availability and Leasing

WebService

BRE Client Example

DATA

User Experience (UX)

• Takes the side of the user• Sometimes contradicts marketing

objectives• Negative user experience:

– Distracting banner ads– Annoying pop-ups

• Marketing often represents the company goals

Marketing and UX Team Up

• Companies increasingly interacting through multiple channels of media– Web, email, mobile, store, print– From purchasing to customer service

• Engaging customers through a range of web sites– Traditional brochure web sites– Social networking sites– Property Portals– Resident Portals– Search sites

• Seeking long-term relationships with customers• More and more, if we’re creating content for the Web or any

interactive channel, Marketing and UX will work together

Consistency, Customization and Credibility

• Apply customer data and demographics to deliver:– The right information– The right amount of information– Information at the right time– Information properly– Information in the correct format and style

Creating a Good Experience

• Relevant placement of content where and when the customer needs it– Give the information expected, THEN hit them with a

promotion or other marketing

• Balance bold ads with user experience• Choose a flow that is familiar to the user• Use ads that are relevant to the page content• Sell only at the right time in the experience• Show, don’t tell

Integrations and UX

• Great to see how far we’ve come

• MITS - Utilize standards

• Consider the user

• Have fun!