Centralization and standardization have become a driving force for operational efficiency. Still, the question remains: How can property owners and managers find technology flexible enough to maximize their teams’ potential while allowing for evolution? This topic was widely discussed during this year’s Apartmentalize, especially during our ‘Happy’ Hour panel events.
Centralization and standardization have become a driving force for operational efficiency. Still, the question remains: How can property owners and managers find technology flexible enough to maximize their teams’ potential while allowing for evolution? This topic was widely discussed during this year’s Apartmentalize, especially during our ‘Happy’ Hour panel events.
“Property Management Systems excel at core functions like assessments and reporting. However, these systems can fall short when it comes to specialized tasks,” said John Barr, Portfolio Director at The Dinerstein Company. “We need dedicated solutions for a better overall experience, starting with the resident. It’s not just about operational efficiency; it’s about creating an ecosystem that delights the end-user.”
Property owners and managers have been forced to dig deep when integrating new tech to create efficiencies and save time. What does it connect with? How smoothly? How often? These questions are crucial. True centralization is impossible without standardization across your entire portfolio, and the key to standardization is having a consistent, holistic view of your data.
“We can’t expect property managers to become data scientists overnight,” said Charlotte Schell, CEO and co-founder at Wreno and one of our first HappyCo Plugin partners. “The key is to simplify this transition and bridge the gap between understanding and implementation. Those who can ask the right questions about their data and operations will lead the way.”
There’s a rallying cry to streamline best-of-breed solutions and data flow through open API integration. For over a decade, HappyCo has been laying the groundwork to solve the pervasive issue of fragmented point solutions and siloed data. Our recent debut of HappyCo Plugins is the latest solution–a world where disparate systems can communicate seamlessly, creating a fluid, interconnected environment of solutions.
"Integration is the norm everywhere else—why not in real estate,” Schell added. “Our industry needs that same level of user experience. It's about giving customers the power to choose the best tools without becoming integration experts. We should focus on providing value through specialization and connectivity, not maintaining silos."
"Integration is the norm everywhere else—why not in real estate. Our industry needs that same level of user experience. It's about giving customers the power to choose the best tools without becoming integration experts. We should focus on providing value through specialization and connectivity, not maintaining silos."
Charlotte Schell, CEO and co-founder at Wreno
Adam Pittenger, CEO and founder at Moved, another valued HappyCo Plugins partner and panel speaker, backed this up: “In today’s market, striking the right balance between value and cost is essential. Centralization and virtualization are important, but the real game-changer is in enhancing data, operations, and integrations. Our ultimate goal should be to simplify things for both customers and residents. Over the past five years, we've seen a flood of new technologies, many of which don’t communicate well with each other. That’s why it’s crucial for partners to collaborate and create cohesive, effective solutions for our customers.
The future of PropTech and operational efficiency is built on open APIs, centralization, and seamless integration–and it goes beyond mere technological integration. It’s about fostering a collaborative ecosystem where innovation thrives, and the industry’s collective intelligence can be harnessed to solve complex problems–always putting the customers first.
Shout out to all of the amazing minds who participated in our curated series of ‘Happy’ Hour discussions. We’re not just embracing the future; we’re actively shaping it through the flexibility and future-readiness that an open API architecture provides.
Incase you missed it: check out our NAA recap video
Ben Nowacky is the President at HappyCo and leads the product development and engineering teams across North America and Australia. In this role, Ben is responsible for executing the company’s overall product strategy while ensuring business continuity and data security. He leads with a customer-first methodology and promotes alignment between the product, engineering, and go-to-market teams. Prior to joining HappyCo in 2022, Ben was the Chief Product and Security Officer at Axcient and brings more than 20 years of product and technology experience to his role.
