Immoblox Inc: a story of transformation
Imagine a fast-growing rental property management company with an expanding real estate portfolio. IMMOBLOX, founded in 2020, has rapidly grown to include 15 buildings and 305 units, offering a diverse range of residential and semi-commercial spaces. However, behind this rapid growth lay a growing challenge that threatened to hinder their progress.
We spoke to Elsa Ramirez, Director of Finance and Manager at IMMOBLOX, who generously agreed to share her experience in transforming their property management system.
The situation: Growing needs and frustrating inefficiencies
Initially, IMMOBLOX managed its operations using a combination of separate software solutions. QuickBooks took care of accounting, BuildingStack facilitated management tasks, Monday helped coordinate tasks and Autonome managed direct debits. Although this approach sufficed in the early days, it became clear that a more centralized and simplified solution was needed as the company grew.
Many challenges have arisen. The team was faced with the burden of having to manage disparate software packages, which led to inefficiencies and hampered collaboration. Elsa Ramirez remembers perfectly the frustrations she encountered:
“It was a lot of paperwork, a lot of procedures, a lot of steps and a lot of questioning within the team to keep track of the tasks to be done.”
BuildingStack, in particular, proved to be a real headache. It didn’t work properly and customer service wasn’t responsive to their comments. Hours were wasted struggling with the application, trying to navigate its complexities.
Although QuickBooks handles accounting reasonably well, it was not specifically designed for the real estate sector. As a result, certain tasks required redundant effort, making management cumbersome and error-prone.
“It’s not automated, you wait after the emails, you go back into another software to enter the information…. You never get out of it. »
The solution: Switch to Proprio Expert
Recognizing the need for a more comprehensive digital solution, IMMOBLOX undertook an in-depth evaluation process. After months of exploring different software options, they discovered Proprio Expert, an all-in-one property management platform that promised to centralize information, communications, accounting and tasks in one accessible location.
Ms. Ramirez emphasized that Proprio Expert’s comprehensive management capabilities, particularly for leases and rents, played a decisive role in their choice.
“Lease management, rent management. That was our biggest issue, so just with that, it already solved a good part of the problem.”
What’s more, thanks to its affiliation with CORPIQ (Corporation des propriétaires immobiliers du Québec), IMMOBLOX has found that its management processes have been facilitated and accelerated. Previously, obtaining rental application forms, requesting pre-rental screening reports and managing leases required multiple steps on different platforms. This complicated process led to potential errors and wasted a lot of time. However, with the integration of Proprio Expert, these inefficiencies have been eliminated, enabling smoother operations and reducing unnecessary back-and-forth.
“Before, everything was done in parallel and, in the end, it took quite a long time to get a lease in, especially when you have about 50 of them”
Implementation: A smooth transition and increased support
Learning the software went smoothly for IMMOBLOX. It proved to be quite intuitive and easy to use, enabling the team to get to grips with the new solution quickly and easily. Unlike their previous experiences, they no longer had to spend long hours trying to figure out how to perform a given task.
“We haven’t really had any issues with it. It’s also good to be able to talk to someone if there’s ever a problem.”
The explanatory capsules proved useful for consulting specific information or deepening understanding of the various technological tools. Ms Ramirez also had a few interactions with customer service for help. She was satisfied with the customer service and technical support, and particularly appreciated knowing that she could always contact someone if she had a problem.
Results and benefits: Effectiveness
Infography/visual > Time saved with Proprio Expert = more than half
Having at your fingertips a history of the various actions carried out: rental applications, surveys, leases, renewals, tenant requests, repairs, accounting, is a source of peace of mind. The fact that all this information is available at all times, in one place and in real time, is extremely reassuring.
“Time saving, it’s easy to use, all the information can be there. It’s really a complete tool”
Without this overview, IMMOBLOX was constantly plunged into uncertainty and questioning. They now have a complete overview of their real estate operations, and can access essential information in just a few clicks, avoiding the need to ask questions and giving them a clear and precise understanding of all the actions carried out in their property management.
Would you recommend Proprio Expert?
IMMOBLOX is regularly asked by other property management companies what software they use. They are happy to say that their choice was Proprio Expert. They appreciate its ease of use and see the fact that it is part of the CORPIQ ecosystem as a major advantage.
In conclusion, IMMOBLOX has made a successful transition to Proprio Expert. Thanks to its centralized digital solution, they have considerably improved the team’s efficiency and productivity, halving the time spent on management. Its ease of use has contributed to their successful transition to more efficient and harmonious property management.
