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infrastructure systems, can view architectural drawings on the fly or Robb Napolitano, Managing IT Director, Rose Associates
remotely access Building Management System (BMS) information Robb Napolitano is Managing IT Director for Rose Associates,
in seconds. As a result you achieve proactive responsiveness, more responsible for Rose’s information and technology platforms.
efficient service levels and reduced operating costs. Robb contributes to the firm’s strategic direction to reduce costs
Leasing brokers are now equipped with mobile devices for and improve operational efficiencies to maximize profitability.
seamless access to stacking plans, floor plan and space information. He has close to 20 years’ experience in the application of information tech-
When in the field, they can search existing inventory to best match a nology solutions across multiple industries at the international level. Here he
prospective tenant’s need. Upon completion of a tour, they can send shares Rose’s goals and strategies for managing the growth of technology.
a personalized thank you e-mail including relevant floor plan and
images. Concurrently, each event is updating a back-end CRM system
providing real-time visibility, dramatically improving communication
and transparency.
However, the increasing risk and exposure from a cyber attack must
be factored into every system integration or point of connectivity
decision. A single cyber event or data breach can severely damage
a brand or reputation along with significant financial implications.
Simply put, the specter of cyber attacks should keep every CIO awake
at night.

RC: How do you ensure buy-in of these new initiatives?
Jacolow: Contrary to the Field of Dreams’ “If You Build It, They Will Come”,
a poor user experience and interface will doom even the best and RC: Tell us about your current technology developments.
brightest of ideas. When the connected customer is royalty, and dig- Napolitano: When I arrived in 2012, Rose was on a proprietary enterprise
ital content is king, user experience is the Holy Grail. User Experience system built on COBOL with a SQL backend that was menu-based
(UX) encompasses all aspects of the end-user’s interaction with the and clunky. There was no question we needed to upgrade to a more
company’s services. These extremely visual concepts, which weave advanced system. We began the selection process by examining the
through the fabric of today’s new digital ecosystems, were once experience of each segment of our customer base which is made up
skills considered for a marketing employee and rarely envisioned for of three distinct groups; our residents, our clients, and our employees.
technology. Master Technologists are akin to a new age Renaissance We identified the needs of each segment, and wanted to ensure
woman or man, knowledgeable and proficient in a wide range of the best technology solution for each group. After an extensive due
digital platforms, visualization artistry and soft skills. diligence period, I am proud to say we are in the final stages of rolling
For example, we recently embarked on a major initiative targeted out a comprehensive property management solution designed to
to enhance our residential leasing process. Our mandate was to enhance both our client and customer experiences.
provide greater transparency into information while reducing the The system really allowed us to take the next step in customer
number of system touch points. Achieving this goal would require engagement. Integrating with best of breed solutions, we capture the
overhauling large components of existing workflows by leveraging resident information from the moment a prospect contacts one of
new technology platforms and system integration. To help sell our our properties and then automatically push this data to our property
vision we implemented the digital approach of storyboarding. First management system and our screening solution. This ensures the ac-
developed by Walt Disney, storyboarding utilizes illustrations and curacy of the data, which allows us to quantitatively analyze multiple
wireframes, enabling users to visualize a solution in familiar and aspects of our business including trends in lead generation, renter
relatable terms. Through this technique we could paint a picture of preferences for product development, potential resident engage-
how these changes would enhance user experience, while produc- ment opportunities, increased service needs, and enhanced revenue
ing efficiencies. Beyond these visualizations, we also scheduled a metrics. Quality content and information is the key to future success
Jacolow, continued on page 37 Napolitano, continued on page 36

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