At site|folio we treat “Account Management” like an action verb.  Peter Cheverton puts it like this: “Account Management is the process of maximizing the return on your investment in a customer by defining and actioning appropriate plans that will enable you to build on the present, to manage the future.”  When I read that I thought to myself, Right on! – a perfect description of the on-going relationship we have with our clients.  We feel that how we work with our clients and how we manage their accounts is one of the biggest differentiators between site|folio and our competition.

Here’s an example.  We have the privilege of partnering with one of the world’s leading retailers.  This client started small in respect to their use of site|folio, but recently they asked us to address a major paint point: the receiving and processing of their general contractor and vendor bids for each of their active projects.  We were able to automate and streamline this process through site|folio.  In the end they saved approximately eight hours and per project and who knows how many clicks and headaches.

By listening to their needs, we partnered with them and put a plan in action to help make their construction process a little more efficient.  This same customer has openly shared with others that "Without hesitation site|folio has been the most significant process improvement introduced over the last seven years of my tenure with [major retailer]. Several hundred users are collaborating in real time thanks to site|folio. Great people, doing wonderful work."

When it comes to customer service, site|folio plays the supporting actor to our clients’ starring performances.  We’re here to make them better, more efficient, more successful.  This means comprehensive support.  We start by working side-by-side with clients as they deploy our software; then we maintain a healthy and productive relationship by continually providing expert customer support and account management.  Bottom line: we’re with them every step of the way.

Customer service at sitefolio falls into two categories.  First, Customer Service and Support (CSS), which mainly speaks to our daily interaction with our Clients, addressing any and all issues or questions that they have for their immediate benefit.  Second, Account Management, which to site|folio means partnering with our Clients to strategically grow with them as their building portfolio and processes grow and evolve.

Our Customer Support credo centers on being proactive, responsive, and tenacious.  Our Account Management credo centers on listening, partnering and planning. 

Over the next few weeks I will expand on these two areas.  I’m excited to share with you real-life scenarios that will demonstrate how passionate we are about helping our clients be successful.  And happy!

When site|folio’s president doesn’t have both hands on the steering wheel of his company, he can usually be found entertaining his three children, playing music, or eating out at one of Asheville, NC’s outstanding restaurants.  We caught up for a quick Q & A.

1. In fifty words or less, what is site|folio?

Radical.  Really.  The site|folio team came together in 2003 with a simple goal: to take a complex real estate development process and make it easier.  To make it more predictable, more visible, more collaborative – across a business’s entire building portfolio.  We do this by providing a fast, highly adaptable, easy-to-use platform that has a laser focus on our clients’ needs. Other solutions take years to implement – we take weeks.

2. I want to grow my business?  How do I get started with site|folio?

All it takes is a phone call.  We’ll listen and learn about your business goals.  We’ll tell you about site|folio.  If it seems like a good match, we’ll put together a fully functional site|folio solution in a matter of weeks, adapted to your exact requirements. We will review the solution with your team and help them get started. Our clients are amazed at how easy it is to transition from Outlook/Excel to site|folio to manage their real estate development process.  You don’t need to make a huge time investment to see results.

3. Give us an example of how site|folio can help a company manage all the different pieces of real estate development.

Think of site|folio as a destination, a secure landing space where you can quickly access anything you need regarding your real estate development program. When you log in site|folio knows who you are and what you have access to do.  It allows you to access data and documents quickly and effectively, reducing countless duplication. This works for both your internal departments and for external business partners, which means no more time managing multiple spreadsheets, digging through flat files, waiting for someone to get back to you with a simple fact, or working on an outdated document. 

4. You’ve got a pretty strong background in architecture?  How has that shaped your vision for site|folio?

A building is designed to fit the needs of the occupants who will navigate it.  We’ve taken the same approach with site|folio; we can tailor our software to fit the needs of our individual clients.  Plus, it’s usable.  I mean, really usable.  Usability is the cornerstone of our solution.  Finally, it’s adaptable.  The demands of a fast-paced business environment require an adaptable software solution.  In real estate, remodeling is a good example.  If a client of ours needs to undertake a major remodeling project, they don’t need to start over with new software.  We can adapt site|folio to their changing needs.  Change, therefore, can be cost-effective.   

5. What’s your favorite retail store design out there right now?

If I had to choose only one it would be Costco.  I’ve always been impressed with the purposefulness of the design – how it’s driven by the user’s experience in what is essentially a warehouse of goods.  Anyone who continually convinces me to buy a pound of hummus, 32 AA batteries, a pair of jean, and a fresh churro is obviously on to something.  They take the pressure off making a decision and they back t heir product.  I know they will take care of me.  We strive for the same user experience at site|folio.

6. How in the world do you pronounce your last name?

Call me Jason. I really don’t mind.

At site|folio our mission is simple: to help businesses grow by advancing productivity and collaboration across their real estate development portfolios. 

Through our blog we’ll update you on what’s happening in the site|folio community (it’s a busy place!), brief you on new products, tap into the wisdom of industry experts, and share success stories from our stable of clients.  Nothing makes us happier than hearing from satisfied customers: that site|folio works; that it makes their lives easier; that it makes their businesses better. 

Thanks for joining us.  And please, join the site|folio conversation.  We welcome your comments and feedback.

Best,

The site|folio Team