How Hospitality Can Help Technology Create A Better Tenant Experience
Over the past two decades, commercial real estate amenity management has undergone a dramatic transformation. What once consisted primarily of traditional concierge services has evolved into sophisticated programs designed to enhance the tenant experience, foster workplace community and support tenant retention.
Today, the industry is approaching another important inflection point: the adoption of technology to help with a building’s day-to-day operations.
This is the perspective of Tom Larance, president and CEO of amenity management and tenant engagement firm The Experience Group, who has been in this line of work since 2001.
“While technology is advancing quickly, technology alone will never define a great tenant experience,” he said. “Hospitality, on the other hand, still does.”
Retaining The Human Touch
Larance said that for years, CRE focused heavily on the amenities arms race: state-of-the-art fitness centers, rooftop lounges, podcast studios and golf simulators, with most Class-A buildings now offering some version of these amenities.
“The differentiator is no longer just about amenities. It’s how those amenities are activated, programmed and operated by tenants every day,” he said. “Hospitality and emotional intelligence play a critical role here.”
Artificial intelligence, advanced analytics and digital building platforms are rapidly changing how buildings operate, he said. Many buildings are adopting technology such as automated scheduling systems, predictive maintenance tools and tenant engagement platforms to streamline operations and improve efficiency across CRE portfolios.
Larance said that while these tools have proved valuable, removing operational friction and providing insights that were difficult to capture in the past, they can’t read a room, build trust or foster community in the way human interaction can.
“The experiences tenants remember most come from the people across a building who make tenants feel known, supported and valued,” he said.
Larance said that in the best buildings, the culture is embodied by everyone on the team, from the concierge or community manager who greets tenants by name to the professionals who manage the building, maintain the property and support tenants each day. Everyone on the team helps define the culture.
Combining Data With Real-Life Experiences
The Experience Group refers to the balance between technology and human insight as “authentic intelligence,” which pairs data with direct human insight. When it comes to the office sector, for instance, rather than relying exclusively on digital engagement metrics or usage statistics, the firm combines insights from data with one-on-one conversations, interviews and focus groups with tenant leaders, human resources teams and C-suite executives, Larance said.
“While data is valuable, data alone rarely tells the full story of how people experience a workplace,” he said. “These conversations allow us to better understand how people actually work within a building and how their organizations approach the workplace experience.”
This process enables The Experience Group to identify the amenities already provided in tenant spaces, employee perks and workplace programs offered by tenants, and work patterns and employee roles that influence amenity usage.
The firm also looks at hybrid work policies and their impact on building engagement and pinpoints opportunities for collaboration between building operators and tenants.
This deeper understanding allows amenity programs to become more responsive and more personalized, Larance said.
“Both technology and authentic intelligence allow operators to refine programming, adjust services and create experiences that reflect the unique culture of each building community,” he said.
Empowering The Success Of CRE Professionals
Technology also improves operational reliability in amenity spaces. Predictive maintenance systems can identify potential equipment or facility issues before they impact tenants, allowing operators to address problems proactively.
Operational improvements are valuable because they support the consistency and quality of the amenity experience tenants rely on, which only enhances and empowers the hospitality professionals, Larance said. They can spend more time building relationships, engaging tenants and creating experiences that make people feel connected to their workplace.
He said that as CRE evolves, the buildings that stand out will be those that successfully combine thoughtful design, strong hospitality leadership and intelligent technology adoption.
“In the end, great buildings are not remembered for the software that powers them,” he said. “They are remembered for how they make people feel when they walk through the door.”
This article was produced in collaboration between Studio B and The Experience Group. Bisnow news staff was not involved in the production of this content.
Studio B is Bisnow’s in-house content and design studio. To learn more about how Studio B can help your team, reach out to studio@bisnow.com.
