2:28pm/CST

"Any other proposals we need to analyze?" Julie asks the computer.

"That's it for today," it responds.

"Show me a screen with my video portrait." The computer instantly creates a four-by-four-inch screen with Julie's real-time picture.-

"Wow," she exclaims, moving her head back and forth. "I do need some help."

"How about some eye liner and some color in your cheeks?"

"Okay, but not too much," Julie cautions. Instantly, the image she's looking at is touched up so that she looks as though she has applied makeup. "Did you download that new hair program?" she asks.

"Yes, would you like for me to try it?"

"Sure."

"Would you like long or short, curly or straight?"

"Well, not too different from what it's like now," Julie answers. "Maybe a little more body." Again, the image on the screen changes to portray a synthesized look.

"Be sure not to move your head too fast from side to side or up and down," the computer warns Julie. "There are still some bugs in the program."

"Okay, let's roll. Back to the REMgr.com main page. Pull down the Project Manager module. Go to sub-module General Contractor evaluation. Please download the three contractors' proposals and references."

Displayed on the screen is a matrix comparing the three contractors. Areas of concern, as compared against a baseline model, are highlighted in yellow. Julie instantly knows which contractor she will pick, assuming nothing unusual comes up in the interviews.

"Go ahead and initiate the first call."

"Okay, I'll dial Tom Persons with Metro Construction." After two rings, a receptionist answers the phone and puts Julie on hold. When Tom Persons comes on the line, Julie asks if they are ready for the videoconference. After he confirms, the camera comes on and Julie sees on her screen a large, well appointed room with about ten middle-aged males sitting around a table. After introductions, Julie begins asking questions that are prompted to her on a side screen. As the contractor gives the answers, they are input into the program, which decides what questions to ask next. After twenty minutes, Julie asks for some additional insurance information from Tom Persons, and she concludes the interview.

"That went a little longer than I typically like," Julie comments.

"I know," the computer responds, "I already have the next bidder on the line."

"Good!"

"Do you want me to call the third contractor and tell them we're going to be late?"

"Please."

"Mr. Gerry McLeary, the president of Office Interiors of Florida, is one the line." Julie and Mr. McLeary exchange pleasantries, and within fifteen minutes, she concludes the interview and is on to the third contractor, Gonzolas Construction. This is the firm whose proposal and references she likes. Julie concludes the interview in fifteen minutes.

"Okay, pull down the contractor contract forms please," she tells the computer. Julie quickly studies the list of fourteen form contracts.

"This one," she says, touching the screen. "Integrate the proposal they submitted, attach the architectural and engineering drawings and the schedule we finalized yesterday and send it to Gonzolas. Send the standard engagement letter, and tell them if they don't have it signed and returned in two days we'll have to go with another contractor. Set up an electronic draft deposit for whatever is a typical retainer in Florida. Tell them we would like to start next week."

"Anything else?" the computer inquires.

"No, please send now."

"The contract is on its way."

3:35pm/CST

Julie touches the icon on the REMgr.com home page that reads "Facilities Management". A sub-module pops up with the following titles: Maintenance Issues & Contracts, Janitorial Issues & Contract, Utilities Issues & Contracts, Labor Issues & Contracts. She touches the Janitorial Button, and its sub-sets appear: Market Rates, Standards, Procedures, Labor Issues, and Contracts. Under the contracts button, Julie goes into the negotiation module.

"Computer, please download into this module the janitorial specifications I discussed with Ralph Fulson, the property manager at the Newark plant, on July 2nd."

"Completed."

"Okay, now download the proposal we received from Capital Building Services and compare the two using this analysis matrix," Julie says while touching a button on the screen for a particular template. "Okay, now download their proposal and their suggested contract modifications into the contract negotiation module."

On two separate screens are comparative matrixes and a copy of the standard janitorial contract. Highlighted in yellow are the terms of the proposal, and highlighted in red are the requested modifications. In the margins, beside each of these highlighted areas, are suggestions made by the program for negotiation points, arguments, and recommended language. She quickly studies the comments on the short, four-page document. For a couple of the suggestions she taps her finger on the screen to pull down more detail regarding specific legal issues in the State of New Jersey.

"Okay, please get Philip Jefferson with Capital Building Services on the telephone."

"They have Web-based video conferencing capabilities," the computer observes.

"Great, connect to their web page."

Within a minute the computer has talked to the firm's receptionist, viewed their Web page and Julie is greeting a real time image of the owner of the New York-based janitorial services company. She informs him that they will use his firm to provide janitorial services at the Newark plant if they can come to an agreement on several specific terms of the contract by the next morning. He asks if he can get his attorney on the conference call, to which Julie agrees. Over the next forty minutes Julie discusses, using the program's script prompter, the janitorial firm's proposal and specific legal and liability issues with Mr. Jefferson and his counsel. They agree to all terms except one insurance requirement. Mr. Jefferson states the he needs to confer with his insurance carrier and he will respond to her via an executed e-mail contract before noon the next day.

4:26pm/CST

"Computer, back to the REMgr.com home page," says Julie. She pages through a number of screens by tapping the screen: Lease Administration sub-module down to the Operating Expenses Analysis.

"Okay, let's check the databases for typical operating expenses in Seattle." Julie inputs a few more instructions by tapping the screen and the REMrg.com module begins running searches of various databases for electrical cost, janitorial cost and taxes for the Seattle area.

Within a few seconds Julie is looking at a significant amount of data on comparable properties and historic trends for operating expenses in Seattle.

"Computer, is the operating expense pass-through statement in a format that we can download into the analysis program?"

"The proper line items can be extracted to compare to the market data," the system responds.

"Please proceed."

On the screen is a detailed spreadsheet showing how the pass-through statement from the landlord compares with other comparable buildings in Seattle.

"Wow," she exclaims, "look at the increase in janitorial costs in comparison with the other buildings."

"An annual increase which is 19 percent higher than the market average."

"Okay, use this letter," she instructs, touching one of several form response letters to landlords regarding a disputed pass-through.

"Put in all the pertinent lease language references and attached this spreadsheet. Be sure to include the sources of this data from REMgr."

"Okay, the letter and attachment are ready," the computer confirms.

"Please send."

"Done."

4:34pm/CST

Taking a glance at her schedule, Julie sees that she needs to conduct an appraisal of their old administrative building in Boston, an 80,000-sq.-ft. (7,400 sq.-m.) office building that the company has decided to sell.

"Okay, let's knock out this appraisal," says Julie. "I need to pick up the kids by 5. Pull back the REMgr.com main page, then go into the Appraisal module." Under the Appraisal module are the following sub-modules: Standard Analysis, Market, Pricing, Comparables, Accuracy Evaluations, Options. Touching the Standard Analysis button, a screen appears with a long list of instructions. She has used this page before and quickly sets up the appraisal details and reporting format in which she is interested. After she verbally inputs some general details about the building and its location, Julie downloads specific MEP descriptions and maintenance history, plans and drawings and tax information into the program. Within a minute the program conducts a detailed analysis and cross checks several Boston-oriented real estate, construction and maintenance databases for comparable properties. The computer has tapped into a database of aerial photographs and downloads those, along with several maps and photographs of the building's interior and exterior. All this information is combined into a report, with a summary and suggestions of the best methodology to dispose of the facility. The cover page of the report appears on the screen.

"Would you like to review the report?" the computer asks.

"Is there anything unusual about the findings?" Julie inquires.

"No, not really."

"Well, I don't really have time. Let's just go with it."

"Should we go ahead and list the property in the Boston and national databases?" asks the system.

"No, send this appraisal to Katherine Betty in accounting and Harvey Benard in treasury. Include a cover letter that we are awaiting their approvals before we start marketing the property."

"Should I send anything else?"

"No, please send now," Julie instructs.

"Done."

4:48PM

"Okay, please turn everything off, I've got to go pick up the kids."

"Hey, I found out why Dora is at headquarters," the computer relates.

"Oh really, why?"

"She is interviewing for a job in the marketing department."

"The Marketing department?"

"Yes, it would be located in Los Angeles."

"Wow, that's really interesting."

Julie pauses for several moments in thought. "Who would be up for her replacement?"

"It's too early to tell," says the computer. "Most likely either Betty Jackson or the new guy, Jarome Fredrickson."

"Would you please keep your ears open?"

"Sure."

Julie runs out the door, shaking her head in surprise. "More political issues to deal with," she thinks to herself.

When she is through the garage door, and out of audible range, her computer says "Good night Julie, see you in the morning." Then all the lights on the system go out.

This hypothetical scenario assumes these types of databases, expert systems and computer interfaces will be developed and in the public domain within the next 10 years. This timeframe may be too aggressive for some technologies, not enough for others. How developing technology really impacts industries like commercial real estate services is hard to predict accurately. However there is one certainty: these changes will be dramatic and very exciting.

-- Rick Nash is senior vice president,
corporate services, at CB Richard Ellis, in Atlanta.