Client Service Focus    A leading real estate provider should be one who:    • Listens to the client;    • Provides the superior service clients need and deserve;    • Has the ability to develop excellent working relationships with the client and to quickly gain the client's trust;    • Functions in effect as a client's partner;    • Focuses on delivering dollars to the client's bottom line, by cost savings and/or generating revenues;    • Has the ability and willingness to understand and focus on the client's real estate needs and related broader scope of services;    • Is responsive and delivers services in a timely manner;    • Develops an understanding of the client's culture, operations, personnel, legal and approval processes as they impact the client's real estate;    • Is able to analyze a client's real estate needs, help develop the appropriate strategies and execute the resulting plans;    • Ideally is a capable, effective and likeable single point of contact with an appropriate client-friendly team in place as support/backup to ensure superior client service;    • Is flexible and adapts its established systems as necessary (e.g., reporting) to best serve each client;    • Is creative and takes a proactive approach and advisor role in suggesting new solutions where appropriate (e.g. sale leaseback, redevelopment, design-build, joint venture possibilities). Industry Trends    Industry trends throughout corporate real estate are changing the way corporate end users interact with their service providers.    A continuing trend is that of corporate consolidations and personnel cutbacks resulting in leaner and in some cases entirely outsourced clients' real estate departments.    At the same time, the importance of real estate within the client's organization has increased as real estate is viewed as an asset instead of a liability.    There is an increasing need for service providers to assume a broader consulting/advisory role versus the more narrow traditional real estate broker transaction-based mentality. Challenges to Industrial Real Estate Service Providers    An ongoing challenge of leading providers is keeping up with constantly changing markets, including continuing to provide superior service worldwide as our clients enter or expand in overseas markets.    A provider's role includes introducing and educating our clients on the dynamics of the local market. One challenge is the sticker shock of relatively high real estate prices and lease rates in growth cities for clients accustomed to relatively less active markets. A client's understanding of a new market is key to making educated decisions on whether and when to enter a new city, and, if the decision is made to move forward, how much space should be secured and for what term.    While many clients determine that growth markets are indicative of increased sales which ultimately justify higher lease rates, such active markets may require a faster decision-making process to secure desired real estate while it is still available.    As providers, we encourage our clients to focus primarily on their business, which is their expertise, while we handle real estate, which is ours. In such a partnership it is important for the provider to earn and maintain the client's trust, and also have good access when decisions are required to expedite the real estate process. An effective corporate real estate executive with reduced staff and more responsibility clearly needs a good relationship with a trusted provider.    One of our roles as a provider has been to help to establish and in some cases streamline a client's internal approval process, including identifying and developing relationships with internal experts who best understand operations, facilities, finance, and personnel as they impact real estate decisions.    Leaner client real estate departments present both opportunities and challenges for the service provider, who assumes more responsibility for a client's real estate functions, appreciating that the corporate real estate executive remains fully accountable to its officers and owners.    A provider must make every effort to ensure the client's good standing within the organization; the successful implementation of the real estate strategy is a credit to the client. – Christie Alexander, Principal, NAI Realvest – George Livingston, Chairman, NAI Realvest