James Andrew RSW chooses Hexagon BenchMark as platform for growth and innovation
James Andrew RSW is the merged business of James Andrew Management Services and Robinson Somerston Warner. Formed in 2005, the company aims to provide active and low-cost property asset management, adding real value to clients’ properties. The new company manages a diverse portfolio throughout England and Wales, ranging from residential apartment blocks to industrial properties, major city office buildings to single-let office premises in regional town centres.
Powerful tool
Jeremy Grey has been a chartered surveyor for nearly twenty years, engaged for virtually all of that time in property management for a variety of organisations. He became Managing Director of James Andrew RSW in October 2005.
"The company aims to create value for clients whilst delivering a timely, efficient and affordable professional service which is both transparent and accountable" says Jeremy. The ability to deliver accurate, user-friendly and timely information was therefore a high priority and that is why the company chose Hexagon’s BenchMark as its property management software.
Jeremy said "We needed to upgrade as our portfolio grew and we were taking on additional accountancy staff. Hexagon were the obvious choice and the most cost-effective solution for us. We use Benchmark for all the regular managing agent tasks tenancy schedules, client statements, interim statements, VAT reporting, rent reviews and so on. It’s a powerful tool for service charges as well, with a good choice of reports, and that’s definitely a strength of the system."
Clear Statements
"The way BenchMark is written makes client statements the clearest I’ve ever seen, and the most concise. That makes a difference to the clients."
"I’ve used other systems previously, but I think BenchMark’s statements are superior. The feedback from our clients has been fantastic, very positive they like the clear, concise nature of the reports. They also appreciate the fact that the information is on just one or two sheets they don’t get a book of information that they have then got to wade through to find the relevant page."
"As managing agents, we don’t need to edit the reports. We find that you actually don’t even have to put in a covering letter explaining how to read them, because they’re so straightforward."
Key to Progress
Jeremy’s colleague David Randall is Head of Accounts for James Andrew RSW:
"When Hexagon demonstrated their new system we had a huge checklist, and it pretty much ticked every box for me. I was impressed with that."
"As a company we have made rapid progress in the last eighteen months, moving from a semi-manual accounting system to a fully automated process in a short space of time. We can now provide a much more efficient and informative service to our clients. Hexagon’s BenchMark has been key to the progress that we have made. Monthly client statements are now taking just a couple of days, whereas they used to take two or three weeks, BenchMark has been the key to achieving that."
Confidence
Hexagon’s BenchMark also utilises the power of TaskCentre, another product from Hexagon, to schedule tasks and automate their reporting requirements. James Andrew RSW worked with Hexagon to develop their requirements and install TaskCentre to allow their Clients to have 24/7 access to reports and information on the management and financial position of their properties. This gives James Andrew the competitive advantage when selling their services to their clients. This will give clients 24/7 access to reports and information on the management and financial position of their properties.
Jeremy Grey values Hexagon’s proactive and resourceful service:
"We’re using BenchMark as the foundation for the new online management system. It will give our clients the leading edge: they’ll be able to know on a daily basis how their account stands and what’s happening in their property portfolio, not just accounting issues but also property management issues – rent reviews, lease renewals and so on. Working with the Hexagon team gives us confidence – they’re always there at the end of the phone if we’ve got a problem."
David Randall agrees:
"Hexagon’s greatest asset is their friendly, competent and very helpful team, who make progress and problem-solving an effortless process. The support is excellent – I generally get a response within minutes and then often a fix within an hour. We have sometimes made suggestions on improving the system and Hexagon have put some of these in place, so you do feel you can have a big influence with them in the way they develop the software. They listen to us."
Winner
For James Andrew RSW, Hexagon’s proactive commitment to support and product development singles out BenchMark as the system of choice. But in the end, says Jeremy Grey, it is the simplicity and ease of access that makes Hexagon’s BenchMark a winner:
"It is so easy to navigate and I quickly find the information I require. If a client phones me with a question, I’m able to get straight into the system and give them the answer they need. I highly recommend it to other firms of managing agents."
