Why transaction management should be a strategic game

In a game of chess, would you make a move without surveying the whole board? Of course not — at least, not if you’re an experienced player. Each move impacts other pieces on the board and represents an opportunity to advance your strategy.

That same strategic mindset should guide how companies manage their real estate portfolios, but too often, the big picture is forgotten. Many corporate real estate (CRE) teams treat each lease event like an isolated tactical play.

The companies that are pulling ahead, however, see things differently. They view real estate transactions in the context of enterprise goals, as parts of a connected system that come together to drive long-term business value and competitive advantage. With this shift in mindset, deal flow becomes strategic momentum that compounds over time.

Centralizing your transaction management function and lease data makes it easier to execute company-wide mandates, such as consolidating locations or rolling out a new workplace experience. Empowered by tech-enabled workflows, your transaction management team will bridge the gap between enterprise strategy and market strategy, ensuring that each deal supports long-term business success.

This connected approach leads to several significant benefits, including cost savings. For example, when one leading media and communications company partnered with JLL on a comprehensive portfolio transformation, proactive transaction management generated $21 million in savings and avoidances in the first year alone.

“A well-executed portfolio strategy drives cost savings, such as by reducing the size of your footprint or moving to a lower cost market,” says Brennan Adams, AMER Co-Lead for Transaction Management, JLL. “But risk mitigation is another important outcome. The best transaction management teams become indispensable partners to attorneys in negotiating lease clauses and bringing market insights to reduce a company’s risk exposure.”

Additionally, having accurate, up-to-date data, automated processes and a dedicated team focused on your portfolio will help you stay ahead of critical dates — giving you time to evaluate your options well before lease renewal deadlines. Deal execution is likely to be smoother and quicker, since you’ll have one team working from a common playbook with consistent processes. That means you can open new locations quickly to keep up with expansion plans or changing business priorities.

Turning your deal flow into strategic momentum requires a dedicated team with the right skills, processes and data to elevate transaction management.

These are the top factors that set apart winning transaction management teams:

• Future-focused mindset: A strong transaction management team focuses on the overall health of your portfolio, always considering how each deal contributes to long-term goals.
   

• Reliable, accessible data: Predictive analytics and insight dashboards help you see opportunities, plan with clarity and act proactively to adapt to change. Dependable data starts with your lease administration function — you need a reliable, single source for all lease information globally.
   

• Consistent process and playbook: An established approach allows you to act quickly, giving you a leg up on competitors.
   

• Market-facing team: “Information in commercial real estate is not always publicly available,” says Adams. “It makes all the difference to have someone who’s connected to building owners and the brokerage community feed you proactive intelligence on what’s happening in the market.”
   

• Strong connections: The most effective transaction management teams have collaborative relationships with colleagues throughout the CRE function. They work closely with occupancy planning, facility management, lease administration and strategy teams to get necessary inputs for negotiating leases.
   

If your team currently lacks the necessary technology, processes and skillsets to drive more value from your transactions, a strong partner can give you a jump start. A qualified third party will offer technology platforms, proven playbooks and experience transforming transaction management at other organizations.

Ready to turn your transactions into strategic momentum? JLL helps global organizations connect the dots across their portfolios with a tech-forward approach. We infuse traditional transaction management teams with insights from Lease Administration, Consulting, Capital Markets, Brokerage and more, elevating Transaction Management into strategic portfolio management.

Your real estate transactions have the potential to drive long-term business value and competitive advantage. Contact us today to start realizing that potential.