From 5 Days to 15 Seconds: How One Broker Tool is Changing Client Presentations

I recently met an 18-year-old through LinkedIn who is working as a CRE broker while earning his undergraduate degree. Incredible.

He’s much smarter than me when I was 18.

I repeatedly see how dumb I was through the Facebook memories feature.

Today’s guest had a front row seat to some of the bad decisions I made at that age.

He’s an incredible entrepreneur who is helping brokers win with speed and higher quality.

Enjoy!

Q&A: How ScoutSpace is Helping Tenant Rep Brokers Compete in a Changing Market

We sat down with John Harlan, founder and CEO of ScoutSpace.io, to discuss how his platform is helping tenant rep brokers win with a perfect combination of speed and data.

Jake: What led you to start ScoutSpace?

John: I originally started because I was a client - I owned a company called CrateBind and we needed a new 5,000 square foot office space in Dallas. The process we were delivered was incredibly difficult and tedious, especially because we had four different people involved in this decision. We were fed spreadsheets and PDF attachments and multiple emails.

Being a technology person, I thought, "Hey, I'm looking for a house on Zillow - that's the experience I'm wired to have. I've been trained to look at real estate that way. Why can't I have that same experience with my commercial space?" That was the start of it.

Jake: So who's your ideal client today and how are they using ScoutSpace?

John: Our primary customer is tenant rep brokers. Their clients are looking to lease or buy commercial space - industrial, office, retail, healthcare. The broker's job is to communicate to the client, "We've done a lot of work, we've put together a survey of what's available given your criteria."

The primary way brokers use it is to compile all this information into one sharable dashboard. They can load it all in and we automate 90% of that with AI. A process that used to take them two days can now take them 15 minutes. They put together this great presentation, grab a link, and text or email it to their client.

Jake: How does this compare to what a broker does now?

John: Let's say you're a tenant rep broker and you catch wind of a law firm that's moving and needs 30,000 square feet. You're likely competing with three or four other brokers trying to win that business. In any business, time kills deals - speed is oftentimes paramount to winning business.

I had a call with a large brokerage team in Austin, and they said when they want to put a survey together, their expected turnaround time is four or five days. Imagine telling that law firm, "Let me wait five days to send you that report." It's awful.

With ScoutSpace, that same broker logs in, loads data in, and our AI model transforms it into a digital survey in 15 seconds. By that afternoon, they've got a survey in front of them in a presentation format that's professional and polished. They're bringing best-in-class presentation style with speed, and that's what wins deals.

Jake: So, this is a good tool for a broker at any sized firm?

John: That's what's been really interesting - we're seeing brokers from all kinds of firms use ScoutSpace because the speed and quality advantage is just that significant. Whether you're at a large national firm or running your own independent shop, everyone's dealing with the same challenge: clients expect fast, professional presentations.

The reality is that even brokers at the largest firms often find their internal tools cumbersome or time-consuming. We've had brokers tell us they prefer using ScoutSpace because it's faster and produces better client-ready materials than what they have access to internally. The market is changing, and the concept of sending clients 42-page PDFs of available buildings just doesn't cut it anymore.

Jake: So this levels the playing field?

John: Exactly. Whether you're competing against larger firms or other independents, what matters is delivering exceptional client experiences quickly. We're giving every broker - regardless of firm size - the ability to create professional, interactive presentations that showcase their expertise and thoroughness.

If you don't adapt to these new client expectations, you're going to lose deals. It's that simple. 

Want to learn more about ScoutSpace? Check them out at ScoutSpace.io

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