In the interview with Christopher Ahlers and Maximilian Wolfs, managing directors of Homevoice GmbH based in Bremen.

Homevoice is a software company based in Bremen that aims to revolutionize the property management industry from the ground up. The founder-led company has set its sights on the so-called niche market, in which real estate with a portfolio value of several hundred billion euros is managed in Germany alone. However, a steady market consolidation, long-overdue digitalization, and demographic change are forcing property managers of all sizes to take action. Homevoice has identified the urgent challenges facing the industry and offers a tailored, simple solution.

Its cloud-based software maps, simplifies, and optimizes all processes in the property management industry without adding complexity. In an interview with the two managing directors, Christopher Ahlers and Maximilian Wolfs, we discuss today whether it is possible to survive in property management without platforms and digitalization, what expectations new market participants bring, and what concrete advantages efficient digital property management software offers.

DIGITAL FUTUREmag: There are currently few providers on the market that address the extensive challenge of “digitalizing property management.” What motivated you to take on this niche market?

Christopher Ahlers: You could almost say it was personal pain. The trigger was collaborating with a property management company. There, all processes were either still analog or had been digitized 1:1 based on analog work. As an industrial engineer, this naturally surprised me at first. When I then looked more closely at the solutions on the market, it became clear that there was simply no software that made life easier for property management companies. All applications focused on implementing already known and sometimes outdated processes. But software can do so much more—and so much more simply. That was the moment we realized we wanted to develop a new, user-oriented solution for property management.

DIGITAL FUTUREmag: According to the Federal Statistical Office, there are over 31,000 property management companies in Germany. What percentage of these still operate almost entirely analogously, and how would you describe the practical transition to a digital solution?

Christopher Ahlers: The biggest challenges for property management companies are the constantly growing obligations and expectations. From legislators to customers, adjustments are required everywhere, yet management fees cannot be increased accordingly. The pressure to innovate in this industry is enormous, which is why over 95 percent already use digital tools. However, as mentioned earlier, this cannot be described as digitalization. So, I’ll stick my neck out and say that perhaps only three percent of property management companies in Germany have truly and fully transitioned to digital operations.

This is partly because switching to new software can be a strain on a team that is often chronically overworked. The other reason is that, in the past, there has been a lack of a tailored solution on the market. We solve both problems with our software. And of course, a certain amount of courage is also required, as switching always takes time and resources. But with the right software, it is a worthwhile investment in the future.

DIGITAL FUTUREmag: In your opinion, what are the key benefits when property management companies switch to a digital solution?

Maximilian Wolfs: The biggest advantage is probably the relief it provides for employees. The idea behind digitalization is to deliver new, simpler solutions to long-standing problems. No one benefits if an analog process is simply digitized without being fundamentally questioned. Thoughtfully designed software can do so much more. It must be tailored in design and architecture to the actual tasks and experiences of the people using it. Then it not only accelerates processes but also makes even the most complex tasks easier to handle.

There is nothing better than intrinsic motivation in the workplace. To achieve this, we just need to listen to property managers and meet them on equal terms. With a tool tailored to their needs, the quality of management virtually improves on its own. Processes become streamlined, employees can work more relaxed, and at the same time, they have more time for better customer service. This type of collaboration also fosters creativity in work design and development. And from a business perspective, relieving employees has advantages too. If, with the same time investment, a digital solution allows 30 percent more units to be managed, it naturally makes a noticeable difference.

DIGITAL FUTUREmag: To achieve truly effective process optimization, interfaces with other tools and the use of efficient communication methods are certainly necessary. In your opinion, what are the most important criteria when selecting a professional tool of this kind?

Christopher Ahlers: Customers who choose us see us as a competent partner in all areas of digitalization. We are approachable and present, involve them in our development processes and encourage them to engage in open dialogue. This is not about the short-term development of individual features. What is far more decisive is the trust in our vision of future property management software. Optimizing the software itself is merely one process. If this does not run perfectly, it must be optimized again. Then it is re-evaluated, further perfected, and so on. I am firmly convinced that perfection can never be achieved on the first try. Only those who are willing to initiate change will approach the best possible result. The same applies to the willingness to try out new combinations of different tools. This requires not only technical interfaces but also as large an intersection as possible of clear, strong visions. This provides a good basis for achieving long-term goals. What is needed above all is courage: the courage to go too far and the courage to go back and try again.

DIGITAL FUTUREmag: We can imagine that many new market players, for example due to generational change, are taking on the task of property management. What requirements do they bring with them?

Maximilian Wolfs: Behind the generational change within the property management industry are two groups of people. On the one hand, lateral entrants who come from other sectors and have discovered their passion for the topic, and on the other hand, younger people who have gained experience in existing management companies and are taking over portfolios or starting from scratch. And although these two groups are very different, they share the desire for user-friendly software, such as they are used to from smartphones or other everyday apps.

DIGITAL FUTUREmag: What are your own future requirements for the software or your company? What are your personal goals for the next 2 years?

Maximilian Wolfs: The goal is to establish a new standard for property management. In other words, we want to lovingly turn the industry on its head in the medium term. This may sound ambitious, but there is so much potential in this gigantic market. And when I think about the immense enthusiasm for our ideas that we encounter in virtually every conversation, I know we are on the right track. This is incredibly motivating.

DIGITAL FUTUREmag: Thank you very much for this exciting interview. We’ll keep our fingers crossed for you.