Sponsor Profile... This Dispatch issue recognizes WorkplaceIQ as a major supporter of PikeNet. Quite simply, sponsors make possible the free delivery of the PikeNet Dispatch to you twice-a-week. Thank you!

Real Estate Drives Business... Does the phrase "online transaction management" get you excited? If so, you'll tingle when you read this old press release announcing "Project Octane," a collaboration of CB Richard Ellis, Jones Lang LaSalle, Insignia Financial and Trammell Crow to develop and launch a "comprehensive online transaction services platform" (Sep 12, 2000).

Although the Dot-com Bubble crested earlier that year (the NASDAQ peaked at 5,132 on March 10, 2000), the fear of disintermediation still stalked the members of the consortium, which promised to streamline the real estate transaction process for everybody.

Then a funny thing happened. When WorkplaceIQ delivered this comprehensive "platform" (now named IQ|Transactions) three years later, none of the members wanted to use it. Oops.

But that hasn't slowed down WorkplaceIQ, which now focuses on its roots in the corporate and retail real estate sectors. Earlier this week, I spoke with Derek Anderson, CEO of WorkplaceIQ, whose customers now include Cisco, Exxon Mobile, The Sports Authority, Omnicom and CVS.

"We want to deliver value to our customers in 90 days. Our software is just a tool. It's all about streamlining the real estate process." So WorkplaceIQ customers use IQ|Portfolio for lease administration, IQ|Project for project management and IQ|Facilities for facilities management.

Here's an interesting example. One of his retail customers has linked IQ|Portfolio with its accounting system and daily imports sales volumes for each store location. In effect, WorkplaceIQ has become the system of record for these store managers. So now a real estate tool helps drive fundamental business decisions. What a concept.

--Peter Pike