Germany Update

From Yardi Systems GmbH

By Yardi Blog Staff on Oct 1, 2016 in News

At the beginning of 2016, iMS GmbH of Mainz, Germany, a software systems provider for real estate management, was acquired by real estate software leader Yardi of Santa Barbara, Calif.. In Germany, iMS is now Yardi Systems GmbH.

Yardi’s German operations are now run from Mainz. We spoke to Dr Klaus Grüning, Director at Yardi Systems GmbH, and Richard Gerritsen, Regional Director of Sales Yardi Systems Continental Europe, on the progress of integration.

How did iMS employees react to the acquisition news?

Grüning: The change from a small German company with 20 employees to an international company with over 5,000 employees certainly requires some reorientation here and there. It is very helpful in this case that Yardi is also a company managed by the owner.

CEO Anant Yardi’s visit to Mainz in the week immediately after the takeover dispelled many doubts of employees and restored people’s confidence.

How did iMS’ existing customers respond?

Grüning: Customers responded differently, as we expected. Firstly, customers are impressed with Yardi’s position as technology leader and its international character. New options such as cloud and mobile computing have met with unanimous approval among iMS customers. On the other hand, they are worried that cuts will affect further development of iMS’ solution and its flexibility. Anant Yardi’s visit and his charisma and trustworthiness vis-à-vis customers was also very helpful.

What prompts a global company of over 5,000 employees to have an interest in a German company with a team of just 20?

Gerritsen: Yardi, with its Voyager software that was introduced to the German market more than 12 years ago, was already one of the top five companies in the market segment for real estate software. However, in order for an international software company to achieve a large market share in Germany, it needs a German organisation and documentation and marketing in German.

iMS, with its reputable German customers and its market reputation, offers all of this. That is why the iMS partners were preaching to the converted when they contacted Yardi. We now have two successful products in the market, with well-known German and international customers.

What can Yardi’s German customers expect from this business move?

Gerritsen: In Germany we now have a fully developed organisation and employees with many years experience.

That is a good basis for Yardi to continue to grow in Germany. We are hiring new staff in Mainz. With the know-how of our “iMS colleagues” requirements specific to Germany can now be identified and integrated quickly. We will shortly have a Voyager solution in German with German documentation. We also plan to move the support for our German customers from its current location in Amsterdam to Germany.

Grüning: Mainz will now be expanded to become a full service location for Yardi, with its own sales, marketing, consultancy and support for Voyager and iMS. We have already set up a joint customer advisory board in Germany comprising of Voyager and iMS customers. Once a year Yardi’s strategic development planning is presented at the corporate management level and discussed with customers.

What are the next items on Yardi’s road map for Germany?

Gerritsen: Digitization is increasingly becoming a critical factor for success for real estate companies; and we are an important partner for our customers with our leading edge, integrated solutions. In Germany we are now positioned to further optimize our innovative solutions, which have been developed by more than 5,000 employees around the globe for more than 5,000 customers, to meet the needs of the German market exactly.