Revolutionising the Block Management Industry: an Interview with Dan Foryszewski

From Qube PM‘s longevity in the property management market, to trends in diversification and new innovations, hear from Dan Foryszewski, Investor Solutions Director at MRI, who reflects on MRI’s journey so far and what’s in store ahead.

Q: MRI Software has been in the block management sector for over five decades. What do you believe has kept the company at the forefront of the industry for so long? 

Dan: MRI Software’s success in the block management sector really comes down to our ability to innovate and adapt over the years. The continued growth of our client base reinforces our positive momentum and ensures we are always under pressure to continue enhancing our solution set.  Being part of a larger global software house has also allowed us to leverage scale and benefit from more generalist technologies like customer portals, FM platforms and dashboard reporting tools. As well as our tech, our people are also key to our market position, strong tenure and retention of industry knowledge has ensured we are consistently the right partner for the industry.  

 

Q: Can you share an example of how MRI’s solutions have delivered tangible results for clients? 

Dan: Absolutely. A great example is a recent onboarding of 10,000-unit block management company based in Leeds. Through automation of key tasks like tasks like mass emailing tenants and auto allocating rent receipts, they are confident of achieving a time saving equivalent to 150% of the software spend. This has freed them up to focus on providing better service to their tenants instead of getting bogged down in admin work. 

Another great example would be Principle Estate Management who are an excellent user of Qube, benefitting from using the platform from day one. They leverage many of our automated routines for tenant correspondence, accounts receivable and accounts payable. In recent case study they estimate that they would need 10 extra people to cover the functions that Qube PM carries out for them, equating to a 300% ROI from the solution.   

 

Q: You mentioned that MRI Software has evolved its technology stack over the years. How has that process played out? 

Dan: Our journey through technology has been pretty fascinating. We have moved through many early technology iterations through to fully cloud-hosted solutions, which were completely critical for our clients during the pandemic. The acquisitive nature of MRI has really helped to evolve the breadth of our block management technology stack. Qube now sits at the heart of an end to end residential management ecosystem that covers with lettings, block management, build to rent, enterprise facility management, brandable customer Apps, AI enabled contract and invoice abstraction, energy management and Power BI based dashboard reporting.  

The pandemic really highlighted the importance of cloud-based technology. While many companies struggled with the transition to remote work, our clients who were using our cloud-based solutions adapted seamlessly. 

 

Q: The block management industry has seen a lot of change in recent years, particularly around regulation and consolidation. How has MRI responded to these? 

Dan: Regulation has certainly been a significant factor, and a lot of companies now have to decide whether they’ll invest in new technology to meet these regulatory demands or exit the market and sell their business to firms who are better equipped. MRI has capitalised on this by offering solutions that make it easier for block managers to comply with regulations while also enhancing operational efficiency. Our clients don’t have to choose between compliance and running their business effectively — they can get both in one platform. 

 

Q: How is MRI addressing the diversification of roles within property management? 

Dan: We’ve seen a shift where companies are no longer just focusing on one sector like block management but are expanding into other areas such as lettings or build-to-rent.  There are now several sizeable hybrid block managers and BTR operators as well as many large letting agents having a corporate lettings or block management offering. This is increasing competition across the residential sector. To support this, we’ve developed multi-tenure solutions that allow our clients to manage diverse portfolios on a single platform. This flexibility has been key for companies looking to diversify without having to juggle multiple systems. 

 

Q: Innovation is clearly a core value at MRI Software. Can you tell us more about your recent advancements, such as the Agora platform? 

Dan: Innovation drives everything we do. With the Agora platform, we’re providing a seamless experience for our clients, especially through Agora Insights, which can be tailored for block managers. It offers a powerful business intelligence suite that allows users to harness the full potential of their data. We’re also introducing features like the Manager Hub and mobile-friendly solutions to keep enhancing our platform. Our goal is to offer both breadth and flexibility, so clients can tailor their tech stack to their needs without sacrificing capabilities. 

 

Q: Looking ahead, how does MRI Software plan to continue leading in the block management space? 

Dan: We’re constantly looking at ways to expand and improve. Our acquisitive approach means we’re always integrating new technologies and features into our ecosystem, which keeps us ahead of the curve. The heightened challenges facing block management companies around building safety regulations means core property management solutions need to be scalable, flexible and integrate with advanced facilities management technologies to meet the needs of new maintenance systems. For block management companies looking to thrive in the digital age, MRI has become a key partner.