Companies use technology to compete better. (Technology).

In the highly competitive commercial real estate industry, pressures cause companies to focus heavily on decreasing vacancy rates while increasing rental rates, tenant retention and operational efficiencies. Via new or increased licensing of J.D. Edwards & Company enterprise solutions, real-estate companies such as CLK Management Corp., Liberty Property Trust, Paramount Financial Group Inc. and W.C. & A.N. Miller Companies will focus on addressing these needs through a robust, Web-enabled technology solution.

Chris Schneider, CIO of First Industrial Realty Trust an existing J.D. Edwards customer -commented, "We chose J.D. Edwards because the company had the skills, knowledge, and support infrastructure to meet our needs. Plus, J.D. Edwards goes the extra mile to really listen to the customer - the feedback is then used to develop software that not only will meet today's business requirements, but also will deliver solutions that provide customers with competitive advantages in the future."

For real estate companies, technology solutions can help create and maintain efficiencies, retain skilled employees, provide visibility into the future market, and shorten leasing cycles. J.D.- Edwards' solid front- and back-office technology for real estate companies is Web-based, flexible, and scalable.

A leading real estate company with a 51 million-SF portfolio of office and industrial properties and 1,900 tenants, Liberty Property Trust recently licensed J.D. Edwards 5 solutions including such products as Enterprise Resource Management, Customer Relationship Management, and Tools and Technology among others.

"In the real estate industry, we are challenged to find - integrated solutions that improve operational efficiencies, optimize our use of people and assets, and manage customer relationships," said Steve Messaros, chief information officer, Liberty Property Trust. "J.D. Edwards is providing the framework for solutions that will help us perform better, differentiate our services and improve the economics of our business."

Andrew Rains, senior real estate industry manager at J.D. Edwards added, "In general, real estate companies need visibility into their financial performance so budgeting and forecasting tools are essential. Many companies still face inefficiencies because data is siloed in disparate systems rather than data running through integrated systems. J.D. Edwards software allows companies to gather and capture data that can be turned into information to enable more informed decisions."

In 2002, J.D. Edwards formed the Project & Service Industries business unit - a dedicated group of industry experts who support J.D. Edwards customers and prospects within the real estate, construction, homebuilder and professional service industries.

"We've been working with real estate companies for nearly 15 years. Combine that experience with our ability to truly listen and deliver on our customers' needs, and you have J.D. Edwards - a company with a deep understanding of the real estate industry and a strong offering of software and services," said Bob Pozzobon, vice president and general manager of J.D. Edwards Project & Service Industries business unit.