To say that the past 2 years changed the way we work is an understatement. The pandemic has pushed businesses and corporations to create new and better strategies to stay afloat in their respective industries.
Considering people have not been able to travel for the past 2 years, there is an anticipation that the tourism industry will rebound this 2022. While the Philippine Property Outlook by Colliers Philippines says that “The real estate landscape is now bound for a rebound” and AboitizLand, the Aboitiz Group’s residential real estate arm, agrees.
CEO and President of AboitizLand, David Rafael walks us through how the organization has successfully maneuvered their way out of the unforeseen disruptions as well as thrive amidst the pandemic.
Having more than 25 years of solid experience in the industry, AboitizLand’s organizational culture has kept it thriving amidst tough times. So how have they rebounded from the pandemic crisis?
AboitizLand capitalized on shifting markets and being in tune with the changing needs and concerns of your customer.
“The greatest lesson that we have learned through recovery is that agility and innovation moved organizations to quickly adapt and effectively execute at an accelerated speed as necessary“
—David Rafael, AboitizLand CEO and President
Moving to the Digital Space
The lockdown has also pushed forward the idea of phygital work; mixing physical and digital modes of work, study, and business. This setup has influenced the way business and individuals work, from the transition to hybrid or work-from-home environment to an increase in online purchases and transactions.
As contactless transactions became a necessity, AboitizLand has managed to quickly and completely pivot to a digitally enabled end-to-end means of serving home buyers, by investing in their proprietary mobile application – AboitizLand Vecino. With this, clients can easily track the construction progress of their purchased property, track monthly payments, upload documents and download statements of account and receipts, make monthly payments using credit or debit cards, apply for housing loans with partner banks, schedule house acceptances and turnovers, raise account concerns to the customer service team and send feedback – all of these can be done from wherever you are in the world.
Capitalizing on Shifting Market Preferences
Along with the pandemic, people have gained a better appreciation for bigger living spaces and developments with generous amenities in the form of green open spaces. With robust infrastructure projects lined up, demand for residential developments outside Metro Manila has significantly increased as well.
Among these are AboitizLand’s current residential developments in Luzon:
- Seafront Residences in Batangas, an award-winning beach community that promotes sustainability.
- The Villages at Lipa is located in LIMA, the next leading integrated economic center in Lipa, Batangas, making suburban living possible without missing city conveniences.
- Ajoya is their mid-market community located in Pampanga, Tarlac, and Nueva Ecija – an area poised for aggressive economic and business growth based on Central Luzon’s infrastructure investments and future growth centers like New Clark City.
Forming Strategic Alliances and Streamlining Services
They also formed alliances with innovation-forward companies to streamline operations and provide clients with flexible options. They are working with Aqwire to provide more online payment options; Nook to help match home buyers with the right loan program quickly and without the extra cost; and lastly, Connovate, for the supply of Danish concrete precast panel, a technology that makes use of high-strength concrete panels making houses more durable and sustainable.
Ready for the Future
“As travel restrictions ease both locally and internationally, we look forward to the increasing confidence of the market to spend and invest. The preference for hybrid means of conducting work, school and business is here to stay, making houses and lots and residential lots a new favorite for people that want bigger living spaces, and accessible amenities. This bodes very well for the property sector,” says Mr. Rafael.
All in all, AboitizLand’s deeply embedded value of agility and innovation pushes organizations forward during times of uncertainty. They believe that these are the key to not only surviving, but rebounding from a pandemic.