GCI

One portal, one journey

For GCI, the appeal of RentCafe was clear from the start. It offers a single platform that can support the renter lifecycle without asking prospects or residents to navigate multiple systems. “The ability to manage the entire resident lifecycle in the RentCafe portal was a big reason why we chose Yardi,” Herman said. “We knew RentCafe would enable us to create an improved experience for prospects, residents and team members.”

Since going live, that vision has translated into a measurably simpler experience for both renters and site teams. Prospects receive real-time information on pricing, availability and next steps. They can move through the application process, what Herman calls the “roadmap to residency,” with full visibility into where they stand. Residents manage payments, submit maintenance requests and handle renewals in one place, without being redirected elsewhere.

Visibility that changes how teams work

One of the most immediate changes has been in how site teams handle day-to-day questions. With all renter data in one place, the conversations that used to require logging into three different systems to find an answer are largely gone. “The visibility into the journey has reduced the amount of time our teams spend trying to sort things out,” Herman said. “Whereas before it would be ‘let me check into it’ and then log into these three different places to see. Now there’s an answer.”

Questions that once generated back-office work, like whether a payment came through, a fee was applied or what was billed, are now answered at a glance. “Those questions don’t happen anymore,” Herman said. Transactions that previously required multiple back-end steps to process correctly now resolve in a single action. The result, as Herman puts it, is that applying for an apartment has become “unremarkable,” a standard, expected transaction rather than a manual effort.

A renewal workflow that works for everyone

The renewal process is where the operational gains have been most concrete. Previously, GCI’s renewal workflow involved generating an offer, printing and mailing it, waiting for a signed copy to return, then manually processing the lease. With RentCafe, the offer is delivered digitally through the resident portal. Residents choose their option, sign electronically and the lease is generated, all within the same system.

“We’ve reduced our renewal workflow by at least 30% in administrative time,” Herman said, “and that’s truly just time spent folding, mailing, collecting and sorting. Non-value-add tasks.”

The experience that keeps residents coming back

For Herman, the renter experience isn’t just a leasing tool. It’s a long-term business driver. A smooth, consistent journey from application to move-out shapes how residents feel about a community, whether they renew and whether they refer others.

“If we maintain that consistent experience during residency – from application to renewal, and even during moving out – it’s that much more likely they’re going to come back, refer a friend to GCI and speak positively about their experience at our community,” he said.

That continuity starts at first contact. If a prospect can’t get timely, accurate information when they’re ready to decide, the opportunity may be lost before it begins. “If the prospect doesn’t have the opportunity to engage the way they want to very early on, they may just not engage at all,” Herman said. “And then you’re not even competing for the application.”

RentCafe gives GCI the tools to make that first impression count and to carry the same quality of experience all the way through.