IT firm finds strength in RP property market

MANILA, Philippines - Its list of clients include some of the biggest names as well as promising new names in the local property scene.

SM Development Corp. (including SM Synergy Properties Holdings and Costa del Hamilo), Rockwell Land Corp., (including The Power Plant Mall, Rockwell Integrated Properties Service, and Manansala Condo Corp.), Ortigas & Company, Century Properties (including Century City Development Corp.), DMCI Homes, Belle Corp., and Geo-Estate Development Corp. These are just some of the clients that CORE Application Services has assisted by providing application services that help avoid risk, manage costs, and leverage mature, full-featured information systems allowing these companies to focus more on business competitiveness.

CORE was founded by IT expert Norman Madrid in 1997 initially to address the complex financial requirements of medium to large-scale companies. Today, it has expanded its product base to include enterprise-specific products plus other integral business solutions. CORE provides 100 percent original information systems products specifically for the local market.

Madrid has had extensive experience in the IT field. He was the MIS Manager for a Jakarta-based company, but prior to that, he served as IT consultant for a Canadian firm that provided technical services to the DOTC and the NTC, worked with the CCPAP as MIS manager leading the development of monitoring systems for ODA-funded projects, among others.

According to Madrid, what makes CORE unique is the fact that it builds systems with 100 percent in-house developed code, allowing for better customization and faster response to changing requirements. Aside from its extensive experience in systems development and implementation in varied business sectors, CORE also utilizes the application service model which provides the best value and least amount of risk as compared to other solutions.

Madrid, who believes that “if the product does not work, then the client should not pay,” has extensive experience in enterprise systems. Even if he is the majority owner of the company, he still plays an active role in business development and strategy formulation and continues to be a hands-on leader of CORE.

CORE’s comprehensive suite of application services covers planning and analysis, installation, database buildup, training, technical support, customization, and issues management. The web-based Issue Management System or IMS, a service unique to CORE, allows clients to log issues online. Immediately, a technical support staff receives notification and the issues are addressed immediately.

The company also boasts of a number of products which support integration into CORE’s integrated accounting systems. These include payroll system; sales and collection management system; garment export manufacturing system; point of sale, loyalty; card management system; SMS server to allow agents to ask about and reserve units; service center management system for managing service center (sales outlet) operations; online order processing system for product distribution networks (such as Natasha); loans payable management system which manages loans payable to banks and other financial firms;  and outdoor advertising management system which manages inventory of advertising sites with billboards, digital video boards, and mobile ads.

Madrid pointed out that what makes CORE successful is its strength in working within a company’s existing business processes, instead of selling a software that sometimes requires a client to change its processes. “We also do not sell the software. The client buys the service,” he said.

A number of products are of particular interest to property developers. These are:

• the condominium billing and collection system, which generates billing statements for condominium owners and tenants. The system includes association dues, property tax, insurance, water, and other charges. Accounting entries are automatically generated for accounts receivable and cash receipts.

• the project cost monitoring system which keeps track of construction project budget, contracts, and progress payments.

• mobile meter reading which records electrical, water, LPG and other meter readings using a portable digital assistant (PDA) or any MIDP-capable device.

• mall billing system which manages billing and collection for commercial tenants. It supports upload of sales from POS terminals and electronic cash registers for calculation of rental charges. It also includes processing of metered charges (such as those for water, electricity, and LPG), prompt payment discounts, and interests and penalties. 

• SCS client portal, a web portal for condominium buyers that allows clients to view account information like payment schedule, billing statements, payment history, account summary, among others. The product includes features like messaging, news, and frequently asked questions

• land acquisition system which manages land purchasing while keeping track of document requirement status and payments and also prints out maps indicating status for each unit

• SCS online reservation system is a web portal that allows property sales agents and clients to view unit information and make reservations

• condominium billing portal for condo owners and tenants that allows clients to view information like billing statements, payments, account summary

• condo leasing system which keeps track of condo units for lease enrolled by their owners and automatically generates billing, agent commissions, and payables to unit owners.