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At CREtech New York 2025, leaders from AvalonBay Communities emphasized a message that stood out amid the AI buzz: while artificial intelligence is revolutionizing property operations, customer experience must remain the ultimate priority.

Four Pillars of AI at AvalonBay
According to Rukevbe Esi, Senior Vice President and Chief Digital Officer at AvalonBay, the company’s AI strategy centers on four key areas — customer interactions, decision support, enterprise support, and back-office efficiency. Each category is designed to enhance the customer journey and align with the company’s “North Star” of delivering a seamless experience.

Esi noted that AvalonBay has invested heavily in technology to improve engagement — from AI-powered tour scheduling to on-site chat tools and automated post-visit follow-ups. These innovations, he said, help the company serve residents faster and more efficiently.

Human Touch Still Matters
Still, AvalonBay’s leadership was quick to caution against overreliance on digital tools. Lisa Bongardt, Regional Senior Vice President of Property Operations, stressed the need for flexibility: “When the customer doesn’t want to use the tool, they need another route. Without that escape hatch — where an associate can step in — we get into trouble.”

To bridge that gap, Sean Breslin, AvalonBay’s Chief Operating Officer, highlighted the company’s centralized Customer Care Center, which operates seven days a week for extended hours. “Our team must have access to the same information the AI tools do,” he said, ensuring consistency across digital and human touchpoints.

Blending Tech with the ‘Neighborhood Model’
AvalonBay’s “neighborhood model” demonstrates how AI and human expertise can complement each other. By clustering nearby properties into regional neighborhoods, AvalonBay empowers on-site specialists to focus on problem-solving while AI handles repetitive tasks.

“Their roles are changing — and they’re more engaged than ever,” Bongardt said. “Employees are more satisfied because they’re focused on meaningful work rather than multitasking endlessly.”

The Future: Jobs Will Evolve, Not Disappear
While AI will reshape the industry, AvalonBay’s leaders agreed it won’t replace people — it will redefine their roles. Breslin estimated that AI will impact 95% of jobs across the real estate workforce, primarily by making tasks faster, smarter, and more cost-effective.

Operating in 12 states and Washington, D.C., AvalonBay continues to blend human insight with digital innovation — proving that even in the AI era, the best customer experience starts with people.

Original article posted on October 23, 2025

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