Answers To The Toughest Connectivity Questions For Tenant Rep Brokers

Can I bring my own internet carrier into the building? Does this building have dark fiber? These are the questions tech-savvy tenants ask when searching for new office space.

As building infrastructure increases in sophistication and complexity, so too do prospective tenants' inquiries. A broker well-versed in internet connectivity matters can deftly address them and more efficiently match people to properties.

Tenants demand reliable, high-speed internet connectivity and mobile device support in their buildings, and they expect brokers to know the building's connectivity specs. From smart building technology to the constantly evolving digital needs of today's businesses, keeping up to speed with what matters most to tenants is a major challenge for brokers.

That is because the technological needs of tenants vary significantly. Brokers are increasingly finding their roles transitioning from purely transactional to advisory. Although keeping up with developments in technology may seem daunting, brokers who educate themselves on the issues will see dividends manifest in their commissions.

Resources like WiredScore’s new e-book, 9 Questions Tenants Ask Brokers About Building Technology, can help brokers ensure that they are never again stumped by a potential tenant’s question. Based on tenants' most frequently asked questions, it demystifies trending tech topics by distilling and presenting the information in an accessible way, so brokers can dazzle tenants with their knowledge.

On the list of things a broker should look out for: checking in with building management to see if they have a boilerplate agreement in place for internet service providers. Having a standard agreement in place ensures buildings are equipped to respond to tenants looking to bring a new carrier into the building for service. For properties hoping to attract TAMI tenants, flexibility and access to preferred providers is a major selling point.

Does the building have dark fiber? You will not want to be left in the dark when a tenant asks this increasingly common question. Dark fiber is a fiber-optic cable that does not have any traffic or “light” on it. It differs from any other connection because tenants buy an asset rather than subscribe to internet service. Dark fiber is ideal for customers that want to own or lease a dedicated, point-to-point internet connection and for companies that need to manage the technology evolution on their high bandwidth data connections.

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