In the second episode of the Yardi Living Series, we spoke with Luke Wagner, Head of Data and Digital Innovation at ila, about how the team has used the Yardi platform to scale operations efficiently, establish a strong and consistent brand presence online, and build a robust reporting function—supporting both day-to-day activity and investor communications.
Creating a Unique Digital Experience
“I’ve been in the student and BTR sector for the last 15 years now… I’ve worked with a lot of flavours of PMS systems, websites and data in general,” stated Wagner.
ILA’s rapid expansion demanded more than a visually appealing website. From the outset, the business required a comprehensive solution capable of supporting operations, data management, reporting and brand consistency – while remaining scalable and adaptable to future growth.
“It was essential that the Yardi ecosystem covered everything, right to the front-end brand and our website, to our journey for our tenants.”
By leveraging RentCafe, ILA developed a fully integrated front-end solution that seamlessly draws floor plans, pricing and availability data directly from Yardi – with complete control over branding, design and the overall user experience.
“We got some creative staff… they drew out exactly what the brand, the look, the feel and the tone of voice would look like. We took that to the Yardi creative team and said, ‘can we have it?’ They said yes.”
The result? A completely bespoke website design powered by real-time data from Yardi, offering both a seamless resident experience and an easy-to-manage digital platform for the ILA team.
A Platform Built to Scale
ILA’s approach to digital branding is now embedded in their operational playbook.
“What we have now is a master template,” Wagner explained. “So every time we onboard a new property, we just stamp out another one. The imagery, text and copy change – but we have that consistent feel and we can go on and add a new building to the portfolio and continue spreading.”
Beyond visual appeal, visibility and market reach remain essential components of ILA’s digital strategy.
“We do get a lot of foot traffic because in the end, everybody does have to go through the website,” Wagner quotes. “But the integrations – especially with Rightmove – are still a very major part of that. That’s where a lot of our customers will look, so we can’t overlook that.”
By combining Yardi’s native functionality with its open integration capabilities, ILA has ensured a seamless, discoverable and engaging experience across every stage of the leasing journey.
Automating & Simplifying Reporting
While front-end development delivered immediate value, one of the more complex and ultimately rewarding areas of focus for Wagner was establishing robust reporting processes using Yardi Spreadsheet Reporting (YSR).
“We use Yardi Spreadsheet Reporting… that’s an integral part of the Yardi ecosystem,” he said. “It allows us one access straight into the Yardi data. We can automate the reports, we can schedule them for creation, and our users can create them on demand.”
From day-to-day operations to executive-level updates, YSR handles everything,
“We’ve created reports for the day-to-day operational journey throughout the business… giving our staff key metrics and also a lot of checks and balances – so things don’t slip through the gaps.”
Today, all key reports feeding up to ILA’s investors are powered by YSR, with automated reporting available on demand – whether daily, weekly or monthly.
Where ILA Stands Today
ILA’s ability to rapidly scale and maintain consistency across its brand, operations and reporting is a direct result of choosing a fully integrated tech platform from the start.
“Everything flows naturally within the Yardi ecosystem – a year on, we are now at the stage where all of our reports that feed up to our investors and beyond are produced by Yardi Spreadsheet Reporting on demand… I’ve found that it’s a very flexible system.” Whether it’s launching new developments, delivering reliable reporting to investors, or creating a standout online presence for residents, Yardi provides the flexibility and power ILA needs to grow with confidence.
Discover how Yardi can help scale, streamline and enhance your BTR operations and watch the full episode here.