The cultural shift that's transforming property management: Key insights from Ray White Connect 2025
Liz Pollock
12 August 2025
At this year's Ray White Connect, Ailo Co-Founder Ben White sat down with Jess Densley from Ray White Warrnambool for a candid conversation about what it really takes to transform a property management business. What emerged wasn't just another Ailo success story, but a masterclass in cultural change that's reshaping how we think about our industry.
"The industry needs a new way of thinking, and we're leading the charge"
Ben kicked off the conversation by addressing the evolution happening across property management. "Most people think property managers just collect rent, fix things when they break, and find tenants," he said. "But there's so much more value we can deliver."
The opportunity is clear: when we understand what business we're really in and embrace change, the possibilities are endless.
Jess, who's been leading Ray White Warrnambool through their own Ailo transformation, is living proof of this potential. His team has seen firsthand how embracing change rather than fighting it can revolutionise a business and unlock new levels of success.
The three pillars of transformation success
When asked about his approach to implementing change, Jess shared his framework that focuses on three core areas of responsibility:
- Culture and team: Creating an environment where people genuinely enjoy coming to work every day and feel supported through change
- Operations: Streamlining processes and embracing technology as an enabler, not a replacement
- Customer experience: Putting the customer at the centre of every decision
“We changed our whole structure six months ago. We now have customer service teams who contact every landlord every 10-14 days after we've settled leases. We want to find out what the experience has been like and what we can learn from that to better our business.”
— Jess Densley, Australia’s leading real estate system & process coach and Principal of Ray White Warrnambool
Real results from real change
The proof is in the pudding. Jess shared some impressive numbers from their 13-month journey with Ailo:
- Increased fixed term leases
- 10-11% increase in profit
- 18% net growth
But the numbers only tell part of the story. "It's really about the time we used to waste that we can now reinvest back into different areas of the business," Jess noted.
AI will solve the problems you don't know you have
When the conversation turned to AI and the future of the industry, Ben offered a perspective that went beyond the obvious automation benefits:
“AI is going to solve the problems you don't know you have. You're thinking about filling out paperwork and wanting AI to write it for you - and that's useful, but what I want AI to do is solve those deeper problems you've learned to accept because they've always been done that way.”
— Ben White, Co-Founder and CEO of Ailo
He painted a picture of a future where the daily anxiety of opening your inbox on Wednesday morning becomes a thing of the past. "It'll be an emotional experience. It'll be a joyful experience. You'll find yourself getting excited about work again."
The bottom line: customer experience = profit
Perhaps the most powerful insight came from understanding that customer experience equals profit, not the other way around. As Jess put it: "Some people look at it the other way around, but we know that when you focus on delivering exceptional experiences, profitability follows."
The conversation at RW Connect wasn't just about technology or processes but about fundamentally rethinking what business we're in and how we can create genuine value for everyone involved.
For agencies still sitting on the fence about embracing change, Ben's message was clear...
“Don't put up with the frustrations for much longer. The change is going to be radical, and it's going to change the way you feel about your work.”
— Ben White, Co-Founder and CEO of Ailo
The future of property management isn't just about doing things faster or cheaper but about doing things better, with purpose, and with a clear understanding of the value we create. And judging by the results businesses like Ray White Warrnambool are seeing, that future is already here.
Want to see how Ailo can transform your property management business?