People. Markets. Broker CRM.
From requirements list to the digital backbone for international growth
Integrating a leading real estate CRM is a digital milestone for KENSINGTON Finest Properties International AG—driven by a clear vision and a strong partnership. With the rollout of the Propstack broker CRM, the company has been relying since early 2025 on powerful real estate software to scale its self-defined franchise structures in line with international standards. In a conversation with Daniel Malek (CEO D-A-CH) and Lennard Möhlenbrock (Head of Corporate Development), a forward-looking structural transformation was clearly the focus. Sven Binnewies (CEO International) and Benjamin Liers (Global CFO & CSO) are also delighted with the close collaboration with Propstack.
How important is a CRM for the digitalization of the real estate industry?
Daniel Malek: Digitalization is not an end in itself, but the modern way to make brokers’ day-to-day work easier. Without digital support, you fall behind today. With the flood of portal inquiries alone, data-driven support safeguards operational success.
Sven Binnewies: In general, the CRM takes routine tasks off the plate of real estate professionals, automates processes, and creates more time for what really matters: strategy, sales, the customer relationship—and ultimately profitability.
Lennard Möhlenbrock: It’s not about competitive advantages, but about staying competitive. A modern CRM is no longer a nice-to-have—it’s a must-have. Anyone who wants to succeed as a broker or franchise system in such a dynamic market and exceed customer expectations in the future needs a digital foundation.
Benjamin Liers: The need lies in the added value of technology: only those who embrace digitalization can shape their own digital transformation.
People business in best practice.
Rollout 2025/26 in six markets
The phased rollout follows a smart prioritization principle:
- England: New market with high strategic value
- Spain: Optimization and consolidation of legacy systems
- Germany: Focus on centralized franchise management
- Austria & Switzerland: Finalization with DACH standards
- Montenegro, Albania, Dubai: more countries to follow
With over 100 locations and additional shops for training and administration, Propstack digitally maps the entire KENSINGTON organization.
What does the collaboration and joint further development look like?
Lennard Möhlenbrock: We really value the fast support with a direct line to the developers and genuine room to shape things. The live chat, as well as the dedicated VIP account manager, make a real difference—and both take pressure off HQ. This way, our needs flow directly into the further development of the franchise CRM and are met quickly.
Daniel Malek: Propstack isn’t a rigid system. It grows with us—technically, in terms of content, and strategically. New features or adjustments in dashboards or reports can be rolled out system-wide and can be scaled easily, used internationally, and activated at the push of a button. Our local partners always have the freedom to tailor their processes individually.
One tool. One strategy. One platform for the future.
With the systematic rollout of Propstack, KENSINGTON is undergoing a forward-looking structural transformation. The introduction strengthens operational efficiency as well as entrepreneurial resilience in a changing market environment. Integrating all stakeholders into a shared system with decentralized logic creates consistent structures—designed for growth, legal certainty, and market intelligence. This means KENSINGTON’s technological change is far more than just a software switch. It is the strategic commitment to a modern, international real estate franchise of the next generation. Lennard Möhlenbrock sums it up as follows: “The future of the real estate industry is digital—but despite all the technology, the broker remains the decisive success factor. With Propstack, we at KENSINGTON have the perfect platform to automate processes and make brokers more efficient, so they can focus on what really counts: personal contact, building trust, and successful closings. Digitalization supports the people business—with a push to a new performance level.”
What final advice would you give other franchise systems in the industry?
Daniel Malek: If you don’t go digital, you lose! But not because people are meant to be replaced. On the contrary: digitalization means putting the broker as a person at the center. The goal: everything that can be automated should run automatically, so there’s more room for personal support in direct customer business.
Lennard Möhlenbrock: Customers today expect fast, professional processes, and the CRM is the digital centerpiece of a modern real estate company. Bottom line, there’s more time for what matters: building trust, advising people, and brokering properties.
Sven Binnewies: Anyone who takes digitalization seriously can turn it into a win-win-win situation—for HQ, for partners, and for the end customer.
Around 400 user licenses across more than 100 locations—multilingual and decentralized.
Originally, switching CRMs wasn’t on the table at KENSINGTON. Propstack’s power impressed in the first meeting—and ultimately won them over in the pitch. The systematic integration of Microsoft Power BI now makes Big Data Real Estate manageable at this international industry scale. All transactions, commissions, and client information become transparent across all company levels—precisely mapped in individual reports and cleanly separated among the individual licensees.
Core requirements for a real estate franchise CRM
1. Central data management:
Property listings, customer data, and marketing materials are stored centrally and managed across locations. All franchisees can access up-to-date and consistent information at any time
:
» Real-time synchronization between all
franchise partners
» Clear hierarchies and permission assignment for
brokers, partners, and others
» Automated reporting for performance monitoring
2. Sales engine: multi-listing:
Green light for joint deals. The entire franchise network benefits from the integrated Multiple
Listing Service (MLS). Current listings can be shared with partner companies via standardized workflows and settings
. This expands the customer base and
significantly increases sales opportunities.
» Market properties faster within the network
» Cross-company collaboration with partner businesses
» Win new markets with the off-market feature
3. Multi-tenancy:
Each franchisee works in their own system environment, but can share certain data and processes with HQ via the CRM.
4. Training and support:
Training materials and support resources are continuously available to the franchisee in the CRM. Knowledge transfer and skills sharing are managed centrally.
5. Flexibility for currencies and area units:
Whether British pounds or measurements in square feet—international franchise systems always place their properties in local markets with clear, tangible information.
6. Real-time communication:
Franchisors and franchisees exchange information between HQ and locations in real time. Response times get shorter—while cross-company collaboration becomes smoother.
7. Automated processes:
Lead distribution, contract management, and marketing run largely automated and in standardized
workflows. The result: when creating brochures, in customer communication, and in reporting
all franchisees work with the same tools to the same quality standards.
» Automatic lead assignment to the right broker
» Automated brochure sending including cancellation policy notice
» Digital signature for fast contract processing
» AI-powered text processing to create brochures, social media posts, and emails in seconds
8. Maximum scalability:
New franchise locations must be easy to integrate into the existing structure—flexibly according to the needs of the franchise organization, from small broker offices to large international networks.
9. Role & permission management:
Different roles (broker, branch manager, franchisor) require tiered permissions. Dedicated assignment of the different stakeholders ensures transparency and legal certainty.
10. Data protection & compliance:
GDPR-compliant data management for storing and processing sensitive customer data is a system requirement to avoid fines and legal issues.
11. Software integration:
Property portals, marketing tools, accounting systems, ERP software, business solutions, and office communications should be seamlessly connected via an API interface. Only then can the company be mapped efficiently in the CRM.