Case & Associates: How Zuma's Tailored AI Solution Transformed Multifamily Leasing Operations

A Legacy of People, Powered by Innovation

Since 1983, Case & Associates has built more than just a multifamily portfolio—they've built a reputation. With over 30,000 units under management and four decades of industry leadership, Case understands a fundamental truth: in real estate, relationships drive results.

But in an increasingly digital marketplace, maintaining that personal touch while scaling operations presented a critical challenge. Case's leadership knew they needed to evolve without compromising the family values and exceptional service that defined their brand.

The question wasn't whether to adopt new technology, it was finding a solution that would amplify their team's capabilities rather than complicate them.

The Challenge: Navigating a Complex Tech Landscape

Case & Associates faced a multifaceted challenge that many large-scale property management companies know all too well. They needed a solution that could handle enterprise-level lead volume, integrate with their existing tech stack, and require minimal training for a fast onboarding, all while actually getting used by onsite teams, a tall order by any measure.

• Volume Overload: Thousands of inquiries flooding their onsite teams 24/7, with peak volumes occurring outside regular business hours.
• Integration Essentials: With a deep investment in Yardi Voyager and RentCafe CRM, Case knew their AI Leasing solution would need to integrate cleanly into their existing systems.
• Onsite Turnover: High turnover rates meant constant onboarding and training for leasing assistants leaving leads going cold before teams were fully ramped.

The last thing Case leadership wanted for their team was to have another tab open for yet another multifamily software tool. They also knew that every missed lead represented lost revenue. Every delayed response gave competitors an opening. Every hour spent on administrative tasks was an hour not spent building relationships with qualified prospects. Case needed a solution that could meet the moment: enterprise-grade performance, seamless integration, and most importantly, technology that their teams would actually embrace, not resist.

The Solution: Zuma's Collaborative Integration Approach

Zuma recognized the importance of a tailored solution for Case. From day one, we took a personalized approach, working closely with their team to understand their unique challenges. 

• Deep Yardi Integration: Zuma didn't just connect to Yardi Voyager, it became a natural extension of it. Leads were instantly routed to the correct properties, calendars synced in real-time, guest cards updated automatically, and conversations flowed seamlessly into their existing CRM. No duplicate entry. No data silos. No disruption to their established processes.
• Intelligent 24/7 Lead Management: Zuma's AI leasing assistant, Kelsey, handles the heavy lifting around the clock. Every inquiry gets an immediate, personalized response, whether it comes in at 2 PM or 2 AM. Smart qualification questions identify serious prospects, contextual conversations feel genuinely human, and automatic escalation ensures onsite teams step in at exactly the right moment to close the deal.
• Fully Configurable Workflows: Case didn't need another rigid platform dictating how they should work. Zuma adapted to their unique processes across 30,000+ units custom conversation flows for different property types, flexible scheduling aligned with team availability, property-specific amenities and pricing, and branded communication that maintained Case's authentic voice and values at every touchpoint.

The result wasn't just new AI tooling. It was a solution purpose-built to amplify what Case already did well. Technology that disappeared into the background, empowering teams to focus on what matters most: converting qualified prospects into happy residents.

The Impact: From Operational Burden to Competitive Advantage

Within weeks of going live, Case & Associates began seeing results. Within months, those results became undeniable. What started as a solution to handle lead volume evolved into a competitive advantage that touched every aspect of their leasing operations. The technology worked exactly as promised, but the real transformation happened with their people, onsite teams went from overwhelmed to empowered, spending less time on administrative tasks and more time doing what they love: helping people find their next home.

The results:

• $19M+ Total lease revenue
• 5,590 Tours booked
• 168,000 Total messages sent
• 2.3x Increase in tours booked
• 44% of prospects engaged after hours

The Real-World Test: When Zuma Went Dark

The true value of Zuma became crystal clear during an unexpected service disruption. For a brief period, Zuma's AI assistant was temporarily unavailable and Case felt the immediate impact:

What Happened:

• Lead response times ballooned from minutes to hours
• Onsite teams were immediately overwhelmed with basic qualification questions
• After-hours inquiries piled up in queues, going stale before morning
• Leasing assistants took time to qualify prospects and differentiate from browsers

The Zuma outage served as an unintentional A/B test, and the results were conclusive. What Case & Associates had initially viewed as a helpful tool had become an essential part of their daily operations, one they didn't realize they depended on until it was gone. The disruption proved what the data already suggested: Zuma wasn't just improving their process; it had become the foundation of it.

Looking Forward: The Future of Multifamily Leasing

Case & Associates' success with Zuma illustrates a broader transformation happening across the multifamily industry. The question is no longer whether AI will play a role in leasing operations, it's how organizations will leverage it effectively. If you are ready to explore AI leasing tools like Kelsey for your multifamily operations, reach out to us to schedule a demo.