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Real Estate News |
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REAL ESTATE AGENT NEWS
Seven Ways to Simplify Your Business Using Systems
by Doug Devitre e-PRO, CRS, ABR, GRI, PMN
Client needs are met when every step of the home buying or selling process is completed with due diligence and proper records are maintained. Each transaction has at least 100 different activities that include: appointments, tasks, phone calls, e-mails and letters to be mailed. If any one agent is working with 10 clients simultaneously and selling 20 homes annually, then 2,000 actions must be performed. Activities are not always completed to satisfaction because one or more items may have accidentally fallen through the cracks.
The answer to fulfilling client needs relies on systems. Reliable systems lead to happy clients, future referrals and profitable business to sell upon retirement. Here are seven ways to simplify your real estate business by incorporating systems.
1. Reliable rules. For every step in the listing or sale process there must be clearly defined expectations. Draw out a diagram to show how you expect your business to run from the moment you meet a prospect until the transaction closes. Our real estate business must run like a machine so that tasks, appointments or phone calls can be appointed to other members of our team to ensure every detail is finalized. Solutions: Respond 2.0, an add-on to Microsoft Outlook, is real estate specific and requires no monthly fee.
2. Networking. If we are working in teams or are using multiple computers to access information, keeping congruent files and accurate records can be a challenge. The following questions should be asked:
Four common networking solutions:
3. Sync PDA telephone with computer. Treo Smartphones, Blackberries or Pocket PCs . This will allow us to keep track of important items. You can look up birthdays, home anniversaries, view reminders to call and ask for referrals. PDAs allows us save time and organize our business so we can make important decisions on the fly without booting up the computer.
4. Campaigns conquer. Campaigns are the series of steps for each category of contacts in your database and/or properties you are marketing or have sold. Important dates will decide when campaigns will begin and end. Dates will include when leads are received can start a series of phone calls, mailings and e-mails. Listing dates include signed listing agreement date, sales contract date, acceptance date and closing date. When the transaction closes assign a campaign to follow up to provide service and ask for referrals.
5. Compatibility with other programs. Multiple databases and programs that do not work together will cause severe delays in synchronization of information. If we store contacts in a contact management, the MLS and our e-mail account, information may be lost or misplaced when needed most. Also, functionality is reduced because something may work great in one program but not another. Microsoft Office programs, Outlook , Word , Excel and PowerPoint work together to save time when exporting/importing contacts, using mail merge and the program has automatic conversion to HTML.
6. Shorten the learning curve. Reduce the learning curve by taking live classes or view the video tutorials provided by the program or system. The help section on our computers will also answer frequently asked questions saving our time on hold with technical support.
7. Technical support. Pay for additional technical support. Computers and programs need maintenance just like cars do. Look to technical support by the service provider to explain, set up the system or be able to help when things don't work. Technical support does cost money but should not be overlooked. This usually starts once the system is created or the software is registered since support is not usually given until a product is registered.
Systems work well when we invest time, money and energy learning how to use them efficiently. Systems do not guarantee results, people guarantee results.
About the Author: Doug Devitre e-PRO, ABR, GRI, CRS, PMN is a national speaker and real estate trainer on Internet marketing and technology. Please visit www.ReTechTraining.com for more information on training programs, productivity software or recently written articles.
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