CRM For Real Estate
Challenge
Our client, a Fortune 500 real-estate company, provides real-estate buy and sell services all over the United States. This client was looking for ways to use the latest technologies to make real-estate agents become more efficient. Moreover, the company wanted to address the needs of tech-savvy younger generation customers as well as real estate agents. The sales process, right from lead acquisition to real-estate sale, had several areas of improvement. Agents lost time and money interfacing with third-party vendors for photography, print and marketing needs.
Our Solution
Our professionals analyzed the challenges as well as available technologies and suggested a Customer Relationship Management solution. Though a typical CRM may not fit this challenge, workMETHODS recommended a unique approach to leverage customizable CRM framework to modify existing modules to address the above challenges. workMETHODS selected SugarCRM, an open-source CRM solution, as a CRM framework and customized it to fit the client requirements.
Our solution allows agents to manage real estate sales transactions end-to-end. Agents can manage all property-related information in one place. Agents can better collaborate with photographers for photoshoots. Moreover, using the photos uploaded for the property, the agent could instantly build a vibrant video tour. The agent could then use the video tour reference in marketing collateral.
The solution provided agents tools to create brochures, postcards, table-top tents, etc. With a simple drag-and-drop, agents could prepare marketing collateral from a pre-designed set of templates.
The flagship feature of this solution allowed agents to instantly purchase a list of potential buyers from an interactive tool that used Google maps, USPS data, and integration with large databases like Dun and Bradstreet, Experian, ADVO, etc. The tool allowed about 60+ demographic criteria to let agents narrow the target list.
In a nutshell, this feature-rich solution made the agents very productive.
- Improved Productivity
- The solution provided a single integrated application for handling all business right from customer acquisition to the sale. Moreover, the solution sent automated email reminders to ensure that the tasks are performed on time. Realtors could track the agent’s progress and take appropriate actions.
- The solution improved agent productivity.
- Regulation Compliance
- The solution integrated into the region’s MLS. This allowed the solution to update the MLS as soon as changes are made to the property information. Moreover, the video tours were automatically posted to MLS. This reduced the non-compliance penalties that agents had to pay.
- Reduced Marketing Costs
- The tool provided several marketing services that had to be outsourced to a third-party vendor. For each real-estate sale, agents saved around $1200!
- Manage properties
- Agent could manage all property related information at one place
- Schedule Photographers
- Agents could schedule photographers for photo shoot.
- Video Tour
- Based on the photos uploaded for the property, the agent could instantly build a vibrant video tour. The agent could then use the video tour reference in marketing collateral.
- Marketing Collateral
- The solution provided agents tools to create brochures, postcards, table-top tents, etc. With a simple drag-and-drop, agents could prepare marketing collateral from a pre-designed set of templates.
- Marketing List
- The flagship feature of this solution allowed agents to instantly purchase a list of potential buyers from an interactive tool that used Google maps, USPS data, and integration with large databases like Dun and Bradstreet, Experian, ADVO, etc. The tool allowed about 60+ demographic criteria to let agents narrow the target list.
- Manage Photographers
- A separate interface allowed photographers to manage their availability for photoshoots, communicate with agents, upload and manage photos, etc.
- Printing
- The solution interfaced with Staples and Kinkos [Client’s vendors of choice] to allow agents to place online print orders to these vendors. Agents could select marketing collateral within the tool, select the marketing lists prepared within the tool, and place an order. The solution placed the order electronically and avoided any manual intervention
- SugarCRM
- MySQL
- Web Services
- JScript
- Crystal Reports
- IT Strategy
- workMETHODS strategized the solution and technologies.
- IT Turnkey Solution Development
- workMETHODS developed a custom solution based on above technologies.
- IT Managed Services
- workMETHODS hosts the solution on its servers. We manage and monitor the servers. We provide email and phone based application support.