‘The clock is ticking’ is a phrase well known to real estate agents. There always seems to be so much to do in so little time. Trevor Bragg takes a look at how agents can use automation to save them time and create more hours to spend with clients.
Time – we all wish we had more of it.
If only we had more time, we know we could get more achieved in the day, month and year.
One way to create more time is with automation.
Automation is simply technology that exists to eliminate repetitive tasks and time-consuming processes.
In a real estate business, the objective is to take the menial tasks out of the hands of agents to allow them to concentrate on more ‘dollar-productive’ activities.
It’s no coincidence that the top producing agents have systems and teams in place to automate as much as possible.
This affords these agents more time to speak and meet with people in person.
In many sales teams, individual agents all have different skillsets when it comes to database management.
Automating certain processes provides a minimum level of communication across the organisation and can support agents who may struggle with technology.
Furthermore, when automation is deployed for prospecting, new opportunities are created, and it gives agents a sense of relief knowing that the system is supporting them by staying in touch with future clients.
Automation within your CRM has been a staple for many years.
Initially, CRMs were used for mail merging, property matching, and portal pushing.
But even now, agents are still struggling with a task list that never seems to reduce in size.
So what time-saving automation can we employ to assist our agents in their CRM management, communications and follow up?
Here are four CRM automations to create more time:
Set up inquiry capture and status updates
When inquiries are captured directly into your CRM this allows for expanded automation during the days on the market.
As these inquiries are associated with the listing, email and SMS updates can be activated, so the CRM automatically communicates price changes, offers received and when the property is sold.
The status updates that once filled agents task lists are now taken care of by the system.
Scheduled email for weekly open times and private inspections
This automation performs the task for the whole sales team and all the available properties are sent in bulk to various contact groups within the CRM.
The bulk email is delivered on a regular day and time, week in, week out.
The automated email helps promote not just the properties but the agent to the targeted contacts.
Email and calendar sync
The CRM is ideally the one true source of information.
Emails exchanged between agents and clients normally occurs within Gmail, Office365 or Outlook.
An automation can be set up so that all emails are stored against the clients’ contact card.
This saves time for the agent when needing to search for past communications.
Calendar sync also assists with time-saving by automatically creating an inspection time, appraisal appointment or vendor meeting from the CRM.
This reduces appointments being forgotten or doubled-up.
Automatic reminders can be triggered before appointments so cancellations or no shows can be reduced.
Nurturing of prospects and past clients
Every person an agent encounters won’t necessarily need their services straight away.
These ‘warm prospects’ can be added to a communication automation where the CRM can drip feed relevant information, strategies and tips on how your service will help them when they are ready.
Mixed into this automation, follow-up calls can be scheduled just after a communication is delivered, so when contacted, the information is fresh in the prospect’s memory.
Also, automations for past buyers with anniversary reminders or client birthday wishes can be established.
This type of automation is essential as it is triggered based on a specific date and if the date is missed, so is the opportunity to connect.
Setting up your CRM to automatically perform these date-specific tasks will save agents time and leave a positive, lasting impression with clients and prospects.
Trevor Bragg is Head of Sales for Eagle Software, providing an innovative and fully integrated CRM, leasing and website solution for real estate. For more information visit www.geteagle.com.au
