Are You Happy?

Here is an edit.

Some brokers view current market conditions as the best opportunity they’ve had in a very long time to introduce change to their business.  Changes that can significantly improve their bottom line, and help them survive the downturn, and position their business to thrive like never before when this market turns around.

Here are some of the changes I’ve seen implemented recently.  Many of these ideas are not new, what is new is that this market has created an environment which is more willing to accept and promote change.

1) Go Virtual – consolidate offices and/or reduce your square footage significantly.  A virtual office intranet provides access to all the information and communication tools you need to manage an efficient and vibrant office online.

2) Get rid of your Mail or MS Exchange server.  I’m amazed at how many real estate companies are still running their business on MS Exchange.  It’s a great tool for a corporate enterprise with hundreds or thousands of employees – it’s mucho overkill for a real estate company.  MS Exchange costs can be $3-$12 per user/month or more.  If you’ve got fewer than 200 email accounts, google will host your email domain for free – with more storage than you’re likely to need, spam and virus filtering included and SmartPhone sync with just about everything and now even offline access to email through a web browser.  If you’ve got more than 200 users, google is still an option that will very likely reap significant financial savings and there are of course many other hosted email providers who are out there competing for your business.

3) Stop pre-printing your CMA content.  Electronic CMA software can provide great quality with more flexible content – have you ever had to throw boxes of unused expensively printed marketing pages in the trash because the content because outdated or inaccurate?  Just say no.

4) Stop advertising in newspapers.  Real Estate companies appear to be among the last to figure out that nobody reads the newspaper anymore.  There are far more cost effective ways to promote your open homes, listings and your company.

5) Get rid of your high-powered and high-cost phone system.  Route calls directly to your agents cell phones.  Most cell phone voice-mail will even accept fax’s now.

6) Consolidate technology providers.  If you’re paying separately for more that one of the the following: company website, company/office intranet, drip-marketing, lead management, listing presentation, lead qualification.  Consider a broker platform that includes all of these.  Full Disclosure:  I founded a company that produces a broker platform that includes these features (AgentAchieve), and I’m currently working for the company that acquired my company in 2006 – so I’m admittedly biased in this area.  But regardless of the platform you choose, it’s still a great time to consolidate your technology spending.  I think you will be amazed by what you can get in one place and at one very low cost.  You’ll also save support and training costs with an integrated system.