Background
For both sales and lettings the ease with which applicants are able to be entered software solutions has always been a debating point and ranks as one of the most frustrating aspects of traditional solutions. The issue has always been that in order to take advantage of the facilities in the software for applicants it has been necessary to record a certain level of detail in the database before the various processes could work. There is also the issue that if care is not taken the whole database of applicants could degenerate into an unmanageable mess.
With Aspasia Cloud it is still possible to record applicant details in the traditional form albeit we have redesigned the information flow to better represent the actual dialogue that would typically take place during a branch visit by an applicant. It is still easy to operate the applicant database in the same fashion as before and we recognise that this may be all that is required for a large number of customer organisations.
Nevertheless, an objective scrutiny of the subject will produce varying results and we only need to consider such things as articles in our own trade press like the "mystery shopper" series to see that the reality often falls far short of agency perceptions. The reasons for this are many and can reflect such issues as high staff turnover, being particularly busy at various times of the week, staff shortages, holidays or whatever. This lack of proper service, where it happens, also further damages the well quoted poor public image of agents in the media at large.
A new playing field
Aspasia Cloud offers a solution to this problem but first we need to acknowledge that an ever growing majority of people are comfortable in the new electronic digital world in which we live. They prefer to communicate via e-mail rather than letter and are used to handling many aspects of their daily lives online which in the majority of cases lead to higher levels of service and speed of action. It is what people expect these days and many believe agents need to bring their toolbox up to date in order to ultimately survive.
How it works
From whatever source an agent receives a lead from an applicant in the form of a telephone call, e-mail, referral or personal visit and doesn't have the opportunity to handle the lead professionally in a traditional manner. Or perhaps the agent is just looking for a way to keep staff levels (their highest overhead) as low as possible without detriment to the business. It should be remembered that if these leads are not handled in a traditional professional manner they will almost certainly be lost to a competitor. - The agent takes just the person's name and e-mail address (a telephone number would also be nice but not essential) and records these items within Aspasia Cloud in a dedicated pop up screen which is easily accessed from a link permanently displayed on the screen and available during whatever else they might be doing at the time. The same feature can be activated from the process handling automated leads (Rightmove, web site, etc.)
- Aspasia Cloud instantly sends an e-mail to the prospective applicant containing a link to a screen which pops up giving them the opportunity to record their own personal details and which guides them through a process of recording their requirements. The wording within the e-mail conforms to a template designed by the agency in question (in effect a standard letter) and which has the agent's branding.
- During the process of recording their requirements, the process is made very much more rewarding to the applicant by including some feedback as to the potential number of properties matching their requirements, etc. Although some may argue that this could potentially lose a sale or let to someone who might otherwise end up buying or renting something different to their original requirements, this needs to be balanced from a business standpoint to the time, effort and cost of dealing personally with applicants whose requirements just cannot be met anyway.
- When the prospective applicant has completed the process of recording their requirements an indication of this fact (email) is sent immediately to the originating negotiator so that he/she can click on a link and review the new information, click a button to activate the record in the system and take whatever follow up action they see fit.
- A confirmation e-mail is automatically sent to the applicant with a link which the person can use at any time to get an update on the process of their affairs with the agency. At this stage the account is protected by a login and password arrangement.
This same process can be optionally built into the agent's web site so that it can be combined with the facility for sending automated property alerts.
Potential benefits - A highly automated and efficient mechanism that ensures that potential applicants are dealt with in a consistent fashion whatever level of agency resources exist at the time.
- To a large extent this mechanism ensures that all potential applicants are dealt with in a consistent manner throughout the organisation irrespective of individual staff fluctuations.
- Prospective applicants are dealt with immediately ensuring a high perceived level of customer service and they are able to engage in the process at a time suitable and convenient to themselves (day or night).
- A reduced administrative burden on the agency with ensuing reductions in staff overheads.
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