Improve customer service with SMS - Focus on Cloud software for estate agents

| Technology

Improve customer service with SMS - Focus on Cloud software for estate agents

In this week’s article we share some interesting ideas on the use of mobile technology, in the form of SMS text messaging, to better engage with customers. Turning what is often a mundane daily task into a great customer experience, which if carried out effectively results in better informed happier customers that are more likely to instruct and recommend you their friends and family.   

First the stats - 

  • SMS is the most popular form of communication in the UK (Ofcom)
  • SMS produces engagement rates 6 to 8 times higher than email (Cellit)
  • 98% of text messages are read, compared to 22% of emails, 29% of tweets and 12% of Facebook posts. (Frost & Sullivan 2010, Slick Text) 
  • Text messages are read on average within 5 seconds (Frost & Sullivan) 
  • The average person receives 1,216 emails per month, compared to only 178 text messages (Tatango)
  • The average person looks at his/her phone 150 times per day (Nokia)
  • The average click through rate (CTR) of URLs included in SMS messages is 19%, compared to just 4.2% CTR for Emails (TextBoard and Mailchimp)

With the above in mind, it’s hard to understand why more estate agents don’t actively use SMS text messaging.

So how can estate agents take advantage of the clearly massive SMS market? There are a number of mechanisms within cloud based estate agents software systems that can utilise SMS technology, below we explore some of the ways this can be used to agents benefit: 

1) Appointment confirmation

Perhaps the most obvious and definitely one of the most effective in terms of creating a direct customer and measurable benefit, as well as a massive improvement in the view appointment no shows, is to use SMS messages to confirm viewing appointments. This fully automated system enables the negotiator to set automatic appointment reminders for both property owners and viewers, these reminders can be set for a given time prior to the appointment, notifying interested parties of the impending appointment and offer an easy method of contact if they are unable to attend. This has proven so successful for many of our clients that viewing ‘no shows’ have gone from 10% - 15% to virtually nothing.

2) Sale Progress updates  

The property sales process can be one of the most frustrating and indeed stressful events in our lives. But one thing the experienced professional sales progressor understands is that above all, good communication helps immeasurably. The use of SMS updates are a great, quick and easy method for notification of key events or requests for updates or further information. If you consider that 98% of all text messages are read on average within 5 seconds, this is a great means of communicating vital information quickly and efficiently. 

3) Marketing Property

In fast moving markets many agents see SMS messaging new instructions to potential buyers a waste of money… For the experienced SMS’er the sales opportunity is secondary! Used at the point of valuation to validate their commitment to marketing property using modern technology, often is the differentiating USP that clinches the instruction. Indeed, if your cloud software allows, only hot buyers and local potential vendors can be targeted, limiting the SMS spend.

Considering new Cloud Based Software for Estate Agents? Resource Techniques, produce critically acclaimed, cut edge cloud software, and have been doing so since 1982… We have a great heritage of producing quality specialist technology for the estate agency sector - Call to arrange software free demo.   

Troy Stanley