One of the best investments you can make for your brokerage is to get real estate software. It not only simplifies a lot of processes for agents and brokers, but it also makes recruitment and retention a lot easier.
However, there are a lot of real estate software available in the market nowadays and thus it can be a little challenging to choose one. The choice can be particularly confusing since a lot of real estate software has multiple features combined in one platform.
If it’s your first time using real estate software or are planning to make a switch, one important thing you should consider is the product’s integration options. For example, to help create smoother end-to-end workflows, the software Brokerkit has the following integration partners: https://getbrokerkit.com/home/real-estate-software-integrations/. This is particularly beneficial, since there are a lot of processes involved with hiring agents, closing deals, and more.
Aside from orderly workflows, here are a few more benefits that you can enjoy with a real estate software that integrates with existing tools:
Improved Productivity
When your real estate software isn’t integrated with your often-used tools, your employees will spend a lot of time going back and forth between systems. There are also some tasks that can’t be fully automated. As a result, productivity won’t be at optimal levels and there will be more room for errors. This is counterintuitive to the purpose of why you acquired a real estate software in the first place.
With a real estate software that’s properly integrated with a variety of apps, your people will be able to focus on other, more important tasks. Your company’s efficiency and agility—and thus, profitability—will also increase.
Real-Time Data Sharing
Information exchange is crucial in every business, perhaps even more so with real estate considering all the details and data that you have to deal with every day. With a software that’s integrated with your existing systems, you can increase the speed of data exchange. More often than not, the information is updated almost in real-time across multiple systems. This means fewer errors and better coordination.
The flow of information is also simplified when systems are properly integrated. Again, there’s no need to go back and forth between applications because everything is centralized within the software. The hassle-free process means smoother communications, without details getting lost in the process.
Easy Transition
Many real estate professionals are already likely using applications such as Google Docs, Office 365, and Zapier, not to mention the MLS. Thus, it would be advantageous if you find a software that can integrate with these commonly used tools. It will not only minimize the learning curve, but also make the transition to mobile that much smoother.
Another advantage of using a real estate software with several integration partners is that your employees will be more comfortable with using it. They already know how to use the other tools, so the familiarity is already there. In turn, this means that their productivity will remain high even if they have to use new software.
Simplified Maintenance
With most if not all of your crucial applications connected, it’s easier to maintain the technical side of things. At worst, you only have to involve your own IT team and the support team of the real estate software for troubleshooting. It’s also easier to create reports since most of the data you need is pulled from one location.
Better Control and Seamless Automation
When you’re working with a real estate software and integrated apps, you have better control of and access to the flow of information. This means that, as earlier mentioned, it’s easier to develop more efficient end-to-end processes. You can see what information is coming from where, which means you can optimize workflow without much hassle.
It’s also easier to automate things with integrated applications. From sending emails and scheduling meetings to capturing crucial data, every step can be automated as smoothly as possible. Other processes that can be simplified through automation include capturing agent leads and following up with applicants.
Almost if not all industries have been affected by the digital revolution. The real estate industry, in particular, has enjoyed the use of technological tools for years. These include task managers, customer relationship management apps, and automated drip campaigns. Even something as simple as an e-signature service has proven to be valuable.
Luckily, many of these functions have been consolidated into real estate software. Even better is that these software have integration functions that make work even simpler. The key is for your brokerage is to find a software that’s capable of integrating your current tools. Remember: you’re investing in technology to make your job easier, not more complicated. With integrated tools, you can leverage technology into truly working to your advantage.
